Broken Pencils

  This I Believe “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Those words by Mahatma Gandhi remind me of the kind of person I want to become. I believe everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and understood. I also believe that choosing kindness, integrity, and compassion every day can help build a better future, not only for myself but for the people around me. Every morning I look forward to seeing my friends and the people in my life. They remind me that even small moments with others can make a big difference. When I have to make a decision, I try to ask myself if it is the right thing to do or the kind thing to do. At the end of the day, I feel proud when I know I have taken another step toward the future I want. I have always had a strong desire to make something of myself. My beliefs help keep me focused and remind me of the kind of person I want to be. Ever since I was young, I dreamed about creating a better future for myself. I wanted to b...

  Dear 3rd Grade Lilly, Right now, you are about to go through one of the biggest changes of your life. After COVID, your mom and dad are going to split up, and you will move to Albion. It will feel scary because you have to leave behind the place you know, your school, and the friends you care about. At first, you will feel lonely and wonder if things will ever feel normal again. When you arrive in Albion, everything will seem unfamiliar. Making new friends won’t happen overnight, and there will be days when you miss your old life. You may feel nervous walking into a new classroom and wonder where you fit in. But even when it feels difficult, keep being yourself. Be kind, talk to people, and don’t be afraid to give new friendships a chance. Over time, things will get better. You will make new friends and create new memories. The people around you will begin to feel like family, and Albion will start to feel like home. What once felt like the worst thing that could happen will turn...

  It’s been a week since I received a mysterious letter in the mail. The envelope had no return address, but I knew exactly where it came from…the ESS or better known as  the Elite Spy Service. I assumed they had finally noticed my abilities after I was caught gathering information on one of their highest-ranked agents. To be fair, it took him seven months to catch me, which is more than I can say for everyone else who tried. Since then, I’ve been working under their command, disguised as a bird watcher. I hate birds. The way they sit there and stare creeps me out, and now I’m forced to do the same to them, or at least pretend. My current assignment is the manager of a local food market. So far, he’s been painfully boring. He works, goes home, sleeps, and repeats. No hobbies. No friends. No life outside of work. Which, ironically, makes him suspicious. After two weeks of surveillance, he finally did something unusual. Instead of using his cellphone, he stopped at an old paypho...