Ramadan: My Perspective as a Grimsley Student Ramadan is a time for increased worship, charity, and prayer. Photo by Kevin Massey What does this holy month mean to Muslims and what is the purpose of fasting? By Lana Illikkal April 4, 2024 You might have Muslim friends who are fasting during this month called Ramadan, and you might ask the question: what is the actual reason for not eating from sunrise to sunset? I want to share with you my personal experience as a Muslim fasting during Ramadan and how significant it really is. First off, I see a lot of people answer the question above with the answer: Muslims fast to show compassion for the poor and less fortunate. And while gratitude is certainly something we can attain through fasting, that is not the central goal. Ramadan is the special month in which the Quran was revealed. It’s a time for increased worship, charity, and prayer. Muslims also observe fasting during Ramadan. According to the Quran, our holy scripture, fasting is prescribed to us so that we may acquire god consciousness. While fasting, I am constantly aware that I cannot eat and this in turn makes me more aware of my actions because consuming food is not the only way we can break our fast. Our fast can be invalid if we do things such as lying, backbiting, or being disrespectful to others. Fasting also grows our spiritual discipline by stopping ourselves before commiting a sin or doing something that may displease God. Ramadan shows Muslims that every extra step to better our faith, we can do it outside of Ramadan too. Magical powers aren’t sent upon us at the beginning of the month that suddenly give us the ability to go to the Masjid, our place of worship, every night, or finish the entire Quran, or to stay steadfast in our prayers. We prove to ourselves that we are capable. My favorite part of Ramadan, though, are the bonds I build and the oneness I feel among the other Muslims in my community. At my local Masjid there’s an Iftar, a meal that breaks the fast, every Friday. There are also group discussions and trivia nights that the Girls Youth Group hosts. All of this leads to show that Ramadan is a month for reflection. It’s a month for me to look back on myself, correct myself, and come out as a different better person who has strengthened her faith.

Ace the Second Semester: Study Tips for Success Finish the school year strong. By Aissatou Coly February 26, 2025 As the first half of the third quarter draws to the end, many students feel overwhelmed and stressed because their grades are not where they want them to be. Although this may be discouraging, there are many strategies you can use to help you meet your goals by the end of the school year! For starters, many students tend to set goals that are unrealistic and vague. Setting unrealistic goals will ultimately do more harm than good, which will make you less likely to meet them. This can lead to a vicious cycle of burnout and stress because your goals will seem virtually impossible to achieve, ultimately leading to lower grades. Instead, try setting clear, attainable goals such as “I want to raise my math grade by 5 points this quarter” instead of saying “I want to do better in math this quarter”. Having a clear goal in sight will help motivate you and give you direction. “Setting clear and realistic goals helps me with my grades because it's like an outline,” Junior Aubreigh Duckworth said. “It helps me remember what I need to do and when I need to do it to be successful and achieve my goals.” Many students also tend to not ask for help from teachers or fellow classmates when they don’t understand something. Many students, including myself, are often nervous to ask for help simply because they are afraid others will think that they are “dumb”, or everyone else understands it, so there is no point in asking for help. But this simply isn’t the case! Most of the time, many students have the same questions, and are just too afraid to ask for help just like you are. Teachers are also there to help students learn, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. One question could help 10 students! Another common pitfall is pulling all-nighters. Although it’s tempting and may seem productive, you should try your hardest to never pull an all-nighter. Pulling an all-nighter can hurt your memory and concentration! To help retain everything that you learned during the day at school and while studying, you should aim to get 7-10 hours of sleep each night to help keep your mind fresh and sharp. Lastly, make sure that you celebrate all of your achievements– no matter how small they may seem. Did you get an A on a test that was on a really difficult topic? Or did you manage to not check your phone during your study session? Celebrating these wins will help keep you motivated for the rest of the semester, setting you up for success!! “Rewarding myself for raising my AP pre calc grade to an A motivates me to do well because it makes me feel better about myself and my accomplishments,” Junior Heather Monge-Ceciliano said. The second semester is a fresh start with new opportunities. Adopting these study habits will help you achieve your academic goals, and with staying organized. Good luck, and happy studying!

Stress : How Does It Affect You Physically? Learn how stress affects your physical health, and ways to combat it. By Vishruth Bhargava February 23, 2025 Everyday life can be stressful, especially for a student. With worrying about college, grades, and even sports, the continued stress that affects students can take a toll on their mental health. However, prolonged stress doesn’t just affect a person’s mental health; it also affects their physical health, but how? When a person is stressed, their muscles tighten up as a reflex, and if they are under stress for a long period of time, the prolonged tenseness of their muscles can lead to issues. These can include tension headaches, lower back pain, slow injury recovery, and other chronic pain conditions, according to the American Psychological Association. Also, when asked, many students recall experiencing headaches before a big test when tensions are high. The Cleveland Clinic also remarks that increased stress causes increased cortisol, which is a hormone in your brain that deals with the stress response, and according to Healthline, extensive exposure to cortisol can lead to weight gain, slow muscle growth, bone loss, fatigue, and more. Increased blood pressure is also an effect of high stress levels, and it can lead to more very serious health problems. High blood pressure can lead to faster heart palpitation, and over a long period of time, these increased palpitations increase the risk for heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and more. Extensive stress is a dangerous thing and it can cause many very serious health issues, so how can it be managed? NYC Health and Hospitals suggests a few methods. Take care of yourself. Eating a well balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep, even though it’s hard, can reduce stress levels a lot. Self relaxation. Meditating, doing yoga, praying, doing yoga, and swimming are all things that can calm you down. Take breaks. Recharging once in a while, especially as a student, can help you avoid burnout and keep you energized throughout the day. Seek out social help. Asking a counselor, parent, friend, doctor, or religious role model can give you the guidance you need to lower your stress levels. Connect with others. Spending time with the people you love like your family and friends can help alleviate the mental load that is causing you stress. Maintain a normal schedule. Getting up and going to bed at the same time every day can reduce variability in your day and lighten your load by giving you less to think about. Give back to the community. Volunteering, donating, or helping somebody out is proven to make a person happier. In fact, when asked, many students said that after their volunteer shift, they are much more relaxed throughout their day. High school is a daunting time that causes stress for students everywhere, but by knowing how it affects you and how to stop it, you can gain some control in your life and live a peaceful life. Please be sure to speak with your counsellor if you have any more issues with your mental health or if you have any more questions.

Musical Traditions at Grimsley: Open Mic Night Grimsley’s Modern Band stars in a night filled with Grimsley’s musical talent. By Mila Pucilowski February 26, 2025 Over the years, Grimsley High School has built up many valued and loved traditions. One of those is Open Mic Night. Open Mic Night is a music department tradition. The event happens four times a year and is run by Grimsley's modern band and their teacher Marshall Johnson. Marshall Johnson, called MJ by his students, has been teaching at Grimsley for 22 years. He started the Modern Band program at Grimsley in 2019. “My personal philosophy is that you need to meet students where they are at musically, not try to jam everybody into a one size fits all kind of option.” MJ said. Because of this, Modern Band classes offer opportunities to learn how to play instruments such as bass, guitar, keyboard and drums, and collaborate with other students on popular songs for Open Mic Night. The songs range from “Hey Jude” by the Beatles and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” to Taylor Swift's “Red” and “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. “I think I’ve just gotten even better as a musician,” said Junior Andrew Crowell, the keyboardist for the Modern Band. “I wasn’t sure how I would do when I first signed up for the class, but I’ve learned a lot about playing music, and I”ve discovered a lot of musicians and songs through preparing for open mic. I’ve added a lot of new music to my library.” Over the five years of the Modern Band Program, “we've continued to add more and more talent to the program,” MJ said. Open Mic is the perfect place for these students to showcase their talents, as well as gain the experience of setting up for shows and performing live for crowds. “It feels good to know that there’s a lot of talented musicians at Grimsley, and it’s really fun to be able to perform music with other people my age,” Crowell said. Performing "Jump" by Van Halen are Modern Band students Grey Davis, guitar; Noah Dupont, bass; Andrew Crowell, keyboard and Elijah Blow, drums at the February Open Mic. Modern Band student Sophomore Nate Fitzgerald’s favorite part of Open Mic Night is “having moments where everyone comes together, actually makes a song and being able to show it off, and have people watch.” Open Mic is also a great opportunity for people who aren't in a music class to showcase their talent. It's also a perfect place to hear different types of music. The evening features anything from metal bands, rock, to instrumentalists playing saxophone in jazz songs. Even if you're not interested in performing, Open Mic Night is still a perfect activity to hang out with friends and meet new people. The next Open Mic is April 3rd. “I love Open Mic, it's always a fun experience to get dressed up with my friends and go listen to good music,” said Junior Genni Porter, who's been attending Open Mic for years. Open Mic started in the early 2010’s before the modern band program even existed. The event was an expansion of the previous tradition called Coffee House, started in the mid 1990’s by Grimsley Madrigal singers to perform songs for each other. But once MJ started Open Mic Night, the two merged together with a mix of singers and bands performing for the night. Now it's more of a performance night for the modern band classes to showcase what they've been working on throughout the year. However, the concert is still open to performers outside of modern band. Open Mic Night has evolved throughout the years and become the perfect place to watch emerging musical talent at Grimsley High School.

Grimsley Senior Alexander Carpenter poses for a photo. Photo by Kevin Massey Film By Grimsley Student Wins State Competition Golden Dawn director and Grimsley senior Alexander Carpenter aspires to be a successful filmmaker. By Ashley Crowell April 4, 2024 Many people dream of being famous one day, becoming a successful musician, athlete or actor. One Grimsley student is already well on his way to achieving his dream “to become a renowned filmmaker, a name that everybody knows,” said Grimsley senior Alexander Carpenter. Carpenter’s latest project is Golden Dawn , a post-apocalyptic style film that was recently named the winner of the NC Filmworks competition. His project has been shown in several film festivals in the state and also will be featured in the Grimsley Playmasters Film Festival on May 17. As part of the competition, the filmmakers are given a required prop, line of dialogue and a selection of film genres from which to choose. Golden Dawn follows three characters in a post-apocalyptic world who are going to steal gold from a cult. “It’s a pretty wild story, but it works well,” said Carpenter, laughing. Carpenter created the film for the competition with some of his classmates in the IB Film class taught by Mr. Matthew Ringrose. “Some of the crew I had worked with on other projects, making films and acting,” said Carpenter. “Some of the crew were working on The Haunted Tour at the time and so I was able to ask them.” Carpenter and his crew had just one week to create the film as part of the competition. “The filming process was kinda tough because there were so many other productions going on, like The Haunted Tour and a bunch of testing…so scheduling was really hard.” Despite having many challenges during production, including microphone malfunctions and restricted shooting times, the team managed to finish in time. “My favorite part of the production was how smooth everything came together,” said Carpenter. Carpenter has had lots of practice putting together film projects and working to have everything come together. “I used to make short little films with a GoPro camera that I had and a couple of other cameras,” said Carpenter. “I was always interested in how people made films and made special effects for films, and that got me interested in editing and putting things together.” Carpenter is well on his way to becoming a successful filmmaker, having won this competition the previous year, yet he continues to seek opportunities to grow and learn more about his art. “The inspiration for this film was kind of an improvement on my project from last year…and I wanted to do a better job of storytelling and creating a more fully designed set.” Storytelling remains the foundation for Carpenter’s films, and he continues to use all of the different elements of filmmaking to tell that story. “Since film is a mostly visual medium, the ability to tell a story through what you’re seeing on the screen, and not necessarily just some dialogue, is something that I really look up to.”

Giving Back to Grimsley Grimsley Goods finds ways to create a better Grimsley. By Carter Watson April 4, 2024 All throughout Grimsley, a spirit of engagement develops as students come together to create a positive impact within Grimsley and throughout the community. Grimsley Goods, a student-led organization, focuses on the food and clothing insecurity in our school’s community. From food drives and clothing donations to teaming up with local organizations, students work together to ensure that every Grimsley student has access to nutritious food and winter coats. This club reflects the dedication and empathy of Grimsley students who understand the importance of assisting and supporting one another. “Grimsley goods is a simple way to help others in a significant way by providing food security and support for those in need,” said Allison Lunsford, a sophomore and an active member of Grimsley Goods. “This club is significant to me because it provides an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Grimsley.” With the Grimsley Goods Club service learning has become a popular way for students to give back to Grimsley. Service learning not only gives back to the school, but also allows students to enrich their own experiences. Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen, participating in a cleanup service, or even tutoring underclassmen, Grimsley students continue to explore ways to engage in their community and contribute to making a difference in the lives of others. As Grimsley students continue to find and research ways to give back and contribute to our community and our school, the future of Grimsley looks brighter than ever. With each act of service and moment of kindness, students are not only making a difference but also laying a foundation for future students and a caring society. In the halls of Grimsley High School, the spirits of activism, service, and compassion are thriving, inspiring each and every one of us to strive for a better tomorrow.

“I listen to Snoop Dogg Affirmations, and my friends don’t let me get into my head about things,” Freshman Cammie Stoutz said. Seeing the Light When There’s No End In Sight Tips on how to combat burnout during the 3rd Quarter By Kennedy Goree February 11, 2025 Freshmen fever, sophomore slump, junior jam, and senioritis are all sayings that convey the same thing: burnout. Whether you are in your first or last year of high school, burnout can hit hard, especially in the second semester. With the third quarter upon us, certain strategies can help ease the stress and tension, while still motivating you to achieve your goals. Support from friends and family makes a world of difference when searching for motivation in the remaining months of the school year. Stepping back from your course load and spending time with the people who mean the most to you can help you put things into perspective. “My favorite thing to do when I am burnt out is take a break and hang out with friends,” Sophomore Catherine Bowers says. Showing yourself just how amazing you are can inspire you to finish the year strong. “I listen to Snoop Dogg Affirmations, and my friends don’t let me get into my head about things,” Freshman Cammie Stoutz said. Positive affirmations and friends that remind you how incredible you are ,while providing you with a refreshed sense of self-worth, can really make a positive impact on your second-semester success. Lastly, setting goals can remind you what you are working towards. “Reminding myself that if I don’t work hard to reach my goal of going on to college” helps “keep my goals in sight,” Junior Aubreigh Duckworth said. Goals can be a constant reminder and motivation of what you are working towards. Everyone’s goals are different, whether they are short-term or long-term, and visualizing your future will help you enjoy the present. As we approach the last quarter of the school year, keeping these tips in mind can improve your success for the rest of the year.

At Grimsley High, music, fashion, and gear trends build community and healthy habits. From Swifties bonding over the Eras Tour to stylish backpacks organizing assignments and colorful water bottles spreading hydration, fads give students expressive ways to connect. Whirlie Trends Make Friends and Fun Fads in music and school essentials fuel self-expression, giving students a place to belong. By Kennedy Goree Jan. 29, 2024 At Grimsley, trends helped students make new connections with each other and build healthy habits this school year. The Eras Tour and movie hit the world, backpacks were still an essential fashion accessory for back-to-school, and Stanley Cups made hydration trendy. Taylor Swift was as popular as ever at Grimsley with the US Eras Tour ending and the release of the Eras Tour Movie last fall. The diversity in the style of music Swift creates assures there is something for everyone, building bonds among her fans. The following Taylor has gathered creates a safe space for Swifties to express themselves and make new friends over a common interest. “My love of Taylor Swift has helped me connect and make memories with my friends,” said Lily Koesters, a Grimsley freshman and avid Taylor Swift fan. “From going to the Eras Tour movie, listening to her music, and talking with someone new about her music, Taylor Swift has not only helped me strengthen my friendships but also make new ones!” One thing every Grimsley student needs is a sturdy bag, and some of the most popular options were Jansport and North Face backpacks. The many color options, styles, and pockets make a perfect backpack for back-to-school. Not only do these bags allow students to express their individuality, but they also help build healthy organization habits. Since there’s lots of stuff to carry from class to class, these bags are very comfortable to wear during class change. “My backpack has not only helped me stay organized,” Emerson Griener, a freshman at Grimsley, said, “but the sleek design makes it fashionable and comfortable to wear around school.” Staying hydrated is vital to staying healthy and engaged during the school day. A school favorite, Stanley water bottles, achieve that. The unlimited variety of colors and styles makes it easy to find the perfect cup for individual tastes and match to other school supplies. Stanley makes it convenient and fun to hydrate throughout the day, a habit that is vital to student success. Juliet Fisher, a 9th grader said, “My Stanley has helped me build my habit of staying hydrated, especially at school, and the colors are so cute.” From music to backpacks and water bottles, trends add a sense of fun to student life, creating bonds and fueling success at Grimsley.

Renovations of Grimsley To Begin This Summer Bathrooms in Main, Vocational, and Old Science will be renovated. By Ashley Crowell February 11, 2025 Every Grimsley student knows which bathrooms to avoid, which is pretty much all of them. If anyone’s wondering, those in the cafeteria are the cleanest. While Grimsley High School is full of beautiful outdoor areas, historical buildings and unique artwork, there are some parts, like the bathrooms, that are products of its long history. However, in 2025, the school has finalized plans to address some of the most pressing needs of the school. When students of Mr. Evan Post, an English and Philosophy teacher at Grimsley, returned from winter break, they were shocked to discover the door to his classroom had moved several feet down the hallway! His door was moved to make room for the new chair lifts that are currently being installed at the foot of the stairs. These chair lifts are meant to make it easier to travel from one end of the hallway to the other for students who cannot use the stairs. “We have a growing population of students who are wheelchair bound, so we have to address that,” Principal O’Donnell said. When they saw that the ramps they had previously used were not sufficient, the administration began to look at options at the end of last year for making the 3rd floor of the main building more wheelchair accessible. Construction began on the chair lifts on January 29 and should be completed by the end of February. The next project on the list will be the long-awaited renovation of the bathrooms in the Main building, the Vocational building, and in the Old Science building. The construction will take place at the end of the school year and into the summer, to be completed in time for next school year. “It’s a simple thing; it's a bathroom. But it’s the simple things that make life easier,” Mr. O’Donnell said. Another exciting development is the construction of a new complex for baseball and softball fields. In order to make room for the new Kiser Middle School building, the former baseball and softball fields were torn down. However, after completion of the Kiser building, most likely in the summer of 2025, construction will start on the new baseball and softball fields. With the move of Brooks Global Studies to another campus, their former building site will become the Grimsley softball and baseball complex. Preliminary plans for construction are in process, and the demolition of the old Brooks building is planned for the spring of 2025. The hope is that the softball and baseball complex will be opening in the summer of 2026. These smaller renovations are not part of the large renovation of Grimsley, and as of right now there are no definite plans for that. Grimsley is #30 on the master plan for Guilford County Schools. However, the administration saw the need for the chair lifts and the bathroom renovations, and was able to find the funds for the projects. One challenge that the administration faces for any plans to renovate Grimsley is the historical nature of the school and its campus. The Old Science, Vocational, Main, and Old Cafeteria buildings are on the historical list, and so they have to be mindful when they renovate those buildings, particularly the exterior. “We’re gonna have to get the input of all stakeholders, past and present and future to make sure that we’re honoring the building, the integrity of the building, the historical nature of the building,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “We also have to make sure that it’s meeting the needs of our students, not just today, but meeting the needs of our students in 50 years and what school will look like then.”

Athlete Spotlight: Drew Mascia This Grimsley student is not only an outstanding athlete, but also a hard worker! By Kate Medina April 4, 2024 Although all of the sports offered at Grimsley are demanding, track and cross country are among the most physically rigorous. This sport is one of the most admirable to do well in, as it requires a great deal of mental fortitude and dedication. Grimsley runner Drew Mascia embodies these traits, as evidenced by her impressive times and hours of hard work. Although only a junior this year, Mascia is a top runner and has carried Grimsley to many victories already this year, including Guilford County and Metro Conference championships for girls cross country. Her many accomplishments include running a 5K in 19:11 and a mile in 5:16. To a non-runner this may not sound very fast, but to anyone who understands how hard it is to achieve those times, this is a feat deserving of respect. Despite being injured at the moment, Mascia has a successful career in track and field ahead of her, with great things to come! Q&A Q: What got you into running, and when did you start? A: I started running in middle school to get better at soccer and I hated it at first, but after a while I started to like it more. Q: What are your plans for the future regarding track and cross country? Do you plan on running in college or professionally? A: I definitely plan on running collegiately as of right now, but I’m still pretty early in my recruiting process, so I have no idea where I will end up! Q: What are your hobbies/interests outside of sports? A: I love to read and I love doing fun artsy things like painting and sewing when I have free time, but sometimes it totally feels like all I do is run and workout. Q: How are you working around being injured this year? A: Getting injured has absolutely been super challenging as it is much harder to stay motivated, and I’ve had to learn how to be patient. It isn’t an experience I would like to repeat, but I also think it has taught me a lot and reminded me the importance of having a life outside of running. Q: What are some ways you balance the demands of being a student athlete? A: Time management is something I struggle with, and it can be really hard to not procrastinate when I’m tired after practice. I usually go to bed super early and wake up early to do homework after my morning workouts so I can be more productive. Q: What do you believe are your major achievements in your sport? A: I honestly think my biggest accomplishment is just always working as hard as I can and staying focused when I just want to go home and take a nap! Q: What are your pre-game and post-game rituals/routines? A: I always have my pre-meet oatmeal in the morning before a race and I like listening to music, but I usually turn it off about 30 minutes before, so I can relax and focus on the race. Q: What are your goals for this season? A: I had a lot of exciting goals for this season before getting injured, including qualifying for states and going sub 5:10 in the mile. That has definitely shifted a little, and now I am primarily focused on being patient and getting a few healthy races in before the season is over! Mascia is committed and willing to put in the work to achieve her goals. Although being injured may have thrown a wrench in her plans, she is sure to come back stronger and better than ever!

Poet Zai'ere Watson, Photo by Kevin Massey Poets Rainey Thompson (left) and Nasir Crawford (right) Three Grimsley Poets Voted Finalists Poems by Nasir Crawford, Rainey Thompson, and Zai’ere Watson were selected in the GCS poetry competition. By Ashley Pritchett April 4, 2024 Three Grimsley students were voted finalists for their submission of poems in Guilford County Schools’ High School Poet Laureate Project. In March, judges from different schools selected Nasir Crawford, Rainey Thompson, and Zai’ere Watson after carefully considering and critically analyzing their submitted works. Crawford, a ninth grader, is one of the winning contestants of the poetry contest. He is the author of the poem “Why the Sky?” In his poem, Crawford describes his delivery of an alternate perspective of the accompanying world that we are swallowed by. Crawford depicts the stress of societal restraints as he embodies a bird flying through the wind passing the sun. “I want to fly past the sun, and see how far I can get without using my eyes.” The remainder of the poem highlights tumultuous times and the hardships of life that can result in growth, regardless of the scars left behind. Crawford describes his poem as painting a verbal visual of himself. Crawford explains how he is able to sow himself into his poetry like a seed and bloom along with the formation of the poem. Initially, he was inspired by rapper Tupac Shakur’s poem, “The Rose That Grew From Concrete”. “When I saw Tupac’s work for the first time,” said Crawford, “ideas began to flood my mind.” “I revert to poetry to indulge in the ideas that my mind creates,” said Crawford, “and I try to display those pieces into characteristics that attribute to the person I find in myself in the foundation of my poems.” “Poetry uncovers your soft spot,” said Crawford. “People see me as a big tough guy and wouldn’t expect me to write poetry, but I’m really a chill laid-back person.” Another one of the winning contestants is Rainey Thompson, a junior. She is the author of the poem, “The Flow.” In her poem, she alludes to the feeling of her mind whirling, emptied of coherent thought as if she is in a dream. “I spin around in circles, traveling along with the air, Getting caught up with the leaves.” Thompson tries to draw a picture of stillness caught in a rapture of the effects of personal emotion and its contributing attributes in her poem. “I create a pathway between dreams and nature by comparing and connecting them to capture the essence of time passing by,” she said. “For I get restless, and I find myself walking through the green fields.” Most of her poems follow a scheme that pertains to nature and dreaming. “I seek to display the feeling of going places you never may have dreamed of going,” said Thompson. “I hope to continue to write and share my works with others.” She is eagerly looking forward to the next step in the advancement of her poetry. “I’ve always loved to write, even since I was five.” Grimsley’s final winning contestant is Zai’ere Watson, a 10th grader. She is the author of the poem What is love? In her poem, she peers into the depths of limitless love. “Love is a journey, an endless quest,”she said. “I delicately unravel the presence that love takes over in our lives.” “It’s the strength to forgive, to heal the pain, to cherish the moments when two hearts remain.” Watson said she tried to take a universal emotion, capture it, and give it a story in her poem. “Love can be unspoken yet heard, it is located in the pits of our hearts and stretches out towards others like the branches of an evergreen tree,” she said. “It’s the power to uplift, to inspire and create, a love that transcends a love that’s innate.” Watson strives to redefine the meaning of love in her own way and elaborates on the mental strife that comes along with love. “I like to place specific reminders throughout my poems that remind the reader that love is found within hope and grace and that we are love,” she said. “For in the depths of love’s embrace, we find solace, hope, and grace.” Watson is able to express herself through her poems. “Writing is my safe haven. I like to go with the flow as thoughts and ideas flood my mind causing me to place pen to paper and write down my thoughts,” she said. “I like to refer to my poems as 12 a.m. poems because they’re random and I often write them at night, “ Watson said. “I hope that I am able to deliver a message to my readers that they can interpret for themselves.” Why the sky? By Nasir Crawford I wish I could fly Everyone is asking me for a reason why I wanna fly past the sun and see how far I can get without using my eyes. Why? Because I am who I am for a reason it’s no reason for me to lie I'm going to just fly as high as I can until the day I die The reason why is that there is no limit to the sky. So if there is no limit to the sky. There should be no limit in my eyes or my mind Sorry if i got off subject but some of you needed to be remind. Remember who you are you can become anything you want no matter the scars You keep moving forward because as soon as you look back that’s When everything falls apart Im not like the teachers imma tell you what it really is They keep the truth away from you just to hide you and their fears You gotta face your fears to get where you wanna be no matter if it comes to tears Now let me tell you a lil about myself And how i made it here without no help even when i had to put everything on the shelf Might be a lil cook but ion care its not for anyone else The Flow. By Rainey Thompson I spin around in circles Traveling along with the air, Getting caught up with the Leaves, Going nowhere. I search for something in the Sky, I search for something in the Stars. I land down on Jupiter And travel on to Mars. Then I catch a ride with the wind Back to earth again. I land safely on the grass… and The weather is fair. But then my bones being to ache From sitting. For I get restless, And I find myself Walking through the green fields, Searching for something else .. Somewhere. What is Love? By Zai’ere Watson In the tapestry of life, love weaves its thread, A force that’s felt, in words left unsaid. It’s a gentle touch, a warm embrace, A connection that time cannot erase. Love is a journey, and endless quest, Through highs and lows. We give our best. It’s the strength to forgive, to heal the pain, To cherish the moments when two hearts remain. Love is a language, unspoken yet heard, A symphony of emotions, no need for a word. It’s the power to uplift, to inspire and create, A love that transcends a love that’s innate. So let love guide you, on this path we share, Embrace its essence, handle it with care. For in the depths of love’s embrace, We find solace, hope, and grace.