CQ for Kids: Carmella's College Adventures
So I could share the Carmella's Quest story with my niece and other younger kids, I've written a very short version for children. It is less than five pages long with short paragraphs and simple language. I call it "Carmella's College Adventure." There are five "chapters." Here are their titles and the text of the first two chapters.
Chapter One: Carmella Decides
Chapter Two: Carmella At College
Chapter Three: Carmella Stays Busy
Chapter Four: More About College
Chapter Five: Carmella Finishes the School Year
Chapter One: Carmella Decides
This story is about a girl named Carmella. Carmella grew up in a small town called Beech Island South Carolina. Carmella had long brown hair. She lived with her momand dad and younger sister Crystal. Carmella had a big family with lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. She also had a Granny, a Pappaw, and a Grandma. Carmella liked dogs and had a pet dog named Lucky. Carmella stayed busy doing things at school and church.
Her eyes didn't work very well and she could only see a little bit, but she still went places, did her homework, and spent time with friends. Carmella had to use a special kind of TV to read and do her homework, and she had to have help getting around in places she didn't know. Sometimes, Carmella used something called a cane to help her when she walked. Her cane would help Carmella not run into things or fall down the steps. She didn't like using a cane very much because she thought other people would think it was weird.
Carmella liked to write. She wrote poems and stories and she even won a couple of writing contests. Carmella was very excited when that happened. Carmella liked to sing songs at church or school. She would practice the songs over and over to learn all the words and to make them sound pretty. Then, she would hold the microphone and sing for everyone at church or at special events at school.
After a while, Carmella started thinking about going to a different kind of school called "college." Lots of people go there after they finish high school and Carmella wanted to go, too. She wanted to learn things so she could get a job doing something she liked. Carmella thought she would probably want to have a job helping people who were sad or lonely. She wanted to be someone they could talk to who could help them feel better.
Carmella heard about a small college called North Greenville. "I think that would be a good place to go to college," Carmella said. When she said her prayers at night, Carmella would ask God to help her make a decision about whether or not she should go to North Greenville.
The school was 3 hours from where she lived with her family. "We're a little worried about you being so far away," her Mom and Dad said, "But we'll do whatever we can to help you."
Sometimes, people would think Carmella wouldn't be able to do well at college or ever have a job or live on her own because she couldn't see well. But Carmella's family believed she could do whatever she wanted and have the same kind of life other girls her age had. She had a few friends, but Carmella was getting bored with the small town she lived in. She wanted to go somewhere new and make new friends.
She wrote a letter to North Greenville asking if she could go there for college. In the letter, Carmella told them about her good grades and other things. The people at North Greenville said, "Yes, we'd love for you to come here for college." Carmella was very excited.
Chapter Two: Carmella At College
When Carmella went to North Greenville, her Mom went with her at first to help her unpack and get organized. Her Dad came up the next day to bring some other things she'd left at home. Carmella's friend Wanda was going to college at North Greenville too. Carmella and Wanda went to church together. Carmella was glad she would have a friend there with her. She was sort of scared about having to be so far away from her family in a new place but she knew she could do it and just had to be brave and try really hard. The people at North Greenville were glad she was there and told her they would help her when she needed help. That made Carmella feel better.
Carmella had a roommate named Kelly. She hoped they would be friends. The girls who lived next door to her were nice. Their names were Charley and Danni. When Carmella told people that, they were confused. "You have boys living next door to you?" they would ask, and Carmella would have to explain that they really were girls, even though they had names that sounded like boy names.
She started meeting lots of new people. One person she met was a boy named Tim. "Would you like a mint?" Tim asked Carmella the first time they met each other, and the second time, and every time after that. Tim always asked everyone that question. People started calling him the Mint Man. He said he gave out mints because they made people smile and feel happy.
Tim and his parents went to people's houses in clown costumes for birthday parties. Tim was very nice. He was funny and helped Carmella with things. He liked spending a lot of time with Carmella. Sometimes, Carmella and her friends would go to Tim's house to watch movies. He had a nice cat named Goliath. One day, Tim made Carmella, Wanda, and one of their friends balloon animals. Carmella's was a blue puppy dog.
Carmella had interesting classes. One was about the Bible. The man who taught that class said that everyone had to wear long pants to class, no shorts or short skirts! Another class was about learning to speak French. The teacher said they could only speak French in that class. They had to say "Bonjour," instead of "Hello." Carmella also took a writing class and a class for people who wanted to learn to sing better. Everyone had to go to chapel twice a week, too. Chapel was like going to church but they didn't have to get dressed up. Carmella liked her new classes, but she thought her history class was boring.
Carmella used her special reading machine in her classes so she could see to take notes and tests. A strong boy named David would move the machine if Carmella had to go to a different building. Sometimes, she had to have help from David to take it to the library. David was really nice and he was always happy to help.
She had to get up early in the morning to go to classes. Carmella did not like mornings. Her roommate Kelly didn't like mornings either. Sometimes, Kelly wouldn't get up to go to her classes but Carmella always did. Carmella studied very hard and did lots of homework. She wanted to make good grades so people would know that, even though she couldn't see very well, she was very smart.
Carmella made friends with a girl named Lynn. Lynn had lots of blond hair. She also made friends with Scott. He only drank Coke and liked to eat lobster. Scott grew up far away from South Carolina and came a really long way to go to college at North Greenville. Carmella, Tim, Scott, and Lynn would usually eat lunch together. Carmella also had a friend named Bryan. He couldn't see well either and he and Carmella talked on the phone a lot.
Carmella would go home sometimes to visit her family. Other times, her parents would call her on the phone to see how she was doing. Her Granny and some of her aunts sent her cards. She knew they were proud of her and that made Carmella feel happy.
Carmella's Aunt Sissy didn't live too far away. Sometimes, Aunt Sissy would come and pick Carmella up and they would go to dinner.