トピックス

　浜島書店主催2021年度ジャレマガ・エッセイコンテストに本校高校3年生が応募、１位・２位を含む６名が入賞を果たしました。このコンテストでは心温まる、ユーモア溢れるストーリーが求められています。受賞された方は、１位岩﨑心優さん・２位水口斐捺さん、その他の入賞者中岡優里香さん、大島蒼太郎さん、佐藤優哉さん、西守涼冴さんになります。受賞おめでとうございます。

First prize:　Where’s the Remote Control?
（岩崎さんの作品）

　The best thing I did during the winter vacation was to help my mother with the housework. I cooked everyone's lunch and cleaned the bath. One day, my mother asked me to wash the bedding in the washing machine. I did as I was asked. While I was running the washing machine, I went back to my bedroom. I tried to turn on the heater, but the remote control for the air conditioner was missing. Just then I heard a strange sound from the washing machine. I thought, "No way!" and nervously opened the washing machine. It was inside. I was washing the remote control as well as the bedding. But it was too late….

 

Second prize:　Guessing the Time
（水口さんの作品）

　Do you often check the time when you go to school? Some people may do it to get to the train station or bus stop on time. I rarely do it because I go to school by bike. Because I ride my bike, I can’t check the time frequently. However, I have a unique way of guessing the time. I watch the people. As I go along the same road at the same time, I remember the people who always go along that road with me. If I cross a person at a different place, I know that I have arrived there earlier or later than usual. Then I can adjust my speed so that I arrive at school on time.

 

Honorable Mention:  Santa is Real!
（中岡さんの作品）

　I have a wonderful episode about Santa Claus. Many people have had the experience of receiving a nice Christmas present from Santa Claus when they were little. I was one of them. And again, as many people grow up, they start to think that Santa Claus is just an imaginary person. But one winter, a seven-year-old boy told me this story. "I was too embarrassed to tell my family that I liked them, so I wrote a letter to Santa telling him to tell them instead, and the next day my family said they liked me, too. Santa is real!" I thought to myself, "He's right.”

 

Honorable Mention:  Making Money at the New Year
（佐藤さんの作品）

　In Japan, there is a custom called “hatsumoude.” When the New Year arrives, people visit shrines and temples to pray to the gods and make a wish. However, this custom often leads to crowds. This year, I went to the popular Meiji Jingu in Tokyo for “hatsumoude.” It was very crowded there, and the prayer area was chaotic. Usually, when you pray, you throw money. Since I was wearing a hoodie, some of the money landed in my hood. I counted the amount at home and found that I had 150 yen. I had succeeded in earning money without doing anything! I felt like I had found a new part-time job.

 

Honorable Mention: Tragic Wednesday 
(大島さんの作品)

　I went to Fuji-Q Highland on Wednesday, December 15th. I was planning to arrive from Shinjuku by bus in an hour and a half. However, due to the closure of the highway, there were traffic jams, and we arrived at 3:30 pm, The amusement park closed at 5:00, so I had only an hour and a half to have fun. I had to wait for the return bus, but the tragedy went on. The return bus was also delayed by more than an hour. I intended to enjoy myself all day at Fuji-Q Highland, but I ended up spending all day on the bus.

 

Honorable Mention: Happiness 
(西守さんの作品)

　My toy poodle loves eating. She always asks us for food with her cute, husky voice. We give her dog food every day. However, she can eat special food occasionally. On Christmas Day, she ate a small cake. When I served it to her, she was delighted and skipped around. Before I give her food, I say, “Sit down and wait,” but this time, she couldn’t wait in front of the delicious cake. She ate it immediately and continued to lick the empty plate. After eating it, she rolled over in bed with a look of happiness. It made me happy to see it.