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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSBCUSD - We Are San Bernardino Publication - 2025THE SAN BERNARDINO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PRESENTS “What Brings Me Joy” Welcome to "We Are San Bernardino: Volume 2", a vibrant publication celebrating the creativity and imagination of our talented students. This special edition is a part of our annual literacy event, where we proudly showcase the artistic and literary talents of students from both elementary and secondary levels. Here, you will find an array of writings and artwork that beautifully capture the essence of joy, from the innocent laughter of children to the profound reflections of young adults. The primary purpose of this publication is to offer a platform for our students to express themselves through the written word and through visual art. It is a testament to the diverse ways in which joy can be understood and communicated. By bringing together writing and artwork under the unifying theme of joy, we aim to inspire, uplift, and connect with our readers on a personal level. We invite you to explore the pages of "We Are San Bernardino: Volume 2" and immerse yourself in the delightful and thought- provoking works of our students. As you turn each page, may you be reminded of the joy that exists in your own life and be inspired to share it with those around you. Thank you for joining us in celebrating the joy and creativity of our students. We hope you enjoy this collection as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life. This publication is presented by the SBCUSD Elementary Instruction and Secondary Education | College & Career Departments Elementary Level Submissions What Brings Me Happiness in San Bernardino! San Bernardino is really fun! There are many fun and joyful things in San Bernardino. To begin, I am joyful when I hang out with my friends. Also, when my friends play with me I feel joyful and not lonely. Next, is that we always work as a team and not alone. I feel really joyful when I am with my friends. Further, I am joyful when I go to school. Furthermore, I am joyful at school because it has recess and recess makes me joyful. Moreover, school also has learning and learning makes me really happy. Next, is that in school we write and writing makes me so happy. Also, when I am in class at school we do projects and the projects are really exciting. Additionally, in class when it is Monday I do classroom jobs and classroom jobs make me so, so happy. I feel really, really joyful when I am at school. In addition, I am really joyful when I go to my house. Furthermore, I have toys at my house and they make me really happy. Further, sometimes at my house I draw a picture of a cat that makes me so, so, so joyful. Moreover, I also watch TV at my house. It makes me happy. Additionally, I get hungry at my house, so I grab a banana. I feel so, so, so, so happy when I am at home. My BFF Melody Dear Melody, this is for you. Thank you for being there for me. You always help me and make me happy. You’re just like my sister. I love you so much, Thank you for being there for meeeeee. I like your drawings and your smile when we are together. All my problems fly away. I like when you make me laugh you always cheer me up. You are sooo kind. Thank you for being my bff. I like when you buy me things and you bring me joy and happiness. Thank you Melody for being there for me. SUNSETS Soft colors fill the sky, Underneath the white cotton candy oh so high. Nothing else can make me feel, So peaceful, joyful, and very real. Every time I see one it brings a smile to my face, The beautiful blend of colors fill up the glow in the space. Sunsets are a majestic sight, to see on a late evening night. The Best Places to Have Fun and Joy in San Bernardino San Bernardino is joyful! There is happiness in San Bernardino. First, I like swimming. First of all, I learned how to swim, jump, and see underwater. I feel happiness in San Bernardino. Next, it is wonderful at the snow mountain.The snow mountain is in Big Bear. Furthermore, I like the snow. I can sled, make an angel, and have a snowball fight! Moreover, it is nice at the park. One way is to be on the slide. I can play on the swing, monkey bars, poles, and the rock climbing wall. I can go on the twister pole too! I feel safe doing this. Lastly, Roosevelt school is wonderful. I can learn math, art, and science. Then recess and lunch are fun. CAPS is fun too! I feel kindness in me. All in all this makes me safe and joyful. Sophia Corral, 2nd Grade Nathan Arreola, 2nd Grade2 (Above) Nohemialejandra Trejo-Hernandez, 6th Grade Karla Flores, 5th Grade Alana Koster, 6th Grade Having Joy in San Bernardino San Bernardino is a place where many people live, including my family and friends. There are many reasons why I love San Bernardino. In San Bernardino near me there are lots of beautiful mountains. My dad and I love looking at the beautiful mountains together. Sometimes we go up the mountains to Lytle Creek, during the summer to swim. Also, another place my family and I love to visit is the San Bernardino museum. At the museum there are statues of extinct animals. If you want to learn about history and animals and even mining come to the San Bernardino museum. Further, I am pretty sure everybody likes going to McDonalds but how about I tell you about the history. The first McDonalds was made May 15, 1940 by the Mcdonalds brothers Richard and Maurice. The MCDonalds was located at 1398 North E street west of 14th street in San Bernardino, California. Now, the first McDonalds is a museum my family enjoys going too. It is free to visit and the museum has a lot of history, pictures, and lots of toys you probably have not seen. My dad took my mom on their first date to the McDonald’s museum, because it is free. San Bernardino brings joy to my family and friends. I am happy to make special memories with all my loved ones. There is much to explore in San Bernardino. You have to check it out for yourself. Swartz Robles, 2nd Grade (Above) Journey Fregoso, 3rd Grade 3 (Below) Lucian Ivashenkov, 4th Grade (Above) Samantha Murcia, 5th Grade Bella Poch, 3rd Grade (Below) Leylahnie Hernandez, 4th Grade Gail Remigo, 4th Grade Olivia Holquin, 4th Grade What Brings Me Joy! Have you ever been to Sea World? If you have, you can read this and understand, and if you haven’t I hope you enjoy it. If you have been there, what was your favorite place there? First, I got out of bed and everyone was dressed and I asked why they were dressed. My mom just said, “Get dressed!” So I got dressed in my favorite shirt. Then, we got in the car and we got to SeaWorld about 3 hours later. I didn’t even know where we were yet, so we got out of the car. Next, we went inside, and it was so big! I got my face painted and I got to feed a seal. I also got to touch a ray. I was so happy. Finally, we got to see the killer whales. The lines were too long, but my dad was giving me piggy back rides so I was ok. I got wet but the killer whales were too cool to care. I felt so happy I didn’t want to leave. I hope I get to go there again. If you go, try not to get wet. Our Joyous City, San Bernardino! Being joyful to me means being around people that are warm and care about you. Many things bring joy to San Bernardino. There are a few things or places that I can mention, such as, San Bernardino National Forest, Deep Creek Hot Springs, San Bernardino County Museum, and amazing restaurants. These places share the discoveries and stories of the region. The San Bernardino National Forest is also considered home to 440 wildlife species! Deep Creek Hot Springs has at least 105 degrees for the heat in the water! The restaurants offer scrumptious food. These are just a few exemplifications of the things that bring joy in San Bernardino, but the most joyful part of this place are the people themselves. They are considered kind and warm to those around them. Therefore, I feel joyous living in this beautiful city that is surrounded by some of the amazing places, and warm people. 4 (Above) Yanelli Arevalo, 6th Grade (Left) Mia Chavez 3rd Grade (Right) Alicia Quiroz 3rd Grade (Above) Jasmine Rodriguez, 5th Grade The Happiest Day!! Have you ever been so excited about something that you could have cried? I felt like that when my parents surprised me with a trip to Disneyland. First, I got ready and when I was done my parents told me the exciting news. When they said the news, I was dancing with glee. Afterwards, me and my family got in the car and we started to drive to Disneyland. On our way, we were listening to music like I’m Good (Blue) and a few other songs. Next, when we got to Disneyland I saw Snow White, and then me and my brother got to take a picture with her. After that we saw a big flower field, but it was Mickey Mouse. We then saw a store and we went inside. Since the worker saw my birthday sash, she gave me a birthday pin with Mickey on it and it said “ It’s my birthday.” Then, we got on some rides like Finding Nemo, Cars, Alice and Wonder Land, and the Chip and Dale rollercoaster. We also saw The Nightmare Before Christmas and I love Jack and Sally. Do you like The Nightmare Before Christmas? If you do, who is your favorite character? Finally, my mom, my dad, and my brother were tired, but I still wanted to keep on going, so we all agreed to go on our last ride and that was The Spinning Tea Cups. That ride was my favorite because I got to see someone famous waiting in line in front of us and his name was Brent Rivara. If you don’t know him, he is a person that does YouTube videos and we saw him with the smallest woman on earth. We got to take a picture and then we left to go to our car. To sum it all up, I really enjoyed going to DisneyLand when I was 8, but now I’m 10 and the year is 2025. Have you ever been somewhere exciting? Aaliyah Davila Castillo, 4th Grade 5 Music Everywhere In a world of notes and songs bright Music dances in the daytime light. With a strum of a guitar and a thump of a drum, The magic of music makes our hearts hum. Pianos play with keys so grand, Fingers dance like a marching band. Flutes play with a gentle breeze, While violins play through the trees. In the choir, voices rise and soar, Creating harmonies we all adore. Each note a memorie, each song a dream, Together we make a perfect team. From country to rock, and pop too, There’s a tune for everyone, old and new. Music is the language we all understand, Joining us like a world band So lets celebrate music With joyful rhythms and open hearts. For in every song, there’s a story to share, A world of wonder beyond ours San Bernardino Is So Cool San Bernardino is so cool! A lot of things make San Bernardino the coolest. To begin, I love going to Big Bear. Big Bear is so much fun because I can zipline, drive a go kart, do an obstacle course, and I can ride a big hill on a mat. I love doing the obstacle course in Big Bear. I feel joyful at big bear too! Moreover, I feel joyful when I go to Target. My favorite part of Target is the toys and the cool Legos. The clothes at Target are amazing. The cool watches you can play games on them. The good food is the burgers, the Sprite, and the cookies! Also, I feel happy when I go to a Play Place! The Play Place is so fun because it has an obstacle course too! Slides, jumpers, and a web you can go through. The slides are very tall and fun. Finally, the arcade is so fun! It makes me so joyful. It is so joyful and exciting it is like a dream! As you can see, San Bernardino is so cool. Quinn McFrazier, 5th Grade (Above) Easton Carrasco, Kindergarten (Above) Jacob Beltran, KindergartenEzra Medina, 2nd Grade 6 Aiden Alvarez, 4th Grade Titus Peña, 4th Grade (Above) Adrian Veloz, 3rd Grade (Above) Genesis Diaz, 3rd Grade What Brings Me Joy Have you ever felt so excited you started to burst into tears? That’s how I felt when I found out I was getting a dog. First my mom came and told me that my cousins are coming over to give me a dog. I was so excited because this would be the first dog I would own. After I heard that, I ran to go put out some dog food and some water for the dog. I also went to the store to get a dog bed just in case the dog was really tired from traveling. I found the perfect bed. It was a big fluffy one. I got some treats and if he is cold I will give him a blanket. Then I heard my door open. I flung my door open. I sprinted to see who it was and then I saw it was my cousins!!! I saw the dog. He was so cute. Finally, I went to my room and the dog ran right inside with me. I thought he was going to be really tired, but he was a dog who loved to play. I played with my dog the whole day. Getting my first dog was my favorite thing ever. Now my dog is really big and is two years old.What Brings Me Joy “Wakeup! Get changed!” my mom said. Bonk! “Ow! My head. ” I hit my head on the bunk bed. My mom was so loud I could still hear her ringing in my head. Ok it’s another day, another boring day. So I got ready like I normally do, but something felt wrong. First, we got in the car and we got to listen to nice songs. It was pretty fun, but we missed the grocery store. I thought we were going to get groceries. After a long time we passed everything. My mom said, “We are going to Knotts Berry Farm for the first time.” Next, I thought we passed Knotts, but we were one mile away. I was shaking. I wanted to punch the window 0.3 miles left. I saw a sign that said we had to find a parking spot. We were in Knotts. It was breathtaking. There were people screaming with joy. First, we got to Camp Snoopy so we went on the tree ride and a few more rides. Finally, we got the purple cards. Purple cards mean that we can go to Knotts for a year. We couldn’t believe it. I felt like I was gonna throw up. We got in the car and drove away. My day at Knotts was super fun. I can’t wait to go to Knotts again. Abel Ruiz, 4th Grade The Happiest Day Of My Life Boom, my jaw dropped. My mom was going into surgery when I got there. Me and my dad were in the waiting room for so long. Since it took so long, me and my dad went and got Yogurtland. When we got back, I was scared because I didn’t know if my mom was alive or not. About 2 hours later I was hungry. This time not for ice cream or yogurt, I was starving and I wanted a burrito. So, me and my dad went to King Taco and got a carne asada burrito. I wondered why it’s called King Taco when it sells a bunch of other food. Lastly, when we got back again we went to a lunch table in the hospital. We went to the main person and IT HAPPENED the elevator dings he said we could see my mom. When we saw her, our whole life changed. We thought she could be dead or alive. It all changed when I saw her! PS: love you Mom. 7 What Brings Me Joy Have you ever felt so happy that a part of your life changed because you got something so special? When I was 6 years old some of my family members were moving to a new house. They were asking my grandparents and parents if they could stay awhile. And my parents said yes. They also had a couple dogs, named Chella and Milo. Then, the two dogs Chella and Milo ended up breeding. Chella, the one that gave birth, ended up having 18 puppies. Wow, have you ever seen a dog that had 18 puppies? That’s pretty amazing. There were a lot of them and then I saw one that I needed. Then I asked my dad if we could have one and he surprisingly said yes. My sister and I chose him and decided to name him Bubba. Next , after we chose him and named him , we had to go get some supplies. Then we went to the most iconic pet store. The store is called PetSmart. We had to get stuff that normal owners get , like a dog bed , water bowl , food bowl , and many other things. We even got him a treat while we were shopping. The bill was so big it was almost $200. Finally, we were done with shopping. We had to set up where all the stuff we got was going to be. The next day we had to go on Amazon to buy more supplies. We ended up getting him a cage and a big container for his food . Bubba ended up getting to 10 inches tall. And now that he got older we tried feeding him meat and he sort of liked it. Then after a while he got tired of it. We ended up deciding to feed him normal dog food. Getting Bubba is one of the best things of my life. Bubba is now 4 feet tall. Wow, have you ever seen a dog that is 4 feet tall , that’s amazing? He’s even almost as tall as my sister. Bubba is going to be 4 years old in April. He is very trained and knows a lot of tricks. He can do a lot of them. One of my personal favorites is the one called Bang. Basically Bubba is pretending to be dead. Bubba even had a buddy whose name is Lexi. She died at the age of 5 months old though. We got her by my grandparents because they chose her but they didn’t want her because she is very hyper and rips things. To wrap it up I am very glad that they were my pets. Samuel Eli Diaz, 4th Grade (Right) Sophie Aguilar 3rd Grade (Left) Melanie Estrada 3rd Grade (Right) Brianna Barrios Tiznado 3rd Grade 8 (Left) Dayna Tiznado Prado 3rd Grade (Left) Jahely Hernandez 3rd Grade (Right) Christian Gutierrez 3rd Grade (Right) Nicholas Roe 4th Grade Ariana Elsa Alvarado, 2nd Grade Citlally Villanueva, 2nd Grade Joyful San Bernardino I love San Bernardino! There are many things that bring me joy in San Bernardino. To begin, I like to spend time with my family. I spend the weekends with my family. Sometimes we go out to get breakfast at Denny’s, Ihop or sometimes even McDonalds. I order an Egg McMuffin at McDonalds, at Ihop I order pancakes. I feel happy when I get my food. Next, I like spending time with my friends. I like to play with my friends during recess. I like to play tag, freeze tag, and two-square. I also like to play four square, tetherball, and with my family. I feel joyful and not lonely. Moreover, I love my dog. He is so cute, his name is Toro. My aunt takes him on walks around my house in San Bernardino. I like to play with him in my backyard. I feel outplayed by my dog. Lastly, I like going to the pet store. The pet I love the most is fish. I also love cats, lizards, hamsters, birds, and bunnies. All in all, I love and have joy in San Bernardino! San Bernardino is a Great Place San Bernardino is great! There are many joyful things in San Bernardino. One being, I like to spend time with my family. I like playing Uno and watching TV with my family. I like to go to the park with my family and play outside with them. I like to have fun with my family by spending time with them. I feel happiness when I spend time with my family. Next, I like to spend time with my pets. My pets’ names are Akela, Luna, Canela, and Claudio. I have two dogs and two roosters. They are very trend. They are fun pets to play with. My roosters like to run around. My dog likes to get petted. They are good pets and they make me happy. I love them as good pets. I like to feed them every time. I like them. I love with all my heart and I always remember them. Also, my friends bring me joyfulness. My friends make me happy. I like to play tetherball with my friends. My friends make me laugh. I do this in San Bernardino. It makes me feel joyful. Finally, my brother brings me joy. My brother is six. My brother makes me laugh. When my brother is with me I feel joy. As you can see, there are a lot of things in San Bernardino that bring me joy. 9 Harley Carrillo, 4th Grade Cali Valenzuela, 5th Grade Araceli Alcantar, 6th Grade Hugo German, 4th Grade Adolfo Baez, 6th Grade Adaline Ochoa, 3rd Grade Sashary Bojorge Mendoza, 4th Gade My Winter Break Do you know what makes you happy in life? For me it was winter break. First, when I got in class I asked when winter break was. My friend said Friday. I was so excited I almost flipped my chair over! But I didn’t because if I did I would get in trouble. But after that I asked “How long do we have off?” Then my friend said, “ Three weeks off!” I was so happy! And that’s the beginning of my winter break. Then when the bell rang it was time to go home. I was so excited I wanted to jump over the fence, but again I didn’t. So when I got home a couple days later my friend came over and brought some clothes for us to keep. I was really happy but I was also hungry. After that, my parents left to do laundry but I was still hungry so my friend drove me to Mickey Ds, AKA Mcdonalds! Then we got a McFlurry and big fries. “Thank you for ordering!” said the woman at the window and gave us our food. Next, we went to the store to buy some stuff for dinner and yes we had a list. On the list was seed, seaweed , but the rest I forgot. First we look in every aisle in the store for the seeds. Then we found them but there was more than one so we just grabbed a random one. Next, was seaweed. So we looked for it and then I noticed we were in the right aisle but my friend didn’t see the seaweed so I just grabbed the seaweed. After that my friend asked me if I wanted ice cream and I said yes! Then we bought the items and drove to McDonalds and got another Mcflurry! Lastly, when my friend went home a couple days later my dad said that we can make a gingerbread house! I did the gingerbread man but my dad did the house. After that my friend came over again and saw the house and loved it but we were not done so overnight the next day the house was covered in frosting it was so cool! When my friend went home again me and my dad decided to eat it and when we did we got to watch a movie and drink hot chocolate. In conclusion, winter break was awesome because we had three weeks off, I got to go to the store with my friend, and got to make a gingerbread house. 10 Daniel Mata, 4th Grade Sebastian Garcia, 6th Grade Amayrani Ramirez, 5th Grade Aleksa Alcantar, 3rd Grade Xavier Walker, 3rd Grade What Brings Me Joy Have you ever been worried for a loved one when they’re sick? About 4 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She got very sick, but in the end, she was okay. She had to get treatment and go to the hospital. When my mom told me that she was diagnosed with cancer, I was really scared. I was worried about her because she was starting to get really sick. My family and I would pray that she would get better and that the doctors would take good care of my mother. We had to go to the hospital so they could use a big, metal machine to operate on her. Then, my mom was starting to get a little bit better. I was relieved. Every day me and my family would pray for my mom and that she would get one hundred percent better from her cancer. This brought me joy, I was really happy that she was finally getting better. Next, we had to drive her to the hospital one last time. She got operated on, and a few weeks later, they didn’t see any sign of the cancer in her body! We were all so happy that she was okay. “Yay!” My little sister shouted. It was amazing! Finally, my mom is now all the way better from her cancer, and we’re really happy that it isn’t coming back. Even after getting really sick and getting operated on, she is okay. In conclusion, my mom used to have cancer. But after getting treatment at the hospital and getting operated on many times, she is all better! Me and my family are so grateful that she’s okay. 11 Imery Flores, 1st Grade Omar Ruiz, 1st Grade Xiomara Balbuena, Kindergarten Juliet Campos, Kindergarten Hailey Horne, 4th Grade What Brings Me Joy Have you ever gotten the best thing that you could ever have? That’s how I felt 6 years ago when I found out that my baby sister was going to be born soon. I was 3 so I was really happy but also confused. First, I was told that I was going to have a baby sister. I was so elated that I rushed to the car and really wanted to go. It seemed like we drove forever. Then we arrived and I gave my mom and dad a hug but not a big one for my mom because she was still going to have my sister. Also I hugged all my family members and they looked so happy. Next, I waited to hold my baby sister so much that I could have screamed at the top of my lungs. But I still waited and decided to play I spy with my cousin. Before we could even finish a round of I spy I heard a baby cry “ Wah ,wah“ and that is when I knew that my mom had finally brought my baby sister into the world. I was filled with so many emotions that I could hardly speak. So all I said was, “ Can I hold her?” and my mom said yes. Then, while I was holding her, everyone was crying happy tears and smiling and I looked into her eyes and knew she was going to be the best sister ever. I could not wait to bring her home and I kissed her on the cheek so hopefully she might remember me as she gets older so we can be the best of friends/siblings. Finally, I helped bring my sister home and I was so excited to make wonderful memories with my family and baby sister. I thought her name was a beautiful name, Leta Anne Horne. She is my favorite thing in the world ever. I realized that siblings are fun, but they are not for everyone. Would you ever like to have a sibling of your own? I hope you enjoyed my beautiful story about how I felt when my sister was born. 12 Bradley Scott, 3rd Grade Luna Salgado, 5th Grade Roman Cruz, 4th GradeAnnabelle Oliverio, 4th Grade Tobius Garcia, 3rd Grade (Left) Cesar Gomez 5th Grade (Right) Olive Fuentes 3rd Grade Scarlett Yeager, 3rd Grade 13 (Left) Ava Christian, Kindergarten (Left) Zoey Carter Martin, 4th Grade (Left) Haven Wagner, 3rd Grade (Right) Logan Rodriguez, 2nd Grade (Right) Alfonso Hernandez, 4th Grade (Below) Kevin Chavez, Kindergarten 14 What Brings Me Joy “Wake up wake up, we’re going to be there in 2 hours”! My mom said, I was 9 years old and I was going to SeaWorld. First, I got ready and walked to the car. I got so excited that my leg was bouncing, and bouncing. Me and my family were laughing and the music was on. Then, I got excited to be there and we continued walking and walking. We stopped to see sea animals like turtles, penguins, dolphins, orcas, flamingos, and sea lions. We went to see the dolphins show and My brother and I got wet because we were sitting in the second row and the dolphins were splashing so hard that the water was really cold. Next, we went on a car ride that was kind of like a rollercoaster and then we stopped and found something like a boat ride. The boat ride goes sideways, but at first when it started, it kept going backwards and forwards. Have you ever gone on a ride that goes backward and forward? Last, we were walking until my brother saw a game that was fun and it kinda looked like a basketball, but it is a tricky game because you get one try and it’s hard to put the bouncing balls in the thing. The prize is just plushes, but when my brother misses my mom says, “Come on let’s go home.” Going to SeaWorld was exciting! I have been to seaworld at least six times since then. Doesn’t seaworld sound like a fun place to go to? Diamond Reyes, 4th Grade (Left) Dominic Lopez, 1st Grade (Right) Joanna Mendez Gutierrez, Kindergarten (Right) Marilyn Velazquez, 4th Grade 15 Christian Enciso, Addalyn Chandy, Jacob Gomez, Lily Rodriguez, Sergio Mora, Natalie Madrigal, Sofia Chavarria-Villalobos, Yaneisis Alonso, Jade Mendoza, Arabella Sophia, Kaylie Rodriguez 5th Grade(Below) Mrs. Lander’s 5th/6th Grade Class When Joy is Lost If you’re trying to find your joy, Maybe you lost it for a moment Or maybe you’ve been struggling to find it… Exciting new places can be gone to, think Disneyland, Hawaii, the beach, or the park. Pages of books can help you find it, Poetry or stories you’ve read many times (or finding a new one). Listening to music can help, like K-POP, hip-hop, Travis Scott or Bruno Mars, or Disney music. Or maybe the tip of a pencil can bring it, try Drawing a picture or writing a poem. Perhaps a friend can help you find it, Talk to someone or make some crafts. Maybe you need a break from it all, Watch some television, or your favorite movie, or take a nap. If hunger is the robber of your joy, snack on something like Popcorn, ice cream, chips, macaroni and cheese, or cheeseburgers. Try getting outdoors, maybe Take a hike, ride a bike, play with your dog or cat, or have a picnic. Entertaining yourself can help you have a good time, Sing a song, dance along, or join a sports team. Getting social can make things easier, too– Act in a play, start a search party, mess around, or just make a mess. No matter how big or small your problems are (or you may feel), No matter how sad or lonely you may be, No matter how hard things might get, No matter lost it may seem, No matter how or when you find it, It will never hide from you as long as you keep searching. 16 Secondary Level Submissions Luna’s Glow Luna, oh Luna, with eyes like the night, A shining star, in your gentle light. Your fur as soft as the moon’s silvery beam, Illuminates all, in your loving dream. With every step, you dance with gentle grace, A celestial ballet, in a wondrous place. Your tail wags with joy, like a metronome’s sway, As you chase the wind, on a sunny day. In your quiet moments, you gaze up at me, With eyes that speak volumes, of loyalty and glee. You are my constant, my guiding light, My dear Luna, my love for you shines bright. Isaac Garcia, 12th Grade (Above) Gloria Munoz-Millan, 9th Grade (Above) Nathan Lugo, 7th Grade 18 (Above) Adrian Lee, 9th Grade My Happy Place When thinking of a place that brings people joy, most people think of their house, theme parks, nature, or a relative’s house. But in some cases, that’s not what brings joy at least not for me. A simple tennis court brings me joy. Playing tennis with people who know how to play properly is always fun because you never know what can happen. If you will win or they will win. It’s always fun to find out the outcome of the situation. It’s a simple place yet so much joy comes with it. How is that possible is it the people that come with the tennis court? Finding My Joy Darkness had its hold on me and the feeling never seemed to leave. It felt as if it were seeping into my skin and wedged in my bones. The despair was a parasite and I am its host. I prayed at night just to be relieved of the feeling. Eventually, I realized I was sad because I knew what true joy felt like. Before this shadow above me, I felt light. It’s only when you’re on your knees that you know you’ve stood tall. That thought alone gave me the strength to stand back up and to seek my smile and find my laughter. Sometimes, we must remember that even if the clouds cover the sun, it still shines. The simplest moments bring the most joy A moment that is special to me is laughing with my friends. It is special to me because seeing them happy when they laugh is honestly the best feeling. In that moment you see how they really are and how big their smile gets. It is special how they are tearing up from telling too many jokes that their stomachs end up hurting, and telling you to stop because they can’t breathe. It is special how we don’t care how loud we are because we’re having a good time and enjoying ourselves. These moments matter the most to me and bring me so much joy because I love to see my friends cracking up over a not-so-funny joke or a video that wasn’t even funny. However, when you’re with the right friends or people everything seems to be hilarious and you’re just happy to be there spending your time with them and wishing that you could be in that moment forever. Isela Cedillo, 9th Grade Xiomara Morales, 12th Grade Delilah Venegas, 9th Grade 19 (Above) Miguel Vazquez, 7th Grade My Ultimate Perfect Day Imagine waking up to the sun spilling its golden light into my room, knowing today is going to be epic. With unlimited money, food, and rides at my disposal, I leap out of bed filled with excitement! First on the agenda is breakfast. I treat myself to a feast of fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and a mountain of fresh fruit, all washed down with a giant smoothie. I savor every bite, knowing I can indulge to my heart’s content today. After breakfast, I hop into a luxurious car, and along the way, I see beautiful sights like the clouds and feel the wind in my hair as my driver Billy Ellish and I glide all the way to the massive amusement park. The moment I walk in, I’m greeted with the sights and sounds of thrilling rides and games. With my VIP access, I get straight to the front of the line for the wildest roller coasters, feeling the adrenaline rush as I scream with joy at each twist and turn. Next, I make my way to the vendor as I purchase a nice juicy turkey leg. Then, I head to the concert where Ice Cube is performing. The energy of the crowd is contagious as we sing along to his greatest hits. But the best part? He invites me on stage to sing a duet! I can’t believe I’m sharing the spotlight with one of my idols, and together we rock the house, the audience cheering us on. After the concert, I head to a comedy show featuring Jim Carrey. I score front-row seats and get ready for the laughs. Halfway through the show, Jim notices me, and he brings me up on stage for some comedy improv! I get the chance to throw out a few jokes, and the crowd roars with laughter as we play off each other’s humor. It’s an unforgettable experience full of joy and spontaneity. With my sides still aching from laughter, I rush to the arcade where I meet up with Adam Sandler. We team up for an intense blaster game, bickering back and forth and laughing at our ridiculous strategies. The competition is fierce, but more than anything, we’re just having a blast trying to outdo each other. After a fun-filled arcade experience, it’s time to hit the basketball court. Kevin Hart is waiting for me with a big smile. We play a pickup game, and Kevin’s energy is absolutely contagious! His playful trash talk and hilarious moves make every shot even more entertaining. I can’t stop laughing as we both try to show off our skills. As the day goes on, it’s time for another surprise: laser tag with Paul Blart! We gear up and dive into an amazing, fast-paced game. Paul’s comic antics keep us all on our toes as we dart around the arena, trying to sneak up on each other. The shouts and laughter make it one of the best games I’ve ever played. Finally, we wrap up the day with a shopping spree, and guess who joins me? Caesar, the smart and witty monkey from Planet of the Apes! We stroll through the stores, and his humorous commentary on fashion makes the whole experience fun. He picks out some outrageous outfits, and we have a great time trying them on and laughing at our choices. As I reflect on my incredible day, I feel a wave of happiness wash over me. From singing with Ice Cube to cracking jokes with Jim Carrey and enjoying an action- packed afternoon with Adam, Kevin, Paul, and even Caesar, every moment has been filled with joy and laughter. This dream day reminds me of how fun life can be when you embrace every adventure and cherish the moments with friends and idols. What a perfect day! Zighlen Brown, 9th Grade Me and My Dad’s Favorite Times Me and my Dad have some stuff that we both like, we both love playing Call of Duty Black Ops 2 we both love playing that game. Me and him get angry when we die but then we start a new game. Every game is a memory, for me a good memory. After I started listening to Eminem more, sometimes my Dad and I listened to an album. Sometimes my Dad makes it funny. I love when he does that because I remember his words he says every night. I love when my Dad makes Eminem songs funny. If he ever passes away, which I don’t want to happen, I will remember everything he says now. That is a good memory for both of us. :) Dear San Bernardino Dear San Bernardino, I love San Bernardino It’s a good city where I grew up Lots of memories and fun at Inland Center Mall Laughter and enjoying at Tom Minor Park Food spots with fam and movie nights at Harkins Ordering pizza and wings Dear San Bernardino, How I enjoy it What is joy? After a while of not feeling joy I wonder what it is. Yearning for it to return. Needing it to return. How does a person live without it for so long? I feel like a garden without its sunlight. I need the sun to live but it’s not there. So I’m sitting there rotting Passing each day I wonder… when the sun is gonna pass again. Angel Martinez, 7th Grade Shagra Albuainain, 9th Grade Briana Mendez, 9th Grade20 (Above) Delilah Guerrero, 7th Grade Ode to San Bernardino Oh San Bernardino, so wide and bright, With mountains high and stars at night. Your streets and your skies so blue, Each place I see feels fresh and new. Route 66 so long and wide, A road of dreams where cars still glide. It carries memories, strong and true, Of times that passed and those to renew. At Seccombe Lake, the ducks will play, While kids run laughing through the day. The water sparkles, the trees stand tall, A peaceful place for one and all. Cajon Pass winds through the hills, With trains that rumble, giving thrills. It leads to deserts far and wide, A journey’s start on the mountain side. And at the stadium, the cheers are loud. Fans all gather, a happy crowd. Baseball games and fun are here, A place of joy for all who cheer. San Bernardino, you shine so bright, A city full of dreams, both day and night. Your beauty lives in every view, Oh, San Bernardino, we love you! IE Projects San Bernardino’s my spot, where I stay, Mexican roots keep me grounded every day. I hit school hard, yeah, I’m on the grind, Stacking up knowledge, tryna shine. It ain’t easy, but I keep it 100, Family’s dreams of making it out the projects keep me motivated, can’t front it. Late nights hit different when I’m chasing goals, Big dream of success, big moves, yeah, that’s my role. San Bernardino, you’re in my heart, Helping me grow, giving me my start. Making my city proud as I climb. What Joy Really Means To Me My perception of the expression “joy” indicates that there is light within the darkness that falls upon us as an individual. Joy isn’t just happiness alone, it is much more plentiful than that. Joy is not only a word that describes a mood, it’s a feeling that touches your heart. In my own way of presuming joy, joy is something that you can always endure no matter the circumstances. Joy is everlasting satisfaction, being happy only lasts so long. The term joy presents you with comfort and bliss. Anybody can be happy or bestow a smile, being happy is not exactly a choice. In contrast, joy is a decision we as people are able to make on our own. Happiness is an emotion that can be triggered by almost anyone or anything, for example a funny joke can make you giggle and grin; on the other hand, a joyous person enjoys just about every moment given to them. Being a joyous person is essentially looking at life through rose colored glasses. Defeat October 16th, 2026 the ref blows the final whistle, “WE WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.” I hear as I see the confetti but it’s not my team’s color. “Did I do this for nothing?” I say to myself. This is everything I’ve ever wanted to see as a kid, confetti, trophy, football, and even people rushing the field out of joy, but I’m on the side I didn’t want to be in, the losing side. I walk out of this field in confetti, but not as a winner. I walk with a “what if?” or “If I made this pass we could have won this” but that doesn’t matter anymore. It’s done. The weight of loss is putting me down in every way possible. But before I walk off this field, before this moment is gone, I’ll soak this all in and make a promise to myself. “This weight of loss is heavy but as long as I’m playing thighs sport no weight will ever put me down.” David Gutierrez-Salazar, 9th Grade Kaylee Pfeiffer, 10th Grade Julian Suarez, 8th Grade 21 Ode to San Bernardino Oh, Inland Center Mall The joy you bring to me with the smell of your delicious food🍔🍔 You always put me in a very happy mood😊😊 My joy begins when I think of your cinnamon bites🥨🥨 And I am warm u your beautiful lights💡💡 n d e r Oh, snow in San Bernardino I remember it snowed and I was very COLD🧊🧊 It was like finding Gold I will never forget your beautiful white snow and it doesn’t feel like a long time ago OH, FAMILY❤ The laughter of you echoes through my HEART💜💜 We won’t ever break a p a r t I see your beauty in my eyes👀👀 You are my beautiful PRIZE🎁🎁 (Below) Oswaldo Moreno, 7th Grade Moms In the quiet moments, I realize how easily we take our mothers for granted. Their love, often unspoken, lingers like a whisper in the back of our minds. We go on with our lives, distracted by the noise, forgetting the sacrifices they make daily. Each time I push her away, I feel an echo of regret, a fear that one day, that door will close forever. The reality is daunting; time slips through our fingers like sand. I catch myself wishing I had expressed my love more, and held her a little tighter, knowing that one last goodbye could come sooner than expected. En los momentos de tranquilidad, me doy cuenta de lo fácil que es para nosotros dar por sentadas a nuestras madres. Su amor, a menudo no expresado, permanece como un susurro en el fondo de nuestras mentes. Seguimos con nuestras vidas, distraídos por el ruido, olvidando los sacrificios que hacen a diario. Cada vez que la aparto, siento un eco de arrepentimiento, un miedo de que un día, esa puerta se cierre para siempre. La realidad es desalentadora; el tiempo se nos escapa entre los dedos como arena. Me sorprendo deseando haberle expresado más mi amor y haberla abrazado un poco más fuerte, sabiendo que un último adiós podría llegar antes de lo esperado. Joshua Almaraz Miranda, 7th Grade 22 You Love A Thing You love motorcycles? You know it because they bring you joy And happiness. You love all the different designs, colors, models And how everyone is unique and special to The person that owns it. You love the sound? The loud pops and whines. The gush of air that hits you when one drives by. The loud beautiful sound that is different to each one. You love the feeling? The cold air hitting your face and body as you ride down the highway. A freeing feeling that makes life feel problem free. You love motorcycles? The bike community giving you a safe space And newly born friendships. Its a big part of your life, The part thats was changed forever. Jordan Monreal, 7th Grade Joy is not a Feeling, It’s an Action There’s a moment in time when you realize the year you had wasn’t the best one. You reminisce about the mistakes, the regrets, and guilt. You anticipate joy, praying for its return. All you could focus on was the cold nights, foggy air, and the empty feeling in your chest. You put your hands in your pockets and walk through the mist. When will it return? You think as you lay down in bed. What am I missing? You turn and toss around, not quite sure what’s going on. When you’re done thinking, you begin to see the things you missed. You walk into a grocery store, and hear the Christmas music, when you once thought it was quiet. You drive downtown, and see a huge beautiful colored Christmas tree, when you thought you remembered it being dead. You did it. You finally got out of your head. You finally enjoyed the things around you. Your prayers were answered. You stopped thinking of the past, and embraced the present. You watch the clock count down as you surround yourselves with the people you love. You knew all that time what you were missing, and it was yourself. You missed joy, you missed not caring about every little thing. You missed the Christmas tunes you’d hear in every store, you missed the feeling of being a kid again. Joy isn’t just a feeling, it’s an action. How do you expect to feel joy when all you can do is look down, when joy is up? You surround yourself with anger, and sadness, but if you put those old things away, you get what you want: Happiness. And no, it’s not easy to be happy, but once you do find happiness, you will try not to lose it. You don’t feel like you used to, you don’t feel empty, or lost, once joy is on your mind. You’ve created a new self, a new feeling to fill that empty part of your chest. Joy is not a feeling, it’s an action. Jalina Chairez-Carrillo, 9th Grade What Brings Me Joy Joy is a feeling you can come across by doing something you enjoy. Something that makes me happy or joyful is being around friends, listening to music and playing volleyball. All of this brings me joy as I’m doing or with these things. As somebody who has trouble speaking to other people, when I try to speak to someone, my friends are always there to reassure me that it will be okay. My friends are always there to help and laugh with me whether I am in class or at home, I could always feel comfortable around them. I can always count on my friends whenever I’m feeling down to cheer me up. My friends are something that brings me joy. Whenever I’m sad and have no friends around I decide to listen to music. Music is something that brings me joy when I am listening to it. My favorite music artist is Green Day. I recently had the chance to go to one of the dates they were touring in september. I still recall it being my favorite day because of how much joy I felt while they played to the point I almost started crying “tears of joy” and didn’t want to leave Volleyball is one of the sports I play. Earlier this school year I tried out for volleyball and ended up making it on the team. I have met a lot of people and made a lot of friends by being on the team. Whenever I’m playing volleyball, I feel happy, especially when I’m playing with people I know or with friends. Whenever I would go to my games for school, my dad would always come. And I swear whenever my dad would come, I felt like I played better which would make me even happier. All of these things bring me joy. Whether I’m at home or in school etc. I can always rely on any of these to bring me joy or cheer me up. This is why I’m thankful for these as to why they make me happier or proud. Mia Vincent, 7th Grade Finding My Joy in the Belief in God San Bernardino is a place where a lot of people grow up and a place where we have good and bad experiences. Growing up in San Bernardino for me was difficult because of the downtown area of San Bernardino which had us living on our toes and looking over our shoulder all the time. The crime rates were terrible and crime happened so frequently that we couldn’t even go outside without looking over our shoulders. The streets were filled with the homeless and drugs and alcoholics. When we would walk to school we would have people yell at us for nothing. Feeling unsafe in the area, we moved to Victorville, and after a year, we moved back to San Bernardino and still have some problems but not as many as we used to. The joy I found while living here was doing things to help the community through Jesus Christ. What led me down this path is realizing it is not pleasant living like we were. Noticing this we knew it was time to make a chance for people to turn to the path we did, such as having faith in Jesus who had a bigger plan for us that we didn’t see at the time. This helped me trust that I was always protected. Always feeling the guidance and protection lead me and my parents to feed the homeless alongside a Christian biker group called the Hellfighters. Other things we did were pick up trash and pray over those people with no homes and those struggling to keep their homes. This journey has led me deeper into my belief in God and what he is capable of and now finding my peace in one of the top high-crime cities in the US. Finding this joy took years and plenty of trials and errors, and with what makes it so meaningful to me. For the future, I will keep this hope, peace, and joy wherever I go and forever with me. Learning what I have on this path is nobody is too low for God to care about and that brought me to have the urge to spread my testimony. Looking back I see God used me as his vessel that sent me through those tough times so I could understand what others are going through and tell those who we helped and about what God has done for me. This is my story and I am proud of what God’s plan for me and what he has in the future for me. Thank you for listening. God Bless! Anthony Jones, 11th Grade 23 My Pets Give Me Joy My dogs Moon and Sky make me feel joyful. They both like to be with my family, and makes me feel excited, and lastly they love me no matter what. My dog Moon helps me feel joyful. I love playing with her, like catching her chew toy or playing with my little brother. Both of my dogs love to be with my family but not with my uncles. Moon likes to sit and watch TV with us and just be around us doing nothing. It makes my family like to play with the toy and he likes to look at my little dog Moon. Even if we discipline her and put her in the cage she still likes to play with us. This is what truly brings me joy. Sky, my other dog, likes to play with us even if we do not want to play. She makes us. That makes me happy. It makes me feel safe when I can be at home and see Sky. When I play with Moon we play games like ceramic or charting in the sky. Moon and Sky I love them and I know they love me. What Brings Me Joy My friends that I have bring me joy! We met at Barton Elementary, in San Bernardino. We have known each other since first grade. Their names are Rodney, Abraham, and Michael. We have known each other since elementary school, we now are at Del Vallejo Middle School. Rodney brings me joy because he always makes me laugh, by making funny jokes. He lives in the apartments with me. I visit there over the weekend sometimes. I live with my grandpa and visiting Rodney over the weekend makes me feel joyful. I like his house, his mom is nice. We play video games together. Our favorite video game is Fortnight. We like the skins and sometimes we get new ones. Michael brings me joy because he also makes me laugh all the time.We met at Del Vallejo Middle school. At school we have all our classes together, when I get frustrated he does something funny that makes me laugh, mainly makes funny faces. Another friend who brings me joy is Abraham. He never disrespect me and makes me feel joy. Abraham and I play Jenga together, we have a lot of fun. This makes me feel awesome. My friends bring me joy. We have known each other since elementary school. We went to Barton Elementary,in San Bernardino CA. We have known each other since first grade. Having friends like them brings me joy. Bryan Escobar Aquino, 8th Grade Jabril Boston, 7th Grade Hope Fully I ask with a deep sincerity For the wisdom to move through this life with great clarity. To be bond to nothing or no one that lacks empathy To have peace surround me, Truthfully no apparently. Cianah Gomez, 9th Grade (Below) Camila Pic Recinos, 9th Grade 24 eæê˘ŜĬ˘ÃĦ˘êŎĦÃŎæĉĦĬ eĆʨ˘EĦğÃĦæ˘êĦŜêŎ˘^Ãğğ˘žĬš˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘ĆÃŷê˘ÃĥÃƇĉĦĀ˘ÿĬĬæ˘🥘🥘°ĆêĦ˘ĥž˘ŔĉßğĉĦĀŔ˘ĀêŜ˘ĬĦ˘ĥž˘ĦêŎŷêŔ˘E˘Ãĥ˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘ĉĦ˘Ã˘ĥĬĬæ°ê˘ĀĬ˘ĉĦŜĬ˘Ã˘ŔŜĬŎê˘ÿšğğ˘Ĭÿ˘ŔĆĬêŔ👟👟^ž˘ĥĬĥ˘ŔÞŔ˘ŜĬ˘ŋĉàĜ˘ĬĦê˘ÃĦæ˘ĉŜ˘ĉŔ˘ĆÃŎæ˘ÿĬŎ˘ĥê˘ŜĬ˘àĆĬĬŔê eĆʨ˘˘^Ĭĥ˘žĬš˘ßŎĉĦĀ˘ĥê˘ĀŎêÃŜ˘ęĬž˘ŸĆêĦ˘E˘ĆêÃŎ˘žĬšŎ˘ğÚĀĆŜêŎšŜʨ˘ŸĆêĦ˘Ÿê˘ŎÃàê˘E˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘ŎšĦ˘ÿÃŔŜêŎ°ê˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘ĆÃŷê˘ÿšĦ˘ŸĆêĦ˘Ÿê˘ĀĬ˘ŜĬ˘ŜĆê˘ĥÃğğšŜʨ˘žĬš˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘êĦæ˘šŋ˘ĀêŜŜĉĦĀ˘ÃĦ˘àÃğğʧ📱📱 eĆʨ˘^Ĭŷĉê˘ŜĆêÃŜêŎ˘žĬš˘Āĉŷê˘ŔĬ˘ĥÃĦž˘ĀĬĬæ˘ĥêĥĬŎĉêŔêÿĬŎê˘E˘Ãĥ˘ÃßĬšŜ˘ŜĬ˘ŸÃŜàĆ˘Ã˘ĥĬŷĉê˘E˘ÃğŸÃžŔ˘ŋšŜ˘ĬĦ˘ÃààêŔŔĬŎĉêŔE˘ĀĬ˘ĉĦŜĬ˘ĥž˘ŎĬĬĥ˘ğÞ˘æĬŸĦ˘ĬĦ˘ŜĬŋ˘Ĭÿ˘ĥž˘ßêæ🛏🛏šĦŜĉğ˘E˘êĦæêæ˘šŋ˘ßšĥŋĉĦĀ˘ĥž˘ĆêÃæ You Love A Thing You love tamales? You know it because it’s delicious food You love the way you can look down at your plate and admire the tamakes You love the sound? The sound of unwrapping the tamale and The soft peeling of tearing it open It makes me feel peaceful. You love the feeling? The feeling of tamales make you lean back in relaxation by its soft touch of its skin you love it because it reminds you of your culture,family,and friends You love tamales? its pleasing,wonderful, and delicious its not a small thing, you can have how much you want If you love a thing Love it withAll your heart. Pitching Pitching in baseball brings me a feeling of joy that’s hard to put into words. The moment I step on the mound, everything feels right. The dirt under my feet and the ball in my hand makes me feel alive. I can hear the ball flying through the air before it makes that “POP” when it hits the catcher’s glove. It’s one of the best sounds in the game. The smell of grass with the leather of my glove, for a few seconds, it feels like everything slows down. When I set, sounds around me disappear and it’s just the catcher’s mitt and me. My mind is clear while I focus on each pitch. The drive from my teammates makes me feel energized. It’s not just about throwing a ball, it’s about control, discipline, and strategy. Each pitch is a challenge. It brings me a sense of excitement and joy. It’s not just about the game of baseball, but the feeling of being part of something bigger, working with my teammates, reading the batter, and finding the perfect pitch to throw. Every moment on the mound reminds me why I love baseball. Alyson Sanchez, 7th Grade Caleb Koster, 10th Grade Life Life is a hidden treasure that you must battle for the right key to unlock a world of possibilities. So, embrace your true self. Anthony Patlan, 7th Grade 25 Failure and Finding My Joy Growing up playing at a competitive level meant more failure than success. Softball is known as a “failure sport.” You strike out more than you hit, you miss the ball more than you can usually field it, and you let failure take over your strong mentality. No matter what, it feels like the outcome of a ball game is failure. Finding my joy in softball was a hard thing to do. I felt as if the harder I worked, I still continued to fail. I grew older and began falling out of love with the sport I grew up playing. As I stopped working hard in all that I did, I realized softball was all mental. I couldn’t bring myself to 100 percent quit because I knew it would be wasted talent. I looked more into how I could improve my mental outlook and realized my drive to being great on the field. This was the way I handled failure. Most people would think it is a weird thing to enjoy. Why would anyone in the world want to fail something they work hard at every single day? I changed my mindset to enjoy the downs I went through on the field. Growing older and working 10 times harder than before, I found the joy to fail. I was grateful to have any opportunity to be able to throw, hit, and catch. Being unsuccessful drove me to work ten times harder than before. It allowed me to accept criticism from people on my performance to fix what I need to fix in order for failure to not be an option again. I found joy in failing because of the motivation it brought me. Once I changed my mindset to letting me accept my defeat rather than beating myself up for it, my performance and work ethic changed tremendously. I find joy in my sport. I find joy in wanting to be great no matter the circumstance. (Above) Nadine Juarez, 12th Grade (Below) Zamir Bravo, 7th Grade Ode to San Bernardino Oh, Route 66 I see your beauty in my eyes. All the cars makes me want to stay forever and not say goodbye. Oh Route 66, you bring me joy because of your nice classic cars. Sitting there looking at all the cars is better than watching a football game at a bar. How your car shows fill my heart with love. It catches my heart like if a baseball was catched with a glove. With every show you show me that little things can be perfect. I will always show you respect. You carry the stories of my childhood that I will tell my kids. Once I see a car like the ones from route 66 I'll surely make a bid. Your cars are as shiny as a nice white clean dish. I will always love you and your cars like how a squid likes fish. Love is Unforgettable As I walk through the halls Loneliness fi lls my surroundings But then… I recall my precious baby cookie that kills my despair Cookie that has helped me through my troubles Cookie that has fi lled my life with bubbles And Cookie that has crumbled that loneliness that fi lled my heart All the sorrow and tears are no longer there My precious cookie that’s been there to replace that feeling With light and warmth I feel blessed To never walk in darkness and sadness Again Eliana Socop Campos, 9th Grade Faith in the Lord The happiness to life is faith in the lord If you trust in the lord he will guide you If you believe in the lord he will give you eternal life. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Damian Clavero, 8th Grade 26 San Bernardino San Bernardino is my home, I have grown in this biome. Joy is here within the little things— The family and friends that life brings, It’s in the schools within the halls Graffiti riddled on weathered walls. It’s in the people of Berdoo Resilient souls with a grit that’s true. They Rise with hope, no matter the fight, Carrying love through each sleepless night. I’ve learned that joy is all around, Through busy markets or quiet grounds. San Bernardino, you’ve paved my way; I’ll carry your soul anyday. What brings me joy? A Place that Brings me joy is Mountain Grove Shopping Center. It is located at 27511 San Bernardino Ave, Redlands, CA 92374. What I do there is, go shopping and get food. The places I go shopping are Hobby Lobby, GAP, Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx/Homegoods and Ulta Beauty. I like how those places look on the inside and it makes me joyful when I get something from there. The places that I go to eat at are Chipotle, Dutch Bro. Habit Burgers, Farmer Boys, MOD Pizza and Yogurtland.I go eat at Chipotle or MOD Pizza; those are my favorite places to eat. My favorite place to eat is Habit burgers or Farmer boys. My favorite time of the year to go to Mountain Grove is during the summer or winter because in the summer we have summer break and can do fun activities like shopping, eating at Yogurtland and Bahama Buck’s. Bahama Buck’s sells “shaved ice”, it is so good. In the winter we can get presents for family and friends. My favorite memory is when in December me and my mom go and get christmas things for the christmas tree and decorations.My another favorite memory when my aunt take me to Old navy To buy new clothes and after shopping we go eat at Habit Burgers. That’s why Mountain Grove brings me joy. Cornelio Arevalo, 12th Grade Natalia Salazar, 8th Grade 27 Real Friends Heal (Verse 1) I was lost in a crowd, Fake smiles all around, Thought I’d never find, Someone who’d take the time. But then you came my way, Brightened up my day, You listened to my heart. Gave me a brand new start. (Chorus) Real friends, they lift you high. With you, I can touch the sky. You hear me, you see me. In your light, I’m free. Healing in every moment we share, I know you’ll always care. (Verse 2) Through the ups and downs. You’re the one I found, When the world felt cold, You turned my heart to gold. Every laugh and tear. You make the darkness clear, With you, I’ve come alive, In your friendship, I thrive. (Chorus) Real friends, they lift you high. With you, I can touch the sky. You hear me, you see me. In your light, I’m free. Healing in every moment we share, I know you’ll always care. (Bridge) So here’s to us, we’ll stand strong. In this bond, we both belong. No more fake, just the real. With you, I can finally heal. (Chorus) Real friends, they lift you high, With you, I can touch the sky. You hear me, you see me, In your light, I’m free. Healing in every moment we share, I know you’ll always care. (Outro) So let’s carry on this way, With you, I’ll be okay. Real friends, forever true, I’m so grateful for you Laurissa Ponce, 9th Grade (Above) Luis Noriega Acuna, 9th Grade Someplace New Leaving behind the familiar sky A different horizon would meet my eyes Scary, like shadows it crept But through this, my courage left Starting anew socially, I found my place Bonds with a warm embrace I became myself, I dared to be Lending my strength to set others free In helping others and changing hearts I wove my story to play my part This newfound home, it had let me grow A blessing in disguise, I didn’t know Rogelio Vargas-Hernandez, 12th Grade The Silence of Stars Solitude, music, stars. Makes me happy. Jermiah Thomas, 8th Grade Happiness in Change When I was five my father told us that he got a new job, but that this specific job was going to involve us moving every few years. I was not aware of the fact that every couple of years I was going to leave my friends and start from scratch. So how was I supposed to find happiness in those situations? My family was always there for me. Through those moments of sadness, I always had a shoulder to cry on. When my family wasn’t there God was, and through prayer I was able to adapt and find my joy. Adah Carrera, 9th Grade28 WHAT BRINGS ME JOY My family brings me joy. Knowing I have my big family makes me feel calm and peaceful. When my family and I are together, having fun, and going to nice places, it brings me joy. We have great holiday celebrations. I have a memory of my dad, brother, and myself at Six Flags. I will always love my family. They bring me joy! The calm and peace that they bring is what makes being with my family joyful. They show me love and support and give me a lot of attention by being there for me. My sister and I do this with me and my sister. We do karaoke and play daily games. Rendell, Renyeae, Renziah, Reznov, and I play outside and draw. On the holidays or birthdays, we go to the Inland Center Mall in San Bernardino, Dave Buster’s or Golden Corral. We decorate the house with balloons and lots of presents, and go on road trips. My parents sometimes make big dinners and we enjoy our time together, it fills me with joy having my family. I am grateful for them. One joyful memory I have is when my dad, my brother and I went to Six Flags Magic Mountain. It was for my 12th birthday and it was also for my older brother, Renyeae’s 8th grade promotion from Del Vallejo Middle School in San Bernardino. I went with my dad, on the school bus, we had so much fun! Walking around Magic Mountain, we were spreading joy and laughter. The ride was a little bit noisy because of the road. But everything was fun and nice and we went on nice rides. In conclusion, my family brings me joy. Having my big family makes me feel calm and peaceful. When my family and I are together we have fun, going to nice places, it brings me joy. We have great holiday celebrations and I have great memories of my family, this all brings me joy. Autumns Final Crunch When a leaf falls from its tree It’s because autumn has arrived A change that’s expected Supposed to feel spectacularly sublime A time we ironically find joy from smashing what had already fallen To remind that at LEAST something existed that could be crushed just one last time. That’s the thing about seasons though, They remove what existed as they come and go Without fail, as projected. So why is it that we act like its our first time when a new season makes our world change in the blink of an eye And celebrate what’s connected to us, is dying slowly falling out of touch. Please tell me, How can I find joy in autumn’s final crunch? Reneice Watkins, 7th Grade Alicia Roark, 9th Grade Oh, Orange Show Fair!! The warmth of your icy cold coke makes my taste buds melt like they never have before. The beautiful lights that come from your rides i adore Every slide and swing There was a lot of explore After exploring a lot our legs were sore Oh, The Orange Show Fair!! You hold memories between me and my sister With every laughter and every scream it brings Soft Core Although, With every scary ride, i always had to grip her But still it always a fun time to spend time wither Her Oh Orange Show Fair!! Behind Every ride, i find your Pig races the most amusing Every trick and jump it has never left me Snoozing 💤💤 Even though the pig we were rooting for was Losing It was still Amusing 29 Ode to San Bernardino The people that bring me joy are my family My family brings me joy. I love them and they show me they love me. I have bigger brothers and sisters, I even have a little brother plus my mom, they all bring me joy. We watch TV together and play video games on the Playstation. I have a joyful memory of when we went to Chuck E.Cheese. Christmas time with my family is the best! All of these are the reasons why my family brings me joy. My older brother is funny and tough, works out everyday and his name is Gio. We play together on the Playstation and sometimes we sit and watch television together. We have shows that we watch and we all laugh together. He makes me feel safe. My older sister is really smart and she works as a nurse. Her name is Stephenie. She is always by my side and she gives me medicine when I am sick. I know that she will take care of me whenever I feel bad. She stays with me when I am nervous and that brings me joy. My mom always supports me and makes jokes. When I am feeling bad, my mom finds a way to make me laugh. I don’t know what I would do without my mom, she brings me joy. My little brother, Neymar, who is the baby of the family, always makes me and my cousin’s laugh a lot and that brings me joy. We play video games together and sometimes I let him win because he is my little brother. A joyful memory I have of my family is when I was very little my mom took me to Chuck E Cheese in San Bernardino with my siblings. My siblings and I had a lot of fun with toys, video games, sliding down the slide and playing shooting games. We laughed so much, it was great! After we played, we sat down and ate pizza as a family. The pizza was cheesy and hot and just great! We had a great time together. We ate delicious treats like cookies and candies. I will always remember this time and thinking about it gives me great joy! On holidays we like to spend time with each other and have parties at my cousin’s house. My family always puts Christmas lights around the house, we also put up a Christmas tree, and I play with my cousins inside the house. There is food, music, games, holiday time with the family means time for laughing and time together. I have so much joy during Christmas time with my family. In conclusion, the people that bring me joy are my family. My bigger brother and sister, and little brother and mom make me joyful. The memories I have of us going to Chuck E. Cheese and holidays bring me joy. Ivan Bernache, 7th GradeJimmy Guerrero, 11th Grade Alyssa Arredondo, 9th Grade 6 Word Essay Warm Blanket | Cozy Bed | Favorite Show. Coral Contreras Jimenez, 8th Grade 30 Joy Singing, Dancing, Grooving Explains my Joy Josiah Martin, 8th Grade Ode to San Bernardino Oh, In-N-Out The taste of your burgers brings me to when I was younger. The warmth of your food makes me wonder. My joy begins when I think of your food. When I’m down you fix my mood Oh, John Cena Watching your wrestling matches brought me joy. When I watched you I would play with my wrestling toys. Your career shines brighter than a star When I was younger I knew you would make it far. Oh, when it snowed in San Bernardino You hold memories of my first snow fight When I think about that memory I feel bright. You painted the sky with joy. If it was forever I would never go inside to play with toys. LA felicidad ¿Qué es la felicidad? La felicidad es un sentimiento divino, Que llena el corazón de alegría y luz. Es un estado de ánimo que nos hace brillar, Y nos llena de vida, de pasión y de cruz. Es la sonrisa de un niño al jugar, El abrazo de un ser querido al regresar. Es la paz que se siente en un amanecer, La esperanza que nos llena de vigor y poder. La felicidad es un regalo precioso, Que debemos cuidar y compartir con los demás. Es un sentimiento que nos hace sentir vivos, Y nos llena de gratitud y de amor. Así que busquemos la felicidad cada día, En las pequeñas cosas, en la naturaleza, en la vida. Y compartamosla con los que nos rodean, Para que juntos podamos sentirnos felices y unidos. Estefani Garcia, 10th Grade (Left) Mariamilagros Blaz 9th Grade 31 My Dad Brings Me Joy The person that brings me joy is my Dad. He always helps me. My Dad never makes me feel bad about myself. He knows me. My Dad is my superhero, and also teaches me things about how to get through life. All of these are the reasons my Dad brings me joy. My Dad always helps me in math, reading and sports like football and baseball. He teaches me not to get frustrated, no matter how difficult things get. I know that he will always be there. When I feel bad or get frustrated with myself he tells me to do my best and shows me how I can do things like math and reading. My Dad never makes me feel bad, like when I’m playing the game or football, etc. He teaches me to take my time and learn how to do the best I can. He shows me patience and he tells me the rules so that when I play, I know how to play the sports. Sometimes he takes me to the park so I can get some air and let me chill out. It helps me. My Dad brings me joy by buying me things. My Dad got me birds and they were so cute when they were flying up and down and up and down and some of the birds were small, fat and fast. It brought me joy watching my birds. My Dad and I would sit and watch the birds fly or he would show me how to feed them. Once my Dad bought me an arcade game, an old school one, Pac-Man. My sister and I tried to beat my Dad in the game, it was hard because he played it as a kid but It was fun. I like when he plays with me on my PS4 like, racing games, fighting games and all types of different games! I like it so much because we bond so much when we play games together. Some of the best moments I have had with my Dad is when we went to the water park and Six Flags Magic Mountain! I was too scared to get on the rides. My Dad did not pressure me to ride, he did not make me feel bad that he spent money and I did not ride any rides, we walked around and laughed and talked and ate good food. My dad spoke with me about my fear and he said we will go in the next month and see how I do. I love my Dad for being there for me. These are the reasons my Dad brings me joy. He teaches me things like how to play sports, and how to play arcade games. He shows me patience and he buys me things. That is why my Dad brings me joy. Tyler Ackerson, 7th Grade Aris Verdugo, 9th Grade A Place that Brings Me Joy A place that brings me joy is Mexico. Mexico brings me joy because it is a pure vision of how the US is so different from Mexico. Here in the US, most people have cell phones, computers, modern-day houses, and a lot of other things people from Mexico do not have. The people are defi nitely different too. I just get this amazing fuzzy feeling when I arrive. The smell is different because of the street vendors, the weather is humid but not hot, the animals, the food has an aroma that makes the air smell great, the houses aren’t too big, the cities look increasingly different, nearly everything is different and I love it. Here in the US things can get boring because based on where I’ve been in the US, there’s big cities, yes, but they all look the same to me. I’ve lived here nearly my whole life but I love going to Mexico. It is a feeling I cannot explain. When I go to Mexico I visit during the holidays. I get to see my family and generally just people who I have not seen in a long time. When I visit, I go to a small Rancho called Juan Aldama. I visit there most importantly because my Grandma, Grandpa, Tata (great grandpa), Tias, and Tios live there. Mexico is important to me and my family because it is a beautiful place. Juan Aldama is special to me because the place just has such a real feeling for me. When I say real I mean there isn’t much electronic use, you see people working hard, the roads are just dirt and different. You can walk safely to tiny stores around the area. The people are kind. They celebrate differently. It is just an amazing feeling that I myself cannot put into words. And that is why this specific place brings me joy! My Joy My family, feeling loved, making memories. Belinda Medina, 9th Grade Sleeping Good When Your Bed Feels like a cloud My Joy My family, feeling loved, making memories. (Above) Patrick Ramirez, 6th Grade The Beach and I The golden star taking the blue sky, The waves are gentle, the sand fine. I watch my thoughts and worries drift, Carried away by the sea. The water rushes around my feet, My safe place is before me. I sit for a while, enjoying my time, Knowing I won’t be here much longer, I whisper to myself “The beach is my joy, it’s calm, it is mine.” London Reyes-Moran, 12th Grade Sleeping Good When Your Bed Feels like a cloud Adrian Alaniz, 8th Grade 33 Ode to San Bernardino Oh, Inland Center. you bring me so much joy. I would always buy some toys. I see families shopping for gifts for any holiday. The families would shop during the night or day. oh, friends My joy begins when I think of us hanging out. You give me strength to go on about. In your presence, I hear the sound of us having fun. I feel like I have won. Oh, Orange show fair You paint the sky with lights at night. While driving down the road you’re always so bright. You hold the memories of my friends and I. We always try to stay around so we don’t have to say goodbye. Unspoken Love As I wake up, she’s already at work When I come home from school, she’s still gone I cherish the weekends, she is home with me Catching up late at night, means the most to me Even drives to the store with her are fun Being in her presence is all that I want Infuriated I become when she is away “I miss my mom” I try to explain The best of days are soft and clear When Mom is home and near Her laughter fills the room My heart is full The world is still and for once Is at peace Dulce Medina, 12th Grade (Below) Alyssa Perkins, 7th Grade Video games enjoyer CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! Keep on playing! Haylee Jimenez, 8th Grade Where I find Joy? Where I find joy isn’t a place, but I would like to consider it another home where I can relax, and benefit from many things. I can kick a ball, have fun doing drills, and do whatever I decide to. In case you haven’t figured out where I find joy in is soccer. I dribble around either by myself or with friends either way I can still find joy. What I’m really trying to say is finding joy doesn’t have to be a place it can be a hobby. So let me ask where do you find Joy In San Bernardino? Aaron Rodriguez, 9th Grade 34 Franklin Zelada, 7th Grade Sean Saavedra, 12th Grade Michael Favors, 8th Grade My Happiest Moment I’ve experienced many joyful and exciting moments throughout life. But this moment I am about to tell you about is one that really stood out to me because it’s one of those moments that I wish I could go back to when life gets stressful. It’s something I can think of and just start smiling as a result. I usually don’t like asking my parents for things because I don’t want them wasting their money. Ever since my freshman year, one thing I did want was a tattoo. Both of my parents did not mind me getting one, but they had one condition. I had to have no D’s or F’s on my report card. In my family, I was always known for being the “bad kid.” I was always getting bad grades and getting into trouble during school. So going into my freshman year, I always had the thought of my tattoo in the back of my mind while making decisions. Unfortunately, I did not end up fulfilling my part of the deal by the end of my freshman year. That was pretty disappointing. Fast forward to my sophomore year. I was still desperately wanting that tattoo. So to start the year, it was going pretty good; I had no D’s or F’s. However, that led me to get too comfortable with my position, and I started to slack off again. I ended up not meeting my parents’ condition, once again, that year. I was starting to get really frustrated with myself, not understanding why I just couldn’t lock in for once. With that in mind, going into my junior year, I was more determined to get good grades. Once again I started the year off strong. My grades were good and I thought for sure I was gonna get my tattoo. I kept pushing myself to not slack off but ended up failing one class short. After seeing that I knew that this was really doable. Then finally after all those years, I was finally able to do what my parents asked of me. The second semester of my junior year, I ended with 4 B’s, 2 A’s, and a C. So I brought it up to my parents and they were shocked. They would have never thought that I, of all people, would have such grades. So as promised, my mom immediately booked me an appointment. I ended up getting a Tongan tribal design on my forearm. It contains two patterns and my mom’s last name “Tui’one.” One pattern represents flowers from the island of Tonga and the other represents shark teeth. Although it did take nine hours, I was extremely satisfied with the results. At the end of the session, I felt really good to finally have something that I know I worked very hard for. Now I am looking to make it a tattoo sleeve. What Brings Me Joy? What brings me joy is playing sports. I can play both football and basketball. I enjoy both because they make me feel energized and they help me with my hyperness. Playing sports also keeps me out of trouble and playing sports helps me get better skills at both sports and helps me in school. I play both basketball and football. Football is my favorite, playing football keeps me out of trouble. Playing football gives me something to do after school, so that I am not out in the street like some of my friends getting in trouble. Sometimes, I will hear about the things they do while I am at football practice and I am glad I wasn’t with them. This year my flag football team at Del Vallejo Middle School CAPS program in San Bernardino won the championship! It was so exciting and made me feel joyful! I was the quarterback and most people did not think we would get far. We showed them, we went undefeated! I was joyful because I already have a superbowl ring from when I played with another team. I have been waiting to get a championship and go undefeated the whole season. Our team did that this year with my great team and I had great teammates. My teammates are Elon, Kydin, Tony, Deven, and Zamir. Playing with them gives me joy. Winning the championship and going undefeated gave me great joy! My favorite football team is the Baltimore Ravens because their colors are cool, the quarterback is Lamar Jackson. I feel joyful watching him because I feel like I am as good as he is. He is fast as a quarterback and can run plays like I do. The Ravens also have fast receivers; they are so good! Playing basketball makes me feel joyful as well. I practice all the time. I practice so that I know how to dribble and shoot and get better at the sport. Even though football is my favorite, I am good at basketball. I am looking forward to the upcoming season with the Del Vallejo basketball team. My coach, Ali, gives me joy because he pushes me to be better. He used to go to D.V. and is now my coach. My favorite basketball team is the Golden State Warriors because they have amazing shooters. Steph Curry is one of the world’s best 3 point shooters. Watching him gives me joy. I want to be like him one day. They also have a good “center” and the “center” tries to score on close shots and rebound. But on defense, the center tries to block opponents’ shots and rebound. Golden State Warriors have good rebounders . I also love their colors. They are cool blue and yellow colors and their jerseys look good. All together, the Golden State Warriors bring me joy. If I could not play football I would be mad because football is my life and if I lose my sports I would be hurt because sports gets me better and it keeps me out of trouble. In conclusion, what brings me joy is playing sports. 35 Friendship Brings Joy In the piece of land where laughter blooms, Beneath the sun, remove all glooms, Friendship holds together, as a steady rod. Whose tough steel holds like a bond. Like the early sun that warms the earth, It brings us peace and unfolds our worth. A gentle hand, a safe guide, A light that brightens with every step When storms come and skies turn gray, A friend’s embrace will clear the way. Through every misery, every terror, Their faithful voice is what we hear. Together we grow, we rise, Unlocking life’s most hidden prize. With every rejection, with every tear, Friendship whispers, “I’m always here.” So let us save this dear song, A tune that carries us along. For joy and friendship, hand in hand. As we live and as we expand. You Love A Thing Start here You love IN-N-OUT You know it because of the wonderful taste. You love chopped grilled onions. The beef patties cooked “medium well” And the American cheese. All of the burgers looking so good. You love the sound The sound of people chopping and cutting And preparing people’s meals Calling out people’s numbers Them handing you your food And telling you to have a nice day Abby Luna, 9th Grade Isabelle Ruiz, 7th Grade (Below) Alejandra Sanchez-Salazar, 9th Grade WIFI Nothing better than WIFI I have no fear except when the WIFI goes down The Internet is my biggest passion. Without it I would be bored . and when my mom tell me to go outside and touch grass i say uhm uhm. Because she is on her phone longer than me (ps. Don’t tell her i said that) when i go on the tik tok time passes by quickly. Tell me how does not love wifi come on i have all day Everyone agrees life is nothing without wifi even my dog loves wifi . U GIVE ME THAT PHONE AND I WILL GIVE U THAT WIFI . Analii Rojas, 8th Grade You love the smell The smell of grilled onions And there sauce with it’s salty smell There juicy tomatoes And the smell of the chilies I love it because it reminds me of my dad, and going with family, and going to IN-N-OUT after a long day at Disneyland and walking all day. You loved IN-N-OUT It makes you feel hungry, happy, full In out small thing If you love a thing Love it All your heart 36 Feeling like a Melody Verse 1 Sunshine dances on my face, Every worry fades without a trace, Got my friends all gathered near, Laughter echoes, joy is clear. Pre-chorus Feel the rhythm in our hearts, Every beat, a brand new star, In this moment, we belong, Listening to my favorite song. Chorus We’re living in a melody, Happiness is all I see, With the music, we are free, Dancing like it’s meant to be. Verse 2 Stars are shining in the night, Chasing dreams, everything feels right, Voices lifted, Spirits right, Together we can touch the sky. Pre-chorus Feel the rhythm in our hearts, Every beat, a brand new star, In this moment, we belong, Listening to my favorite song. Chorus We’re living in a melody, Happiness is all I see, With the music, we are free, Dancing like it’s meant to be. Outro So let the music play along, Feel the love, in a world of harmony, It’s where we belong Side by side, we’ll carry on, Listening to my favorite song. Maria Arriaga Alvizures, 12th GradeKristal Fuentes, 8th Grade Enjoy Life Joy can mean many things in different people’s eyes But in my eyes joy is what makes everyone Arise. To me joy is full of love and care which is made to share. My joy is the time I spend with my family everyday, all day, future or past I do what I do happily. We talk, joke, laugh, play, and just share the love Even with the ones from above. Allow happiness to enter you, your human body I promise it will keep you steady to be jolly. Seek it day after day to the best of your ability And it will stay for infinity. I love home and school they both keep me in shape Making sure that the joy can never escape. Other people enjoy the outside but no matter what never try to hide. When we’re happy, we’re strong Facing challenges or not happiness is like a moving song that keeps us relaxed and enhanced. San Bernardino, have fun here There’s plenty of activities to keep your sight clear, To help you with your career, always persevere, nothing is unclear, stay sincere, go shopping and get a souvenir, explore nature there’s no need to fear, Help the community and go volunteer, there’s many things to give you joy in San Bernardino which can all be done in a year. Being happy is like a flower. You seek joy and bloom every hour. Think of it like your superpower. 37