Summer Whillock

   Summer Whillock is a 16 year old sophomore at Stevens High School.  She was born in Rapid City in September of 1992.  She has been very active in sports including soccer, softball, basketball, and volleyball.  Her favorite sport is volleyball.  She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.  She loves the outdoors and anything that involves nature.  She loves snowboarding, waterskiing, hiking and camping with her family.  Summers’ grandmother was raised in Germany and this influenced her decision to take this language in high school.  School is very important to her and she has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her first two years of high school.  She plans to attend college to study chemical engineering.


Broken Promises

Catherine the Great had a tedious task ahead
For her husband was now cold and dead
She needed a way to feed the Russian cities
She didn’t need to look to her committees
For her German heritage now bled through
She had an idea, she knew just what to do 

The German farmers were excellent at their skill
Her new idea gave her spine a tingling chill
She published a manifesto to spread the word
She didn’t want her thoughts to be considered absurd
The Germans had now been officially invited
The flame of success will hopefully be reignited

Catherine’s offer was enticing
Many responded in search for the icing
To frost their normal lives with
Their answers came forthwith
Soon enough they were on their way
The land up for grabs was quite a buffet 

Freedom of religion was a piece of the puzzle
They didn’t want their religious views to have a muzzle
No taxes for a thirty year time
Their chances of success were starting to climb
No military service was required here
No longer foggy their visions were, crystal clear they appear

The first arrivals settled along the Volga River
They hoped her promises weren’t like a sliver
To be present for a little bit
And then taken out with little nit and grit
The move was risky
And the people grew frisky 

All the hype didn’t last too long
The mood now was a soft gentle song
Catherine the Great was no longer in power
Her grandson took over the tower
All her promises were dead and gone
No easy lifestyle to dote upon 

Many immigrated to foreign lands
They didn’t want to be given demanding commands
The few that stayed weren’t treated with care
They were drowning in a sea of despair
The Russian revolution was breaking them down
Many wished they would have fled town 

 

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