Dear Santa Baby,

Larissa Carter

666 Stay Classy Avenue

Penticton, B.C

December 14^th 2011

123 North Pole Road

V93 HOHO

North Pole

Dear Santa Baby,

                                 How are you Santa baby? Hope all is dandy this year at the Pole for you! I have been so busy this year with school drama productions, that I have been a good girl since the last time I wrote to you. Not to worry Santa, I am always nice and always have a fantastic smile on my face! I am exceptionally excited for the holidays as you remember it is my favourite time of the year.

                                 More importantly, for my present this year I would like two tickets to the next Taylor Swift concert in Vancouver! I think she is pretty awesome, so does my best friend Kelsey, who is also a big fan who would come with me! I listen to her music so much; I hum to myself her songs, rather than listening to Mr. Van Camp in English class. He is just not as dandy! If you could make my dream come true, and I would love you forever and ever!

Thanks so much Santa Baby,

Now hurry down the chimney… Tonight!

Larissa Carter

Sunday at Augusta

It

Loomed

In

Front

Of

Me, teasing me each time I looked from a dissimilar angle. 

                                   My options          

                  Evaluated                   I felt as if

               I                                                 it spat in

Each time                        NIKE 4                        my face.

Here I was,                                                        Masters.

            One putt                                         for the

                       Away from                One putt

                                   Eternal glory, 

I would tell myself                              that it was the right line.

Yet my muscles w-                              ould not comply.

People may say go-                             lf is a sport where one,

Fights the environ-                              ment. However, they are

Wrong, because to                              conquer the environment,

One must conquer                               their mind. That is what makes golf one of                               a kind. Again I would step back to correct my                              misjudgement. My caddie would offer:

                      My advice sir, I believe

           Offer you                       the putt breaks

    Could                                                 about a

   I                                                               ball to 

“If                                                                    the right”

I could                                                       long.

    Not trust                                            day

            Him I                                     all

                   Thought,                wrong 

                              He          been

                                     Has

                                

The crowd was silenced,               transfixed awaiting my very n 

s                                 Star            trance,                                      e

o                                  Struck.    in a                                             x         

 u                                       As if                                                     t

    nded  as                                                                           Move.

           droplets                         0                             “Drip..

                fell  from                  0                           Drip..

                          my                  0                         Drip..”

                           fore-                                       My sweat

                           head                              below.

                                  and               ground      

                                        struck the

In the

Dist-

Ance,

I saw

The

Historic green jacket being brought to

The final green awaiting a new bearer.

                      Was overcome,

           Sight I                     by an 

      That                                    immense boost

With              NIKE 4                        of confidence. 

As I                                           on my final stroke.

   Gripped  my                   and bared down

             Putter I         longer nervous

                      Was no

         

   

                                                                                  

       

               

        Everywhere around me. With “plop” of the ball

          From              Jonathan Hack           falling

    Were heard          2012 Masters         into

       Of spectators           Champ      the hole,

                The cries                           I was      

                     Target,                     filled

                         Intended        with joy.

                             To my       For the

                       Directly            First

                   Proceeded                  time in

          As the ball                                my life.

                                  I had done it.

Seize the Day!

       O Captain My Captain! The film Dead Poets’ Society directed by Peter Weir presents dynamic changes in three main characters due to the inspiration of their Captain, Mr. Keating. Based in a fluent and wealthy academy in the United States, a group of boys feel a restriction on their choices due to their parents wants. However they feel inspired to defy them by the ideals of their new English teacher. The three characters that changed the most dynamically were Knox Overstreet, Todd Anderson and Neil Perry.

         

Primarily, one of the inspired students was Knox Overstreet. After meeting his true love at a dinner party he attends, Knox feels hopeless that he will never be with her. Following this evening, Keating’s newest lesson unveiled the Carpe Diem philosophy “to seize the day”. With the latest inspiration, Knox willed up and called her, and Chris invited him to an upcoming party. At the party after planting a kiss on Chris’ forehead, her boyfriend punched him straight in the face. Rather than fleeing and deserting his feeling for her, he continues to follow them and his heart. His new relationship would never have succeeded without the advice of Mr. Keating.

         

Another student moved by their captain’s class was Todd Anderson. After recently starting at Welton, Todd is very reserved being a new student. In Keating’s English class he struggles with writing a poem to present, and is not prepared. However when he is brought up in front of the class he is enlightened by Keating’s lesson on searching your inner self to find poetry. This provided Todd with confidence he needed to speak up for himself and his own beliefs. Following Keating’s removal as he is departing the classroom, Todd milks every ounce of courage from himself and stands on his desk saluting his respect for his Captain. Following this courageous act, the other members of the Dead Poets’ Society follow him and overpower their professor, showing their admiration for their released teacher.

         

Finally, the last student who was inspired by Mr. Keating was Neil Perry. He is a very smart and well rounded boy, however is choices are severely influenced by his father. Though he had straight a’s from last year, his father unreasonably forces him to discontinue his involvement in the senior annual.  After another rousing lesson from Mr. Keating, Neil feels compelled to disobey his fathers command by taking the lead role in  a community play. This inspiration by Mr. Keating, drove Neil to his greatest passion, that of acting.  Alas, after being told by his father following his first performance that he was being pulled from Welton, Neil was lost for words. Sadly, instead of telling his father about his new found passion, like Mr. Keating said. Neil felt it was easier to take his own life.

The students of that class will never be the same following the leadership of their teacher Mr. Keating. For Knox and Todd they changed positively and will continually grow because of their inspiration. Neil also found something he loved due to Mr. Keating’s literature. Unfortunately, he was again denied involvement is his passion for acting, by his father. This empowered Neil to take his own life following his brilliant performance.