finally, our Kid-Kits, which are boxes (we've decorated them so they look way cool) filled with toys and games that we — or our brothers and sisters — have outgrown. We also add new stickers and markers and things. So even though all the toys aren't new, they're new to the kids we sit for, and they're always a big hit.

Sometimes I wonder what the BSC would be like without Kristy. I don't think it could exist!

But she's not the only important member of the club.

Claudia is the vice-president. We meet in her room because she's the only member of the club with her own phone and a private line. That's important, because otherwise we'd be tying up somebody else's line with our calls. Claudia's other duties include (officially) answering calls during non-meeting times and (unofficially) providing junk food for our meetings.

Claud considers it a pleasant part of her job to have junk food on hand. Why? Because she loves the stuff. Nothing makes her happier than cruising the aisles of a candy store or convenience mart, deciding between Munches and Doritos, Kit-Kats and Snickers, Life Savers and Jawbreakers. Claudia does not look like a person who

practically lives on junk food. She has a flawless complexion, and she's not at all overweight. In fact, she's gorgeous. She's Japanese-American, with long black hair and almond-shaped eyes. And she is one of the best dressers at Stoneybrook Middle School. She has a real flair for putting together trendy, one-of-a-kind outfits, and for fixing her hair in amazing styles.

Claud is an incredibly talented artist. She paints, she draws, she sculpts, she makes jewelry. You name it, she does it, and she does it well. She just loves art. What she doesn't love is school, and unfortunately that shows in her grades. She's one of those people who is always having to hear her parents say things like, "If you would just apply yourself," and "You have so much potential." She also has to hear teachers say, "Are you really Janine's sister?" Claudia's sister Janine is a real live genius.