SOMA Living October 2025

SOMA SNAPSHOTS WELCOME TO “SOMA SNAPSHOTS: A KID’S VIEW”!

Hello again! My name is Haley Esperanzate, and I’m so glad to be back for the October 2025 issue of SOMA Living. I want to share a great day around town I had recently. To start, I went to my friend’s house to join the second Seth Boyden Bike Bus of the year. It happens every Friday: we meet at stops across Maplewood and ride to school with a leader up front and a caboose. We play music, blow bubbles, and have the best time with kids from our school. After school, my friend Anna, her little sister, her friend, and I walked to Honey and Hive, a local ice cream shop on Springfield Ave. They have so many flavors, plus macarons and cookies. There are games and fun toys, too. We got the raspberry lime sorbet, which was amazing! Afterward, Anna and I biked through Maplecrest to her house, with her sister and friend following behind. As I rode, I noticed all the joy there. Kids were playing and

laughing, others were practicing sports on the field, and some were relaxing together. That day, I realized we live in a great community. SOMA is a welcoming, awesome place, and I’m glad to be part of it. I’m glad to be writing my second article in SOMA Living and look forward to hearing other kids’ perspectives.

Haley Esperanzate is a local SOMA kid who loves dance, writing, exploring SOMA, trying new restaurants and spending time with her friends and family around town

This monthly column gives kids from South Orange and Maplewood a chance to share their insights and experiences for three consecutive issues. We hope you enjoy seeing SOMA through the eyes of our young writers! To apply to be a writer, please submit a 250 word essay with an introduction and your feature of a special place, activity, or event in SOMA to: somalivingmagazine@gmail.com

OCTOBER 2025 | SOMA LIVING 27

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