Grade 6 Students
Grade 6 students created Where I'm From poems to explore aspects of their identities and what has shaped them. Here are a few examples that students chose to submit to Oko:
Where I’m From
By Jonathan
I am from hot and sunny Miami and the cold but also hot Virginia
From when me and my friends would play American football in my side yard.
I am from my grandpa’s lake house
From when we would walk around the entire lake fishing.
I am from the hot sunny days in Miami
From jumping in my cousin’s lake and swimming out to the little blue boat that would turn into titanic when we all get on one side.
I am from when me and my family would go on a vacation
From when I would get lost and get hurt
I am from when I would go to my cousin’s house
From when he’d want to watch a movie but his dog would drag me away.
I am from my cousin’s house when we would play hide and seek
From when I would use his fire dog to sniff him out.
I am from the flame of the campfire
From when my dad would take me camping and we would eat MRE’s.
I am from the late nights at my sport games
From when we’d either go home happy with a win or when we would go home in misery because we lost by one point.
I am from my cousin’s old garage from where he keeps his instruments
From when my ears would be ringing from the loud beats of his drums.
I am from the warm summer parties
From when we would eat hot dogs in the pool on floats.
I am from the times I jump in my cousin’s pool
From when his dog would follow me in and try to swim on top of me.
I am from the places where memories are made
From the stories, I still live to tell.
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Where I'm From
Kajetan
I am from my home in Poland the only time I feel safe.
From the times I drove a car on my dad's lap in Greece.
I am from football wins to football loses.
From scoring goals and saving goals.
I am from the laughs from family movies.
From sadness from family fights.
I am from packing kante.
From wasting money and getting nothing.
I am from eating homemade pasta.
From playing football with my brothers in the garden.
I am from traveling to different countries.
From staying in the same country from birth.
I am from the time I drank hot chocolate milk every night .
From getting sick from that hot chocolate.
I am from my dog cheering me up.
From getting mad at my dog for peeing on my bed.
I am getting mad at my family.
From always loving them.
I am from hating myself for stuff that I did.
From loving myself because I am me.
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Where I'm From
Haven
I am from my grandma's house in Korea, where everything was warm and laughter never ended.
From the bright yellow sunlight that I see every morning. I am from the wonderful smell of my grandma’s sweet cookies. From the memories I made with my family. From my Daily life feeling small but certain happiness. I am from parents who always waits for me, loves me, and cares me. I am from my parent’s infinite love. From my brother’s lesson on a new video game. I am from what I put effort into. From my drawings. From the books I read. From the sound of my piano. From my desserts. From what I studied. I am not only blank paper, but also the ink that will be used to fill it.
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Where I'm From
Nicholas
I am from the cold and rainy, sometimes sunny Warsaw and sunny hot California.
From when I played with my mantis.
I am from where I swam in my cold pool.
From my home where I play with my dogs every day.
I am from when my mom would make pierogi.
From the times when my Grandma taught me how to bake pancakes.
I am from when my dad taught me how to play American football.
From the times when I would play with my friends online.
I am from two beautiful countries where I spend time.
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Where I'm From
Jason
I am from the time my dog mylo turned milestones
When I say this he basically just goes under his bed and starts walking around
I am from the time my brother had red hair at my older brothers confirmation
from food colouring that wasn’t a great hair for him.
I am from the time my dog fell of my bed but he was ok
He basically just tried to jump up then boom belly first fall.
I am from the time where I ate red paint
I don’t even remember this but my mom told me
I am from the time where my brother was missing two front teeth at my older brother's confirmation.
Did you know - well you probably didn't know - that this was on the same day when my other brother had red hair.
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Where I'm From
Chloe
I am from Rome, the place I call home.
From the best smell of pizza and the beautiful view of the Colosseum.
I am from the cool breeze of September and the delightful moments with my family and friends that take care of me and love me.
I am from the nights before Christmas making pierogi with my grandma.
From the dough between my fingers and the love between our hearts.
I am from anxiety and exhausted nights.
From the feeling of being lucky, loved and being protected by the loved ones around me.
I am from the day of getting my sweet dog.
From my happy tears running down my cheeks and the wet licks on my face.
I am from the depressed night when I found out my dog went up into the clouds.
From the feeling that I know she will be happy up there watching me.
I am from arguing with my friends.
From the sad memory of my best friend moving away across the ocean as the summer breeze went on.
I am from the late night talking to my brother whom I call my best friend.
I am from the countless happy times with my family, my loved ones.
From the evenings of watching movies and being in the arms of my dad who I know will protect me and my mom massaging my feet with her warm and loving hands.
I am from water smooth but rough, calm but fierce.
Sometimes tsunamis happen but that's how life is.
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Where I'm From
Anonymous
I am from the Christmas and New Years celebrations with my family
From my dad, sister and I eating 12 chocolates instead of grapes
From shouting the three kings names out my grandma's window
I am from my friends here in this school
From knowing that they’re there for me if I need it
From the times we met at the park and the fun we had
I am from getting stressed out about anything and everything
From putting so much pressure on myself
From insecurities and worries but so many people there to help me
I am from so many happy memories with my family and friends
From teaching my little cousin to swim
From not being able to stop laughing with my friends
From my grandma giving me warm milk and cookies when I couldn’t sleep
From jumping in friends pool with our pyjamas on
I am from my apartment in Geneva and the millions of memories from there
From the shows and dances we made with my sister and my friends
I am from the paella and other spanish foods my grandpa makes
From collecting sea glass in Malaga and eating churros dipped in chocolate
I am from blasting music with my family
I am from when my grandma had cancer and wearing cloth over my hair so she wouldn’t be sad about hers falling
From crying of joy when I found her chemo was over and she is okay
From so many people, places, and memories that I am so so thankful for.
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Where I'm From
Ines
I am from portugal with salty waves
From a baby to a teen
I am from going to a café with my grandma
From ordering churros to ordering arroz doce
I am from playing with my dog and watching my sister play guitar
From chilling to playing sports
I am from christmas shopping to decorating
From being silly in class to being a hard worker
I am from all the memories in my life
From memories I won't forget.
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Where I'm From
Amelia
I am from England.
From city to city.
From school to school.
From the cheap prices and hanging out with friends.
From growing up.
From the fish and chips that I ate at the seaside.
I am from Italy.
From being born.
From the memories that I don't remember.
From the time, my sister still loved me.
I am from Poland.
From eating pierogi with my family.
From where I'm from.
From the Polish food that took me a couple of years to like.
From cooking with my brother
I am from the anxiety and happiness I had in all these places.