By Annika M
This summer has been really fun and busy. One of the biggest things I did was become a Teacher Assistant at my local chess school. My job was to help the coaches during lessons, answer the students’ questions, set up chess boards, and make sure everyone stayed focused during the lesson. I also helped younger students learn how to play chess for the first time. Sometimes I helped them with the rules, showed them different moves, and answered any questions they had during class. It was a fun experience because I got to be involved in the lessons instead of just being a student.
Another one of the best parts of my summer was going to Universal Studios with my mom, dad, and brother. We drove 6 hours to LA from our house and woke up early so we could spend the whole day at the theme park and cover as many rides and attractions as possible. There were so many different areas to explore that were new to me, and my favorite ride was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey because it is a fun ride, and it feels like you are actually inside the movie. We went on a lot of rides, and some of them were really thrilling, like Revenge of the Mummy, while others were just fun experiences, like the shows. Even though there were long lines, we still waited and finally got on. By the end of the day, we were really tired, but it was worth it because we got to spend the whole day together and visit so many different attractions.
During the summer, every two weeks I went to the library to check out new books that I had never read before. I read some fantasy books like Percy Jackson and finished the Front Desk series by Kelly Yang. I also started reading books from different genres that I normally would not choose. Our local library was hosting a Summer Adventure that they do every year for kids and adults. That was also really fun because we had to complete different activities and read books to get stamps and earn a ticket for a prize. It gave me another reason to keep reading throughout the summer, and I always looked forward to seeing what books I would check out next.
Lastly, I went to the Santa Monica beach this summer and had lots of fun. I found many shells and mussels in the sand and collected them. I also built a sand castle with my older brother before it was washed away. We spent time walking along the beach, looking for more shells, and enjoying the nice weather.
Overall, I had a great summer and made a lot of good memories from being a TA, going to Universal Studios, reading new books, and spending time at the beach.