A Collection of Art & Poetry for Winter
Poetry by Johnathan David The Fire As the thunder roared and the wind howled,We see the light in the distance.And as the fire raged and burned,Comes the instance,Where temper is unleashed, and thoughts are telled.But the assistance is come,Yet the cries are yelled,And the mental resistance is held. Where the Wind Walks Come, we must…
The Song of Our Hearts: Why Does Music Make Us Feel?
by Harper Smith Music has existed in human culture since very nearly the dawn of time. The earliest known instrument was a 60,000 year old bone flute, made from a bear femur and discovered in the caves of Slovenia in 1995. Percussion (music produced by striking something to create sound, better defined by modern instruments…
Interview with DGC Director Ken Abrams
by Lydia I. Matinov Lights? Check. Audience? Check. Voices? Check! Next is the conductor! I had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Ken Abrams, the artistic director of the Danville Girls Chorus. Since 1992, Mr. Abrams has been conducting singers of all ages, and has won multiple awards, as well as, competitions. I am very excited…
The Psychology of Stress
by Lucas David Understanding stress is very important for a number of reasons, especially for teens, who experience comparatively high amounts of stress in their daily lives. For one, stress has a direct impact on your mental wellbeing, as it can cause you to feel overwhelmed or anxious, as well as causing difficulty concentrating, memory…
As We Walk Through the Woods – A Poem
As we walk through the woods,we try with all our mightto make memory of this beautiful night.For we stand under the stars of the sky.We talk til day has come,and sun has risen.As we walk through the woods,I can’t help but grieve.For it is a time of sorrow,a time of loss,a time of death,a time…
An Interview With Author Millie Florence
by Meru S. Millie Florence is the author of three middle-grade novels including Honey Butter, which she wrote and self-published at the age of thirteen. Honey Butter is a simple yet vividly descriptive tale of joy and sorrow, lightheartedness and contemplation, anger and love. The storyline follows Jamie Johnson, a young girl with a passion…
TVE Promotion & Graduation Ceremony 2024
by Olive Pea & Lydia I. Martinov This year’s Graduation and Promotion ceremony was fantastic. We had many promotions, and 5 seniors! It took place at the San Ramon Community Center in the elegant fountain room. A green patch of Central Park, and the Community Center fountains, were visible through the windows. The crescent shape…
Kids Against Hunger – Let’s eradicate childhood hunger
by Ava Amara Salado A non-profit humanitarian group called Kids Against Hunger works to feed underprivileged children and families locally and globally by providing them with wholesome meals. The group wants the meals to give recipient families a reliable nutritional foundation so they may transition from hunger or food insecurity to self-sufficiency. The organization’s strategy…
The Midgard Serpent – Percy Jackson Fanfiction ~ Ch. 6. & 7.
by Emery Pugh SPOILER ALERT: The following content may reveal parts of the plot of the Percy Jackson book series. There may also be spoilers about the Heroes of Olympus book series, which is a five-book sequel to the Percy Jackson series. The Trials of Apollo series, the sequel to Heroes of Olympus, will be…
A Night at The San Ramon Symphonic Band
by Meru S. The evening was cold and windy—so unusual for a late Californian May—as we drove to the Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center. A blanket of gray clouds obscured the sky. For just a few moments, a barely visible drizzle sprinkled our car’s windshield. When we pulled into the Dougherty Valley High School parking…
Escape: An Interactive Short Story
by Layal Hilal Before you read the story, READ THIS. This story is not just a story, it’s an interactive story, so you have to write too! That means you have to fill in the rest of the story yourself. I promise, it’ll be fun! But if you want a story with a satisfying ending,…
Enchanted Forest – 2024 Teen Formal!
by Olive Pea This year’s TVE Teen Formal took place in Rancho, San Ramon on a sunny Saturday. It started at 7:00, right at that time when sun began to set. The gentle sunlight filtered through the glass windows and onto the navy blue backdrop covered in a twinkling layer of lights that mimicked the…
The Midgard Serpent – Percy Jackson Fanfiction ~ Ch. 4 & 5
by Emery Pugh SPOILER ALERT: The following content may reveal parts of the plot of the Percy Jackson book series. There may also be spoilers about the Heroes of Olympus book series, which is a five-book sequel to the Percy Jackson series. The Trials of Apollo series, the sequel to Heroes of Olympus, will be…
Crochet 2: Simple Stitches
by Lydia I. Matinov Welcome to the second part of my Crochet series! Previously, I wrote about starting out, and what is needed to begin. I also wrote about how to crochet a braid (chain). This time, I am going to teach you how to make some simple stitches, and practice them. Before we begin,…
What is Dundracon?
by Lucas David DunDraCon, (short for Dungeons and Dragons Convention), is a four-day celebration of role playing games that has come every President’s Day weekend since 1976, and is still recurring today. For the past three years, they have utilized the Santa Clara Marriott, converting hotel rooms and meeting rooms into game rooms and Live…
Poetry Challenge! – February
by Olive Pea POETRY CHALLENGE! The Lighthouse hopes everyone had a wonderful winter break! I don’t know about you, but I’m still getting back into the groove of things. New year, new articles, school (for those who took winter break), and… NEW POETRY!! Surprise! It’s poetry challenge time, people! In this February poetry challenge, you…
Crochet: The Beginning
by Lydia I. Martinov Homeschool stressing you out? Perhaps you have a math assignment due or you are bummed about receiving a bad grade. Whether you are a student or a teacher, chances are, at times you are probably finding yourself feeling down. If that is so, then a relaxing way to defeat these stressful…
Laser Tag!
by Olive Pea “Plunk plunk!” went the rain on the metal roof of the car. It was mid afternoon on a rainy day in January, and my family and I were visiting my grandparents in Rocklin, California. It was my brother Liam’s Birthday, and we were going to play laser tag at the nearest arcade.…
A Day in the Life of a Rattlesnake
by Lydia I. Martinov Hey! Don’t be ssscared. I’m a nice sssnake. Welcome to northern Mexico. My name is Russ the Rattlesnake, or more formally, Russell the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. I live inside of a bunny burrow I found. I’m not sure if the bunny still lives here, but I find it cozy. I like…
Harvest Dance – 2023 –
by Olive Pea HARVEST DANCE 2023 WAS A BLOWOUT SUCCESS This year’s Harvest Dance was the most attended dance of year (possibly ever) with over 230 costumed enthusiasts in attendance! It was a slightly overcast Saturday evening (4:30pm, to be precise) when the volunteers arrived for setup. In an hour, lights, electric candles, bunting, and…
Fall Art Challenge!
by Olive Pea The Lighthouse has an art challenge for you! Even though Halloween has just passed, the fall spirit is still here! The leaves in the trees are still painted with fall colors, and the invisible wind sweeps away those that have fallen. The moon shines brighter than ever, only to be blocked by…
The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off
by Lucas David The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off is a competition hosted in Half Moon Bay on Indigenous People’s Day. Competitors travel from all around to have their pumpkins weighed for a chance at first place, where the pumpkin is purchased at nine dollars per pound. The record-setting pumpkin receives an additional 30k, and immortalization as…
Danville Grange No. 85 Turns 150 Years Old
by Meru S. You may have been to the annual TVE Harvest Dance that took place just a few weeks ago. You might have even participated in the Knowledge Fair this spring, but have you ever wondered about the history of the building in which these events take place? This year, on October 25th, the…
Get Ready for the Harvest Dance! – 2023
by Ava Salado Hello TVE Community! I think it is safe to say the fall has officially…fallen. Isn’t it wonderful? Leaves of all shades of orange line the streets and the tidemark smell of autumn is finally out. So you know what that means? TVE’s Harvest Dance is here! Join us for our annual Family…
Navarathri — The Festival of Nine Nights
by Meru S. The Hindu festival of Navarathri begins on the new moon during mid-September to mid-October. In the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, nava means nine and rathri means night, so Navarathri translates to Nine Nights. It is also called Dussara, or Ten Days, in Hindi. During these nine nights, three legendary goddesses of…
What is El Día de los Muertos?
by Ava Salado What is the Day of the Dead? We have probably all heard of it once or twice, especially around Halloween. Well, it’s actually a traditionally Mexican holiday where families welcome back the spirits of their deceased relatives for a short reunion. The festivities can include food, drinks, partying and celebration, singing, dancing,…
The Legion of Honor
by Lydia I. Martinov Do you love art? Well be sure to visit the Legion of Honor museum in San Francisco, CA. It is filled with stunning pieces of art that are sure to catch your eye. Artists in need of inspiration can treat themselves, and their families, to a field trip at the Legion…
All About Tigers
by guest author Mila Martinov I decided to write about tigers because they are so cool. There are many awesome facts about them. Most important thing I can say is, “Don’t adopt a tiger!”! Tigers can jump really high, as high as an elephant’s head. That is 16 feet high! They are predators and are…
The Not Back to School Year Picnic -2023-
by Olive Pea This year’s Not Back to the School Year picnic was full of friends, family, and back to school fun! The event was held at Athen Downs park in San Ramon, and began at 1:00 o’clock on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. A majority of the adults made conversation at the picnic tables in…
Another Year, Another Promotion – 2023 –
by Olive Pea This year’s Graduation and Promotion Ceremony took place at the Rustle Room at Rancho Amador, San Ramon. It started at 3:30. The graduates arrived at 2:45 for rehearsal. After rehearsal, the graduate’s families and friends arrived to watch. The MC, Nicole Pate, made an opening speech. After the opening speech, “Pomp and…
A Teen Tropical Paradise – Formal 2023 –
by Olive Pea On a slightly breezy Saturday (May 6th to be precise), this year’s Teen Formal occurred. It started at 7:00, and ended at 10:00 at the San Ramon Community Center. There were many large, round tables shrouded in black tablecloths located within the center of the room. They were surrounded by black folding…
May The 4th Be With You!
by Aleena Haimor May the 4th be with you! Today, May 4th, is the official, annual Star Wars day! Star Wars is a popular movie series, and, personally, one of my favorites. There are three movie trilogies: The original, the prequel and the sequel. Here are synopses of the three trilogies: 1. The Original Trilogy…
Five Awesome Whales
by Guest Author – Mila Martinov I wrote this article because, as you know, I love sea creatures. They are so cool! I hope you like this article and enjoy the fun learning. Last time, I wrote about jellyfish. Today, I want to tell you about the coolest mammals in the sea. 1. Blue whale…
Springtime Art Challenge – Results! –
by Olive Pea We are already halfway through spring! There are so many colorful flowers in bloom. In fact, there are so many flowers in bloom that this spring was officially announced to be a Super Bloom, the first Super Bloom since 2019. So many flowers! It is starting to feel a little bit like…
5 Terrific Travel Activities
by Lydia I. Martinov It’s finally time for Summer vacation! It’s that time of year when most families go on a fun vacation. Whether it is by car, boat, train or plane. Getting to the destination takes a while, especially when there’s nothing to do. I would know, because I have traveled many times. Once,…
Upcoming Teen Formal 2023 – Tropical Paradise
by Ava Salado It’s that time of year again! Prom season! A very common misconception about homeschoolers is that we don’t have proms or formals, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Every year, TVE hosts its annual Teen Formal! If you are a homeschool student, aged 12 to 19, then you are formally, cordially,…
TVE’s Annual Knowledge Fair – 2023
by Lydia I. Marinov Gaining knowledge is fun! Especially at the TVE annual Knowledge Fair! From real birds, to a heart model, to coding and digital art, the 2023 Knowledge Fair had a lot of amazing facts and presentations demonstrated. People began to arrive and set up at 10:00am on March 29th inside the Danville…
Ramadan and Eid-Ul-Fitr
by Aleena Haimor Before you read this, here is a glossary of Arabic words: It’s time for Ramadan! This is the holiest month for Muslims because it is a time to reflect and be conscious of our actions through fasting, prayer, charity, and remembrance of Allah (Arabic for God). My family does so many things…
Springtime Art Challenge!
by Olive Pea Spring is right around the corner! The days are getting longer, and the sun is shining brighter. The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and everything is becoming more vibrant and alive! One of the most exciting parts of spring is watching the flowers bloom. They come in such a variety…
Let’s have a Conversation about Conservation!
by Meru S. My local 4-H club recently invited a guest speaker from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to talk about water conservation. He spoke about the most common ways water is wasted in everyday life, and how we can use less water to conserve it. Even with the rain that we have…
Valentine’s Day, Parkday, All in One!
by Olive Pea Wow! It’s already February! We are officially a whole month into the new year. I’m still trying to break the old habit of writing 2022 whenever I write down the date. Since a whole new year has started, this means that the cycle of TVE’s holiday events is starting over! Actually, the…
5 Coolest Jellyfish
by Guest Author Mila M. (age 5) I love sea animals. In fact, jellyfish are my favorite. I hope my article gets you to like them too. I find jellyfish to be very beautiful, because of their many bright colors, glowing in the dark, and cool shapes. They have been around for almost 600 million…
Mt. Diablo Audubon Society 2022 Christmas Bird Count Results
by Meru S. Mt. Diablo Audubon Society (MDAS) announced the results of the 2022 Central and East Contra Costa County Christmas Bird Count on their Facebook page on January 16th, 2023. A total of 160 bird species were seen in Central County, one less than 2020’s record of 161. In East County, a total of…
Book Review of The Martian
by Guest Author Lucas D. The story follows Mark Watney, a member of NASA’s team sent to explore Mars. After a martian sandstorm leaves him stranded and injured, he is cut off from human communication and left to face the overwhelming challenges of surviving Mars. So ultimately, this book chronicles the story of Mark versus…
How to Become a Guest Author
by Ava Salado Do you want to publish one of your papers, essays, or creative writing but don’t have time to join The Lighthouse, no problem at all! Just become a guest writer! Email us at: thelighthousetve@gmail.com with your completed work, and we can publish it on our website. As you might have noticed, we have…
Poetry for You and Me
by Olive Pea First off, Happy New Year everyone! Our Staff hopes all of you had a wonderful holiday season. Now that a new year has started we should all look back to see how far we have come and give ourselves a high-five for all we have accomplished! Don’t just look back, look to…
The Terrific Train of Lights
by Lydia Martinov Winter time? Check! Cars? Check! Hot Cocoa? Check! Thousands of lights? Check! With holiday decorations inside and out, the Train of Lights is ready to choo-choo down the tracks. The antique coaches are quite a sight, especially in the open cars which feature wonderful views of the train. This one and a…
Poetry Submission Competition!
by The Lighthouse Staff Hello TVE Kids and Teens! Time for a poetry challenge! The staff of The Lighthouse (TVE’s own student-led newspaper) invites one and all to take part in our first ever poetry competition! Don’t be afraid to let your creative ideas run wild and why not show them off? We look forward…
TVE’s Harvest Dance 2022
by Olive Pea This fall, TVE has hosted yet another wonderful celebration for this fantastic community. This family dance was dedicated to the fall harvest, and I am sure it has created a lot of happy memories for a lot of people. TVE thanks all of those who helped make this special event happen from…
One Harvest Dance, Comin’ Right Up!
by Olive Pea Hello TVE Community, and hello fall! Isn’t it just so nice to finally have a few not-100-degree weeks? Geez! That sun of ours can be so mean sometimes! Well, now that there isn’t a sizzling noise when we walk onto our front porches, the sunset-colored trees are dropping their leaves at the…
The Lighthouse is Back from Summer!
by Olive Pea What’s that smell? Wow! It sure smells good. Is that the smell of new paper, new pencils, and new notebooks with spines yet to be broken? Wait just a second! That means… (Drum roll) The beginning of the homeschool year has started! (Thunderous applause) And that means that the TVE Lighthouse is…
We invite you to join us at The Lighthouse
by Ava Salado Hello future journalists! Have you ever wanted to write? Let me elaborate, not just write short ‘thank you’ notes for those gifts your friends gave you at your birthday party or long, drawn out essays about George Washington for school. I mean writing stuff that you are interested in! From Leaping Blennies,…
TVE Promotion & Graduation Ceremony 2022
by Olive Pea This year, TVE’s Promotion and Graduation Ceremony took place on a beautiful sunny and slightly breezy day on the 22nd of May at the San Ramon Senior and Community Center to celebrate the promotees and graduates of 2022. At 1:00pm, the TVE leaders and their families arrived to prepare for the ceremony.…
HOW Does TVE Leadership DO IT?
by Olive Pea What is it like to run a homeschool support group with over 700 homeschooling families? I interviewed Rose Killion, a home educator, who joined the Tri Valley Explorers (TVE) homeschool Leadership Team in 2016. Killion said her favorite part of being on the TVE Leadership Team is creating all the amazing events…
The Spring Fling Thingy 2022
by Olive Pea The Spring Fling took place at the Danville Grange on February 19, 2022 from 6:30pm to 10:30pm. It was a drizzly Saturday evening and was hosted by TVE. The TVE leadership team and a few members of the TVE community arrived at 5:00pm to set up. There were bright rainbow banners tied up…
Welcome back Lighthouse!
by Ava Salado Hello TVE! The Lighthouse is back! After about a year on hiatus, we have finally returned with a whole plethora of our latest articles (and some new surprises) made by our fresh batch of writers. We are so excited to bring back The Lighthouse TVE with newbies ready to shock you, amaze…
The Knowledge Faire 2022
by Olive Pea The TVE Knowledge Faire was a great opportunity for students in the TVE community to share things that they have learned about. It was very colorful, and absolutely packed with knowledge that ranged from farts to paper towels, and even rabbits! The Knowledge Faire took place on a very windy Thursday, March…
Garden Club Upcoming Plant Sale
by Meru S. Do you love growing vegetables? Would you like to try your hand at starting a vegetable garden? Spring is around the corner, so get your planting tools out! The Garden Odyssey club is having a plant sale coming up this month! They will be at all the TVE Park Days selling tomatoes,…
2021 TVE Graduation
by Ava Salado Homeschooling takes a village, and on June 5th, 2021, our TVE village was very proud to present 11 extraordinary students graduating from their own respective grades. The future is bright for these young (not so much anymore) kids. Let’s start by congratulating our students promoting up to middle school! Olive Pate: Olive…
Welcome Back TVE
by Ava Salado The last almost two years have been rough for the world, including the homeschooling world. The funny thing about “homeschooling” is that many “homeschoolers” are almost never at home. There are classes, co-ops, fairs, field trips, park days, and events, and this pandemic has put a damper on our “outschooling.” Most of…
Insights with Author, Sarah Sundin
by Ava Salado I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Sundin, a local, bestselling author of Christian Historical fiction (specifically WWII) and romance (http://www.sarahsundin.com/). She is the author of the Wings of Glory Series (2010, 2010, 2011), Wings of the Nightingale Series (2012, 2013, 2014), Waves of Freedom Series (2015, 2016, 2017), Sunrise at Normandy…
Attention All Students!
By Ava Salado Hello all students, do you have any stories from what you have been doing in lock down? It could be fun crafts, games, stories, recipes, even ideas for things other students can do. If you do have something to share, ask a parent or guardian to help you send your submission. You…
Holiday Movies You Might Not Think Of
By Ava Salado Christmas is just around the corner! Christmas break is a time for immense amounts of hot cocoa, a good holiday song, and most of all, binge-watching your favorite festive movies! We all have our favorite classics–– the Grinch, White Christmas, The Polar Express, and Elf, to name a few–– but there are…
How Students are Celebrating Thanksgiving During COVID-19
by Emma Ruggiero Thanksgiving is almost here, and people are getting ready to celebrate this cozy holiday with their families and friends and, of course, their favorite food. Everyone has their unique preferences regarding Thanksgiving dishes, and some families have special traditions that they look forward to each year. COVID-19 has interrupted many social activities…
2020 – Virtual Games to Enjoy During COVID-19
By Ava Salado There is no hiding that 2020 has not been the best overall. The COVID-19 pandemic has been, for most students, the most significant and most life-altering thing that has ever happened to them. It has been challenging, but we need to get through it safely. Unfortunately, the TVE community has not been…
TVE’s Virtual Halloween Parade
by Emma Ruggiero This year, due to COVID-19, Halloween was a little different. Halloween parties were canceled, and a lot of people didn’t get a chance to trick-or-treat and show off their Halloween costumes. That doesn’t mean there was a lack of creativity! This year, TVE held a Virtual Halloween Parade on Facebook and parents…
The Lighthouse 