2nd Year Program 2026-2027

See the full list of 2nd Year Vocabulary words HERE, or study on Quizlet:

Assigned so far: humiliated, pernicious, vitiate, resolute, pedantic, eminent, indolent, sympathize, impugn, proficient, succumb, complacent, complaisant, pejorative, punctilious, inexorable, iconoclast, antecedent, fervor, deference, obstreperous, tangible, surreptitious, merriment, mercantilism, legislature, bicameral, inveigh, sovereignty, sectionalism, infraction. concise, prudent, transient, usurp, despot, candor/candid, relinquish, dissolution, perfidy, absolve, magnanimous/magnanimity, acquiesce, appropriate, demagogue, plebeian, espouse

Soccer
by Emma Turnbull

Rays of sun blaze;
brisk winds blow across my face.
The whistle shrieks. My heart races like a horse
as cleats dig into emerald grass. I sprint onto the field.
The crowd cheers;
teammates scream.
I try to get open.
In possession of the ball,
I want to pass the ball up,
giving us a chance to score.
The clock ticks down:
sand falling in an hourglass.
Only minutes until halftime.
Like a breath of fresh air, 
the buzzer's siren roars.
Only have a few minutes
to stretch, drink water, relax.
When it's time to play again,
I’ll do my best.

Bellport Bay Regatta 
by Emmett McCall

The morning sun was just starting to bake out the gravel parking lot at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club, but nobody was looking at the sky. We were all staring out at the Great South Bay, watching the whitecaps march across the bay. A steady fifteen-knot breeze was blowing straight out of the south, kicking up that classic, messy Bellport chop. Around the boat park, the air hummed with the sound of snapping sails and the frantic clatter of rigging. I pulled my Opti down the ramp, the fiberglass hull splashing into the cool water, and shoved off. Navigating through the crowd of colorful sails, I sheeted in and headed out toward the starting line, feeling the familiar spray of saltwater hit my face. 

By the time the five-minute horn blasted for the championship fleet, my hiking straps were already getting a workout. The starting line was absolute chaos; dozens of Optis were shoving for position; bailers clacking loudly against the floorboards as everyone tried to clear out bay water sloshing over the sides of my boat. When the green flag dropped, I found a clean pocket of air near the pin end and tacked out toward the middle of the bay, trying to time the steep waves. It was a brutal upwind leg; every time I thought I had momentum, a rogue wave would slam into my bow and bring the little boat to a nearby standstill. I locked my eyes on the wind tell-tales on the front of my sails, hiked out by leaning on the straps until my abs burned, and managed to round the windward mark in the top ten.

The downwind run was where the real fun began. With the wind at my back and the sprit pole pushed out, the Opti transformed from a stubborn bathtub into a tiny rocket ship. I caught a wave just right; the bow lifted, and I began to plane, buzzing loudly as it skipped across the water. I spent the entire leg balancing on the edge of a capsize, pumping the sail to stay on the crest of the chop while keeping a close eye on other boats creeping up behind me. By the final turn, it was a dead sprint to the finish line right off the yacht club dock. Crossing the line with a tired grin and a boat full of water, I looked back at the fleet scattered across the bay. Win or lose, there is nothing quite like surviving a heavy-weather race day at Bellport. 

Enchanted
by Brynlee Caldwell

Skis
drive forward like pickup trucks on a highway,
ignoring the blizzard of white dots following them down the mountain,
sliding gracefully past towering pines, needles still attached,
which sit on the sidelines forming a runway of snow.
Imaginary cheers ring through bitter silence.
Large giants of steel carry giggling kids to the pinnacle,
tall as if they had just won an award.
I circle underneath, hoping not to be crushed,
thrusting poles forcefully into frosted ground:
spears lodge themselves into stiff snow one at a time,
marching through tall white walls.
I smile.
Warm as the hug I wish to be engulfed in,
my happiness blasts through snow: white
as ghosts on Halloween night,
showing everyone how happy
I truly am.

Peaceful
by Emma Turnbull

Honeybees buzz above baby rose buds:
coating fuzzy legs with sticky pollen.  
Earthworms wriggle away from hard, frozen dirt
craving the shallow softer earth of spring. 
Oceans appear above, deep blue tinting 
an endless sky.
Fawns play hide and seek in evergreen
bushes. Soggy wet
grass on one’s fingertips
reveals that spring
has returned once again. 

Student Resources: 2nd Year

Check every piece for THESE SKILLS before turning anything in for an edit.
Check ALL CITATIONS (quotes) with these formatting rules before turning anything in for an edit.

Click HERE for directions for email editing

Click 2nd ART to see what you will be doing in ART this year.
Click 2nd FILMS to see what movies we will be watching this year.

Access pieces written by 2nd Year classes to see what our readings and assignments are for this year, and to
read sample pieces written by previous 2nd Year students (7th & 8th graders) from 2002-2017.

QUARTER GRADING:

Participation = 30% (purely subjective, based on my perceptions of your initiative, interest, self-motivation, & tenacity)

Assignments = Revisions (20%)
Edits (20%)

Vocab/Multiple Choice tests= 15%
Timed essay grades= 15%

SEMESTER GRADING

Participation = 30% (purely subjective, based on my perceptions of your initiative, interest, self-motivation, & tenacity)
Assignments = Revisions & edits (20%)
Vocab/Multiple Choice tests = 15%
Timed essay grades = 10%
Exam = 25%

“The great skill of a teacher is to get and keep the attention of his scholar... To attain this, he should make the child comprehend...the usefulness of what he teaches him and let him see, by what he has learned, that he can do something which gives him some power and real advantage over others who are ignorant of it.”

— John Locke (1632-1704), on Education

Unfinished Pieces: Semester I
(updated 11/8/26)

Brynlee
Revisions = 62/72
Edits = 8/10

5-paragraph essay: D of I Colonists

Pink poetry: Poem of Feeling; The Right Words

Mac
Revisions = 43/72
Edits = 2/10

typed Declaration translation w/ Emmett: FIX THIS (make paragraphs like in your .pdf) IN THE EMAIL MESSAGE WINDOW and email to me

HB paragraphs: Laws
HB evaluative: Things that Discourage Independent Thinking
W of BP: Goodwife Cruff and Kit
W of BP essay OUTLINE: Secrets
Declaration OUTLINE: Power in Ideas

Pink poetry: Similes/metaphors; Pictures with Words; Poem of Feeling; General-Specific; The Right Words

Emma

Revisions = 59/72
Edits = 4/10

Declaration OUTLINE: Colonists
5-paragraph essay: D of I Colonists OR W of BP Rules

Pink poetry: Poem of Feeling; General-Specific; The Right Words

Emmett

Revisions = 50/72
Edits = 2/10

typed Declaration translation w/ Mac: FIX THIS (make paragraphs like in your .pdf) IN THE EMAIL MESSAGE WINDOW and email to me

HB paragraphs: Laws
HB evaluative: Things that Discourage Independent Thinking
W of BP: Hannah and Kit
W of BP essay OUTLINE: Rules
Declaration OUTLINE:

Pink poetry: Pictures with Words; Poem of Feeling; General-Specific; The Right Words

Offense
by Mac McCall

            As I lined up on the offensive line, I could see the bright stadium lights shining down on the field and reflecting off the players’ helmets. The grass beneath my cleats felt slightly damp, and I dug my feet into the ground, getting ready for the play. Across from me stood a defender, staring me down and waiting for the ball to be snapped. I could hear the crowd cheering loudly from the stands, the coaches yelling instructions from the sidelines, and my quarterback calling out the play in the huddle. My heart pounded with excitement as I prepared to do my job and create space for my teammates.

            When the ball was snapped, I exploded forward and immediately felt the hard collision of the defender’s pads crashing into mine. As an offensive lineman, my responsibility is not to score touchdowns or carry the ball. Instead, I help protect the quarterback and block defenders so the running backs and receivers can make big plays. Every play requires strength, focus, and teamwork because even one missed block can change the outcome of the game.

            The smell of fresh-cut grass mixed with sweat filled the air as we battled for every yard. I could feel the rough texture of my gloves gripping the defender’s jersey as I fought to keep him away from the backfield. The noise around me almost disappeared as I concentrated on my assignment. All I could think about was holding my block and giving my teammates enough time to succeed.

            During the play, I saw one of my teammates suddenly fall over after getting blocked by an opposing player. For a brief moment, I worried that he might be hurt, but I knew I had to stay focused. The quarterback was still behind me, and the play was not over. I kept driving my legs and protecting the pocket, making sure the defender could not get through. Even though I was concerned about my teammate, I trusted that he would get back up and that the coaches and trainers would help him if he needed it.

            As the play continued, I heard the quarterback shout and saw him throw the ball downfield. The crowd erupted with excitement as our receiver made the catch and gained extra yards. A few seconds later, the whistle blew, signaling the end of the play. I slowly stood upright and took a deep breath. I could taste the dry feeling in my mouth from running and pushing so hard. Sweat dripped down my face mask, and my muscles felt tired, but I also felt proud.

            As I walked back to the huddle, I glanced over and saw my teammate getting back to his feet. Relief rushed through me, and I was glad he was okay. Moments like that remind me how important teamwork is in football. Every player depends on one another, and everyone has a role to do. Even though offensive linemen do not always get the attention that quarterbacks or receivers receive, we play a huge part in every successful play. Being an offensive lineman is tough because it requires strength, discipline, and determination, but it feels great knowing that I help my team succeed every time I step onto the field.