School Reflections Winners 09-10

Stone Academy of Communication Arts

School Reflections Contest Winners

from Stone

2009-2010 Theme, "Beauty is..."

Rules for the Contest

Student Art/Poetry Notecards

Student Writing

Dance

Musical Composition

Musical Production

Dr. Seuss Day, February 18, 2004

2006-2007 Winners

2005-2006 Contest Winners

Visual Arts Category

First Place Primary, Nicholas Turgeon, 2nd Grade 2nd Place for SW Area Council 3rd Place for Greenville County Schools 3rd Place for South Carolina "Meadow At Sunset"
Second Place Primary, Rocky McCrary, 1st Grade "I Love My Mom"	Third Place Primary, Riley Southerland, 3nd Grade "Friendship"
First Honorable Mention, Miller Heinbaugh, Kindergarten "Wonderful"	Second Honorable Mention, Sophia Young, 1st Grade "Bunny Blanket"

First Place Intermediate, Aubrey Alomar, 3rd Grade "Swirls"
Second Place Intermediate, Aryana Dendy, 3rd Grade "Butterflies and Blooming Flowers"	Third Place Intermediate, Molly McCrary, 5th Grade "The Beauty of Nature"
First Honorable Mention, Alaina Riordan, 5th Grade "Health Galore"	Second Honorable Mention, Aubry Alomar, 3rd Grade "Cat Near the Ocean"

Photography Category
First Place Primary, Cooper Boyd, 1st Grade Honorable Mention for SW Area Council "Beauty is Different Sizes, Shapes, and Colors"
Second Place Primary, Lindsey Fromknecht, 2nd Grade "Moon Rise"	Third Place Primary, Ellis McLarty, 2nd Grade "Pretty as a Butterfly"
First Honorable Mention, Ellis McLarty, 2nd Grade "Leaves of Green"	Second Honorable Mention, Loren Bell, "Chelsea Reading a Book"

First Place Intermediate, Thomas Strange, 4th Grade 2nd Place for SW Area Council Untitled
Second Place, Intermediate, C.J. Waldrop, 3rd Grade "Sea Oats Blowing in the Wind"	Third Place, Intermediate, Asher Wood, 5th Grade "Beauty is Colorado on the Arkansas River"
First Honorable Mention, Intermediate, Millie Seay, 3rd Grade "School Supplies Series of 3 Photos"	Second Honorable Mention, Intermediate, Sarah Mobley, 4th Grade "Light, Not Bright"

Literature Category Winners
First Place Primary, Nicholas Turgeon, 2nd Grade 1st Place for SW Area Council "What do Animals Think Beauty Is?" This entry is an illustrated book. The version printed here is only the text portion.
Second Place Primary, Austin Congreve, 2nd Grade "Beauty is the Circle of Life"	Third Place Primary, Emma Mecklenburg, 2nd Grade "Beauty is Everywhere"
First Honorable Mention, Rocky McCrary, 1st Grade "Beauty is My Mom"	Second Honorable Mention, Prema VanDeren, 1st Grade "Beauty is Meadows"

First Place Intermediate, Alaina Riordan, 5th Grade 1st Place for AW Area Council 3rd Place for Greenville County Schools "I Belong"
Second Place Intermediate, Bethanie Cooper, 5th Grade "Beauty is my Horse"	Third Place Intermediate, Davis Crews, 5th Grade "Beauty is My Daily Life"
First Honorable Mention, Josh Axmann, 5th Grade "Beauty is the Last Wink of Sunset"	Second Honorable Mention, Gracie Wells, 3rd Grade "Beauty is You"

Music Composition Category Winners
First Place, Primary, Ellis McLarty, 2nd Grade 1st Place for SW Area Council 2nd Place for Greenville County Schools "Flower in the Sun" (a wav file) This may take a little while to open, so be patient.

Film/Video Production Category Winners
No Entries

Dance Choreography Category Winners
First Place, Intermediate, Sarah Gonzales, 3rd Grade 1st Place for AW Area Council 1st Place for Greenville County Schools "Sarah The Crazy Cat" a mov file that opens with Quick Time or VLC (both free downloads)

"What Do Animals Think Beauty is?"

by Nicholas Turgeon, 2nd Grade

A lizard thinks beauty is..... a mango!

A bird thinks beauty is.....her eggs!

A cat thinks beauty is....a ball of yarn!

A dog thinks beauty is.... a bone!

A horse thinks beauty is....a horse shoe!

A fish thinks beauty is....a coral reef!

Beauty is different to everyone, but always everywhere.

Beauty is circle of Life

by Austin Congreve, 2nd Grade

Beauty is like a nice summers day at the beach with the waves rolling in and us running in them.

When it snows in the winter, the beautiful snow falling and we can run outside and play in the snow. Beauty is when our family starts making snowmen and everyone comes together.

"Beauty is Everywhere"

by Emma Mecklenburg, 2nd Grade

I think that my baby sister is the key to beauty! And put in a puppy that just opened his eyes and looked around like growup hound! Or my family going out! Or my friend's having a giggling time at the fair! Or a little family of birds that just hatched and chirping for one little worm! And me looking out at the setting sun set! That's my key to beauty!

"Beauty is My Mom"

by Rocky McCrary, 1st Grade

Beauty is my mom, because I think she is beautiful. I love my mom's hugs and kisses every monrning. And she loves me, too. She loves to rub my head and smell me. She loves to see me in the afternoons. My mom does fun things with me. She carves pumpkins at Halloween and she loves to make me macaroni and cheese. That's why I think my mom is beautiful.

"Beauty is Meadows"

by Prima VanDeren

I like meadows because the sun sets in a meadow. And the other reason I like meadows is that they are always open and I can have a picnic in a meadow. What I hear in a meadow is the sound of the water rushing down a creek. I smell the fresh wind blowing in my face. Beauty is meadows.

"I Belong"

by Alaina Riordan, 5th Grade

(based on a true story)

Hello, my name is Koda, and, yes, I am a dog. I am, to be specific, a black lab mix with a white chest and big chestnut eyes. I live with a family and have a wonderful home. But I wasn't always happy and well fed....and that is where my tail, I mean tale, begins.

A car whooshed by, just barely missing my hind leg. My leg had been through several almost-accidents today. That's not including when I almost had my other leg chopped off while searching through a garbage can that a Great Dane must have thought was his.

As I crossed the sidewalk, a woman slapped me with her newspaper and told me to get out of here. The sun was setting in the distance. I had not yet found a meal and night was creeping up on me too fast. Silently searching through the garbage cans, I finally settled with a half-eaten, fly-infested burrito. I found my way back to the park where I had been raised, years ago, and collapsed under a picnic table. I began chewing my dinner. At least I'll have some food to make energy off of so I can hunt for more food tomorrow, I thought, sticking to the positive side. And, thinking happy thoughts, I settled to sleep.

The next morning, I awoke to a bright sun and many children laughing and playing on the monkey bars. I glanced at one child who was walking her Chihuahua around the newly paved sidewalk that lined the play. That made me feel sad, for I had no owner of my own. I continued watching longingly at the small puppy, when suddenly a strong smell distracted me. It was the smell of a hot dog, straight off the grill. I also smelled green beans, piping hot rolls, cake and the sweet, buttery smell of chocolate. A small girl eating a plate with 2 rolls and a hot dog sat next to me and began speaking to me in Spanish. She smiled and pointed at me when her brother glanced over. They began petting me and I was a bit content. But the food on the plate was tempting me, and I was starving, so I started begging. The girl laughed and lifted the plate high above the ground and waved it from side to side. I jumped side to side, up and down, drooling and whining. Then, she ran to her father, gave him her plate and sauntered to the swing set happily. I sat down and began whimpering. I am hopeless, I thought sadly. I then stopped, when I noticed the two other girls watching me, one with hair the color of the leaves in fall and the other with hair light as the clouds. "Hey, lil' doggie," the auburn-haired one whispered. I wagged my tail. The other girl began scratching my back and I laid down so they could rub my belly. "Oh, gosh, you can see his ribs. He must be homeless," the light-haired girl cried. "I think we should show him to our parents." "Good idea." I tilted my head, confused, and sat underneath a boy eating chocolate. I waited impatiently as the two girls skipped away, promising to return soon. I closed my eyes and began to sleep, until I felt a firm but creamy object onto my eyelid. I opened my eyes and the object rolled to my nose. I lazily sniffed...chocolate. I slurped it up in one bite. The boy, like the young Hispanic girl, laughed and began feeding me more and more and more chocolate, and suddenly, I felt sick. The two girls, which I now called Fall and Cloud (after their hair), rushed just as I was about to lick a huge chunk of chocolate the boy had dropped. "No, sir!" Fall firmly said, swiping the chocolate from under my nose. "Chocolate is one of the worst things to give to dogs." Cloud chimed in. "We've got something else you can have," Cloud continued.

"Come on, boy. Let's get in the car," Cloud coaxed. I awkwardly stepped into the car with caution. I had well-avoided these for quite a while, after my mother, my three sisters, and I were dumped from a car into the park. But, I felt much safer with Cloud at my side, smiling at me all the while. I felt a lurch and we began moving. The woman in the front seat, Cloud's mother I suspected, maneuvered the car to a tidy house and we got out. A big yard with green grass blowing in the breeze greeted me. This was where I belonged.

I played for hours and ate in the morning and at night. My once famished belly slowly filled to its limit. I went to the doctor and they gave me a shot, a collar, a leash, a few pills and, best of all, a name-Koda. I was now part of a family, I understood.

But, one day, I figured out that they did not plan on keeping me forever, but were nursing me to health and then helping me find a home, though they spoke that if I was not taken by anyone, they would be more than glad to keep me. I was visited many a time by people, but there was always one little problem with each.

About a month later, Cloud and her family went on vacation and they asked Fall if she would like to keep me while they were gone. Fall came and I licked Cloud and her family's faces and hopped into her car, which led me to a new place. A quite big house with a large yard and a hammock. Fall hopped out and began playing with me. Her brother, dad, and sister came and greeted me. "Koda!" Hey, boy!" "Aww, you sweet guy!" Every morning, Fall's mom would take me on a long, continuous run for one hour and I became not just a healthy, sweet dog, but a muscular, fit, sweet dog, as I was often reminded. Fall tried to give me something called a bath and involved a thick, strong-smelling bar and lots of water. I didn't like it very much, even though it made me feel clean. All in all, I was well loved on and once again, I felt as if I really belonged.

The time came when Cloud and her family came back. They all gushed over me and said how clean, muscular, and of course, sweet, I was. As I got into the car, I already missed Fall and her family. Cloud carefully shut the door, but did not get in on the other side. I waited, then noticed they were talking. I pushed my nose out the open window and listened to the conversation. Fall's mom was saying, "I really think that we are going to keep Koda. He's a great dog and we have been needing a friend like him." Fall peered into the window and smiled at me. My tail thumped hard against the seat and the car door slid open. I jumped out and everyone laughed, and embraced me. I felt loved and the sensation covered me, and that love has stayed, nestled in my fur since then.

And that is how my story goes.

A true fact: A person that reaches out to someone else is beautiful on the inside, which is more important than how they look on the outside.

"Beauty is My Horse"

by Bethanie Cooper, 5th Grade

Beauty is my horse. His chestnut coat and his flaxen mane and tail sparkle like diamonds in the sun. His beautiful, blinding white blaze always stands out. Whenever he sees me he always lets out the cutest whinny you could ever hear!

When we walk he is always on the bit. Neck arched gradually picking up his legs and precisely placing them on the ground beneath him. When we trot and canter his muscles flex and his mane bounces. He is one of the most beautiful jumpers I have ever seen! No matter what size the jump is, he always tucks his knees under him.

His coat in the winter is soft and fluffy like a bunny. His coat is short but soft in the summer. He has the sweet scent of honey suckle from the pastures or the scent of sweat from our ride. His big, warm brown eyes make everyone that looks at him smile.

I have never seen a horse more beautiful than him. The way he moves under me, it is like I am floating on a cloud. The way he soars over jumps is like I am flying. On some days he may not listen to me, but I still love him. I think he is the most beautiful animal in the world.

"Beauty is My Daily Life"

by Davis Crews, 5th Grade

I have a family who loves and cares for me. Just today each of them spent time to make me smile. I'm lucky enough to have grandparents living near by. Lala took me to pick out my Halloween pumpkin. Pop challenged me to understand cell construction at dinner. Isabelle tackled me on the front lawn at church. She laughed and giggled as I fell to the ground. Daddy tossed the football with me. Mama baked my favorite dinner of lasagna and homemade bread. The love of a family is beauty.

When I need a friend there is one right there to help or support me. Andrew tells a morning joke. Spalding tosses me a football to score the winning touchdown. Finnegan shares the next step for my Pokemon game. Mary joins me to write a play. Ben works with me to create our movement phrase in dance ensemble. Friends are examples of beauty in front of me each day!

Education is my number one job each day. Ms. Neff starts the work day with an air five for each of us. There are math problems to manipulate. The precision of an algebra problem is learning at its most fun. Reading can take me to places and times I never imagined. In social studies I learn of the advancements of those who came before me. Science experiments are just plain fun! Learning is beauty!

The arts stream in and out of my daily routine. I hear the voices of 12 boys singing in German preparing for a Christmas concert. Chorus allows me to tuck away a song or two for when I'm feeling low. I'll never forget the first glance at the cast list with my name at the top. Still I feel the anticipation of stepping on stage to begin the show. I hear the applause of a job well done. In dance, I move with the music as step one moves into step two. The ensemble all moves exactly the same to become one. I see the art of my fellow students on the walls each day. From scarecrows to exploration maps to animal masks to personal collages, I can look into the hearts of the creators. Beauty is art in all its forms!

Each day of my life I see, I hear, I taste, I smell and I touch beauty. I could say that just being able to do this is beauty. I could say beauty is the sky, the rainbow, the flowers, the waterfall, or nature in a thousand ways and I would be right on. More importantly beauty is found within the people I share each day with. It is the small acts of living that causes me to FEEL beauty every day.

"Beauty is the Last Wink of Sunset"

by Josh Axmann

Beauty is the last wink of sunset, on a beautiful summer's evening. Beauty is when the clouds turn pink with the bit of sunlight flowing trough them, making them irresistible not to look at. With the waves of the ocean, washing gently up on shore. The sunlight reflecting off of the light, dark, blue waves, creating the illusion that the waves are a tangy, orange color. And when you walk on that shore, the soft, blonde colored sand sinking beneath your feet, you feel calm. You feel peaceful. And you know that you are in the presence of beauty.

"Beauty is You"

by Gracie Wells, 3rd Grade

Beauty is the Earth

And when you walk upon it

You will see that beauty

Is really what is on it.

Beauty is the Stars

And when you look up to them,

You will see that beauty

Is really what is in them.

Beauty is a Classroom

And when you walk into it,