🎓Graduating Classes

By Giovanna Santsofia and Maryssa Jenzer

5th Grade:

5th grade is graduating from Elementary school and is going on to Middle school! There are 16 graduates. Baylen Flores, Jax Shortridge, Micah Hoag, Lucas Arnold, Alejandro Valdivia, Hunter Booth, Kayson Crawford, Ryker Gaita, Cohen Housch, Lola Johnson, Ariana Munitz, Bailey Ratliff, Alan Rizkalla, Aaron Romanno, Ayva Smith Federico, and Lauren Wagner. Here’s what some of them have to say about moving up to middle school:

Baylen: “I am excited to graduate from Elementary because I get to see my other friends in Middle School.”

Jax: “I am excit ed to see more people and hang out with friends.”

Lola: “I’m excited for new teachers and more periods.”

Ayva: “I’m excited because I can meet people older than me instead of being the youngest.”



8th Grade:

8th grade is graduating from middle school and is going on to highschool!

I, Giovanna Santasofia, am very excited to go to highschool. Middle school has been super fun and it was a great experience. I have made so many friends, and this school has been very nice and welcoming. I have learned so much and can’t wait to learn more next year. I do hope classes will get a bit more challenging for me. But, as much as I am excited, I am also very nervous. Things will get harder, and it will be much different from what they are now. I also don’t want to leave my middle school friends here. However, I will make new friends. I can’t wait for next school year!

Presley Cheek, Grace Rodriguez, Sofia Mougros, Nick Di Tulio Santos, Landon Johnson, and Anthony Lewczak are also in 8th and are soon to be 9th graders. Here’s what they have to say about the upcoming school year:

Presley: “I don’t want to leave middle school. I’m nervous and excited. I’m excited about getting to do new things, having more opportunities, and starting a new chapter in my life.”

Grace: “I’m excited but also nervous because it’s a brand new step in school. I’m excited because I can make new friends.”

Sofia: “I’m excited, sad, and nervous for high school because I don’t want to leave my 7th grade friends. But I'm excited for a new start.”



Nick: “I’m excited because I’m getting closer to leaving school and getting a car. I’m not excited about paying taxes and leaving friends here.”

The graduation ceremony will be May 16, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Congratulations to these scholars! You’ve had an amazing adventure. Wish you luck for next year!

News Update with Ethan Martinez

 FREE VERSE NEWS: AGAIN

WINDING DOWN ALREADY?

School is ending soon, various people are already planning for vacation, and many people are thrilled  about school almost ending! And as school comes to an end, so will the Free Verse News articles. This news series will officially close for the summer on May 23rd, 2025 3:30 ET.  So, start winding down, get your picnic baskets ready, and be prepared for another great summer!

Credit: Spectrum Bay News 9

                

I will refresh the weary & satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31:25

End of Year Activities Bring Excitement

By Irelynn Arnold

The end of the 2024-25 school year is coming but there are still many fun activities to come. One of these activities is the middle school retreat, where all of the middle schoolers go on the field and do fun activities like water slides and minute to win it games. Maryssa Jenzer says, “I am excited to go to the middle school retreat because I can hang out with all of my friends”. The middle school retreat is on May 9 to celebrate the end of the school year; it's going to be very fun, so don't miss it.

Another fun activity happening is 8th grade Gradventure on May 2nd. Gradventure is a field trip the 8th graders are taking to universal studios to celebrate graduating from middle school and going into high school. At this event the whole park is closed to the public and is only open to 8th graders in Florida. Everybody is very excited for this event. Giovanna Santasofia said, “ I am very excited because I have never been to Universal before and I will get to hang out with my friends.” The 8th graders will stay at Universal until midnight and then drive back home. Presley Cheek says “It’s gonna be a late night; we will be there from 5pm to 12am”.

A final activity happening at the end of this school year is the 5th and 8th grade graduation. There will be a ceremony to celebrate the 5th graders becoming middle schoolers and the 8th graders becoming high schoolers. A Lot of kids are excited for this new adventure; Lucas Arnold says, “ I am so excited to be a middle schooler, I think it will be very different but also fun.” However, others are worried about the challenges the next chapter of their life will bring. Grace Rodriguez Said “I am nervous because it's starting a new point in life”. The good thing is , GCA is opening up a ninth grade next year so the eighth graders won't have to switch schools. The graduation ceremony will be on May 16 at 6pm.

Memories Made in Brazil

By Micaelli Olveira

In my opinion, Brazil is the most beautiful place in the world! The people there, in Rio de Janeiro, are super loving and kind, and they’re especially gorgeous. I visited when I had my 10th birthday. My dad and I traveled by plane, and we got a big house full of rooms that came with a pool and a sauna. I met 60 of my family members who all came to my 10th birthday party! 
While we stayed there we went on a jet ski that was on the lake behind the house. We swam in the pool,  relaxed in the sauna, and my cousins did my hair. My dad and I went to many places while we were there. We went to a restaurant, shopping, and exploring the lively downtown. 
We also went to climb and explore a mountain. We went three levels up and stopped at two different waterfalls and had so much fun! When we got to the third level of the mountain, we saw a beautiful waterfall with a stream of running water, there were rocks across it and we went across them looking at the beautiful sight! 
We also saw beautiful homes, got popcorn and cotton candy at an outdoor event, and saw a beautiful big church. My family and I even went on this thing called “Pão de Açúcar” (SugarLoaf) where you ride on this vehicle on a zip line that takes you from one mountain to the other. It was beautiful!

(Pão de Açúcar)

We also went to the beach. When we got out of the car and we saw it was at the bottom of a mountain. We had to walk down obstacles and it was a struggle to get down, a bit dangerous, but we got to the beach. Then, all we had to worry about was how we were going to get back to the car. It was super nice at the beach, the waves were really big and me, my cousins, my dad, and my uncle dove into the giant waves! One of the times we dove, I tumbled back to the shore. 

The water at the beach wasn’t cold, it was very nice to swim. There was a big crack in the mountain on the side that was a very big and narrow cave. I wanted to explore inside but when we all went in, there were bugs all over the walls. My cousins and I stayed in the car later while the others were driving. It was really fun, we talked, cracked jokes, and hung out. A couple days later, we went to a fast food place to get some burgers, those burgers were really good, a lot better than McDonalds. 

My time in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro was really fun and exciting for me, and exciting. I recommend Copacabana Beach. It is amazing. Other places I want to travel to are, the country of Georgia, NewYork, The Caribbean, Japan, and many more!

New Adventures in New York

By McKenna Telfor

McKenna Hedger and I went to New York City last year in December for her 13th birthday. We stayed for around five days in Times Square and were able to experience many things, try new and good foods, and have a once in a lifetime trip together.

In Times Square

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Liberty Bagels

Q: Staying in Times Square, even though it was busy, was a really cool experience! What did you think about staying in Times Square?

A: It was very fun and bright!

Q: My favorite experience about the trip was really everything. What was your favorite part about the trip?

A: I don’t know, everything.

Q: The best food we tried was probably the pasta from Little Italy, the bagels from Liberty Bagels, and the pastrami from Katz’s Deli. What was your favorite thing you tried on the trip?

A: The bagels and the pasta from Little Italy.

Q: My favorite souvenir that I got from the trip was the Jellycat pancake stack. The experience in the Jellycat Diner was cool and the pancakes are really cute. What was the best souvenir that you got?

A: I liked everything I got, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Q: My favorite dessert that we tried was the Pistachio gelato from Little Italy. The gelato was honestly the best gelato I've ever had. What was the best dessert you tried on the trip?

A: The gelato and cannolis from Little Italy.

Q: The funniest thing that happened on the trip was when we got into the Uber after Little Italy and we got slap happy and we couldn't stop laughing. What was the funniest thing you think happened on the trip?

A: The Uber because I went crazy.

Q: I liked the Serendipity frozen hot chocolate because it was really good and the hot chocolate with the toasted peppermint marshmallow on top. What was the best hot chocolate you tried while on the trip? 

A: Serendipity because it was really good.

Q: The worst part about New York City was the smells, all of the random street vendors, and when it got really busy. But overall, nothing was that bad and the trip was amazing. What was the worst part about New York City in your opinion?

A: The crowds and smells.

The Truth Lights Up Easter at Generations

Easter Prayer Walk

By Irelynn Arnold

Generations Christian Church is hosting an Easter prayer walk as a time for reflection on the miracle of Jesus. The prayer walk features a tunnel with pictures that show the story of Jesus’ crucifixion; it also has a QR code you can scan to get the story that goes along with the pictures. 

The story explains the true meaning of Easter and will walk you step by step through the events leading up to and during Jesus’ suffering for our sins. For example the part in the bible where Judas betrays Jesus is modeled in the prayer walk with an image of Judas hugging Jesus and a paragraph to explain the context of the image. 

Included are personal prayers of reflection that you can pray to yourself or share with others. The end of the prayer walk shows what happened after Jesus was crucified, and is wrapped up with a prayer. 

Ms. Booth's Bible class got to walk through and experience the prayer walk; I thought it was super cool to be able to walk through and read about all the events that happened during the crucifixion of Christ. Giovanna Santasofia said, "It was fun to learn about Jesus' life up until he was resurrected.”

The prayer walk is open till Easter Sunday so stop by and learn the events of the crucifixion of Christ. 

The Meaning Of Good Friday

                

By Ethan Martinez             

Good Friday, the big second to last day before awesome Easter. However, several have asked, what is the meaning of Good Friday? The meaning is for us to know and us to find out! Let’s dive in!

The meaning of Good Friday is to take a day of the year to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Within Christianity, it is considered a day of mourning, and reflection and serving as a reminder of saying it’s never too late to repent and go back to God.  Then, 3 days  later, on Easter, Jesus rose from the dead! So, what is the meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion?

        

Jesus was crucified to save us all from our sin, & not just us, but all of humanity itself! That means that no matter what wickedness that any of us have done, past or present, God will always forgive us due to the death on the cross! Jesus’ blood symbolizes how through him we are cleansed. On Easter, Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death itself! All in all, Good Friday’s purpose is to put an emphasis on Jesus' crucifixion and a day for self reflection and praise to our lord and savior.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave the world

His only son. Anyone who believes in Him will not perish.”

“John 3:16 NIV”

Can the Easter Bunny be an Idol?

By Giovanna Santasofia

Easter is one of the most important holidays for Christians. Although it is mainly known for its egg hunts, easter bunnies, and chocolate, it has a much deeper meaning to it. The true meaning of Easter is when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

The easter bunny, if you think of it from a Christian point of view, can be an idol in our lives.

First of all, it takes away the significance of Easter. You may not realize it, but people would most commonly associate Easter with bunnies. The bunny doesn’t have anything to do with Jesus, and it is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. It has nothing to do with Jesus’s resurrection. Christians tried to blend pagan elements in their traditions so that the messages can be more accessible to other religions. But, because the easter bunny makes Easter more accessible and known, people have focused more on it than the actual Easter story.

Also, the easter bunny has a pagan origin. The easter bunny’s origin started before Christianity existed. Pagans would worship a deity, Eostre/Eostra, that took the form of a rabbit. She was the goddess of fertility and springtime. It is believed that German immigrants brought the story of the easter bunny to the United States in the 1700s.

The only thing we need to understand as Christians is to remember the significance of Easter without letting the easter bunny take that away from us.

 Free Verse News: Again

            HAPPY EASTER, AMERICA!

Greetings and happy 2025 Easter! The special event is filled with egg hunts, church services, and special traditions! This day is a wonderful time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The best thing to do would be to spend time with family, and take a time to reflect and thanking Jesus for what he did! Anyway, happy Easter and check the forecast!

“When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.’’ -Mark 16: 1 ESV


Riddle Time!

I am an odd number. Take away one and I become even. What am I?

GCA Spanish Teacher talks About Growing Up In Different Hispanic Countries

 

By: Presley Cheek and McKenna Telfor

There are many Spanish countries in the world and Sra Anderson has lived in three of them: Peru, Puerto Rico, and Argentina. She had many experiences in each of the countries because of their different cultures. Sra Anderson said, “They were so different, Peru had a large Inca influence, Argentina had the most European feel, and Puerto Rico, although it has its own culture, you could feel the American influence.” After getting to experience the different cultures, Sra Anderson said that if she had to pick one of the three countries to live in again, she would live in Puerto Rico. She said she would live in Puerto Rico again, “Because I lived there the longest, the culture was great, and living on an island was amazing.” Making the move from Spanish countries to the United States was a major change and came with some struggles. Growing up in Peru was hard and very different from what other countries and the United States are like. Sra Anderson said, “When I lived in Peru, there were a bunch of military laws like curfews, soldiers around every corner, and we had to put the Peru flag outside of our homes, so it was a scary time.” Another struggle she faced was her relationships. She said, “Maintaining friendships before the time of social media was difficult.” Even though there were several struggles with moving so much, Sra Anderson gained knowledge and grew in her relationship with Jesus. Sra Anderson said, “The great thing about knowing another language is being able to communicate in people’s native languages, it provides a deeper connection.” Throughout all of Sra Anderson's travel and moving, Jesus was clearly with her. Sra Anderson explained, “Living in Latin countries, you felt the presence of Jesus because most Latin countries are Christian, so it was easy to have fellowship.” Sra Anderson’s travels were full of ups and downs, but in the end, she found her place in the United States being our amazing Spanish teacher.

A Minecraft Movie

By Ethan Whitman

A Minecraft Movie is a new video-game based film that came out on April 4, 2025. Personally, this is my favorite movie this year. Jack Black starts Steve, Jason Monoa is crazy as Garrett, Emma Myers debuts as Natalie, Sebastian Hansen is Henry and Danielle Brooks plays Dawn.



This movie is hilarious, I mean just look at the picture of that sheep. The movie is comical in different ways like the animals look funny and the lines get pretty funny too. The movie has already generated a bunch of memes. It got even more popular with the lines "I am Steve", “Chicken Jockey”, “The Nether”, and “flint and steel". They don't seem that funny, but when you hear him say the lines, it's pretty hilarious. The line “chicken jockey” has taken the Minecraft fan world by storm. In some theaters, when they say that line the whole theater screams, shouts and throws popcorn! 

The movie's plot is great. It's really cool how they added some stuff to the game from the movie. In the movie the main villain is Malgosha, and she is in the game now… it's in an add on but it's free! The movie has a good amount of stuff that matches the game. Like an ender pearl and the nether portal make appearance. 

The movie also respects a very famous and beloved Minecraft youtuber named Technoblade. He sadly passed away in 2022. So in the movie, there is a scene where Technoblade walks by with the classic pig with crown and Henry says, “Why is that pig wearing a crown is he a kind or something” and Steve says, “No, that's a legend.”

I think this movie was great and highly recommend it to you. The movie is family friendly and very funny. So, go watch it before it leaves theaters!                                                                                                                                                                                               

Meet the Hedger Siblings

By Maryssa Jenzer

In the Hedger household, things can get chaotic among siblings. The Hedgers are a big Christian family with four kids. Truly, they love each other, but they may have arguments here and there. 

McKenna, who is the oldest, is in seventh grade at GCA. Raelyn is in fourth grade and Adley is in second. The youngest child, Everly, is in kindergarten. Here’s what the siblings had to say about growing up together.

McKenna, age 13

Do you ever have silly fights for no reason?

Yes, I have fights with Raelyn

Do you like having siblings, and why do you think this?

Yes, I do like having siblings, that way if I’m bored, I have something to do.


Raelyn, age 9

What is your favorite part of having siblings?

When you have siblings, you have a friend. But I don’t really hang out with them.

Do you think you get enough attention?

Yes, but when my younger siblings are always calling for my mom, it is hard.

Adley, age 7

What is the best part of having a big family?

You have sisters to hang out with.

What is the hardest part in having a big family?

The hardest part in having a big family is having to clean the house.

How long does it usually take to get out of the house?

Everyone can do their own stuff quickly, so it doesn’t take very long.

Everley, age 6

What chores do you do around the house to keep it clean?

I do my laundry and put my clothes in my drawers.

Do you ever get in trouble for things you don’t do?

Sometimes, I get in a little bit of trouble.

How do you feel when your siblings bother you?

I always get sad and feel a little mad.

The Inheritance Games Book Series

By Irelynn Arnold

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a suspenseful mystery series full of surprises, plot twists, and cliffhangers that will keep you on your toes. This series is about a 17 year old girl named Avery Grambs who is invited to the reading of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne’s will. She walked into the courtroom with barely enough money to get by; she came out with Tobias Hawthorn's entire fortune. To claim the fortune, Avery must live in the “Hawthorne House” for a year with all of Tobias’s family. While she is there she is faced with countless puzzles and riddles that she must solve to find out why Tobias disinherited his family and chose Avery to be the heir of his fortune. A few scholars from GCA have also read this book series; McKenna Telfor says, “ I really liked this, it was probably the best series I have ever read.” This series has five books: The Inheritance Games, The Hawthorne Legacy, The Final Gambit, The Brothers Hawthorne, and The Grandest Game. Soon, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will release two more books to this series: Glorious Rivals and The Same Backwards as Forwards. Emma Hanratty says, “I am very excited to read the new books, hopefully they will be just as good as the rest of the series.” So prepare for “Riddles upon riddles” and “secrets upon secrets”. Brace yourself for these outstanding novels because “winner takes all”.

Mrs. Booth Talks Faith and Family

By Ethan Martinez

Being a Christian and a science teacher can be tricky. Fortunately, for Mrs. Booth, she is able to teach 6th-8th grade science and S.T.E.M. from a Biblical worldview here at G.C.A. She has been in the education field for 15 years and studied at St. Petersburg College. Get to know Mrs. Booth.


Why did you choose this job?

Originally, I wanted to become a lawyer or a medic but that didn't work. I had looked up to my own teachers and how good they were, so I chose to be a teacher.


What type of church did you go to when you were younger?

I went to Generation Christian Church before they moved from Tarpon Springs when I was younger.


How did faith tie into teaching?

My first 8 years were difficult due to the disapproval of basing my teaching on faith in the public school system.


What are your favorite things to do in your spare time?

Spend time with family like fishing, watching movies, hanging out with friends, and playing outside.


How has God helped you in life?

I think most of all through grace, picking up the pieces after my mistakes, revealing paths in my life, and most of all, his unwavering faith.


What is your favorite place to travel and why?

Areas with mountains because they’re cold and a change of scenery is also nice.


How has your career affected your family?

Since me and my kids are involved, our bond is much stronger!


Is it easy to teach and help your kids simultaneously?

At this stage they have become more independent, but reading is our bedtime routine so it’s sometimes hard but teaching helps to be more relatable in the same school but if we were in separate schools, it would be much more challenging.

News Update with Ethan Martinez

 FREE VERSE NEWS: AGAIN

MEASLES IN TEXAS: HOPE IT'S GETTING BETTER!

Hello and welcome to a new era of Free Verse News (Again!) This week’s topic is about the Morbilli (Measles) outbreak in Texas. Some information that has been gained is the fact that the last measles outbreak was in 1991! The current outbreak is largely associated with local Mennonites who don’t usually believe in utilizing modern solutions. Due to these actions, this is likely why the measles outbreak happened. Anyhow, here is the weekly forecast!

Credit to Baynews 9!

Weather this Week

Verse of the Week

“If GOD is for us, WHO can be against us?”

- Romans 8: 31

Riddle Time

What has 13 hearts, but no other organs?

A card deck! ~ See you next week!

Fishing Makes Waves

By Ethan Whitman

Do you like fishing?

I got into fishing this year, and I think it's really fun. I go fishing in lakes, at piers, and out on boats. Let me tell you about when I went fishing on a boat for the first time. I was really excited for the experience. 

We went to Tarpon Springs, arrived at the dock and boarded the boat! For an hour we just drove on the boat to the first fishing spot. When we got there we started fishing. My grandpa caught a fish right off the bat. Here's a list of the types of fish we caught: snappers, dogfish/toadfish, remora, lizard fish and a red mouth grouper. We could only keep the snappers sadly. On the way back we ate some good food!

I have friends who also like to fish. 

Shah Williams, 6th grade, likes to fish at the lake in his neighborhood. "The biggest fish I've caught is a 20-25 pound snook," he said. Shah's favorite fishing rod is his saltwater Spincast. He said he likes how relaxing fishing it. When he's fishing, "the time flies by," he said. 

Grant Kunky, 6th grade, started fishing when he was six years old. "It's very exciting when you catch something," he said. Grant fishes in the lake in his backyard, but has also been out on fishing boat trips. He once caught a 20-lb red grouper. 

In the future, I want to go Tarpon fishing and hopefully some day catch a a black fin tune. Another goal is I wanna catch every single bait fish. Thanks for reading, and until next time, peace.

t