"I'm not going to make the team, so I probably won't try out. I can't raise my hand because I'm not sure I have the right answer." Have you ever had thoughts like these? Most people have, and it usually means they are having trouble believing in themselves. A lot of people hold back from following their dreams because they are afraid they will not succeed. But dealing with trouble is a part of life. No one is perfect, and everyone struggles. It is so important to believe in yourself.

Tristan da Cunha is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. It is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The weather is not cold, but the winds are strong. There are a lot of ocean birds. About 300 people live on Tristan da Cunha, and they share only eight family names. They are the families of the people who came to the island in 1816. They speak English. Most people are farmers or fishermen. There is no airport, and ships only visit a few times a year. In the past, it was hard for the people on the island to communicate with the rest of the world, but now they have telephones and the internet.

When people want a pet, many of them go straight to a pet store. I made that mistake, too. Now, I think it is much better to adopt from a shelter because there are so many animals that have been mistreated, abandoned, or just really need a home. They can be just as cute, amazing, and sweet as the little puppy or cat you find in the pet store. I wish people would give them a chance. I know it is hard sometimes because you do not know their past. But that is just part of the whole journey of exploring who they are, getting to know them, and ultimately loving them.

Our world is a collection of all kinds of ecosystems. An ecosystem is a community of all the living things, their habitats, and the climate in which they live. Everyone in these communities shares food and natural resources. Ecosystems can be as big as the whole world and as tiny as a rock. A tree is a great example of an ecosystem. It provides a habitat for small animals, birds, and insects. It provides shade for plants on the ground. It drinks in sunlight to grow bigger and makes seeds that the small animals and birds eat and scatter around. And when it dies, it becomes a part of the ground again.