Fiafia drummers

On the last week of the school term on Thursday we had a festival. I was in the Drumming group. It was very cool. We even had a basketball part. I was in it. Overall I would give us a 8.5 out of 10. We had good fun and enjoyed ourselves. My stage fright got knocked out of the window when the climax builded. It was a cool night. One I'll remember.

Note: I am the one on the left holding the black basketball.

Panthers Exit The Finals Series

This week there were two games for the NRL finals series, the West Tigers Vs the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters Vs the Penrith Panthers. The Sydney Roosters had a storming game beating the Panthers 34-12.

The Roosters were already the hot favourites because Penrith had lost a couple of experienced players like Trent Waterhouse (torn pectoral) and Frank Pritchard (hamstring). They also lost speedster Michael Jennings. To add on top of that, they also lost an experienced back rower Luke Lewis and Gavin Cooper after a corked quad.

The Roosters hadn't changed much in their lineup against the West Tigers. They still had inspirational Sean Kenny-Dowall, Minichello and Carney (Player Of The Year). Mitchell Pearce scored a beautiful try when they quickly spread the ball wide. He made a lot of breaks and had a very good game in defence. Todd Carney controlled the game very well and he played a beautiful kicking game with 4 from 6 conversions.

Braith Anasta is a player that is like Carney, he controls the ball well, has a good step and is pretty fast scoring two tries. The Roosters had a cruising win, 34-12. The Panthers needed to lift their game early or they would be punished by points. Sadly, they had no chance of coming back since the ball kept spilling out of their hands early in the tackle count. Carney was very effective during the game. So was Braith Anasta. Their next opponent is the Gold Coast Titans. Hopefully, they beat the Titans and either face the Dragons or the West Tigers. I don't really care who they face because, their gonna go all the way and win.

Thanks to http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ for the picture of Todd Carney.

A Cross Country Story

The old abandoned house creaked in the Autumn night. As I took wider steps home I realised that I could hear footsteps, like someone was following me. The wind gushed at me like I was it’s target. The bushes started shaking as I walked past. “Hello” , said Forrest Vosler. He was with James Rudder and Vernon Baker.” Look at what we got here” snarled James. “I'm a better person than you” I snapped. Furious, they beat me until I was a bloody mess. “ Smarty pants aye?” Vosler snarled. He left me lying on the footpath. I was angry but knew to keep my anger in check.

I came to school like shrapnel hit me from every angle. The incident the night before was not told to anyone, to make matters worse Cross Country was today. Training was more like boot camp since I worked so hard. “You’re a mess” said John Finn. He was my friend, only friend that knows me or at least talks to me. “ It’s D-Day today (Cross Country) and you’re in bad condition, we should shift you to the rear”. “Nonsense” I said “ I must do the race”. I was scared and nervous though and knew that the task that lay ahead would be difficult.

I’m eleven years old by the way. I'm not the toughest in the food chain, but I know when to show what I got when I need to. The bell rang stinging my ears as I went to sit in my line. Forrest Vosler and Vernon and James are all the same age as me. They think their all that , but I think their crooks. Oh and by the way I go to James Brown Elementary School. As usual, the oldest kids raced first. The wind made me shiver. Mr Smith came on the field saying I should not run. “Nonsense” I said in return,” I’ve got the heart of a lion,I can’t give up now.” “Bang “ went Mr Smiths pistols.

I ran and ran in little spurts in the beginning. There are a lot of 11 year olds in our grade, and they're all fast. I was lagging behind because I got tripped up in the very start. “Hahaha” was the only thing I could hear. I got back up though and joined the herd. I was starting to get reluctant when the pain in my wounds acted, The pain was excruciating. I took one step after another. The pain grew worse and worse.

I got to half way and started limping. Sprinting was the only thing that I had in my head. I was coming around 7th or 6th and realised the people in front of me were giving me a whopper of a hiding. The ground was the total opposite to a horse racing ground. It makes you slow and is sort of like quicksand. The worst thing that could have ever happened, did. One of the wounds opened. “Ahh” I shrieked with great pain.

The finish line was in view, 2oo m away.The hardest part of the race was near because I’m coming 4th and the people in my way to winning this thing or getting a place is Vernon, James, Vosler. “Oh Lord, please no. Not these guys that I have have to face up with. I’ll kill myself! I said in my head. I fell to the ground but got back up. Covered in mud and body about to give up, I run and run. Vernon Baker was in front, I passed him only to be barged and of balance. Rudder, James Rudder was my next victim. With 150m left. We were running together though for quite a bit. “Well, smarty has come to join the party” said Rudder. I ignored and passed him.

“Vosler” I said in my head. “Your going down potato head” shouted Vosler as he looked behind. He was surprised to see me, but then again I was gaining fast metres fast. With about 70m of space between me and the finish, I catch Vosler. “Holy” he said. We both sprinted and sprinted. 10m left to go and another wound started to ache. I took a deep breath. It was like I: had been gunned and lived. The finish was right there. I dived and landed on my wounds. I was out of breath. Like I had to swim a 200m swimming pool.

Silence overcame the field until Mr Smith came out. One person pointed at Forrest Vosler. Mr Smith shook his head. When the man pointed at me Mr Smith nodded. At that very moment I knew that I had won. John Finn said,” Hey Captain, or should I say der geist”. “What....Does.... that.... mean....”I said. “The Ghost” said John, “That’s what the other competitors think you are cause every time they think you’re out for the count, you came back.”

Note: Some of these names are really people who are army men.

John Finn Jack Lucas Forrest Vosler Vernon Baker James Rudder

All these men are at rest at the "Arlington Cemetery".

Billy Joel

This photo is a photo of Billy Joel and some others when he was young. He was singing "For The Longest Time". Not many people like oldies music like me in my class, ( possibly even the school ). He is very AWESOME and has sung with Legendary "Elton John". Together they sang "I Guess That's Why They Call Me The Blues". He was born on 1949 on May the 9th. He was singing actively in the 1960's and sang one of the all time favourites, "Piano Man". In fact, the song "Piano Man" is coming no. 25 on the "Billboard Hot 100". Billy Joel is a American music artist that inspired the world. As a kid, I am shocked to see that his songs weren't chosen to be on the top of the music list. 1999 is a special year for him, this is because in 1999 he was inducted to the "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame" ( just like Michael Jackson ). I think he is one of THE BEST singers that entered this world. He contributed with some of the best in the world. He's a singer I'll never forget, plus if he ever comes back, ( which is not likely). Then he'll be a stunner.

Thanks Billy for all you've done.

D'wayne's story

On Friday the 12th of March the extension group had a conference with D'wayne Edwards. He told us how he became a shoemaker,why he became a shoemaker. Just in case you don't know who D'wayne Edwards is? he is a Nike Shoe desinger.

His story all started off when he was 7. At this age he admired drawing and sketching. But it wasn't until he was eleven when he started to draw shoes. The weird thing was that he stuck to that topic and decided to draw shoes ever since. He knew that in his mind that there was a career ahead of him. And there was. His first shoe was an amazing shoe, but the thing is that it was designed long before it turned into reality.

I think he is a living model, sort of like Dr. Ben Solomen Carson. He is very insparational and can be someone you can lean on when you need help.