activities.

It began with a Careers Day on Dec. 3. Under the direction of counsellor Alaine Darooyan, guests visited the school to give the students insight into various industries, including international business, fire fighting, security, and hairdressing.

On Dec. 11, staff and students held their first Reading Day. The whole school day included activities associated with reading.

It started with stage presentations from the different year levels, including skits, poetry and a recital from memory of Maya Angelou's poem "Still I rise''.

During the day the students were with their advisors for various reading activities. During the lunch breaks advisors from different year levels swapped classes to read to students at other levels.

The day culminated with a debate in the assembly hall on the motion "This House believes that reading is better than television''.

The Bermuda Debate Society's David Saul, Christine Harris, and Ellie Pilling presented prizes.

"This was a very successful day and everyone is looking forward excitedly to the next one,'' said principal Charlotte Ming.

Five days later, the school choir went "on the road'' to tremendous rounds of applause from visitors and locals alike as they sang Christmas melodies at Windsor Place during the lunch hour.

That same day, the Friends of the Library under the direction of Bernadette McIntosh held a fundraiser as students turned up at the school dressed in costumes of their favourite book or cartoon character.

And in the afternoon they enjoyed a pizza party to celebrate the day. The next day, the M1 students hosted their first senior citizens' tea.

The M1 Awesome Owls served residents of Yellow Rose's Rest Home and St.

George's Parish Rest Home finger sandwiches, cookies, cakes and tea. They also entertained the seniors by reciting Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise''. And the school choir performed "A Cappella'' Christmas carols.

FULL OF CHARACTERS -- Clearwater Middle School students dressed up as their favourite book or cartoon character for a fund raiser for Friends of the Library. From left are Brian Phipps, Cat in Hat; Lacy Carter as Troll in the Three Billy Goats Gruff; teacher Bernadette McIntosh as a mouse in Hickory Dickory Dock; Eugene O'Connor as Santa Claus; and Sherika Davis as Raggedy Ann.