Artwork - 1st Place: “Spooky Taco Truck” by Aadhya Adhikari, Veritas Classical Academy.

Fifth Grade – 1st – “The Sleepover” by Mikayla Weber, Neale Elementary

One day, well night two girls were having a sleepover.

“This is going to be so fun!” said Jayla. She was very energetic. “Yeah totally.” Lily said. She was the opposite; she is very shy. “Oh I know what we should do!” “We should do scary dares!” Jayla said. “I don’t know.” Lily said unsure. “It will be fun! Jayla said trying to hype Lily. “Well…oh fine.” Lily said quietly.

“I’m first!” Lily, give me a dare.” “What fine.” Lily said still unsure. “I dare you to…go into my basement, and stay there for five minutes.” “Ok!” “Now you’re talking!”

So, Jayla goes down and Lily closes the door. After five minutes Lily yells,

Artwork - 2nd Place: “Haunted Corner” by Jenna Hesson, Beverly Center Elementary.

“Five minutes are up!” “Jayla, come back up!” Lily is confused. “Jayla?” Then Lily goes down in the basement, and Jayla isn’t there!

“Jayla?” Lily calls. “Where are you?” Lily starts to worry. I knew we shouldn’t have done this.

Lily thought. Lily checks everywhere around the house.

“I know!” “I will check outside.”

So she checks outside. She goes out, and sees a yellow note on a tree. What it says is, she is in the house, but where do you sleep? Lily thinks.

Artwork - 3rd Place: “The Missing Football” by Taytum Bauman, Beverly Center Elementary.

“Oh yeah in my bedroom!” Lily sprints into the bedroom, and sees Jayla asleep?

“Wait what?” “But we were doing scary dares.” Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks. Lily thought. Then she hears Jayla laughing softly. Lily notices that her blankets are over her head. She pulls them from her head. Then Jayla starts laughing uncontrollably.

“I totally got you!” Jayla said still laughing. “That was not funny!” “I thought you disappeared!” Lily said. “Of course I didn’t!” “How did you think to look in here?” Jayla asked. “It was from the yellow note outside on the tree.” Lily replied. “Wait, I didn’t write that note.” Jayla said confused. “What then who did?” “No idea..” Jayla said.

Fifth Grade – 2nd – “My Ghost Friend” by Aadhya Adhikari, Veritas Academy

One year on a Halloween week, a teacher named Ms. Anne decided to take her students to the cemetery for a history field trip. On the bus ride, she told everyone to behave. Once they arrived, they got a tour of the cemetery. Near the middle of the tour, Ms. Anne stopped in her tracks, she turned around and saw Lena!

Lena was a student she had taught two years ago in her class. “Lena!!” she cried out. “Lena, how have you been? I haven’t seen you for two years!” she exclaimed. “Hello Ms. Anne,” said Lena in a hypnotized tone. “Lena, are you OK? You look very pale,” said Ms. Anne. “I’m fine Ms. Anne,” said Lena in the same tone. “OK,” said Ms. Anne sounding concerned. The two talked until it was time for Ms. Anne to go. They said good-bye and Ms. Anne boarded the bus. When she came back to the school, another teacher named Ms. Jin asked how the trip was. “It was wonderful, the students behaved well, it was fun, and I ran into Lena Harding!” said Ms. Anne. Ms. Jin turned pale and asked, “You mean the Lena who died two years ago?????”

Fifth Grade – 3rd – “The Missing Football” by Taytum Bauman, Beverly Center Elementary

It was the night of the rivalry Fort Frye versus Waterford football game. The Fort Frye and Waterford crowd was pumped up for the big game. They had paint on their faces and glitter in their air for the big night everyone had been waiting for. However, the football teams sensed something was off. They put it behind them and started practicing.

As the game began, the teams went pass for pass and touchdown for touchdown. All of a sudden “Time Out” was called by Fort Frye. Yelling started from both coaches. They ran out on the field, but where was the football?

The football players looked at the crowd. The crowd was silent. They all looked up at the green aircraft.

“Aliens!” one person said.

“The football,” another one said.

“They stole the football,” a Facebook live streamer said.

So, the football players checked the storage closet but the footballs weren’t there. The aliens took the footballs just as they got there. They had to find something that would work.

Now the football teams and crowds were looking everywhere to find a football. They came to the conclusion that they were going to use a cup just as everyone thought that everything was fixed. They went out to play but the quarterback wasn’t in sight and the backup quarterback was on vacation. So everyone was looking for him. Then they heard the quarterback say “HELP”…

Everyone looked over, and the aliens took him!

Two hours later the aliens came back. They brought back the quarterback. They said that they took the football because the ball was dangerous because the quarterback so that no one got hurt. The quarterback apologized and the game was back on!

Then, the Fort Frye and Waterford crowd found a foam football so they used it because it was the only option other than a cup. Everyone agreed that it was the best football game ever.

Don’t worry the quarterback had to pick up all the trash and food after the game all by himself.

I think that was the best football game ever. It was so funny and the best part is we tied so everyone was happy and now the aliens are the new school mascots.