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Outlook Literary Magazine

From the Students in the Blind and Visually Impaired Support

Program of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Spring 2012

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Outlook Magazine Staff

Supervising Editor

Sandy Finkel, Supervisor of the Blind and Vision Services Program, AIU3

Print and Submissions Editor

Diane Sahar, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Assistant Editors

Pauline Kitchen, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Participating Vision Staff

Nancy Barron, Teacher of the Visually Impaired/ Orientation and Mobility Specialist, AIU3

Jaclyn Bearley, Teacher of the Visually Impaired/ Orientation and Mobility Specialist, AIU3

Libby Haussener, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Michael Horvat, Teacher of the Visually Impaired/ Orientation and Mobility Specialist, AIU3

Pauline Kitchen, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Kathy Murray, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Sarah O’Brien, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Diane Sahar, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Jennifer Smith, Teacher of the Visually Impaired/ Orientation and Mobility Instructor, AIU3

Naomi Yeskey, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, AIU3

Braille Editor

Vision Support Services Staff

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Artwork

Gareth Allegrucci-Baldwin Whitehall…………………….………………….…...Autumn Leaves

Helena Rice, Moon Area………………………………….……………………………..Peacock

Mandy Smith-South Park …………………..……………..……………………….A Spring Day

Shayla and Shelby Duell-Elizabeth-Forward………..…………Halloween Grams Photograph

Marina Paulone-Tenth Street Elementary School..…………………………Rainforest Friends

Brock Kitterman ……………………………………………………………………..If I Were King

Deandre Davis-Steel Valley…………………………………………………………Colonial Flag

Maura White-Elizabeth Forward…………………….…………………………….......Pumpkins

Maura White-Elizabeth Forward……………………………………………………….My Family

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Table of Contents

Mikhail Ferree-Schultz-Fox Chapel……………………………………………….Two Limericks

Nick Gardner- Baldwin-Whitehall…………….…………………………………….Performances

Nick Gardner-Baldwin-Whitehall……………………………………………Thinking About You

Zachary Grabowski-Shaler Area…………………………………………Assistive Technology

Rhiannon Komaniak-North Hills……………………………………………….My Grandma Kris

Alaina Kotchey- Fox Chapel………………………………….Wish a Wish Wherever You Are

Julia Murray-Baldwin-Whitehall………………………………………………………..Play Dates

Makayla Paulone-Tenth Street E.S…………………………………………………..Christmas!

Marina Paulone-Tenth Street E.S………………………………………………...Fun in the Sun

Helena Rice-Moon Area…………………………………………………………………..Geology

Helena Rice-Moon Area……………………………………………………………..Healthy Food

Rashawna Richards- City Charter High School……………………………..Albinism in Africa

Mandy Smith- South Park…………………………………………………................Dear Santa

Nick Swab-North Hills……………………………………………………………..Bethany Beach

Joelle Swyka-Moon Area………………………………………………….Childhood Memories

Joelle Swyka-Moon Area……………………………………………………My KDKA Interview

Joelle Swyka- Moon Area…………………………...The Big Green Weirdo from Outer Space

Dustin Vargo-Steel Valley…………………………………………………………………...White

Mark Waldron-North Hills...…………………………………………………….Thankful for You

Anthony Lyons White-Baldwin-Whitehall ……………………………………...A Letter to Santa

Zach Williams- Montour………………………………………………………...Zach, The Perfect

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White

White is what I think of

A cloud from up above

The pure feathers of the dove

And down below

I think the coldness of the snow

And how the flowers grow

White is for the pure

And hear the lion’s roar

And see the griffin soar

White is what I think of

A cloud from up above

The pure feathers of a dove

Dustin Vargo

Grade 11 - Steel Valley High

School- Steel Valley School

District

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Geology

When I grow up I want to be a geologist. I like gems like onyx, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. I

will find gems in the dirt. I can dig them up with a shovel. I will use a sifter to get the dirt off the

gems. I will make the gems into rings. I like other rocks, too! I can put them in a rock tumbler to

make them clean and pretty. I think being a geologist will be fun.

Helena Rice

Grade 3- McCormick Elementary School- Moon Area School District

Dear Santa

Dear Santa Claus,

I’ve been a good girl. Can you please give me a baby doll that I can feed and that talks? Can I

please have a horse that is a stuffed animal? I want two pillow pets, one big and one little. Merry

Christmas, Santa Claus. From, Mandy

Mandy Smith

Grade1- South Park Elementary School- South Park School District

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Play Dates

My New Year’s Resolution is to have play dates. I like having play dates. It’s fun. When my friend

and I are together, we do gymnastics. I did a handspring on Gianna’s bed by myself, just like

Gianna.

Julia Murray Grade 2- Whitehall Elementary School- Baldwin-Whitehall School District

The Big Green Weirdo from Outer Space

On a cold December night, a UFO with big, white beaming lights that flicker in the night comes

flying in low over the town of Robinson. It stops above the Robinson Mall. Suddenly, a door opens

and a big green creature is thrown out. The alien lands on the rooftop of the mall. He isn’t injured;

his body just bounces. The spaceship quietly floats away.

The alien is a slimy green color. He has antennae with balls on the end. He’s wearing a sparkly

silver spacesuit that is a thermosuit that keeps his body insulated. The alien is skinny and tall, and

he has four arms and two legs. He also has googly eyes and pointy ears. He is wearing a mask

over his nose and mouth because he can’t breathe Earth air. The pack on his back gives him the

gases he needs to survive.

His name is Weirdo. He is a friendly alien, but he’s shy because he can’t speak or understand

Earth language. That’s why his friends, Ping-Pong and Bullseye, had to push him out the door.

Weirdo is timid about doing his job, He is the collector of things on different planets. He keeps the

samples he finds in his pockets of his spacesuit, like a piece of the Moon and a small planet from

deep space. The little planet that Weirdo has in his pocket is a small, orange ball looking like a

donut hole with rings around it.

Weirdo is standing on the rooftop of the Robinson Mall. It’s cold and freezing, but his spacesuit

keeps him warm. His ears and head are very cold. He sees a door into the mall and goes down

the stairs. He is in the Food Court of the mall. This is an unfamiliar place to him. He sees the food

counters of McDonald’s and the Pizza Shop. There is even a restaurant that has an alien theme

called Outer Space. It has space decorations like planets and stars hanging from its ceiling. The

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rest of the food court has bright red and green decorations because it is close to Christmas, but

Weirdo doesn’t know what that means either.

Weirdo is curious and looks at the people who are talking and eating. All he hears is noise because

he doesn’t know the Earth Language.

A little boy sees him, and yells, “Mommy! Look at the elf!”

The little boy runs over and starts reaching into Weirdo’s pockets. At first he finds a piece of the

moon. He says, “This is weird. It’s just rocks.” The boy thought the elf would have toys or candy in

his pockets. Then the boy finds the pocket with the small planet. He takes the little planet and runs

away.

First, Weirdo tries to grab for the boy with his four arms, but the little kid is fast. Weirdo then looks

for the boy, but he can’t find him. The food court is so crowded with holiday shoppers that the little

boy seems to disappear in the crowd.

Weirdo is feeling nervous and scared. He thinks he sees his little planet at the Pizza Shop. He

runs over, reaches over the glass enclosure and scoops up a meatball. He says, “Ooooooooh!

What is this gooey slime?” He throws it at the person standing next to him, a businessman who is

in shock. The man is disgusted and just stands there with sauce and meatball all over his white

shirt.

Weirdo then sees the alien restaurant and thinks that his little planet may be there. He sees what

looks like planets hanging from the ceiling. He gets excited and jumps up and down. Then he runs

over to the restaurant and he pulls down some hanging planets. He realizes that these planets are

made of foam and are not real planets. He screams and then rips the foam decorations into

millions of pieces.

Finally, Weirdo just stands in the middle of the food court and doesn’t know what to do. He knows

that Ping-Pong and Bullseye will be mad at him for losing the little planet. And, he doesn’t even

have things from Earth to bring back. Weirdo feels like a failure at doing his job.

Something kicks his leg, and he looks down and sees the little boy. The boy is holding the planet.

The bratty boy says, “This is a piece of junk! It doesn’t do anything! And you’re an ugly elf!”

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Weirdo takes the little planet from the boy, puts it back in his pocket and says, “Well, at least I have

something to take back to the space station.” Something clicks in Weirdo’s brain, and he jumps

right to it.

Weirdo runs all over the food court and grabs spaghetti with one arm, a huge piece of pizza with

another arm, a hoagie with the other arm, and ice cream with his last arm. He shoves all this food

into the pockets of his spacesuit, making quite a mess.

Weirdo now needs to go back up to the roof because his spaceship is waiting for him. He is glad to

be leaving this crazy planet. He’ll be safe and comfortable in his spaceship with his friends, Ping-

Pong and Bullseye, until they kick him out the door to explore the next planet.

Joelle Swyka

Grade 11- Moon Area High School- Moon Area School District

Zach, the Perfect 1823

When I was only 10, I was first in line to become the Czar. My father passed on,so I became the

Czar. My life changed drastically while I was ruling. What I liked was having the whole palace to

myself and all the luxuries that being Czar gave me. It was great that people respected me. I did

not have that much trouble in the beginning.

Some people did not accept the idea of a ten year old ruling so they tried to kill me with weapons

and anything they could find anytime I was out on the town. Sometimes the people in the town

would try to tear down the palace in areas that were not guarded carefully. I gave a speech to the

people that said I would not put up with this aggression any longer and that heads would roll if the

violent actions were kept up.

As the Czar, I ruled with an iron fist. I increased the amount of guards to make certain that no one

could get into my palace without getting caught. I made a law that increased taxes so that I could

live more richly. I made certain to have laws that would make me the supreme ruler so that no one

could interfere with my plans of domination.

As I became older, I married, and we had seventeen children. I would have entertainers come to

the castle and put on performances of juggling, plays, and storytelling. I would eat huge meals that

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included meat like turkey and chicken that came from my lands. My chef was the greatest in the

country.

As I aged, there was chaos in my kingdom. The people were unhappy with all the regulations that I

commanded they follow. I tried to change the way that I ruled by lowering taxes and lifting some

laws. I wanted the people to like me and forgive me. I gave another speech to the people that

showed how I would keep my promise to make the laws less demanding. While I was speaking

from the balcony on my palace, I was shot by an arrow through my chest. My last words were,

“How will you rule the kingdom now?”

After my death, my family hid so that no one could find them. None of them wanted to be killed or

to be a Czar. The country went into further chaos, and the capitol went up in flames. Finally, a new

Czar was chosen by a group of people who were ambitious. This Czar was a tyrant just like me, so

nothing really changed, and the country remained in chaos.

Zach Williams Grade 11- Montour High School- Montour School District

Thinking about You

You don’t have a clue

How much I really love you

Just thinking about you makes me smile

Your smile is like the sun

It makes me want to smile back

I miss you whenever we’re not together

I enjoy our talks

It makes my heart sing

I wish we could talk even more

Just thinking about you makes me smile

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It was so much fun dancing with you

That was one of my favorite moments

The day of the dance and talent show

Was an entertaining day

Just thinking about you makes me smile

When we sang at the talent show

Your singing was even more beautiful than the sky

You were a wonderful mistress of ceremonies

Just thinking about you makes me smile

Nick Gardner

Grade 11- Baldwin Whitehall High School- Baldwin Whitehall School District

Dear Santa

My year has been going great so far. In my band I play clarinet, and I learned two new songs. The

first one was Hot Cross Buns, and the second was the French Folk Song.

In my karate class, I am a red belt with two stripes which is a first gap (level). In my first

tournament, I won a silver (second place) in forms.

I’ve got a problem with my left eye. If the blood rises too high, my left eye will be blind. We travel to

Maryland every six months to get surgery.

In summer I got season passes to Sand Castle. We went every Thursday. I could go on all of the

slides.

I did my chores whenever I had to. I make my bed and put my clothes in the hamper. I put my

plate in the sink. Sometimes I vacuum the house.

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I visit my grandparents every week, plus on holidays. We eat pizza from Fiori’s, and I love pizza

without cheese.

Since I have been a good boy this year, could I please have some of the following things: an IPod

Touch, Wii Fortune Street, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mario Game

Cube Sunshine, Mario Game Cube Soccer, Fossil Fighters and Fossil Fighters Champions.

Anthony Lyons White

Grade 4-Whitehall Elementary School-Baldwin-Whitehall School District

Healthy Foods

I think that we should make the cafeteria food healthy. I believe this because you never know what

is in the food, like caffeine, dyes and acids. I believe that the cafeteria food doesn’t give you the

health you need, like fruits and vegetables do. Another reason I believe this is that it might make

you stronger if foods like apples, yogurts and granola bars were in the cafeteria. For these reasons,

the cafeteria should get healthy food so that you can get energy to do your work at school.

Helena Rice

Grade 3-McCormick Elementary School-Moon Area School District

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Performances

I was born in Pittsburgh, PA and became interested in acting when I was very little. I started my

career when I was eleven years old. I was in a variety of productions and played a variety of

different wacky roles. In my middle school career, the character I will best be known for is a

bartender. I will be remembered for that part because I had to say, “What will it be, stranger?” in a

cowboy accent.

But most recently, I have been playing some even crazier roles in high school. In Romeo and

Juliet, I played a narrator and a Capulet. As a Capulet, I had to wear tights and ballet shoes. My

most noticeable roles in high school by far were a child and a zebra. This play was called Children

of Eden. I also got to do my first partner dance with a girl in this show. My partner’s name was

Kristen. My favorite number was called In the Beginning because it is a beautiful number that

shows us how much we struggled at the beginning of time.

In my Junior year, I was in a comedy production called Check Please, Take 3. I played the role of

Hank. The show is extremely hilarious. It takes place mainly in a restaurant during many blind

dates. I was one of the stars in the wedding scene because I was the groom. The reason they had

a wedding was because the two main characters were going to their friend’s wedding.

My next production is called Curtains, which is another comedy. I will be in the ensemble beginning

in January. I just found out that I will be playing the role of Detective McNichol who helps solve the

murder.

Also, I was in my first choir concert as a member of Baldwin’s Highlander Choir. I have had a great

time so far and will have another concert in the spring.

The two businesses I have started on my own are a movie production studio and a sports video

game business. If you are interested in learning more or have any questions, then follow me on

Facebook.

I would like to give a special thanks to my family and friends for supporting me and to the teachers

that have helped me along the way. I also would like to thank the kids in these shows for helping

me and making sure I get around safely.

Nick Gardner

Grade 11- Baldwin-Whitehall High School- Baldwin-Whitehall School District

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My KDKA Interview

KDKA is a local television station on CBS. It has a news, sports and weather program. The

producers of the sports program called my track coach to ask if I could be interviewed about

throwing the discus. I have been on the track team since seventh grade. Mr. Parshall, the track

coach, agreed to the interview and so a news team came to my school.

The KDKA news team came to interview me because I am an athlete who has a visual impairment.

I was interviewed by Jory Rand, a sports reporter and weekend anchorman. Mr. Rand talked to me

like I was a regular person that he had known for a long time. That made me feel very comfortable.

We went on to the track field at my school, Moon Area High School, and the cameraman came

along as well. When the cameraman began filming, Jory started talking about track. He asked me

when I first started and why I wanted to go out for track. I told him that I liked having challenges,

and that I thought track would be something interesting to learn and master. Jory asked me about

my eyes. I told him that I am losing my vision but that I am still able to do track.

When Mr. Parshall was interviewed, he said one thing that I will never forget. He said, “Joelle is a

fabulous worker when it comes to track. She is the first one out and the last one to be done for the

day.” I thought that was very nice to say. When I hear d him, I was almost crying. My track coach,

Mr. Parshall, is always supportive and tries to do his best with people who work their hardest.

My mother was next to be interviewed, and she was as nervous as I was. My mother is the best

mother ever, and I am sure that she told the interviewer good things about me. My father was

interviewed as well, and I’m sure he said positive things about me, too.

After the interview, Coach Parshall took me on to the field so they could get some footage of me

throwing discus. I love throwing, and I was very surprised how good I was that day. I had not

practiced throwing in a while since it is off season. I threw it about sixty feet.

All in all, it was a magnificent experience. For one day, I got to be a star. I got to meet and be

interviewed by Jory Rand. Someday soon, I’ll get to see the interview on television.

Joelle Swyka

Grade 11- Moon Area High School- Moon Area School District

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Christmas!

Christmas is my favorite holiday. I get to spend it with my family and friends. My favorite thing

about Christmas is getting gifts for people. I also like sitting down and drinking hot chocolate and

listening to Christmas music on Christmas Eve. Every year my most favorite thing about Christmas

is waking up on Christmas Day. I can not go down stairs and open gifts until my mom gets the

video camera. She has to go down stairs to check the place out for presents. Then we go down

and we see so many presents under the Christmas tree. We open the gifts up and play with them

the whole rest of the day. These are my most favorite memories of Christmas Day and Christmas

Eve.

Makayla Paulone

Grade 6- Tenth Street Elementary School

Bethany Beach

An experience that I had fun doing was making a sand castle at the beach. The place I was at was

Bethany Beach, Delaware. It happened this summer. The people with me were Tim, Katie, Marie,

Jess, Mom and Dad. What I saw was the humongous sand castle in front of me. I could smell the

cool ocean air. I could hear laughing and screaming. I touched the wet sand. I could feel the

ocean waves crash against me. So you can see that was an experience I had fun doing.

It was so much fun because you got to use your imagination. It was also so much fun because

when we were done we got to eat juicy peaches. It was also was fun because my dad helped me.

So you can see that was why this experience was so much fun.

This experience reminds me of another experience. Earlier on that same vacation, I built a sand

castle by myself. I got to wreck it down and try again. I got to try different things and tools. So you

can see those experiences reminded me of each other.

Nick Swab

Grade 4- McIntyre Elementary School-North Hills School District

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Fun in the Sun

In the Rainforest of Hawaii long ago there lived

four friends, Cracker the parrot, Snappy the

crab, Marina the seahorse and Makayla, the

monkey. They went on adventures together.

Their first adventure ever was the time they

went to the Bahamas for a vacation. Their

vacation did not turn out very well. Snappy and

Marina fell overboard on the boat ride! Good

thing Snappy and Marina were good swimmers. They swam to shore, and their friends were there

to make sure they were okay. The four friends had to stay in a hotel room since Snappy and Marina

fell overboard.

“Out came fish,” Snappy said as he choked on a fish and the salt water.

“Oh, no! Where did our boat go?”Makayla did not see their boat outside the hotel window.

“It’s four miles ahead! The boat sailed away,” said Marina. “Honk.”

“Now what are we supposed to do?” cried Makayla.

“I might have an idea,” said Cracker. “Let’s hear it!” shouted the gang.

“I could fly really fast, stop the boat and sail it back to shore,” said Cracker.

“Let’s do it!” the gang said.

With all of her might Cracker flew so fast you could hear her wings “flap”. She called to the sailor,

“Can you please turn this boat around?”

“Sure,” he said as he sailed the boat around. The boat went back to shore and picked up the

friends.

After that, the four friends went back to their hotel room, looked out their window, and saw

fireworks. They had forgotten that it was the Fourth of July! They all had a great vacation.

Marina Paulone Grade 6- Tenth Street Elementary School – Riverview School District

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If I Was King

I could take away Cancer.

Then the world would be better.

Brock Kitterman

Kindergarten – Washington

Elementary School – Bethel Park

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is very

important to me. It helps me in everyday life. Some of the most important tools to me are JAWS, my

BrailleNote, my embosser, my hearing aid, my cochlear implant, my watch, and my cane. If I didn’t have

any of those items, life would be very difficult for me. I am very grateful to have all of those things. I

love them a lot.

JAWS is a program designed specifically for the blind. That is what I use on my computer. It is exactly

like using a regular computer. It talks to me and it tells me everything I type on the computer. It also

reads me all of my emails I receive and it also allows me to access just about any web site.

My BrailleNote is another source of technology. I do all of my school work on it. Whenever I have

completed the given assignments, I can print them and then hand them in to my teachers in case they

cannot read Braille. I can also keep people’s names, addresses, and phone numbers in there. I can

even schedule appointments. It is nicer than a Braille Writer because it doesn’t make as much noise.

My embosser is a specialized machine that will translate print into Braille. Sometimes, it can be very

noisy. But at the same time, it is very useful.

My hearing aid allows me to be able to hear better. It is kind of difficult without it. I always wear it when

I can. The only times I can’t wear it is whenever I am around water or whenever I am sleeping.

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My cochlear implant is even better than my hearing aid because it can pick up more sounds than my

hearing aid can. It is a little difficult right now because I have just gotten it and so I need some more

practice with it before I can hear clearly with it.

My cane helps me travel safely. It will always tell me if there is an object of some sort in the way.

However, it cannot hit overhead obstacles. I have to keep my hand up in front of my face in order to

protect it. My cane only comes up to my stomach.

My watch can talk to me. It tells me the time and the current date. It can also set itself. Those are the

cool things about my watch. I love having the watch. I can easily keep track of the time.

My equipment helps me with becoming as independent as possible. My goal in life is to live on my own,

and my assistive technology will help me.

Zachary Grabowski

Grade - Shaler Area High School- Shaler Area School District

Wish a Wish Wherever You Are

One day I was sitting at my bedroom window sill. I was staring bored out the window into the

friendless summer. A minute later I saw a shooting star. I remembered my old motto- “Wish a wish

wherever you are if you see a shooting star.” Thinking that it wouldn’t work, I wished that I could

attend Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry (a wizarding school). I always thought that Hogwarts was

full of new people to meet after I read the series and fell in love with it. Surprised and thinking that

my wish wouldn’t work, it came true and I was on Platform Nine and Three Quarters in London.

I had all the things I needed for attending Hogwarts. My load on my London train trolley included a

trunk of all the needed outfits and supplies, spell books, a robe, an owl, a bag of Knuts, Sickles and

Galleons (wizard money), and finally a gem stone wand with the most beautiful carving of flowers

growing up the wand. Happily I noticed it was very similar to Hermione Weasley’s wand.

Looking up, I saw the Hogwarts Express had arrived. I quickly hopped on in hopes to find an open

seat. When I found an empty seat in a nearly empty car, I asked to sit with the children in the taken

seats. They all agreed without hesitation. We began a fine conversation. They all said that their

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parents worked at Hogwarts. I was very excited to find out that their parents were Ginny Potter,

Harry Potter, Hermione Weasley and Ron Weasley.

When we finally arrived at Hogwarts, the group of first years came in to be sorted before the feast.

When it came to my turn, they put on the overly large sorting hat on my head. I was whispering,

“Not Slitherin, not Slitherin, please not Slitherin.” The sorting hat agreed and put me in Gryffindor.

Toward the end of the feast all the first years could meet the ghosts and teachers. After the feast,

all the Gryffindors were led to their dormitories and rooms. I was with Ginny Potter, the Potter’s

daughter and a suspicious-looking girl named Mina. All went well.

I became friends with Ginny and I was doing well in class, but Mina got more and more suspicious

as the three months went by. Toward the end of the three months I was there, I watched Mina

slowly wandering from group to Charms class one day. I decided to follow her and find out why she

seemed so suspicious. I followed her to an area that was not on the Hogwart’s map. I quickly

rounded a corner to a dark room. I looked inside and watched Mina jump in a hole. I quickly ran to

help her. When I looked inside, I saw her touch a portkey (a young wizard travelling device without

walking) and then she disappeared. Scared, I ran back to class. After class, Ginny asked me if I

wanted to visit Hagrid. I said yes, and we were off to his hut. While walking down to Hargrid’s, I

explained to Ginny what I had encountered before class that morning. She was extremely

surprised at what had happened.

When we got to Hagrid’s, he offered us some tea and cookies. Knowing that it would be impolite

not to accept, we said yes. We had a fine conversation about classes. Toward the time to leave, I

asked if I could have a word with Hagrid. Ginny was fine with that and went outside to wait. I told

Hagrid the same thing I had told Ginny while walking down to his hut. I also added my plan. My

plan was to follow Mina to her secret passageway and see what she was really up to and that I

thought I needed a teacher to be with me. Hagrid disagreed and said that Professor Snape should

deal with it instead. (Professor Snape is the Headmaster.)

I could not stand still that long so I decided to follow the plan myself. That night I didn’t go to sleep.

I stayed up waiting for Mina to sneak out of the room. I noticed that she wasn’t in her bed after

hearing the noise of a squeaky floor board. I went downstairs to the Common Room, hoping for the

noise to be Mina. Gladly seeing her dash out of the Common Room, I followed her. She went the

same path that she had taken before. This time there were two portkeys. I could tell she was

expecting another person after she grabbed only one portkey and disappeared. Carefully, I jumped

in after her and grabbed the other portkey.

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To my surprise I was in a huge bouncy house floating over Hogsmead, the wizard village that had

lots of shops and bars. I looked around remembering why I was there. When I turned around I saw

Mina’s hair and robe whip around the corner. I was as dizzy as a spinning top after a twenty minute

spin, while trying to bounce my way to the door as she went through. When I got to the door, the

floor of the next room was ice. I watched Mina skate over the ice. She was halfway there when I

remembered a transformation spell and turned a block of ice into a pair of skates. I put them on

quickly and skated over to Mina. Mina turned around and when she noticed that I was following

her, she skated faster. I skated fast enough to catch up with her. We neared the door, with Mina in

the lead. When we got to the room, I was exhausted and hoping there were no other rooms to go

to. I was almost in luck.

There was one small shed-like room. To get to the other side you needed a portkey. I grabbed the

two portkeys at the same time as Mina and we traveled across the room in an invisibility cloak.

Mina raced against me to the small room ahead of us. I was happy to see that the floor was a

regular one. I ran following Mina into a sitting room with a tray of hot chocolate in teapots and

empty cups. She asked me to sit down and enjoy myself. So I sat down and asked her what this

was all about. She said that there was a cooking and home makeover contest. It was hard for me

to believe, but I went with it. After her explanation, she offered me a cup of hot chocolate. I was in

need of a drink, so I went with it. She carefully poured me a cup and handed it to me. I took it

gratefully and put my lips to the hot chocolate. I shut my eyes as the deliciousness took control of

me.

When I opened my eyes, I was at home. I found out the chocolate was a portkey and that you

shouldn’t take a hot chocolate or anything from a suspicious person like Mina. I noticed that all my

things that had been at Hogwarts were in my room at home, including a bag of Knuts, Galleons and

Sickles. I sent a letter to Hogwarts explaining what had happened and that I would be happy to

practice at home and go back next year.

That night while writing a letter to Ginny, I looked out the window into the secretly, full of friends,

summer. I’m wishing I have a full year at Hogwarts next year. I still keep my old motto at the front

of my mind. “Wish a wish wherever you are if you see a shooting star.” I hope you keep this in your

mind, too.

Alaina Kotchey

Grade 5-Kerr Elementary School- Fox Chapel School District

21

Thankful for You, My Dad

You make me thankful for my puppy.

You make me happy when we go out.

You make me believe I’m happy.

You always work.

You tell me I love Peanut.

You hear well.

You understand me.

You try to make me happy.

You see me.

You make me thankful for you.

Mark Waldron Grade 12-North Hills Senior High-North Hills School District

22

Albinism in Africa

Ghost, Devil, Evil, Monsters. These are just a few words with which people with albinism in Africa have

been taunted. Albinism is a hereditary disease that causes a person to lack pigment in their hair, eyes

and skin. For years people with albinism have been misunderstood and treated as outcasts, particularly

in parts of Africa. Many people believe they are retarded and cannot learn. Most parents are advised

not to send their children with albinism to school.

The recent uproar of murders in Tanzania and Burundi has put people with albinism in a state of

perpetual fear. Walking outside, during the day or night is no longer a luxury that people with albinism

have in these parts of Eastern Africa. Since 2007 more than fifty people with albinism have been

slaughtered. These killings happened while the people with albinism were out in public doing everyday

things with family and friends. The killings are fueled by witch doctors who are seen as godlike in those

regions of Africa. Poor, ignorant people work for the witch doctors and kill people with albinism for profit.

Usually the murderers are never apprehended, only praised for their “entrepreneurship.”Since 2007 only

about a dozen people have been apprehended and sentenced for crimes against people with albinism.

People with albinism are viewed as easy targets because they are the most vulnerable. The crimes

against people with albinism have attracted much attention. Organizations such as Asante Mariamu and

Under the Same Sun have been created for the sole purpose of bringing awareness to this issue.

Asante Mariamu was created by a woman named Susan Dubois. Having two albino children of her own,

she felt that she could not sit back and let these horrible crimes continue. Under the Same Sun is a

Canadian-based organization created by Peter Ash, an albino himself. Both organizations were made

for one purpose-to end these killings. One in 1,000 people are born with a form of albinism in East

Africa. In comparison, only 1 in 17,000 is born with a form of albinism in the USA. Having interactions

with people with albinism creates more opportunity for others to learn about and accept them for who

they are.

Within the past five years, more than 10,000 people with albinism have fled their homelands. Imagine

walking outside and not knowing if you’re going to return. Imagine having virtually no control over

whether you live and die, and being at the mercy of selfish and ignorant people. A great deal has been

done to help people with albinism but the fight is not over. More people need to stand up and speak for

the people with albinism who fear that they no longer have a voice to be heard.

Rashawna Richards

Grade 12- City High School Charter School

23

Maturity to Adulthood

When you were a child, did it seem hard? Yes, it did seem hard for me. I have a visual impairment

so for me being a child was hard. Trying to do things like baseball or basketball were not so good

for me since I was unable to do them properly with my visual impairment. I tried to fit in but it just

seemed hard. I have a sixth finger and sometimes a kid would make fun of me.

Sometimes being a kid is not fun because you may get in trouble. It is what you do, though, that

gets you yelled at. You may put your hand on something dirty and get yelled at, but your parents

are only doing it for your best interest. Also when you are a child, your parents look over your

shoulder more than when you are an adult. When you are an adult or a teenager, your parents may

give you a spiffy time that you need to be in the house by. Your parents may also let you have a

boyfriend.

Becoming a teenager is also hard because you go through those phases of hormone changes. You

may be happy one day and sad the next. You may not know how to deal with a break up. You may

be the fat chick in the class so people make fun of you. In life there are these things that people go

through, and they are just phases. That fat girl may become skinny as she matures.

What do you do if these things do not work or if you have trouble figuring things out? You can go to

a counselor or a therapist. It is okay to do these things in life. It is okay to put your hand up and say

you need help or let someone know that people are making fun of you. You can ask for help in

making it stop. These are normal things, and you may need advice with them.

Life is full of surprises so you need to be ready for them, but you also need to find a balance

between being a boring teenager and going through the exciting phases of finding a boyfriend and

having fun with your life. These things will happen when the right time is meant for all things to

happen.

I wish I could be a child again because I miss the days when I could play games with my

grandmother.I liked to jump on the couch like a jelly bean. I would pretend that I was a doctor and

use my dog as a prop. There are now even child-like things that I do like giggling, saying weird

things, making funny faces at people and pulling jokes. I like to pull jokes on my boyfriend. One

thing that makes me explore my child- like spirits is going down to the playground that is near my

boyfriend’s house. Playing on the monkey bars is the most fun of all. I am a teenager now, and I am

appreciating it.

Joelle Swyka

Grade 11- Moon Area High School-Moon Area School District

24

My Grandma Kris

I love my grandma Kris because she is fun to play with. We like to play cards, checkers, tag, and

hide and seek. Every other month we go to a play. Sometimes, the characters do a funny thing and

we laugh. My grandma has a dog named Brody that I like to play with when I sleep over. My

grandma makes me laugh when she makes funny faces and chases us. I like to watch Harry Potter

movies with her when she sleeps over at my house. One time I told my grandma the wrong way to

go to Dunkin Donuts. She got lost. Another time we were shopping and she thought she lost her

keys, but they were really in her purse!

My grandma is the funniest grandma ever!

Rhiannon Komaniak Grade 3-Highcliff Elementary School-North Hills School District

Two Limericks

There once was a man from the Ire

Who was a terrible liar.

He said he’d been to the moon.

He met a baboon,

And his list just kept getting higher.

There once was a man from Brazil,

Who one morning had fallen quite ill.

He blew and he sneezed.

He whistled and wheezed.

This man who had forgotten a pill.

Mikhail Ferree-Shultz- Grade 9-Fox Chapel High School-Fox Chapel School District

25

AIU BVISP Literary Magazine – Spring 2012

Thanks to all of the dedicated staff in the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Blind

and Visually Impaired Support Program who encouraged their students to

express themselves.

Special thanks

to Janet

Mascaro,

Program

Director, and

Alan Friedman,

Director of

Special

Education at

the Allegheny

Intermediate

Unit, who help

to keep this

amazing

program

running

smoothly.

For more information, please contact:

Sandy Finkel at sandy.finkel@aiu3.net

475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120