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Essay Contest

Every year we hold an Essay Contest for students who read Greentimes and Greentimes JR at school. The contest is planned and judged by our teen writers. They pick categories for essays and fictional stories, send out information to teachers who order newsletters, and then organize and judge all the many entries.

If you would like to submit a story or essay for the upcoming 2007 Essay Contest, please come back in January to find instructions. The deadline for submitting entries is usually in March. We encourage teachers to have their whole class work on science writing as a project and then send in their work as essay contest entries. Prizes are awarded to individual students and to classrooms!

Here are the winning entries from the 2006 Essay Contest.

First Place, Grade 5 Fiction
Kimmy the Koala, by Michelle Yee, Josiah Quincy School, Boston

First Place, Grade 5 Non-Fiction
Endangered Marine Turtles, by Mariah Girouard, Sumner Ave School, Springfield

First Place, Grade 7 Non-Fiction
The African Elephant, by Neangnaroth Chea, Stoklosa Middle School, Lowell

Here are some of the winning entries from the 2005 Essay Contest.
Silver, by Kelly Chau, Josiah Quincy School, Boston
Jay the Jaguar, by Rydyl Bibber, P.J. Kennedy School, East Boston
Untitled, by Tyara Williams, William Monroe Trotter School, Dorchester
My Favorite Animal, by Crystal Burgos, Frank Sokolowski School, Chelsea
 

Kimmy the Koala

By Michelle Yee

In the forests of Eastern and Southern Australia, there are certain kinds of trees. In those trees lives a certain type of animal that spends most of their time in those trees.

That animal is the endangered Koala. There was a three-month-old Koala named Kimmy. She was in her mother Mindy’s pouch. “Mommy, why do we stay in trees?” Kimmy suddenly asked.

“Kimmy, why are you asking?” asked Mindy.

“I want to know why because I wonder why?”

“Okay then. All we eat is the leaves of eucalyptus trees. Before you ask, a eucalyptus tree, where the leaves have water, sugar and starch, is where most of our food comes from.”

“Mommy! Mommy!” Kimmy started saying.

“Yes, Kimmy dear?” asked Mindy.

“What happens if we are on the ground?” Kimmy asked.

“If we were, then all these bad people would come and they would try to eat us and that is really bad,” replied Mindy.

“Who can eat us?” Kimmy asked curiously.

“Dingos, wild domestic dogs, and foxes. When that happens you run to the nearest tree,” replied Mindy.

“Mommy, I know that maybe I should ask this when I’m older but I want to know now,” Kimmy said nervously.

“Okay then,” Mindy said wondering what could happen. “What is it?”

“It’s about when I’m older. I’m scared. I don’t think I should ask.”

“What are you scared of? It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

“Okay then. When I’m older, what will happen?”

“When you’re older, and meet someone, you will have a baby in your pouch and do what you are doing to me.” Months later, Kimmy left her mother since it was time to move on. She was walking on the ground and all of a sudden, a fox came out. Kimmy remembered what she asked her mother months ago.

As Kimmy was running, a dingo came out. So did a wild domestic dog. Kimmy ran to the nearest tree. As she was climbing, she slipped. A mysterious Koala suddenly came out. He helped Kimmy get up the tree. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Now I am. Thank you very much! May I ask who you are? My name is Kimmy,” Kimmy replied.

“You are very welcome, Kimmy. My name is Kenny. It’s nice to meet you,” said Kenny. After their fateful meeting Kimmy introduced Kenny to her parents. Kenny did the same by introducing Kimmy to his parents.

Years later, Kimmy and Kenny got married. They were so happy. Months later, Kimmy had a baby girl named Kendra. They were more careful when Kendra came because they didn’t want bad things to happen to her. Two to three months later, Kendra started asking Kimmy questions. Kimmy started remembering what she asked her mother when she was about Kendra’s age.

Endangered Marine Turtles

By Mariah Girouard

Marine turtles are dying almost everyday because of things people do. Now I know what you’re thinking, why would anyone kill a turtle? Well, we kill them for many reasons. Have you ever eaten turtle soup? We catch and kill them for their meat. We use their shells for knick-knacks. Well that’s just the half of it. We also steal their eggs and build condominiums near their nesting sites and then fill the beach with blinding lights that disrupt their attempts to procreate.

Those were just a few ways that marine turtles are endangered. But there is one big way that affects both turtles and humans. Have you ever heard of pollution? You may not think pollution can harm anyone or anything but it can. People pollute the ocean (where the turtles live) with chemicals and waste. Dying turtles are examples of contaminated oceans and since oceans are a source of life if they die out we will likely go with them. We are the number one killer of turtles. From killing them for our own selfish purposes to polluting the ocean marine turtles are endangered. We have to save them before they no longer exist. Here is one type of turtle called the Hawaiian Green Turtle. It is an endangered species of marine turtle.

The Green turtle is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. In the 1970s the Hawaiian population of the Green turtle was listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Green turtles were a source of food and other appliances such as cooking utensils and special tools. They were also used for ornamentation. Green turtles were a very important resource to early Hawaiians. Great numbers of turtles were hunted throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian turtles were in severe danger from the destruction of their nesting sites (as I said before). These turtles are 100 cm long and 150 kg in mass. They may be large but they are defenseless when it comes to becoming extinct. In fact they are the largest hard-shelled sea turtle.

They are the most valuable of all reptiles and were once killed for their skins, calipee, meat and shells but are no longer harvested in Hawaii. But they could still be in danger. These fantastic creatures can live 11 to 59 years (if we don’t kill them first!). Unlike many other species of marine turtles there are no nest-raiding predators (not even humans) in the French Frigate Shoals (where they live). But there are Ghost crabs that prey upon hatchlings. But estimates of losses to crabs do not exceed 5%. There are no bright distracting lights and no predatory birds. Although Green turtles aren’t in as much danger as many other types of endangered marine turtles, you still never know what could happen. That’s why we should help all types of marine turtles so that they don’t become extinct.

The African Elephant

By Neangnaroth Chea

There are many endangered animals living on Earth. One of those animals is the African Elephant. It is the largest land animal. It is a mammal that lives in most regions of Africa except the Sahara Desert. The African Elephant is the most powerful of all land animals. And yet it is very gentle, living in peaceful family units.

African Elephants are very unique animals. These animals can weigh as much as 16,000 pounds. It can grow up to 13 feet tall. It is sway-backed and it has elongated incisors called tusks. The tusks can weigh as much as 160 pounds and can grow to 12 feet. Most African Elephants live on the savanna. They are herbivores that eat grass, foliage, fruit, branches, twigs, and tree bark. These elephants eat as much as 400 pounds of vegetation each day. They have a large nose called a trunk, and they need 50 gallons of water to drink.

Do you know why the African Elephant is endangered? They are endangered because people hunt them for their ivory tusks. The ivory tusks of an African Elephant are very valuable. The human population is taking over the habitats of the elephants. Some people even shoot them because they raid crops and rampage through villages.

Many things are being done to save the African Elephant. There are many national parks and reserves in Africa to protect the habitats of elephants. In 1990 the governments of many countries prohibited trade in all elephant parks. Not all governments agree with this. People argued about banning it and not banning it. Some people breed African Elephants to give them to zoos. This is so people won’t have to take elephants from the wild. That’s why the elephant is so amazing.

Silver

By Kelly Chau

In the white, snowy paradise of Alaska their fur flashed in the moonlight, their pace slowing until it came to a complete halt. And they were there. The two proud leaders were in the front of the pack with their nine-month-old pup, Silver, between them.

A single movement could be heard in the snow-covered forest about half a mile away. It was the sound of a fawn, probably lost and separated from its parents.

The male leader led his thirteen-member pack to an attack, of course including the young pup, Silver. They were closer and the noise was clearer; so the female leader signaled to walk in a stalking pace. The closer they came the louder the sound of the hooves could be heard.

The group spread out without needing to be told by the two leaders who, from experience, knew this was a smart idea. Of course Silver followed her two parents (Diamond and Slate, the two leaders of the pack). Diamond spotted the fawn but had decided to let Silver hunt this one.

“Look, Silver. It’s the fawn,” Diamond whispered.

“Wow, Mommy, you are fast,” answered Silver in an admiring voice.

“Silver, I want you to sneak up behind the fawn, then take it by surprise and bite it in the neck,” Diamond ordered.

“Are you sure, Mommy? This is my first time with something this big. What if I mess up?” Silver replied.

“Go. I’ll back you up if it gets away,” Diamond encouraged.

Silver, walking silently behind the fawn, sneaked up next to it when it wasn’t looking and then attacked. The fawn leapt in pain and began to run. “Oh no you don’t!” Silver exclaimed and then chased the fawn. In about five minutes Silver had caught her first fawn in her nine-month-old life.

Slate and the others were definitely shocked. In their pack Silver was the first nine-month-old pup ever to catch a fawn. Slate was so proud he decided that she was the greatest huntress so far and should practice more often.

Three years later...

Silver, dashing through the snow-covered forest with her male leader and thirteen-member pack of wolves heard a twig snap, and she signaled her pack to stop. Standing next to her eight-and-a-half-month-old pup, Flint, and her mate, Spruce, they searched for the prey in groups.

Silver spotted the familiar shape of a fawn, smiled, and said to Flint, “I want you to sneak up behind the fawn, take it by surprise, and then bite it in the neck.”

Jay the Jaguar

By Rydyl Bibber

As the afternoon sun sets down Jay the jaguar streaks through the rain forest, fast and very hungry. “Wow, what a day. I think I should have a nice, relaxing feast for myself.” The night draws near to an end. Jay the jaguar spots a sleeping deer near an old tree. Jay moves stealthily to it, but he hears the sound of a reloading gun. Jay dives behind a batch of bushy trees.

Then the sound of a gun fired with a big burst of air and something hit the deer. The deer screamed and struggled to run but collapsed on the forest floor. The deer was struck by a dart from a tranquilizer gun. Jay the jaguar knew he could be the next animal to be hunted. Jay watched the deer being dragged to the back of a truck in a metal cage.

Jay thought about how he could stop this from happening to other animals. He thought he could alert his animal friends before it happened to them. Jay watched the strange man drive away. Then he warned the other animals. He told all of his jaguar friends and family. He told his friend Mustafa and his brother TJ who were both fighting over a dead deer. Then he told all the animals that they should stay away from the strange man before they got caught.

The next morning Jay began to quickly run off to the far-east because he knew it was legal to capture animals here. Then he heard the sound of a racing car. Suddenly a brown Jeep appeared out of no where and sped after Jay. He was too scared to move out of the way, so he was shot by the tranquilizer, captured and taken away.

Then he woke up in a frightening way that made his heart pound, and he said, “It was all just a bad dream, just a bad dream.” His growling stomach made him so very hungry. So, he ran fast and hungry through the forest searching for a nice, relaxing feast once again.

Untitled

By Tyara Williams

Hi! I am a drop of water! Let me tell you about my travels through the water cycle. First, I rain out of the clouds onto the ground. Then I evaporate into water vapor (clouds), and the cycle continues.

I have traveled many places. I’ve been to the tropical rainforest. I dripped off a Ficus plant. I’ve been many, many places, but I can’t name them all. You name it and I’ve probably been there or visited there with my family.

Let me tell you some of the jobs I have. I go to work everyday. Almost every day I have a new job. On Monday I was flowing through the Nile river. I was on a vacation. Africa is so nice, I mean the people and the weather. You should really consider going there.

My husband whose name is Donald loves Africa too. My name is Tamia. My son’s name is Donald Jr. This is the best family anyone could ever have.

My Favorite Animal

By Crystal Burgos

My favorite animal is the quetzal because the quetzal has so many different colors on its body. It reminds me of a beautiful rainbow. It amazes me.

The tail is long for such a small bird. The tail is about fifty centimeters. The quetzal eats berries, fruits, spiders, and small lizards.

Further more it is the national bird of Guatemala. The quetzal is even printed on the flag of Guatemala. The bird lives in the mountains around Guatemala and Costa Rica.

The quetzal belongs to the Trogon family, another name for thirty-nine species of birds. Its habitat is an old tree in the forest. It makes one hole on both sides of the tree for its nest. The quetzal does this because its tail is so long. It doesn’t fit in an ordinary nest.

The quetzal lays one or two eggs. It is also endangered because hunters are willing to eat them or trade for them.

These are some facts and reasons why my favorite animal is the quetzal.