Week 1.9: Mysteries and Music

Mystery of the Old Lighthouse

Charlie stood at the edge of the cliff, feeling the cool ocean breeze on his face. He looked up at the old lighthouse. It was tall and white, but the paint was chipped and the windows were dusty. The lighthouse had always been a mystery in his seaside town. People said it was haunted. Some even told stories about a ghost who walked up and down the stairs at night. Charlie loved these stories. He wanted to find out the truth.

Every day after school, Charlie went to visit the lighthouse. He liked to explore inside. The wooden door creaked when he pushed it open. Inside, it was dark and smelled like salt and old wood. Dust floated in the sunlight coming through the windows. Charlie climbed the spiral stairs, listening to the echo of his footsteps.

One day, Charlie noticed something strange. A stone in the wall was loose. He pulled it out and found a small space behind it. Inside the space was an old, dusty journal. It was bound in cracked leather and looked very old. Charlie carefully opened the journal and began to read.

The journal belonged to a man named Thomas Grey. He was the lighthouse keeper many years ago. The journal told about his work keeping the light burning at night. But it also spoke about a secret. The light was used to send special signals across the sea. Charlie was very curious now. What kind of signals? Who were they for?

That evening, Charlie visited Old Sam, the town’s oldest sailor. Sam had sailed the dangerous seas for many years. When Charlie showed him the journal, Sam smiled and said, “Ah, Thomas Grey. He was a good man. That light was more than just a guide for ships. During the war, it was a secret signal to help safe ships get home.”

Sam told Charlie stories about the war. The lighthouse helped guide ships away from danger. The light flashed special codes that only the ships knew. The lighthouse kept many sailors safe. Charlie felt proud to hear this story.

Charlie thought about the lighthouse. If it could talk, it would say how proud it was to protect the ships. It had stood through wild storms and dark nights, always shining bright. It was not just an old building. It was a hero.

Charlie worked hard to understand the codes in the journal. He learned how the light helped during the war. It was a beacon of hope for many people.

The next day, Charlie told the town the true story of the lighthouse. Everyone listened carefully. They were amazed to hear about the brave lighthouse keeper and the secret signals.

From that day on, the lighthouse was not just a spooky old building. It was a symbol of courage and hope. And Charlie, the curious boy, became the lighthouse’s storyteller. He made sure everyone would remember the lighthouse’s special history forever.

Building Bridges

In a small town, a river split the north and south sides. Emily, a young engineer, lived there. She dreamed of building things that connected people. Her father inspired her. He was an engineer too. Now, Emily had a big task: build a bridge over the river.

Emily was excited. A new bridge would help the town grow together. But she knew it would change things, and not everyone liked change. She wanted the bridge to fit the town's character, so she thought about using old styles in her design.

Samuel was a historian. He loved the town's history. He worried that new buildings might erase the old stories. When Samuel heard about Emily's bridge, he reached out. He invited her to a history talk. Emily was curious, so she went.

At the café by the river, Samuel and Emily talked. "Emily," Samuel said, "your bridge is important, but so is our history. We can't lose it." Emily nodded. "I agree. How about we add history plaques on the bridge?" Samuel smiled, "Let's do it together."

Emily and Samuel worked side by side. The bridge would have plaques telling stories about the town's past. The construction began. People watched as the bridge grew. Samuel told stories to the workers, making sure the bridge had history too.

Finally, the bridge was ready! The whole town came to see it. Emily stood with Samuel. "This bridge," Emily said, "connects us, and remembers our history." Samuel added, "It guides us to the future but keeps our past alive." The ribbons were cut, and everyone cheered. People crossed the bridge, meeting new friends. The bridge wasn’t just a path over the river. It was a link between past and future, thanks to Emily and Samuel. And their friendship showed that change and history could work together.

DJ camp gets kids on the beat to mixing music on their own

SOUTHLAKE, Texas — Most of the kids were interested in Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan and Lady Gaga. For Alex Aughenbaugh, it was deep house music. The 14-year-old mixed a pair of songs from the music he just discovered in the DJ software. Then, the two songs sounded like one.

Alex was at OontzKids DJ Academy, a DJ camp for kids 8 years old and older. The 3-day camp teaches kids how to be a DJ.

The camp is the brainchild of musician Dan Quinn. His wife originally came up with the idea to get kids excited about DJing.

Kids Build Their DJ Skills

Kids are not usually looking up to amazing guitar players these days, Quinn says. They are listening to DJs like Diplo or the Chainsmokers.

There are two levels of Quinn’s camps. The first level goes over the basics of DJing. The second builds on the kids’ skill sets. In both classes, kids learn music history and music basics. They learn how to work the equipment, like CD players and mixers. They also try mixing, sampling and other DJ skills.

At the end of the camp, each kid gets to perform. The lights go out and the kids’ DJ logos shine on the wall behind them. They play a set for their campmates.

During these parties, parents can hear the camp’s name, “oontz,” filling the room. The word comes from DJing itself. It is the sound electronic music makes as it booms from speakers.

DJ AA Is On His Way

Alex is a sweet-looking young man with short hair and braces. He does not look like a DJ yet, but that's what he wants to be.

After attending camp, Alex is making his way in the DJ business. He is playing jobs around the area as DJ AA. Recently he played for a wedding, where he worked for more than seven hours.

When Quinn hears that last part, he is shocked. He tells Alex that he has never played for that long.

Alex’s parents told him if he wanted to DJ, he would have to buy his own equipment. He needed three speakers, a mixing board, software, a case and songs. It all cost about $2,000. Alex paid for it with money he earned from DJ jobs.

Life Of The Party

Quinn says being a DJ teaches useful leader skills. Alex, like other DJs, has built up his inner-strength and his communication skills. He deals with difficult customers. He has to work around over-excited preteens who crowd around him. All the while, he must pay attention to the people he plays for.

“You can read people," Alex says, "and tell if they want heavy drop stuff or poppy feel-good music."

Once Bonnie Aughenbaugh drove to pick up her son from a block party job. She says the organizer stopped her before she found Alex. She said he told her, "You can’t take him yet, or the party will be over.”

Keeping The Music Flowing

Grant Flowers is 11 years old. He attended both levels of OontzKids last year, too. Like Alex, Grant bought the mixing board and software used in the camp. He wanted to keep DJing on his own. He has not yet hosted as many events as Alex.

Grant is thin and a little shy. But last spring, he DJed in front of his friends and family at his school’s talent show. He played, as always, under his DJ name, G-Flow.

A few weeks after the talent show, he was in front of a crowd again. His principal asked Grant to be the DJ at the school’s spring dance. As Grant mixed the music, he says he saw a lot of heads nodding. He watched as they took to the dance floor. Being the person who keeps the party going is Grant's favorite part about DJing.