The Independent Day School

THE COYOTE CHRONICLE Two students, Betty S. and Joe H. were selected to speak on behalf of their class. This is a tradition honored each year. Read below for excerpts of their speeches.

Eighth Graders Speak at 2012 Graduation

Student Newspaper June, 2012Graduation Edition!

By Joe H. ’12

For the last nine years, I have had the privilege of being a member of this class. Each and every year that I have been here, I have gotten to know each member of my class a little more. We have been through a lot together. Students have left, new students have come, but before you today is the graduating class of 2012. Within our class, there is a great variety of personalities. Nobody in our class is the same as another. Everybody feels as if they are their own person. I have found that at IDS, the faculty have a big role in who we are. The teachers here have not told us who we are. They have encouraged us to be who we naturally are. We are who we are based on many things. Family genes, the environment in which we grow up in, and the way we are raised all are important factors that help determine our identities. Our class is extremely talented. We all have different strengths, and they help make us unique. When we first arrived at IDS, we may not have been aware of the strengths that we have. The teachers help us to discover our strengths and create who we are.

By Betty S. ’12

Our teachers did not just teach by making us memorize dates, words, or numbers, Our teachers taught us how to think with a new attitude, and that, I will never forget...

IDS has been a wonderful place for me. The teachers and students have always been there for me and the entire class of 2012 feels much the same way. I will miss every single one of you. But even though I know we will miss each other, I truly believe that IDS has also prepared us to be ready to move on. We know now how to open our eyes and see things from the new vantage point. Whether it may be looking up to the sky, looking down to the ground , or immersing ourselves completely into activities, we truly see things from a new perspective. And now I feel as though it is time to look forward into our future.

Joe H. smiles with Ms. Sprague following the gradation ceremony. Joe H. and Betty S. (pictured on the right) were selected by the faculty as the 8th grade gradation speakers this year.

THE COYOTE CHRONICLE PAGE2Community

Roving ReportersBy Camille M. and Acadia B.

In this column, we ask the middle school teachers a new question about an issue and record the answers with a little description as well. The goal of this article is not only to inform you about the teachers, but also to hopefully provide something that makes you laugh!

Question: What do you like to do during the summer?

Ms. Boyce: Physical Education Teacher and AdvisorMs. Boyce’s favorite thing to do during the summer is to go hiking because she loves the fun of exercising outdoors.

Mrs. Meyering: First Grade TeacherMrs. Meyering loves to garden in the summer because she loves creating beauty.

Mrs. Ficke: Middle School English Teacher and AdvisorMrs. Ficke likes to go on her boat overnight to different destinations in the summer. It is relaxing and she loves seeing the beauty of New England.

Mrs. Cooley: Kindergarten TeacherMrs. Cooley also loves to garden in the summer because she

likes to grow her own vegetables. She also believes it is a great way to exercise.

Mrs. McLaughlin: Administrative AssistantMrs. McLaughlin loves to spend time with her grandchildren in the summer because she loves to be with them.

THE COYOTE CHRONICLE PAGE3The World of Local Sports By Lauren H.The lacrosse season at IDS this spring was one of the most successful seasons in a few years.

The boys, with the coaching of Mr. Wilkes, had a winning season this year! They played a total of three game and they won two. The boys were hard at work this year. In their first game, they fought as a team, but unfortunately lost 6-1 to Foote. They quickly picked up their game, in preparation for the next. They defeated Chase 8-5 in their second game of the season. With the momentum of the first win, the boys went on to their last game, outscoring Country 11-5. This lacrosse season, the IDS boys’ team learned that the key to being successful is working hard and playing as a team.

The girls’ lacrosse team also did an outstanding job this season. Their season was cut very short, only playing one game. In that game, the girls worked hard and were winning for a considerable portion of the game. Unfortunately, the girls came up short by a few goals, losing to Country 11-6. Even though the girls did not get the opportunity to play as many games as they would have liked, they still developed as a team this season. They had the privilege of having the women’s lacrosse coach at Wesleyan University, Holly Wheeler, come in to share a few strategies with the team. This season the girls learned a lot about the sport, teamwork, and working hard to develop their skills.

Congratulations to the IDS boys and girls lacrosse teams on their efforts and an enjoyable season this year.

Upon Graduation...

By Chris M. Eleven years ago, each member of the present eighth grade class witnessed their first day of school. We all started the same way- scared but slightly excited about the first day. Eleven years later, we are all members of the eighth grade class of 2012. While we may be great students, great athletes or great thespians, we all have one thing in common- we did not start that way. We are who we are today in many ways because of our life experiences. Strong classes, a great community, as well as numerous opportunities at IDS have helped us become who we are. On June 8, we graduated and will now start a new chapter in our lives. While we will all go our separate ways, we all have shared the same wonderful experience at IDS. The eighth grade graduating class of 2012 would like to thank everyone who has made our experiences at IDS this fantastic!

Here are several reflections on IDS from members of the class of 2012:

Katy S.T.: IDS has changed me. I am more trusting of people. It has given me a sense of community that will never leave me. I will miss my friends and classmates the most who I can safely say are my second family.

Alex: IDS has taught me more than just academics, but general morals that are important for the future. I will miss my peers greatly.

Caroline: I will miss most the teachers and the connections that I have made with them.

Jonathan: I will miss all the traditions and people at IDS.

Camille: I will miss the All-School Meetings the most- I love seeing everyone swaying and singing, and I believe it really brings us together as a school.

Tyler M. ’11 poses with Ms. Sisson during the softball game. Many former students returned to see teachers and friends.

Students plant a tree in honor of the 2012 graduating class.

THE COYOTE CHRONICLE! PAGE4Community

Seventh Grade Travels to Washington D.C.

By Sam HouleRecently the 7th grade took the annual class trip to the Washington D.C. We stayed for four days and three nights. By the time we got back to the room every night, we hit the pillow and fell asleep. This was because we tried to see as many museums and statues as time would permit.

On our first day we encountered the famous Lincoln Memorial. We stared in awe at its grandeur and the wonderful view of the Washington Monument as the sun set behind us. We were able to stand where Martin Luther King Jr. stood, and see what he saw. We felt like we were there in the moment with him, imagining him starting his famous speech, "I Have a Dream."

The next day we visited the national archives where we saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, contained in a bullet, fire, and water proof display box. We learned that because the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were hanging long ago in the sun, unlike the Bill of Right, they are sun bleached and illegible, while the Bill of Rights is in pristine condition.

My favorite part was the time spent in the American History Museum. There was everything from Kermit the Frog to the counter at which four black men sat, sparking the Civil Rights Movement. We also saw the Wicked Witch of the West's shoes and broomstick used in the original Wizard of Oz.

Being away from your parents and spending four days with your classmates creates a special bond where you find some very… interesting things out about them. The D.C. trip was a trip of a lifetime, to

be remembered as we pass through high school, college, and even as our own kids venture out into the world to have their own similar experiences.

Eighth Grade Adventures at Camp Jewell

By Betty S.Every year eighth graders come back from Colebrook, Connecticut covered in dirt and mud, and raving about their trip to Camp Jewell. However you never know just how much fun it will be until you get there. Once we arrived at Camp Jewell from the bus ride we put our stuff in our cabins and ran outside to get started right away. Our first activity was a series of team work challenges. Some of these activities involved being led around the woods blindfolded, while others were having to figure out an extremely difficult puzzle. After our team work activities, we had lunch and then we went off to the lake where we canoed around. One particular chaperone (who will remain nameless) tried to tip over our canoes, but luckily no one fell in. After dinner we had some more activities and then we had a huge game of “Man-Hunt” in the dark. Finally, we were called inside and told to sleep. However most of us did just the opposite.

In the morning some of us went on an early morning hike which was lovely. Unfortunately, it was starting to rain at this point and continued to rain, sometimes heavily, for the rest of the day. This did not impede our spirit, however, because we were all too excited for the high ropes. We did a couple of very difficult, yet exhilarating high rope activities which I will never forget. After what seemed like just minutes, we were herded back to the dining hall. After dinner we had an indoor “camp fire” inside, where we were treated to several hilarious skits by our counselors, Paul and T-Bone. Then we went to the kitchen and made s’mores. The next morning we zip-lined and then zipped back to IDS.

It was a fantastic trip, filled with good memories and important bonding experiences for our class.

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The Sixth Grade Boston Science Trip2

By David M.This year the 6th grade took an overnight trip to the Boston Science Museum in late March. The museum is an amazing place to visit. Sleeping overnight there was a one-of-a-kind experience.

I will start with the bus drive. While this may sound like the least exciting aspect of this trip, it was still quite interesting. When I stepped inside, the first thing that entered my mind was, “The bus has carpeting?!!!” The floor and ceiling(!) of the bus were covered with a soft, patterned rug. The bus also had lights, air-conditioning, and fold-down footrests. If I was feeling tired, I could lay back and take a nap! The seats on the aisle all had a fold-up armrest. In the rear of the bus (and this is truly amazing) was a small, single person bathroom! I kid you not! Unfortunately, I am unable to tell you more about that, as I never felt the need to use it. When we crossed the state line and entered into Massachusetts, we kept a lookout for railroad tracks, especially near Boston. They have the T- Line, the Green Line, Amtrak and others. These trains are sometimes right next to the road, so we were sure to keep an eye out.

Remember when I said that the bus-ride was not the least exciting part of the trip? Well, unpacking was. After parking in the parking lot, we followed our teachers and a museum staff member to a hallway with a long ramp. There we found the area designated for IDS, where we left our stuff. We made sure to put our things right up against the wall and leave plenty of room for other IDS students, as other groups were sleeping over as well. After that, we headed off to dinner.

We ate dinner in a large cafeteria/café/restaurant. We could either purchase dinner or eat the dinner that we brought with us. Then, we moved on to the next section of the trip.

We proceeded to a theatre/auditorium of Science. After a short, entertaining, and scientific presentation, in our case about sound, and a review of the rules of the museum, we headed off to our first activity. The entire 6th grade went to the engineering/model-making room. There, we did an activity. I will not tell you what activity, as that would spoil the surprise for future groups. We built models and it sure was fun.

After this, we divided into groups and headed off to wander around the museum (with a chaperone, not alone!). There were many cool exhibits. They have exhibits about the sciences, mathematics, biology, history, and even astronomy! After exploring for a while, the entire 6th grade regrouped, grabbed their stuff, and brought it to the exhibit where we were to sleep that night. After doing this, we took part in one last activity for

the day. We went to an incredible light show and demonstration about electricity. Following the lightning show, we returned to our sleeping area and brushed our teeth. Then, it was lights out.

The following day, we awoke and packed up our things. The next thing on the list was to visit the planetarium and space/universe exhibit. After looking at the exhibit for a while, we entered the planetarium, where we were treated to a tour of the universe. Then we moved on to our next, and final, show: a movie on the IMAX Dome.

The movie theater has a huge, curved screen covering almost all of our field of vision, as well as an extensive sound system. After watching a video, we made a quick stop at the gift shop and then left. On the way back to IDS, we stopped at a rest stop with various fast-food franchises where we ate. After this, we arrived back at school, and our adventure came to a close. It was a wonderful and interesting trip!

Community

THE COYOTE CHRONICLE PAGE6

Word Search: Summer Fuuuunnn!By Brian F.

Can you find the words related to fruits and flowers listed below? Try it!

Beach ShovelBucket SleepCastle SunFriends SodaIce Cream SandFun