2024 Knight Writers Anthology

  Follow this LINK to see the wonderful student writings (9th grade) published by MGA University.

2023-2024 1st Period YGA Submissions

 

“Set Free”

By Lily Farrell

Making new friends was a challenge for her,

So she tried to be more open.

However, she didn’t realize there were bad people in the world.

Thus, she let anyone in.

 

She found new friends–

Some good, some bad.

At least, she didn’t know that yet.

She was still to learn the lessons she wished she never had.

 

Some hurt her and showed no remorse.

Some fled.

She didn’t know who to trust anymore.

She was an innocent lamb painted red.

 

They dug a hole and threw her in.

The walls caved and swept her off of her feet.

She had never experienced that type of pain before.

At that moment she felt obsolete.

 

Time passed yet nothing changed.

She had learned to find comfort in the darkness.

But no one seemed to understand,

So they all just labeled her heartless.

 

Then one day someone discovered her.

They reached down for her hand.

Frightened, she turned away relentlessly. 

Nonetheless, they stayed until she could understand. 

 

They weren’t going away,

So she turned around.

A blinding light hit her face.

And from that moment forward she was heaven-bound. 

 

She was pulled out.

She had been saved

By no mere person,

But by his mercy and grace.

“Let Winter End”

By Taylor Herndon

 

The sky so cloudy and grey 

Wind blew and bare trees swayed.

Time in this season I didn’t want to spend

Please, just let winter end.

 

Oh, the white sand and blue seas

Laying on the beach with a cool breeze.

Not a worry or concern in sight,

And life is just fine and alright.

 

Fruit, cold drinks, ice pops,

Tank tops, shorts, and flip flops.

Let’s go get by-the-pool tans,

With absolutely no agenda or plans.

 

Saying, hey, let’s go ride a bike

Or just anything you would like.

Let’s go camping, or paddle a canoe

Anything, as long as you’re with me too.

 

No bedtime and staying up late

Because you don’t have school at eight.

No work or essays to write

The days just seem so bright.

 

The feelings so wild and free

There is no place I would rather be.

Where the weather is always hot

And the glowy sun shines a lot.

 

I wish that it hadn’t gone by so fast

Now I’m just trying to make summer last.

More time I wish I had to spend

Please, just let summer never end.

 

“The Sun and The Moon”

 

Aubrey Bugg

 

I was talking to the moon

And she told me of the sun.

 

She said how he shines ablaze for all

And how his light reflects onto her,

Lightening her darkest nights.

But when the sun leaves her,

Her nights get cold and dark.

 

Once more, swallowed by somber

While the sun just stays tauntingly.

The moon can feel his vibrant presence

With the sun giving her no light.

Nonetheless, the moon still stays

 

With the hope that she’ll get more light

And everytime she does,

She grows ever so more attached.

Loving his brightness

And his lack of her darkness.

 

Because what isn’t understood,

Is that the moon needs him.

She needs his presence,

For she lacks all light

Without the sun.

 

So, you see,

The moon needs the sun.

She’ll always love him dearly

Even if it’s from a distance

And keeps her nights dreary.

 

But she doesn’t know that this time,

That the sun left forever.

He will never rise for her again

But the moon must continue

To be brave for the stars.

 

But what’s the moon without the sun?
I guess she would just be nothing at all.

 

“Is, Will be, and Was”

 

By: Anna Kate Wall

 

Maybe today or tomorrow, but what about yesterday?

What about all the things you wish you would have done…

What is the day that you will take the chance, opportunity, or decision?

 

From time to time to time, you think about the past,

Things you would have done differently,

Or decisions you wish you could change,

 

What about Yesterday?

It was full of moments to do what has been on your mind.

You can’t change the past, so all you can do is move forward into tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow, will be another day for you to try again,

Another day to take the leap or step,

Since you just couldn't seem get past your intimidation,

 

Today, is the day take the chances and the opportunities,

So you don't look back and wonder if you’ll take them tomorrow.

You've been given today, so don’t hold back.

 

“The Pearl Earrings”

By: Gracie Beck

The sun had long set over the quaint coastal town of Avalon, and an eerie silence had settled over its narrow cobblestone streets. The wind whispered through the ancient buildings, carrying with it a bone-chilling cold that permeated the air. It was on this dark and moonless night that a pair of pearl earrings arrived at the doorstep of Miranda's Antiques, an inconspicuous little shop tucked away in a forgotten corner of Avalon.

Miranda Hawthorne, the owner of the store, had been anticipating the arrival of the earrings. They were said to be a rare and exquisite find, rumored to possess a mysterious power. Legends whispered that they had been crafted by a witch centuries ago, using enchantments to imbue them with otherworldly abilities. Miranda, an avid collector of all things arcane, was drawn to the earrings like a moth to a flame.

As the clock struck midnight, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage echoed through the deserted town square. A cloaked figure emerged from the darkness, clutching a small velvet box tightly in their hands. Miranda's heart quickened with anticipation as she approached the mysterious stranger.

"Are you the one seeking the pearls of power?" the stranger spoke in a hushed tone, their voice tinged with a hint of malevolence.

"Yes," Miranda replied, her voice wavering slightly. "I have been waiting for their arrival."

The stranger handed her the velvet box, their eyes gleaming with a sinister light before vanishing into the night. Miranda's hands trembled as she carefully opened the box, revealing the gleaming pair of pearl earrings nestled on a bed of velvet.

 

The pearls were luminescently pulsating with an unknown energy. She picked them up, feeling a strange warmth spreading through her fingertips. Little did she know that she had just invited an ancient evil into her life.

As the days passed, Miranda noticed a subtle change within herself. Strange nightmares plagued her sleep, vivid visions of dark forests and shadowy figures. The earrings seemed to almost whisper to her, their siren call urging her to put them on. Unable to resist their allure, she cautiously placed them in her ears.

Instantly, a surge of power coursed through her veins. She felt invigorated, her senses heightened. But as the days turned into weeks, the effects of the earrings grew more sinister. Shadows danced in her peripheral vision, whispering malicious secrets only she could hear. Her once lustrous hair started to lose its color, turning ashen and brittle. Miranda's reflection in the mirror began to change, her eyes acquiring an otherworldly hue.

Haunted by the pearl earrings, she began to avoid human contact. The townspeople noticed the transformation, whispering among themselves about the strange happenings in Miranda's Antiques. Curiosity got the better of a young woman named Emily, who ventured into the shop one fateful evening.

As Emily entered the store, she felt a chill in the air. The once-organized shelves were now in disarray, and a strong scent of decay permeated the space. And there, standing in the shadows, stood Miranda, her eyes burning with an unholy fire.

"I see you have discovered my secret," Miranda hissed, her voice filled with a malevolent energy. "You were drawn here, just like I was."

Terrified, Emily took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She had heard rumors of the possessed earrings, but she had never expected to encounter their dark magic firsthand. Miranda lunged forward, her hands outstretched to place the earrings in Emily's ears.

With a surge of adrenaline, Emily managed to dodge Miranda's grasp, stumbling backward and crashing into a nearby display of antique trinkets. One object caught her eye—a polished silver mirror reflecting her distorted image. Desperation fueled her actions as she forced the earrings from her ears and threw them onto the ground.

A low, raspy growl filled the room as the earrings cracked, their surface splintering into a thousand shards. With a blinding flash of light, the ancient enchantments were shattered, the evil finally banished.

Miranda collapsed to the floor, her strength drained as if a great burden had been lifted. Emily rushed to her side, offering her a hand.

"It's over now," Emily whispered, her voice filled with compassion. "You're free." Miranda looked at Emily, tears streaming down her face. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, she felt a glimmer of hope. Together, they carefully picked up the shattered remains of the cursed earrings, vowing to never let their malevolent power fall into the wrong hands again.

And as the first rays of dawn broke over Avalon, the town awakened to a newfound sense of peace. The legend of the possessed pearl earrings would be passed down through the generations, a cautionary tale of the dangers that lurked within enchanted objects. And Miranda's Antiques would continue to thrive, but it would forever hold the memory of the earrings that had possessed their owner with a horror beyond imagination.

 

“What Makes You Happy?”

By: Josie Lanfair 

            “What makes you happy?” That is the one of the first questions most people ask when you first meet someone, so they can have an understanding of who you are. Most people will go on and on about their family, friends, their favorite food to eat, or favorite show to watch. That question to me is so much more complicated than it sounds, so my answer is just as complicated as well.

            Happy would never be the word to come to my mind when describing myself. I have always been a giggly person and the “life of the party”, but I am not always happy. It’s all just a mask, but at some point we all have to take them off to get a breath of fresh air.

            I have always held in my emotions. I don’t want people to have that control over me or burden anyone with my problems. The question “are you okay?” seems to be a very simple three word question, but it is the most complex question you will ever be asked. One year, I had the most cheerful teacher with a joyful, safe presence anytime you walked into her classroom. The year I was in her class, my mental health was declining rapidly. I went from smiling every day and so excited to be at school to never talking and dreading having to be alive. 

            My teacher would ask everyone before they walked into the classroom how their day had been or how they were feeling. I would always just shrug, ignore her, and walk right past her. One day, I was having the worst day all year. I hadn’t slept at all the night before, I wasn’t eating, and all I wanted to do was go back home. She called me into the hallway, and I went with her very confused because I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. She asked, “are you okay?” All I could do at that moment was just break down. I cried in her arms for what felt like hours. I wasn’t crying because I was sad, but I was crying because someone had finally noticed. 

            I’ve still not quite found the thing that makes me happy, nor do I find a lot of joy in everyday activities. I have tried to find happiness in people, but people aren’t permanent. I have also tried to find it in objects and food, but those things don’t last forever. I’ve learned that trust is a very valuable thing. Trust is an attribute you need to be able to lean on, but is hard to find and earn. 

            At the end of the day, I have learned that the only reliable thing on the planet is yourself. You are the one person who always knows how you are feeling, who will always be around, and will be there for you no matter the situation you are facing. Although we sometimes disappoint ourselves, we are still there to fix the problem and continue on living life. I have learned to find confidence and love myself. 

            I had a boyfriend who took advantage of me because he knew I did everything for him. Meanwhile, I thought this was the love of my life, but he was just playing with me. I lost all love in myself after that. I was left alone because he was my only friend, so when he left, I had nothing. Over time, I realized that I could either mope around the rest of my life and let that trashy boy win or be happy. I knew I was by myself, but I knew I had myself and that was enough. 

            I’m not a perfect person, and I never will be. I am a normal human being that is going through life for the first time like everyone else. After everything life has put me through, when someone asks the question, “What makes you happy?” I can proudly say that I make myself happy. 

 

Education 

By Piper Phillips

            My grades have always been a huge thing for me. I cannot stand getting lower than a 90 on anything. I don’t really know if it has to do with me being an overachiever or if that's just how my brain functions. 

            This all started when I first got into the honors program in 5th grade. Before that I didn’t really care what grades I made as long as I passed the grade. Back in 2nd grade, I would make twenties on everything. I never did homework or studied, so I made horrible grades but I didn’t care. In 5th grade that all changed. 

            I constantly compared myself to people in my class and if they did better than me on a test. If they did do better than me, I would go home feeling bad and internally bullying myself to do better. I eventually became one of the top people of my class, but that still did not stop the constant feeling of wanting better grades. 

            My friends would tell me to stop worrying about my grades and actually make fun of me for it. They would tell me that I had better grades than them so I should stop talking about my grades. One time in 8th grade, we had just gotten back our test scores and my friends were telling each other what they got. Well it got over to me and I had made higher than all of them, so I faked my grade being lower so I didn’t have to hear them tell me to shut up or say they should have never asked me. This made a big impact on the way I think. 

 

“Sick”

By Christopher Barlow

As the days stretched into weeks and then months, the hospital room became both my home, and my prison. The depressingly bleak walls seemed to be closing in on me. I longed to feel the wind on my face and the warmth of the sun on my skin. More than anything, to see my family again.

Each morning, I would wake up and do the same routine, the nurses check my vitals, the doctors delivering their grim assessments of my sickness, and the endless waiting in hope that I would receive good news.

Despite the doctors persistently saying I was ill, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right. I felt clear-headed, and my body was still strong as ever. But still, the doctors insisted that I was dying, that my time was rapidly running out, but I refused to believe their lies. I began to inspect every square of my surroundings, searching for anything that would aid in my escape from the solitude of the hospital. I studied the door, the air vents, the movements of the hospital staff, even the ceiling panels, looking for any weakness that I could exploit so I would be able to get out of this treacherous place.

One day, around noon, I noticed something. All the screws on the window frame were a little loose. With trembling hands, I began to slowly twist the screw, turning it until it finally came loose. As the window swung open, a rush of cool, fresh air flooded into the room, and I was filled with immense ecstasy in my discovery. I was about to be free. If I wanted, I could easily climb out the window now, and be free from my solitary confinement. However, I knew I needed to wait until night for my grand escape.

            As the sun descended beneath the sky's edge, I initiated my daring getaway. I loosened the screws that were securing the window shut. I slowly opened the window without making a sound. Driven by unwavering resolve and the promise of liberation, I ascended through the window, into the dark and cold night, down to the ground directly beneath me. I staggered forward, squinting in the darkness of the night. I had achieved my freedom at last. Tears of elation began to well in my eyes as I stood outside. I was finally leaving the confinement and desolation from the hospital, and from my illness. At long last, I would be able to reunite with my family and loved ones.

            “What are you doing out of your room,?” questioned a voice from the darkness. 

 

                                              “Love is a Game Worth Fighting For”

                                                            By Hailey Davis

Love is kind.

Love is patient.

Love is overwhelming.

Love is a beautiful thing.

 

To love is not in your mind,

It’s in your heart.

You just have to be willing.

To be willing is to open up.

 

Love has to have trust.

To have trust you must have communication.

Trusting someone is hard,

But communicating is only hard if you make it hard.

 

They have be patient,

And understanding of your wishes.

If they don’t do that, they’re not the one for you.

It’s hard to find people like that these days.

 

But as soon as you find the one,

Never let go, hold on for dear life.

Even through ups and downs.

Never give up on them.

 

Never give up on the one who makes you feel some type of way every time you see them.

Or the person who brings out the real you,

Your smile, your laugh, or who would do anything to keep you in their life,

Because love is a game worth fighting for.

 What Makes Me “Tick”?

By: Henli Jones

 

Growing up, living in a household with parents who were falling out of love was tough. The consistent bickering drove me to stay in my room all day. I always felt like no one understood me, or could sympathize with me. I simply just felt alone. It's sad to think that I felt this way at the ripe young age of four and five years old.

            My mother has played piano for as long as I can remember. Every time she played, it was almost as if an angel was singing. I would stand next to the piano and listen to her play every time she sat on that rickety piano stool. Once I grew up some, my mother asked if I wanted to sign up for piano lessons. Now, I have played for six years.

            I've always seemed to be able to relate to music. No matter what the message of the song is, music has always spoken to me. It often drowns out the background noise, like arguments from family members with completely different personalities.

            Before bed every night, I would pray for a somewhat normal life because I felt as if I was stuck in a toxic one. When I felt down, music was my “shoulder to cry on”. And when I say music, I dont only mean listening to it, but playing it too. There has always been something about feeling the emotions the composer was going through as they wrote the song. Just really getting into it and feeling the beat was what drove me to pursue learning so many different instruments.

            I have a very vivid memory of the first time I decided to learn clarinet. It was new years, and my sister had a lot of friends over, but I didn’t. I got so bored that night, I decided to open the old, beat up clarinet that had been sitting in the corner of my room for ages. It was my mom’s when she was in high school, and my great uncle’s when he was in high school. I had never planned on trying to play it, but now I am marching with it in the marching band, and first chair clarinet in my concert band. I picked it up, put it together and headed out to the garage. I messed around on it until I could get a noise out of it. And after I could, I played by ear. I would play a note and if it sounded like it was in a song, I would mess around until I could figure out the rest of the song. 

            The next morning, I went into the living room and showed my mom and step-dad all the songs I had learned. (I had only learned how to play Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Happy Birthday.) But I was proud of myself considering I had learned all of that by messing around and seeing what sounded right. My mom convinced me to join the concert band at my school, and then my band director saw my talent and asked me to join the marching band.

            People always talk about their point in life. Or about what keeps them going, what gets them out of bed every morning. Well, when people would ask me that, I would immediately blank. I could never figure out something that was so meaningful to me that it got me out of bed every day. But now I realize that it's music. I have such a strong connection with it, and I am very talented with instruments. My band director and my mom have both made that visible to me. 

I often dedicate different pieces of music to different situations in my life. It makes music feel more meaningful to me. Some music makes me cry because of how good it sounds and when I relate it to a personal experience, it makes it more emotional. 

I remember once playing this piece on piano called “Canon in D”. It was a wedding song. And if you’re picking up what I’m putting down, you’ll see that it was my parents' wedding song. I learned it so I could feel as if I was holding onto a piece of my parents still being together. This piece was what got me to start learning piano. My mom learned it when she was a child, and she remembered it, and played it all the time.

            Music is my listening ear. Different instruments make me feel different emotions. Piano is more of an emotional or sad feeling. Clarinet is a joyous feeling. Harmonica is sentimental, because my grandpa, who passed, taught me. Handpan makes me feel adventurous. Bass clarinet makes me feel talented. Electric guitar makes me feel cool. And the ukulele is calming.

            Music makes me feel safe. When I feel down, I don't talk to someone about it, I just relate to music. It distracts me in times where I’m in a tough spot. It's what gets me through family problems. It is what makes me “tick''.

“Rose Colored Glasses”

By Madison Sanders

When you’re in love,

you don’t see things as they are.

You don’t see the way he treats you.

He’s your first love after all,

all you see is how perfect he is.

 

The perfect guy that treats you like you’re in a fairytale.

The guy that says he loves you, and always will,

forever and ever.

He says he will never leave.

He promised.

He kept his promise.

He never left,

but he made it so you couldn't stay.

 

When you’re looking through rose colored glasses,

you don’t see that he only calls you beautiful

when his hands touch your skin.

The way that the word “no” means nothing to him.

He doesn’t miss you,

he misses the soft skin that now feels dirty after his touch.

You don’t notice how the once gentle hands,

are now rough and demanding.

 

When you’re in love,

those sweet compliments are all you can hear.

You don’t hear the way he talks about you to his friends.

You don’t notice how you only get compliments

when he’s getting something in return

 

When the glasses start to fade and you begin to see the truth,

you begin to notice how those beautiful green eyes that used to bring you so much happiness,

are now the ones you find no comfort in at all.

How the hands that rubbed your back when you were upset,

now firmly grip your skin till faint bruises appear.

 

But you're trapped because you are the only one that sees it.

All the people on the outside just don’t know.

“I hope you two never break up” they say.

They don’t know what happens behind closed doors.

My mom says we are the couple that's going to make it,

she still thinks he’s perfect to this day.

But you can't blame them,

most middle school relationships don’t even last a month.

It had been a year.

You can’t leave now.

Then you’ll be the bad guy because he’s perfect.

Everyone thinks he is perfect.

 

But if you stay you are destroying yourself.

“Maybe he is just stressed” you’ll try to fight for him,

To come up with any reason why he does what he does.

“Maybe it’s my fault”

“Maybe I did this or I did that” 

Or maybe you did nothing at all.

Maybe you just love him and don’t want to let him go.

He's the only thing you've ever known to love you so much.

 

But what if he doesn’t?

He tells you he loves you,

but would he really do what he did if he really loved you?

Would your skin burn at his touch?

Would you leave his company disgusted by his actions?

Maybe he doesn't love you.

 

You decide that it's time to go.

You finally got the confidence to leave,

but now he wants to try.

He says he will change.

But your done.

Your done with the lies and the manipulation.

 

Now he's lost you.

The one person that loved him with everything they were.

The one person that would have stuck by his side if he would have given just a little effort.

You get questioned on why you left but you can't tell them the truth.

Because the truth is,

you still love him and always will.

He will always have a place in your heart,

so you tell everyone that it was you and not him.

That you messed up.

 

Eventually people stop asking and everything dies down,

but you still watch from afar just to make sure he is okay.

You know he's fine without you.

You can’t even make eye contact with him walking through the halls.

It brings back memories that you don’t want to see,

Mistakes that shouldn't have been made.

 

“The Two Fishermen on the Dock”

By Hayden Leverette

            Once, there were two fishermen sitting on a dock. One of the fishermen was an old man, hunched over his fishing pole while sitting on the dock The other was a young man who lazily sat on the dock whilst fishing. The daily catch for both fishermen was average, large enough to sustain themselves. There was rain lightly drizzling, and lazy wind that blew over the water, both heralding an oncoming storm.

            The old fisherman stood up and grabbed his fish basket. “Where are you going?” asked the young fisherman.

            “Home,” said the old fisherman.

            “You fool, if you stay longer, you could catch more fish,” said the young fisherman.

            “It’s not safe,” retorted the old fisherman, pointing to the water, where waves were already beginning to form, “besides, I already have all the fish I need,”

            “Go on home then. I’ll fish until my basket is filled to the brim,” said the young fisherman.

            The old fisherman hobbled off the dock and down the road. The young fisherman, meanwhile, continued his efforts to catch fish, in spite of the continuously growing waves battering the dock. He put all his focus into catching another fish, ignoring all else around him. When the young fisherman finally caught another fish, the waves had grown large enough to sweep over the dock. The young fisherman put the fish into his basket, and cast his fishing rod once again.  A wave emerged out of the water, and swept over the dock, snatching all the fish he had caught and returning them to the water.

 

“The Race”

Jay Faulk

The cars were racing side by side.

Brody and Preston had been waiting for their motors to run.

Cop-car’s lights’ flashing from behind.

They thought they were having fun.

The passengers, now scared to ride.

The police had them outrun.

The police were now on their side.

The racing cars pushed them around.

The cop-cars were making lots of sound.

Holding gun’s out of the window’s,

Trying to hide in the shadows.

The race was beginning to fail.

Pulled over, they couldn't flee.

Brody and Preston got out of their car’s on their knees’.

Arrested at the scene because of the race.

Their families in court, ready to hear their case.

 

¨The Fix¨

Everett Childers

One tiny pink eraser

And a paper full of marks

No drawing can really be undone

Looking at the page 

I see no more brilliant dark lines

But I see lighter gray lines that won’t come off

It can’t be undone

My mistake can never really be fixed 

I can help 

But nothing will actually fix the mistake

So I wait and wait

I let the time pass 

And I realize no one cares

It doesn’t matter 

The eraser helps guide me 

But I have to realize my mistake 

And know I will be fine

 

“One Last Stargaze”

By:Sarah Collins

Inside the silent, gloomy base,

The young girl lays,

Her soft hair and gentle face,

Everything was a haze,

 

She had went out on a solo mission,

Not safe from any firearms,

She would not last long, she was in bad condition,

She returned in another’s arms,

 

He had come to visit her in her room,

He hugged his daughter beloved,

He wanted her happy when she met her doom,

Then he thought of something she loved,

 

So he gently carried her to see the sky,

As he held onto his girl,

So quietly under the stars they lie,

As she left the world.

“Touchdown Pass”

By: Brody Fleming

 

On the gridiron tension grows,

Echoes of cheers and excitement flows.

A quarterback's aim, precise and true

The spiral dances, the ball takes cue.

 

The receivers sprint to the end zone to meet, 

Defenders strive to not reach defeat.

A huge moment throughout the air,

The catch is a touchdown and celebrations declare.

 

Fans erupt and they shake the stands,

Players celebrate with victory in hands.

The end zone is where happiness is found,

A touchdown is scored, shouts now surround.

“The Importance of Learning”

By: Joshua Hataway

Something I see so much of in the world today is the stigma around learning. This stigma has been around since Creation, but it has definitely grown over the past few years. The stigma I am referring to is the total hatred and disaffiliation people have with the process of learning. People would rather use ChatGPT or cheat off a friend, or do nothing and fail an assignment entirely. People (especially teens) will not put the work in to learn something new. This is very bad, not just for those people, but for their loved ones, for the economy, and for the human species as a whole.

Learning plays an important role in the developing brain of a child. “Early learning paves the way for learning at school and throughout life. What children learn in their first few years of life—and how they learn it—can have long-lasting effects on their success and health as children, teens, and adults.” - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. It is both easier and more effective to learn while youth is on your side. This doesn't mean all adults are doomed if they didn't learn as a child, it is just important to establish good learning skills in children while you can. As a student I've seen many people cheat on assignments, and am ashamed to admit that I too have cheated on many assignments. This makes me nervous. Sure, cheating has always existed, but it has never been so widely accessible. This is dangerous; if people become dependent on technology for solving their problems, then what will they do if technology fails? If a large solar storm hit earth and wiped out all our computers, what would the hypothetical tech-dependant generation do? It is imperative that we, as people and as a species are able to learn. 

Something my uncle said to me once will stick with me for life. He said something along the lines of “It doesn't matter what you're learning to do. All skills are useful in ways you may not realize.” I am paraphrasing, but that is the jist of what he said. The reason I brought this up is to show that no matter what you're doing, whether you're building rockets at SpaceX or taking orders at McDonalds, you are learning things that, if applied correctly, can be helpful. For example, working at McDonalds can help you learn how to work in a fast paced environment, increase your communication skills, and teach you how to cook. It dosnt matter what your doing as long as your doing something productive.

 In conclusion, remember to make it a habit to learn new things as often as time allows. Remember to pass on what you have learned to the next generation. That is how the human race grows. If nobody passed anything on then future generations would have nothing to build on; we wouldn’t have anything we have today; we would still be planting crops with rudimentary materials and living in basic tents and caves. It is paramount that we pass on what we know. 

Regrade 

                                                            By: Annabelle Land 

 

Not all, but lots of moments in life are filled with regret and remorse. The thought of I should have said this or not done that often occupies my mind. It occurs  when I look back in interactions and situations of what should have happened, but didn’t turn out my way. I have had to learn over and over again that my way is faulty, my way is the wrong way. I cannot redo I decisions and that is definitely for the best. God has my future and that is what actually matters. I really have to think about my past is in the past and let it go knowing it cannot be changed. If I could redo my decisions I would not be writing this very paper right now, learning from my mistakes.

Grades have always been something that is so important to me. If I can worry about  or want to  redo  anything it's definitely an assignment in the gradebook. I always fill myself with I should have put North Carolina, not South or I should have put A not B. Now don’t get me wrong I do not worry about the time in fourth grade when I made an 81 on a test and balled my eyes out anymore, but it has been stuck in my brain since that moment. I think about the time so often to the point it's ridiculous. My mom (who worked at the school) had to come see me like two or three times just to comfort me because every time I thought about it tears streamed down my face . Grade obsessed was an understatement. 

 

What if? What if I could go back to that very moment to  retake the test with  corrections, but this time I made a 100?  Would I do it, No. Maybe then, but not now. The fourth grade me would have been up for anything to make the grade better, but she also had no idea what an impact that one 81 would have on the fifteen year old version now. That one moment shows me that its okay to not make a perfect score on 100 all the time. The world even though it felt like it did not end when I was ten after making a B.  Every now and then I want to redo or correct the mistakes because carelessness or just plain out sadness. My grades aren’t perfect and that’s okay. I mess up and that’s okay. My school life is  okay because I did not get a regrade on my fourth grade social studies test. 

 

“An Unbiased Essay About the Best Music Artists”

Aliya Jenkins

The music industry is an extremely competitive industry. More competitive than politics, sports and even literally wars. In a sense, the music industry is war. It’s all about who sells the most albums,who goes on more tours,who has the most followers. And most importantly, who makes the best music. The whole ‘who makes the best music’ debate is extremely subjective. Everyone has their own opinions. It can depend on the listener’s preference, age, taste, style and other things probably. It also depends on the artist’s genre, the drive they have to make music, their personality and other things probably. Especially their genre. Genre, according to someone named Oxford-they most definitely got bullied over that name- is “A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style or subject matter.” Different types of genres are pop, rock, country, rap and classical. Rap and classical. To completely different genres. One has words, one doesn’t. One has meaning, one doesn’t. One is better than the other, one isn’t. They both have their fair share of artists coming out from both. For example, rap has pure geniuses like Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, and classical has straight bums like Mozart and Beethoven. Recently, there has been a lot of debate over which is better. For what reason, no one knows, since Carti and Uzi are clearly better than those other two dudes and there is a lot of logical evidence to back this up. Some of the endless reasons are the music quality, stage presence and the fact that the formers are genuinely cooler than the latters. 

 To start things off, let’s go over the extremely quick summary of the four artists. First is Playboi Carti. Playboi Carti, whose government name is Jordan Terrell Carter, was born in Atlanta. He started rapping in high school and became known for his 2017 song Magnolia from his self titled album. Then he dropped two other albums titled Die Lit and Whole Lotta Red which both debuted at number 1. The next person is Lil Uzi Vert, whose government name is Symere Bysil Woods. He was born in Philadelphia. He also started rapping around highschool and the first mixtape of his to go popular was Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World, which was followed by  LUV Is Rage 2  in 2017, which featured a song called Xo Tour Llif3. This is the song he is most known for. Afterwards, he dropped 5 other mixtapes and albums with Eternal Atake and Pink Tape both charting at number 1. Now let’s get into the other people. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Austria. If you Google his most famous songs, Sympathy No. 40 pops up and apparently it dropped in 1788. The last person is Ludwig van Beethoven. He was born in Germany. Allegedly, his most popular song is Sympathy No. 9. It dropped sometime in the late 1700s but it’s not that important when. Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s get into the facts.

  The first reason why Carti and Uzi are better than Wolfgang and Ludwig is the actual music itself is genuinely better. Carti is known for his different style of voices, different beats, always trying something new and being unpredictable. For example, go listen to any song of his from 2016. Then listen to any song 2017, 2018 , 2019, 2020, 2023 and 2024 (he didn’t drop in 2021 or 2022 because he was busy.) In all of these songs, you’ll find something new, different, unlike anything Carti’s did before. People even call all these different eras of Carti by different names. Like 2016 is Cash Carti, 2020 is King Vamp and so forth. Wolfgang, on the other hand, never switches it up. Every song he makes sounds the exact same. They always start with someone playing the piano, then there’s some ‘beat drop’ type thing and it continues like this for like 5 minutes. There are so many other things you could do in 5 minutes. Like do homework, organize a little, steal a car, listen to any other known in mankind song. Except a Ludwig song. If you thought Wolfgang’s music was bad, get a load of Ludwig. Every song he makes sounds like Sympathy No. 9. Listen to any of his albums. They sound redundant. Or would be because he doesn’t have any albums. Neither does Wolfgang. How are these people called ‘the greatest classical musicians’ if they don’t even have albums, not even a mixtape. They had some things called ‘compositions’. They wanted to be different so bad they named their songs after a notebook. Uzi though has 17. Yeah, 17. Making those other two look like goofballs. There’s still one other about Wolfgang not yet discussed. After some further investigation, it was found Wolfgang had a secret. He.Was.Deaf. How was this man supposably composing these songs then? With further thought, the conclusion is he has a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter is someone who writes, or in this case full on manufactures, a song for a famous person under the famous person’s name. Being accused of having a ghostwriter can end an artist’s career. Unless your Aubrey Drake Graham of course. But, there’s no way Wolfgang didn’t have a ghostwriter. So yeah, apparently Wolfgang didn’t even make his own beats, nor give anyone else any credit. Ludwig probably had ghostwriters too. But guess who didn’t. Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert because unlike the other two lying skeezers and miscreants, Carti and Uzi are respectable people who don’t lie to their fans about dropping songs, nor does one of them ditch their child being born to hang out with the other to play the Playstation.

 

Impassioned

By: Julia Arnold 

She was known for being much too sensitive

Everything would touch her heart in some way

People said to stop being dramatic and to act her age

No matter what they said, she felt a lot anyways

 

She would cry and cry and be mad with herself 

Because everyone around her said it was bad to feel 

Stop crying, stop caring, stop loving

Pretend you feel nothing

 

It seemed to her that she felt more than others 

If at all that is possible she did not know

 

Many surrounding her acted unfeeling and cruel 

They would mock and laugh at those who suffered

She often wondered if they had ever felt love 

The real love that warms a soul 

 

She imagined a world with no wrong or right

No sad or happy and no love or fights

 

Where no one could feel a single thing

And no one stood up for what they believed 

They simply existed and that is all 

 

They did not laugh or cry or pretend to care

Truth is they didn’t, and her thoughts left her appalled

She thought again and gave up in despair

 

That is what the world is becoming

Unemotional and heartless

Yes, they felt, but when it was apparent 

They would hide it to elude any embarrassment

 

She would not pretend to not be hurt

She would not act like she wasn’t affected by words

She would show her emotions, good, bad, and ugly

Sadness, joy, love, pain, anger, loss, and sympathy

 

Through the big moments and the small

It was her greatest gift even through the worst of it all 

Her ability to feel and have emotions to show

It is part of life and she wouldn’t let it go

 

“The Convoy”

Gavin Foskey

            Bobby, Joe, Randy, and I are one of the U.S. Armies tank crews. Although all we’ve been doing lately is training, because there's no conflict yet, we’ve still been named the best crew out there. Joe, our commander, seems to never let anything sneak by us. Bobby, he’s our loader, he can load 2 rounds in the time it tanks others to load one. Randy, he’s our gunner, He never misses a shot and never loses his target.  Me, I’m the driver, I find the best spots for the tank and start it faster than anyone else.

            “Guys, wake up,” Joe yelled “we just got a mission up in Alaska” Joe began rambling because he was happy to finally do something but in short, the Russians landed a convoy up on the Alaskan coast in hopes of taking Alaska. The tank has already been loaded and is on the way over there now. 

            Bobby and Randy both fell asleep on the plane we were flying in, surrounded by other tankers who were just as eager as we were. Joe was still awake and I was on the verge of passing out right there in my seat but Joe kept me awake with how much he was talking. Joe finally stopped talking and as he did I felt my eyelids getting heavier and then, black.

            I woke up because somebody was shaking me, I looked up to see everyone else walking out the back of the plane. Bobby had woken me up and then helped me stand up as we started walking towards the back as well.

            “Man, I don’t know about this, they’re sending us out here to ambush a 4 mile long convoy, there’s no telling how many tanks there will be and the chances of us making it back are getting slimmer and slimmer in my head” Bobby saic with a somewhat shaky voice.

            “Well, if we do die out there, at least we know we died fighting for the things we love, and died fighting with our brothers.” I said to him, Bobby didn’t say anything after that but it seemed to lift his mood a little. When I stepped outside the plane it already felt colder than I wanted it to be. I wasn’t used to the cold like this. We found Joe and Randy admiring our tank, it had been painted with a winter forest camo so we could have that extra stealth for our ambush.

            “Wake up,” I yelled “the days here we gotta get ready to roll out and get in position!” All the boys got up and walked up to me and asked what all we needed. “We’re definitely going to need water, maybe a few granola bars or something” Joe said he’d get all of that and we get the tank ready. I walked out of the barracks to see men running around with stuff for their tank and the sound of tank engines roaring to life. I ran over to our tank and began starting it while Randy and Bobby ran over to the ammo stock and grabbed the rounds. When I got the tank started I ran over to help them carry the rounds and put them in the ammo rack. Joe finally came back with water and food to give us. I had to be given a certain amount and make it last since the driver is cut off from the turret. We had everything set up and were just awaiting permission to go out and find a spot to hide in, which we got just a couple minutes later. We all ran to our tank and I instantly had the tank in gear and moving, I was out of the base by the time other tanks even got started. I had a monitor in my area which showed me everything I needed to see about the tank. I saw all the main components and none of them were damaged as of now. I could also switch the screen to display a map of all friendly tanks in the area so I was able to see them slowly catching up to us as we went along the trail. 

            “Stop!” Joe yelled “This spot might be perfect if we can dig it out a little with the dozer blade.” I opened the driver's hatch to see, and he was right. It was a snowdrift that had dirt underneath and a clear view of the path the convoy was going to take. It was far enough away to where it may take them time to find us. There was also a trail directly in front of us in case we needed to turn around and retreat. 

            “I'll get the blade down and start moving some of this snow and dirt” I said. Joe launched a recon drone that was stored somewhere near him because apparently commanders get those now. He was watching the camera waiting for the Russian convoy to appear. Then, they did, Joe saw a couple mile long convoy of just everything, there was anti air, troop transport, IFVs, T-90s, T-80s. I had never seen so many enemies in my life. I backed us into our spot and waited for them to appear. Randy decided that he was going for the MBTs first since they could actually fight back. I saw the convoy coming down the road and then, BOOM! Randy fired a round into a Russian T-90 and hit its ammo, causing the turret to blow sky high. The convoy scrambled but maintained its line and then, BOOM! Randy fired another round and killed another T-90 There were infantry running around, the tanks and IFVs were looking around trying to spot us. Randy fired another shot and hit an IFV. Bobby had another round ready in less than 4 seconds and Randy fired another one and killed another IFV. 2 tanks, 2 IFVs, and multiple infantry were gone already. Randy fired another shot and hit a T-80 this time, blowing its turret into the air as well.

The Russians still had no idea where we were but they were looking in the right direction now. Randy fired another round and I heard the explosion of another vehicle, but when the smoke cleared I saw the scariest thing. A T-90 had spotted us and was aiming right at us. I went into reverse but it was too late, the tank fired and it was as if everything went into slow motion. I watched the shell fly at us as I ducked down and heard the round hit our turret. No damage yet. Then, another round, and another, the whole convoy was shooting at us now. That same T-90 fired another round, I watched it as I ducked down. It hit the turret ring, it ripped straight through the thinner armor there and I heard silence on the other end.

            “Guys, hello?” I asked “Guys are yall okay up there?” I got nothing, I assumed the worst but was praying for them to just be unconscious. I reversed again and turned around, I was going 40 mph just trying to get back to the base, and I did. I made it back and slammed on the brakes, stopping the tank way faster than I should have. I jumped out of the driver's hatch and got medics and infantry to come help me. I opened the commander's hatch and found Joe's body. I pulled it out for the medics to look at and then went to the loader's hatch and found Bobby’s body. I pulled that one out too. I peeked back into the turret but Randy's body wasn't in there. I looked for it and then saw where the round went through the turret. It went straight through Randy’s torso. I just came back out and shook my head as I walked towards the medical tent. I walked in just as they were putting bags over Bobby and Joe. I looked at them and knew what had happened. I was the only survivor in this crew. I went back to our bunks and just layed down. I looked at all of their stuff on the floor and their beds and decided I was going to be the one to tell their families. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, the look on their wives faces broke my heart. I decided to retire from the military and just try to live a normal life. I still see those three every night in my dreams and remember all the fun things we did together, but I also remember that terrible day where I lost them all.

“Hoops In Heaven”

Preston Lucas

 

“The high today is going to be upwards of 64 …”

            Da’metrion walks towards the door, behind the couch trying to not be seen. 

            “Boy where are you going?”

            “Aunt Mabel, I'm going to go practice before the game this friday.” 

“No you are not. You need to stay here and do all that school work since you wanna skip school.”

Da’metrion storms back to his room. He stays in there so long his aunt starts to worry about him, but she doesn't check on him. The next day Da’metrion gets up to head to morning practice. He gets to the school,when he is suddenly stopped by Coach James. 

“Aye D let me talk to you real quick.” 

“Yes sir?”

“D I'm sorry to tell you this but we have to kick you off the team.”

“But Coach, you can’t kick me off, playing basketball is all I got.”

“Sorry but you are failing all your classes and skipping school. We can’t have that type of influence on our team.”

“Whatever you say, coach but you are going to regret this.”

Da’metrion walks back home since he doesn't have practice anymore. He gets about two blocks away from being home when he sees flashing lights. He wonders why there are so many ambulances heading towards his house. He starts to worry but shrugs it off. He turns the corner to his house and that's when he sees his worst nightmare. His aunt Mabel was being carried into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher. After his mom dying and his father not being around his aunt was all he had. 

“Aye excuse me, that's my aunt,what happened.” 

“I'm sorry sir but we aren't sure yet but she is being rushed to the hospital.”

“No. NO, this can't be happening.”

“Son, calm down everything is going to be fi…”

“Don't tell me to calm down, that's my aunt in there man.”

“We know but we have to just stay calm. We have everything under control.”

Da’metrion rides to the hospital in the ambulance with his aunt. He is so scared, and thinking of what he would do without his aunt. They got to the hospital, but it was too late. Aunt Mabel had died of cardiac arrest. Da’metrion is crushed by the news. He breaks down in the hospital not knowing what else to do. Soon Da’metrion is sent into foster care and is sent to a place where there were many other people like him. Da’metrion sat in this room for no longer than 45 minutes when he got taken to the front of the office. It was coach james. Coach James explains to the women working how he was Da’metrion’s coach and would like to take him in. Da’metrion couldn't believe what he was hearing, his former coach was taking him in. 

Coach James knew all the hardship that Da’metrion was going through so he made sure to make him feel at home. Coach James also went above and beyond when it came to encouraging him to do better. He encouraged him to try harder in school and even practice harder on the courts. Da’metrion did take some time to grieve over the death of his aunt Mabel, but he did take coach's advice and started practicing harder and studying a lot more. Da’metrion saw improvements in just a couple of days, he was making better grades and actually enjoying school. When it came to basketball he was practicing every day when he could. Since Coach James was the coach Da’metrion would have to wait till practice was over to go and practice by himself. Coach James noticed how great Da’metrion was doing, but didn’t offer to let him back on the team. 

Da’metrion still did his thing, but he seemed more motivated now. He was motivated because he knew he had something to prove. He had people to make proud. After just two weeks Da’metrion had started back passing every single class, and was even making 100’s on the test. He was playing the best basketball he had ever played, and all of this would lead up to one day. Da’metrion was waiting for Coach to be done with practice, but while he was waiting Coach walked out of the gym to talk to Da’metrion. 

“D, I know that you have had the worst past couple of weeks of your life. Now I know I'm not your dad, and I don't expect you to treat me like it, but I will always treat you like a son of my own. I also want you to know that I am very proud of you, you have been making great grades and you have been practicing basketball any chance you can. So I would like for you to join us on this team. We need someone who gets knocked down and gets right back up, and you have done exactly that.”

“Thank you Coach, I promise I won't let you down.”

Da’metrion joined the team for practice, and started playing better than ever. Da’metrion was so thankful that Coach let him back on the team. He went to every practice and trained just as hard as before. It soon came time for game day. They were playing against the number three team in the division, and if Da’metrion’s team one they would be a playoff lock. Right before the game Coach James gave all the players a speech and told them about they all need to just go out and not let anything stop them. He used Da’metrion and a example and told them how he went through the hardest thing he has ever went through and still fought to get back up. All the players were fired up, and Da’metrion was too. It finally came time for tip off. Da’metrion was nervous but he knew that he was the best player out there, and nobody could touch him. The game started and on the first drive Da’metrion got the ball, he ran to the basket and faked the shot which made the defender fall flat on his face and made it. The whole first half of the game went like that for Da’metrion. It came time for halftime and Da’metrions team was up 65-37, with Da’metrion having 36 points.

 In the locker room at halftime Coach praised all the players especially Da’metrion. He told the guys to keep playing how they were and they would win this game no doubt. Soon halftime ended and the second half started. The opposing team got the ball first and made a three pointer. The next drive Da’metrion got the ball and shot, but missed. The other team then made another three. Da’metrion didn’t let this slow him down and he got the ball again. He got right under the basket and shot, but it got blocked by another player. During the third quarter Da’metrion was subbed out after missing five shots in a row. Coach went over the Da’metrion and had a long talk to him. He told Da’metrion to not let any of them shots get to him and just go play. Right before Da’metrion got subbed back in Coach said one last thing, “Remember who you are doing this for.” 

Da’metrion went back out and made his first shot, then he went and rebounded the other team's miss. He took it all the way to the other side and dunked it. He was playing the best he has ever played. Da’metrion ended the game with 63 points, which was a new school record, which helped his team win 129-76. The whole team was fired up after the game, they couldn't believe Da’metrion did what he did. Coach walked into the locker room after the game and told all the guys how proud he was of them, especially Da’metrion. 

Da’metrion sat in his seat waiting for his name to be called. He was nervous but Coach James looked at him and told him that this will be a moment he will never forget. Then the announcer walked on the stage, “With the first pick in the 2058 NBA draft, the Phhilidelpha 76ers select Da’metrion Thomas.”

Coach James sprung out of his chair and hugged Da’metrion as tight as he could. Da’metrion headed for the stage to meet his commissioner and get his jersey. He looked at all the thousands of people in the crowd. He went to the mic and said, “Thank you, I would just like to give a huge shout out to all my friends and Coaches who have helped me get here. I also want to give a huge shout out to Coach Jame who took me in when I was in highschool and made me the man I am today. I also want to thank my aunt Mabel, who took me in when I was just three years old. She always believed in me. I know she always pushed me to be the best person I could be. I truly could not have done this without her. Thank you.”

 

“Galactic War”

Greyson Arnold

 

            It's the year 2609 and there are two main kingdoms ruling the galaxy. The Birds masters of bows. And the Squirrels are a sneaky race that can kill you without you knowing they have.

            One day an asteroid was found with many riches and was sought after by both kingdoms. They started to fight over the asteroid and cause a galaxy wide war between the birds and the squirrels. During this time the king and queen of the birds had a baby girl whose name was Emery meaning brave and powerful.

            Emery, now the age of five, had started training to become a strong warrior. She trained a lot with bows and arrows but she also trained in swordsmanship in case she ever had to fight with a sword she also trained to fight with bare hands in case she had nothing and needed to defend herself. The war still raged on.

            As Emery got older she got stronger and faster and by the time she was 18 she was a master of the bow, one of the best with a sword, and excellent with her bare hands. She now wanted to go fight in the war and begged her parents but they said “No war is dangerous and we will not send you out there just to die.”

Emery replied with “But I have been training for this my whole life and I am more than capable of protecting myself and helping out in the war.” 

“No means no.”

“But I”

“No now that's the end of it, drop it.”

Emery ran to her room, eyes starting to water. She sat there and came up with a plan. 

Emery snuck out her house and to the hanger with all the ships. She got in a single passenger gunship. Once she was in space she didn't know where to go even though she had trained all her life for the war she never actually knew where it was. She picked a direction and left. Shortly after she left she noticed ships started to follow her. So she flew as fast as she could and hid in an asteroid belt. Over the course of the next several days she would hide at any sign of another ship. The ships stopped their search for her ship and left. Soon after that Emery would run out of food and two days after that she ran out of water. Emery was never seen again after her and her parents' argument.