A Poem by Ruhee Parelkar
A Winter’s Tale
Come listen to this winter’s tale,
Of a grasshopper, weak and pale.
Summer was gone when the sun was aglow;
It was winter time; snowflakes and snow!
The pale grasshopper went hop, hop, hop,
At the ant’s doorstep, he did stop.
Said the grasshopper;
“You are my friend, do me some good.
I am tired and hungry, please give me food.”
Replied the ant:
“When it was summer, so bright and gay,
All you did was jump and play.
I worked hard for days so long
While you whistled and sang a song.”
“I carried loads of food to store
till my cupboard could hold no more.
You rested under the shady tree
and always made fun of me. ”
“I can’t help you , I am sorry to say
Goodbye and kindly go away.”
A Story by Linda Toch
My name is Linda Toch. It was a very complicated day in my life; I remember it crystal clear. I was seven then; it was the end of 2nd grade. My teacher came with the news that I was smart enough to be in G.A.T.E., a program designed for advanced students. I knew my teacher wanted the best for me, but I wasn't so sure. There were rumors that my soon-to-be teacher was very, very, very strict. EVERYONE passed that around. I had no idea wkere the resources came from, but I still believed them.
Being in G.A.T.E. also meant that I would leave my friends behind... they weren't going to be in the same class as me. When I took the note home to my parents, my parents immediately signed me up. I was willing to make incorrect answers during the test but I decided not to. I was certain that I would get awful scores anyway, but that didn't happen. I was to go to G.A.T.E. class.
During the first day of 3rd grade, I stood numbly at the lines. I felt awful, and I wasn't sure that I would make new friends. I wasn't sure that my old friends would forget me. I wasn't sure that my teacher would be nice to me and think that I was talented. I wasn't sure about ANYTHING at that time, but that I was going to be put in a shallow river of misery and cruelness. I halfheartedly took classes, but it wasn't at all what I expected. The rumors were false, and my teacher was only strict when it came to exercise (which he liked very much). Soon, I met friends I liked, and even though one of them was popular, she wasn't at all like the bullies at school, who don't bother me at all. Yes, some of my old friends forgot me. They made new friends, but I also made new friends. I did not make a wrong choice; I was glad that my parents signed me up for G.A.T.E. I was glad I made that choice. I learned that I should try new things more often, and now I have a lot of opportunities in store, and I won't be afraid to try them.