Islands and Oceans Visitor Center was the destination for Ms. Kysar’s 7th grade Reading class Thursday, October 1. In class, they have been studying about various habitats and biomes from around the world. As a part of their Ocean Study, a trip to the Center was in order. While there, all of the students earned their Junior Biologist patch by studying seabird populations, invasive species, and people of the Aleutian Islands.
These kids are fun beyond belief. They are easy to fool and I tease them incessantly! As much as I long to be back at the High School teaching, this 7th grade class makes me smile every day.
Left to right, back row: Andrean Kusnetsov, Cameron Corbell, Shane Fielding, Cody Rosenthal, Filip Reutov
Left to right, front row: Crystal Crane, Ms. Kathy Kysar

Andrean (Russian kid with strong accent) has a sing-song way of talking that makes his oral reading very dramatic and entertaining. Cameron (most mature kid of the bunch) doesn't try hard and I think he is smarter than he lets on. Shane (fun, typical, 12 year old boy) makes me laugh every day over his enthusiastic approach to life in general. Cody (small kid with a speech problem) is a born leader and doesn't know it - I am trying to nurture that within him. Filip (Russian kid with not as strong of an accent) smiles all the time and is THE #1 hardest working kid in the class. Finally, there's Crystal... ahhh, Crystal... the only girl in the class (Filipino with a strong accent). She was so quiet at first and is gaining confidence and beginning to speak with authority!
Their overwhelming enthusiasm and energy at Islands and Oceans made me feel so blessed to be their teacher.
These six 12-year-olds have blessed my life and made my time teaching at the Middle School bearable...