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Association for Neurologically Impaired Children |
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| Kids Excel
KIDS EXCEL! As part of AFNIC's mission, "To ensure that kids not only survive, but excel," we have created a new addition to our website. The "Kids Excel" page will show off the accomplishments of children with neurological disabilities. It can be a poem, art work, a copy of a report card, a text description of the accomplishment, or even an audio file of a song. Whatever you or your child does to excel is fair game. Please send your entries to secretary@afniconline.org. Include the child's first name only and age and, if you want, a picture of your child to go along with the work. 
The Epic of the Rebelsby Andrew Prologue Roman Kirk stared blankly out the viewport for a moment, shook his head, and returned to suiting up. The chronometer on the wall indicated that he only had 'till 0400 hours to be in the titanic launch-bay of the T.S.S. Virgin Star. Kirk was a very muscular and extremely intelligent young man, but that was expected of someone who was specifically bred for serving in the StarCorps. Of course, his social standing was extremely low. Clones and genetic manipulations had little or no freedom 'under the rule of the United Planets of Sol, unless requested otherwise by the buyer.' But he enjoyed his occupation and social life nonetheless. After all, he was bred to love and live for the military. His life was nothing special, and he knew it. Roman stepped to the other side of the cramped quarters he shared with Richard Kirk and Samuel Kirk, who were genetically identical to Roman, and fitted himself in front of the mirror. Click'hissss. With his black face-concealing flight helmet on, he reached for the MLS and strapped it to his back. Soon he was down the hall waiting for the turbolift and thinking about the upcoming mission. He was nervous, as he always was in dealings with the Rebel Federation for the Freedom of Sol, or the RFFS, or even just the Rebels. What he couldn't understand was why the Rebels had such a problem with Communism. The Human race had been ruled by Communism for over a century. He saw no reason to become discontent now. But still, there was something nagging at him, something at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. His thoughts were interrupted by the soft 'ping' noise of a turbolift that meant he could step inside for his quick ride to the launch-bay. The lift ran smoothly. Good. It had been serviced. The rattling he had heard earlier in the week had worried him. No sooner had he stepped into the lift, it seemed, than he stepped out and into a spectacle rarely seen by non-alters. Of course, Roman was quite accustomed to walking on all six surfaces of a room. He placed one foot onto the wall, shifted his center of gravity to his new orientation, and then quickly placed his other foot onto the new floor so as to not fall flat on his face. All of this he did in one smooth motion. By this time, the klaxons were blaring, signaling for flight crews to report to their ships for the upcoming mission. Roman slipped into the cockpit of his UPSN Wasp Fighter and started an automatic systems check. This would take a few minutes so he allowed his thoughts to wander to the doubt in his mind. That's what it was. Doubt. But why? Why would he doubt the? he didn't even know what it was he doubted. 'Systems check complete. Ready for flight. Initiate launch sequence' 'Initiate launch sequence,' Roman replied to the computer. 'Sequence initiated. Launch in T-minus ten'nine'eight' Oh, well. He'd get back to that thought later. But now was time for battle. Tonight, the Rebels are going under?
A StoryBy Helen Hough (his mother) When you know you might be able to do it. When you know you might possibly succeed, you'll never know unless you try. That's what Alex Houghstow (age 10) did. The spelling bee is only open to fourth grade and up. In January, it was Alex's first chance to ever participate in the school spelling bee because he is in fourth grade. But he is a good speller. He had forgotten to buy the study book because it was for sale months ago but he participated in the bee anyway. He knew some of his noises bother other kids because they tease him a little bit. But he's still a good speller. He can't write compositions very well but the spelling bee is spelling out loud, not much of a problem. He sometimes repeats things and it makes it hard to tell jokes but he is still a good speller. So when fourth grade had their spelling bee he was one of the kids who said they would try out. He did really well and became one of a few fourth graders who went on the full school spelling bee. His teachers thought this was exciting but warned him that fourth graders generally didn't win the school spelling bee. He still didn't have the study book, so he couldn't study. Luck would have to be on his side. A little logic helps too. He got nervous on some words because he had to guess. On some words, when you know where its comes from you can figure it out. The best you can do in a spelling bee is try and believe you can. And he did. There were some tough words like "Lament." The funniest thing to his parents is that the word he won on was "geologist" and his stepdad is a geologist. Anyway, Alex won the school spelling bee, beating all the fifth and sixth graders. Alex is representing his school at the February district spelling bee and it is really unusual for a fourth grader to do this. It's cool to try to do a good thing 'cause you might be able to succeed. Of course, even if he hadn't won, and even though he has, he can try again in fifth and sixth grade too. His mom says sometimes you have to try more than once, but if you know you might be able to do it, it's worth trying and finding out. Copyright © by AFNIC All Rights Reserved. Published on: 2002-12-16 (4758 reads) |
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