YWP:Young Writers Project
Submissions from Matthew Silverman and Megan Mahoney, grade 6 at CCS, regarding New Year's Resolutions,
January 26, 2012, page 21.....

Matthew’s New Year’s Resolutions
Matthew Silverman
CCS Grade 6

New Year’s Day is always stressful for me.  I always have to turn myself into a different person, when I’m perfectly happy the way I am.  But nobody’s perfect. I almost resolved to stop arguing with my sister, but not even a miracle could make that happen.  So I’ve decided to start studying more for my tests and to stop annoying Andrew.  The last one is ironic because he’s the one annoying me.
If you’ve already read his list of resolutions, you’ll be happy to know he took some creative liberties.  He never resolved to do me harm.  He resolved to beat me in chess.  Whenever I start to get him trapped, he starts shaking the board, says my king was killed in an earthquake, and then leaves. I could make a whole list of annoying things about him, but I want to finish this essay by the deadline.
This year, I usually just read the information I’ll be tested on the night before the test.  Sometimes I even forget to study.  Even if I do remember to check the facts, I always have trouble sleeping that night.  For example, If I tried counting sheep, each sheep would say something like, “In what year did the Second Continental Congress meet?”
My old system didn’t usually help much with the test, so I’ve decided to study for at least ten minutes a day for my tests.  It’ll be hard, but I think it’s possible.  Maybe.  Probably. Okay, maybe it’ll be difficult, but it’s not like I resolved to build a space shuttle out of strawberry jello or something like that.  I can do it!

Megan’s Resolutions
Megan Mahoney
CCS Grade 6

Do you ever say that you will do this or that, even though there is no way you will? Those for me are going to Australia, seeing a kangaroo, and riding in a limo (my last year’s resolutions). But this year I am starting off with a clean slate with some, let’s say, realistic resolutions.
My first resolution is that I will try to read an hour every day, well, maybe six days a week for a half an hour. I can do this by talking to my friends to see which books they like or what book they think I would like. If that isn’t possible, then I will reread books I liked in the past. I can read at night when I am going to bed or in my free time.  That is the free time I will try to make....        Last but not least, I will REALLY try to not leave my homework, studying, and exercising for the last minute. This will help me because I will not have to worry about it and will have more time to do other things.
    I will REALLY try this year to accomplish these goals. Yes, this year should be great, and you won’t have to check in with me to make sure I do these resolutions. This year I have made goals that I can accomplish!