Here are two examples of Year 9 student writing done during Lock-down. The students had to look at examples of something precious in their surroundings, and write using the past and present tense. More to follow next week!

Charlie the bear

I walk up to my neat striped bed. The grey curtains of my room have been pulled to provide warmth to the quickly dimming evening. I place my upright cushions and other soft toys on the carpet, but not Charlie. He’s too precious. The bear has comforted me for the almost 13 years of my life. I tuck him into the crisp, clean sheets of my bed and then I get in beside him. Leaning over, I grasp the edges of the pillows and toys on the ground and heave them up, placing them by the wall. My arms curl around his blonde body, just as they have ever since I’ve been a toddler.

Cautiously, I shuffled up the stairs of our Canadian house, my bear Charlie in my arms. As an almost-three-year-old, it took effort and the slippery carpet was no help whatsoever. I hopped on the bed of the room that would be mine for one whole year. The Saint Mary's landscape was absolutely stunning with miles and miles of cornfield. I sat Charlie upright on the duvet while my parents unpacked my small suitcase into the drawers. When I had gone outside to play on the slide in the backyard, my mum snapped a photograph of my bear sitting there silently and motionless in my bedroom.

We travelled a lot around Canada. When my Dad was not teaching at a local high school in Saint Marys, we would be sightseeing from the CN Tower in Toronto or getting to know our neighbours until we were friends. My sister and her bear had frequent tea parties with Charlie and I in the summer. We held plastic cups in our hands and glasses to shade our eyes from the intense sunlight.

One time, after touching down in Vancouver very late at night, we drove straight to a hotel. Mum and Dad placed my sister and I into a double bed together. With Charlie up against my body, I fell instantly asleep. After all the troubles of a long, noisy plane ride, how could I nod off in a matter of a few seconds? Was it my bear?

Although my memory is quite foggy, I can recall a few moments of our time in Canada. My parents took many photographs to mark our trip and almost all of the ones of me, I had Charlie alongside me. Charlie bear has traveled everywhere I have, enduring the cramped, dark spaces of my backpack. With his little white ribbon and special Canadian memories, he can take pride in being my bear. When I was given him by my grandparents when I had just been born, he was much more of a snuggly yellow blonde then; he is quite pale and firm now.   

- Georgia Hall

Present: Just as I put on my gumboots, I hear several clucks from the garden. I grin to myself, as I know exactly who they are . I run to the garden and there foraging for treats in the silverbeet patch, are my naughty babies, Cleo and Oscar. Cleo cocks her head at me and waddles to me. Oscar runs to me, thinking I have food, but settles for perching on my leg as soon as he realises I have none. As I pick Cleo up, her soft, intricate and beautiful plumage tickles my hand and I bring her close and safe to my bosom. She looks up and I see her beautiful eyes look into mine. Those eyes of hers. Mysterious and full of secrets. Looking down to my left, I see Oscar lifting his head for a quick neck scratch. I scratch him and pat his soft feathers. Emerald green, flame orange, blood red and radiant purple are only a few of the gorgeous colours on his feathers. After a while, I could hear soft snoring from both of them, they had both fallen asleep on my lap. I smile to myself, feeling blessed to have such beautiful pets.

Past: I was in my bedroom when I heard the garage door open and the car door slam. I shot up and ran to the door. In my father's hands, was a box. As I approached the box closer, I could hear tiny cheeps coming from it. I look up at my father and he grins at me, knowing exactly what was going inside my head. We both walk to the chicken paddock, open the gate and place the parcel carefully on the ground. Using a knife to open the parcel, we opened the parcel. Inside the parcel, were four fluffy chicks. Two for my brother and two for me. I grabbed both of the brown chicks and my brother grabbed both the lighter coloured ones. As I held them close to my face, their stunning eyes locked in my eyes. As soon as they did that, I knew that they were mine to love.

Present: Everytime I see Oscar and Cleo, I feel warmth in my heart. They bring me memories, some warm, some funny and some frightening. They are both symbols of love, even though they are older and wiser . I always tell my many chickens, that even though I love Cleo and Oscar very much, doesn’t mean I don’t love them.

- Aisha Rizwan

Wellesley

I go to get my school uniform out of my airy yellow closet. As I peer into my closet to grab my uniform I can’t help but notice an old brown bear collecting dust. After close examination I soon realise that it is none other than my childhood favourite teddy Wellesley! Excitement bubbles through my body. After all this time he isn’t looking too good. His fur is patchy and it isn’t very soft.

The day I was born I was surrounded by people I didn’t know but I would soon find that I loved them very much and they loved me. On that very eventful day I was gifted a teddy named Wellesley from my Nana and Aunty. He was bigger than me and he wasn’t the cuddliest, but he sat in my cot and “I” loved him very much.

Wellesley is a very special teddy to me. He has been with me longer than any other teddy. Just because I didn’t cuddle with him like I did the rest of them didn’t mean I loved him any less. If anything I love him more than any teddy I have ever had. In fact he is one of the only special teddies I still own other than Sparkle Bear. He has and always will bring happiness and joy to my heart. He is the only teddy that gets me (I know that this sounds weird but it’s true I feel like he really gets me). I hope that one day he will be sitting in the corner of my children’s cot and be their best friend.

He is currently my study buddy, because even in this pandemic he is there for me all the way. It is good to know that even during the uncertain times of COVID-19 I can trust that he won’t betray me like my mum did when she forced me to be stuck with my two little sisters for 1 month.

- Louisa Chrystal-Lowe  

Dancer

Present

I push open the door that has been locked for the past six weeks. The freezing cold air immediately surrounds me but the feeling of belonging makes me ignore it. I look down the fresh, dim hallway. Empty, I thought, no new classes. I turn towards the dressing room door which is slightly ajar, light leaking through the crack. As I push it open the musty comforting smell whoffs past me, I have waited all holiday to finally go to the place that I love. Not a thing in the room has changed, familiarity washes over me. All the memories of last year come back to me as I sit and put on my tap shoes. It won’t be long until my first class of the year starts.

Past

I had started dancing when I was four. I just did ballet at the time. Now I have been dancing for nine years. In 2016 I began doing Jazz as well as ballet and then in 2018 I started doing tap and a stretch and strengthening dance class. Now this year I have joined an open ballet class and have begun my first year of pointe work.

Present

I reflect on how dance has impacted on my life. Through many exams and concerts it still stays strong. Not only are you learning to dance but you also make lifelong friends of all ages. Every year you can pick up new styles and spend more and more time there. It feels like a second home to me after being here for nine years with many more to come.

- Olivia Richards