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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 27, 2013 | 6 by Nicole Hotchkiss Grade 4, St. Matthew School He teases, pushes and he shoves every kid each day. It's as if he has a schedule that cannot be delayed. A Lesson for Life Dan and Cleo saw Theo and suspiciously started talking. Theo walked towards them, unaware of what might take place. "What are you lookin' at?" Theo asked, with a weird look on his face. Spotlight "Connected to your Community" "A bully!" Dan shouted. Cleo yelled, "Come on guys, get together!" This was the moment the school would be changed forever. "What's this?" Theo laughed. "Are you guys gonna try to take on ME?" "No," Cleo said. "We're going to teach you a new word -- empathy." "What?' Theo looked puzzled. "You're gonna teach me how to spell?" "No," Dan said. "It's about being nice, and a good friend as well." A thin boy asked, "How would you like it if we shoved you to the ground?" A tall girl added, "And make you feel like a soccer ball being kicked around?" "Would you like it if we stole your jump rope, basketball or cap?" A short boy questioned, "Or catch you and put you in a punch- ing trap?" "So don't be shy, how would you feel? Tell us right now, Theo! We need to know!" shouted all the kids including Dan and Cleo. "Wow," said Theo, "I never thought I'd see it quite that way. "I'm not a bully anymore. I'm changing that straight away!" He apologized to all the kids he took from, pushed or teased, He also uses manners and says, "Excuse me, thank you, and please." Now, Theo plays with every kid. They always have lots of fun. Everybody laughs with him, and they call him number one! So if you ever go to Tackletown, go to that elementary school. They all know -- and don't mind teaching you -- about the Golden Rule! Canadian author and Oakville resident Pat Skene runs an annual writing contest for Grades 4, 5 and 6 students at St. Matthew Catholic Elementary School. As usual, there were many creative entries to the contest. Grade 4 student Nicole Hotchkiss won this year with a beautiful poignant piece, in her `spoken word' style of story poem. Congratulations, Nicole. A Lesson for Life In the elementary school, found in Tackletown, On every single child's face, you'll nd a great big frown. Except on big, bad Theo's face, you'll nd an evil smirk. He's never nice. If you ask me, I think he's quite a jerk. There were two kids he loved to tease, named Cleo and Dan, And one day they decided they needed to make a plan. Cleo said, "His reign of terror needs to come to an end. He needs to learn to be kind and how to be a friend." "He'll just beat us up again. There's no point," Dan replied. "C'mon, let's just give up." It's as if his spirit had just died. "Stop thinking you can't do this, when you really can. "At least try," Cleo told him. "Stand up and be a man!" So, at rst recess the next day, with opportunity knocking, At top, St. Matthew Grade 4 student Nicole Hotchkiss. Below, St. Matthew students gather to hear the entries. At right, Nicole and teacher Pat Skene. photos courtesy St. Matthew Catholic Elementary School NEIL OLIVER Volume 51 | Number 76 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS Regional General Manager Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Halton Region Editor in Chief ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor