The Connection 2020

The Connection

GDRMS 2020

Welcome to The Connection, a multimedia magazine that showcases our talented school community. In this publication, you will find a variety of genres and mediums (in no particular order) all focused on what makes us connected. Topics range from food, pets, science, history, hobbies, friendship, and beyond. Though we had to spend the last few months apart, the work here proves that we are still connected.

Many thanks to all of the students, teachers, and parents who helped make this happen!

The Connection
GDRMS
June 2020

Editing Staff:
Ms. Danielle Patenaude
Catherine Daly
Lindsay Ketelhohn

Connections During Covid by Sophia West
Poem, Page 6

Connection: How Food Brings Us Together by Saanvi Gowda
Essay, Page 7

Valentina's Blueberry Crumble by Valentina Tapia-Ortiz
Video, Page 13

The Underlying Connection by Zak Metzger
Poem, Page 14

Family Favorites: Classic Recipes by Violet Brier
Cookbook, Page 16

Ways to Stay Connected by Alexandra Paul
Essay, Page 17

Ways of Friendship by Avery Columbus
Booklet, Page 20

"In times like this where days are long..." by Nitya Eswaran
Poem, Page 21

Constellations & Astrology by Adya Creek
Booklet, Page 23

Our "Lizard" Brains by Sydney Devereaux
Essay, Page 24

The Audition by Callie Fayne
Animation, Page 26

Connection in the Chaos by Annabelle Lowney
Poem, Page 27

Table of Contents

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How to Stay Safe During the Coronavirus by Mary Lafone
Presentation, Page 31

Why Technology is Important During Quarantine by Roman Cirignano
Essay, Page 32

How to Survive a Pandemic by Alex Luening
Presentation, Page 33

Manual Override by Michelle French
Fiction, Page 34

"Boeing" by Liam McDonald
Drawing, Page 41

The Truth About Betta Fish by Anoushk Yadav
Essay, Page 42

The Effects of Animals on Us by Annabella Farley
Presentation, Page 45

Not Alone by Jenna Tootill
Essay, Page 46

Adopting a Dog by Annabelle Arpigian
Presentation, Page 48

Lincoln Stays Home by Ms. Linda Jones
Picture Book, Page 49

"It's Not That Big a Deal" by Paige McNamara
Fiction, Page 50

Memories by Anjou Edwards
Poem, Page 55

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Community Love and Support by Makaila Meehan
Video, Page 56

The Perspective of the Game by Camryn Lesser
Essay, Page 57

What Teamwork is and Why It's Important by Arwa Yahya
Presentation, Page 64

The Tale of Two Friends by John Terhune
Poem, Page 65

Unconscious: Chapter 1 by Jonathan Duffy
Fiction, Page 66

The World of Dreams by Keren Noonan
Presentation, Page 69

Air Nomads by Lucian Keane
Essay, Page 70

Five and a Half: Chapter 1 by Alia McCarthy
Fiction, Page 75

Connection by Ms. Maria Viera
Photoset, Page 78

The History of Communication by Benjamin Glanville
Website, Page 79

The Utter Horror of a Maine Cottage by Samantha Ellis
Fiction, Page 80

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Landscape & Travel Photography by Ms. McCollumn
Pages 6, 15, 22, 55, and 65

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Connections During Covid
Sophia West, Grade 5

The leaves are connected to the trees
Your arms are connected to your body
The flowers are connected to its stems
You are connected with other people
Now you may not be
But we still need to be connected
Like the leaves are connected on the trees
Try to stay connected with other people
Connectivity will help us all get through
It is the least you can do

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Connection:
How Food Brings Us Together

Saanvi Gowda, Grade 7

~Introduction~

What is connection? Connection may have many meanings such as internet connection, computer connections or other terms. But in this hard time most of us focus on one part of connection, which is how we all share what we have in common to find ways to keep in touch and stay together no matter where we are. We all can help each other out and connect in this hard time. This article will give you the essentials on how food connects and brings us together through sharing recipes, culture, and having good times with family and friends.

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~Why We Should Stay Connected~

Some of us may think, why does it even matter that we should all talk to each other and stay in touch? Well, humans need to talk to people and be social in order to stay happy and have a good state of mind. If you stay at home and play video games all day and make no effort to be social, you can get depressed and become sad which isn’t good for your body or your mind. And especially during times like these, if you have no friends or family to talk to, you need to make connections with anyone around you. Psychcentral.com states, “Scientifically, we are well aware that isolation and loneliness can raise stress levels, and physical touch is a powerful stress-reducer. A hug can not only reduce interpersonal conflict, but it can also strengthen our immune response and mental health by flooding our bodies with oxytocin, a “bonding hormone” that makes us feel secure and reduces stress. Additionally, touch can be calming for someone in distress since it offers support and empathy.” This shows that being connected all the time really does matter and because of social distancing it is quite difficult. Staying connected does good things for everyone because we all know we have people there for us and that they support us and we always have someone to talk to if we feel down or need any help in any way. Staying connected with family and friends means that they can help you feel valued and support you to keep doing the things you enjoy. There should never be any negativity around you and if there is, confront it or ignore it and keep being happy.

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~How Food Connects Us~

Food connects us in so many ways. Now more than ever, it is important to say connected. It doesn’t even matter what race, nationality, region, or what food you make is, we all connect over it anyhow. Food unites us culturally and emotionally. It brings us happiness, suffices our hunger, and makes great memories to share and cherish forever. Cooking as a family or with friends and loved ones brings us together because we can share our culture, heritage, and family recipes while talking and connecting through common things. Coming together or having a reunion and sharing a meal is the best thing that binds us all together and is one of the most common things all around the world done to connect with people. Being able to make a dish and share that with the people you love is one of the most universal concepts because it’s at the root of our survival.

An example of how food connects us is ice cream. When we go to get ice cream or are eating, we talk about our favorite flavor, how delicious it is, that it is your favorite treat, or maybe a person has the same flavor that you like and that’s something you two have in common. In simple things like this, a common ice cream flavor can create a new friendship and a new connection. We even connect over Halloween candy when we trade our candy or pick the best ones. Family reunions always include homemade food, precious family recipes, and most importantly, lots of fun and games. Most likely you would compare how well you made the recipes, compliment each other, and connect over the delicious family food because it is like a potluck where you share all of your homemade

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food that everyone loves. Even when you smell a food like cookies or pasta, it might remind you of times when you and your family made something like that. And even now that applies because when you smell or see something you like, you’ll remember that maybe a friend or someone far away likes this too and that we are still connected through the power of food.

Gathering around the table is also a way which connects people strongly and creates memories. Having food together can help you to know each other better, and you'll discover new things about them and about your skills too. Preparing food of different cultures and doing it with friends and family is a great way to share your culture and be exposed to different heritages and foods. Food is how we express emotions, show creativity, and create memories.

The kitchen may be known as the heart of the home, but the table is also very important. In our busy, digital lives, eating meals together at the table is usually left alone for meals outside or with friends, or on the go if you are busy. The table is where we gather together as family and friends but, not just to eat, to talk, share, connect, and do many other things. Food gets people to talk, debate, and have many different conversations, and moreover prompts people to ask each other questions which is how we strengthen our relationships. The website MomItForward states, “Gathering around the table is also a way we can show others hospitality, teach children manners, preserve traditions, and create memories; it is one of life's greatest joys.” Some ways to connect through food are making food special for friends and family, have food at different places like camping trips, picnics or dinner parties, plant a garden, eat together as a family, and prepare meals together.

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