Griffin Rites
Vol. 52, Issue 2
the Moment Moment Celebrate Celebrate the
Table of Contents Staff
Front Cover
Back Cover
"Make Me A Winner" Chloe Vaughan, 10
"Ms Sulzen's Mom in the 70's" Mallory Fee, 12
Cruz Thapa - Editor
Cheyenne Brown
Molly Bryant
Macy Goetz
Gracie Hicks
Derikka McClain-Small
Our Purpose Griffin Rites strongly supports the first amendment and opposes censorship. Freedom of expression and press are fundamental values in a democratic society. The mission of institutions committed to preparing productive citizens must include teaching these values, both by example and lesson. We welcome letters to our staff and reserve the right to edit them for length and clarity, but not to change ideas. Letters may be opinionated and argumentative, but not hostile. They must be signed and submitted to Tech 10 or mailed to "Griffin Rites Editor" at 5815 NE 48th St. Kansas City, MO 64119. Advertising space is available. Please contact Griffin Rites' editor at winnetonkanews@gmail.com for more information. Our student news program is a member of JEMKC, MIPA, and NSPA.
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"The Story" by Malik Brown "Mystic Potion" by Klaira Matko "Growing Up" by Daeri Mercer "Balloon Dog" by Raymon Gloria
"Future" by Lee Herrera
"DJ Scorpia The Fox" by Ashley Rotundo
"Dear Future Generations" by Zhamya Stenson
"Macabre Manifestation" by Carmen Klein "Zen-Yang" by Julien Harrison "Hand Lines" by Carmen Klein "Crocodile" by Cara Emerson
"Behind The Words" by Saul Lopez "Fung-Eye" by Ziona Patterson
"Pear of Oranges" by Ziona Patterson "Squash and Grapefruit" by Emely Perez
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"Putting It Behind Them" by Lee Herrera
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"Mandala" by Kaidance White "Scream" by Kaidance White
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"Egg" by Raine Rippy "Where I'm From" by Julian Eslinger
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"Tsukki" by Mallory Fee
"What's It Like At The Top Of A Tree" by Aspen Traw
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"Haiku" by Rsisiriann Kansou "Nothing To Be Done" by Mallory Fee "How To Be Beautiful" by Zorana Drakulie
"The Psycho Couple" by Shadia Abdikadir
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"Hide and Seek" by Lee Dixon "Operation" by Lee Dixon "Lonely Watch" by Saul Lopez "Skull" by Raine Rippy
"Abstract" by Haleigh Maher "Split" by Madison Tyra
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"The Story" By Malik Brown, 11 As soon as she walked in, she felt the tension. A whole house full of powerful wizards. They were all there because of what Ohito found. "Um, hello everyone," she mumbled. “GREETINGS!” the first captain shouted. The meeting was about to begin. “So is everyone ready?” the first caption asked. They all agreed. The first captain began, “Now we all know that this seems like a child named Ohito brought down the prince of Casprincea using level 5 maid magic."
As we know level 5 magic is only done by higher ups and is very dangerous. “How was your body able to handle all that power?” the third captain asked. “I don’t really know," Ohito said nervously. “It was through transformation!” the first captain continued. "She is the daughter of the demon maid, code 0012. The reason she has numbers as a name is because her name is a curse itself so I please ask if anyone will not say it” the first captain asked. They all shook their heads in agreement. Ohito suddenly passed out and fell straight to sleep. All the captains quickly attended to her. “It must be from our power” said the fourth captain. They all agreed, they decided they’ll continue the meeting at a different time.
"Mystic Potion" - Klaira Motko, 12
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"Balloon Dog" - Raymon Gloria, 10
"Growing up" By Daeri Mercer, 12 I would like to rant about growing up I guess; I am terrified I just guess I never really sat down and thought about it. Knowing I must make new of my surrounds and actually speak to get around or fit in or make an impression absolutely terrifies me to the core. I need to be okay with the fact change will be a thing.
I don’t think I’ll ever take into consideration
how hard it is being an adult, as a teen I slack, I procrastinate, and I choose not to do things that could potentially have a big meaning but as an adult doing that, I could risk losing things like my house, my car, my life if I choose to be reckless enough as an adult. As a kid, I was always told what to do, and being at an age where I can make my complete own decisions can be very terrifying. Knowing I can become reckless, I can be completely successful, or I can be middle class is utterly confusing, knowing I could act towards people however I feel is a strange feeling. Knowing I could destroy my life within a few mistakes is almost deafening.
"Future" Lee Herrera, 11
There’s something so dark about my past, something that makes me live my days like they’re my last. But it’s not the past that scares me anymore, it’s the future. I sit and ponder, What will I have to conquer, In order to get the future I desire? Maybe the gentle breeze will carry away all my worries, Forcing out the butterflies in my stomach with a quick flurry. For now I’ll sit in my window, Watching the world move by with ease.
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"Dj Scorpia The Fox" - Ashley Rotundo, 12
"Dear Future Generations" By Zhamya Stenson, 12
Dear Future Generations, The earth is literally deteriorating. I’m so sorry that when you come you will not be able to experience the peace nature brings or even get a whiff of fresh air. Due to all the air pollution, food and crops are being destroyed and becoming scarce. The lives of animals are also forsaken. When we see animals, we think of "meats," something you probably will never get a chance to experience because of the rates they are being slaughtered and eaten. You are going to be so hungry that there will be wars for food.
I’m sorry that we are so wasteful and selfish. We cut down all the trees needed to breathe so that we can own factories and become billionaires. Everything we do is typically for money. Social Media has brainwashed us into thinking that you have to be the "richest of the rich". In result we destroy the world around us.
We have tried to do some good in the world. We study, we create machines such as computers and phones that we can use to research, communicate, and navigate the things around us. But there's a downfall. The computers that we've created are smarter than the people. Technology is so powerful that it will soon run the world. There will no longer be any personal connection between people, just iPhones, laptops, and robots.
"Macabre Manifestation" Carmen Klein, 10
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"Zen-Yang" - Julien Harrison, 12
"Hand Lines" - Carmen Klein, 10
"Crocodile" - Cara Emerson, 11
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"Behind The Words" - Saul Lopez, 12
"Fung-Eye" - Ziona Patterson, 12
"Pear of Oranges" - Ziona Patterson, 12
"Squash and Grapefruit" - Emely Perez, 12
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"Putting It Behind Them" By Lee Herrera, 11
personally for the first time in his life. Come on! Let the poor Kick a man while he’s down; this saying has gotten on his nerves man recover and get up before you kick him to the ground again. But maybe he’s just projecting, these past few months have been brutal. Where should he start? His girlfriend has been in the hospital for the last two months after a severe car crash left her seriously injured and her car busted. He and his father figure, Roberto, had a falling out. Nothing explosive had taken place rather it was the cuttable, malleable disappointment he felt from him. It took his breath away like a vacuum anytime he was in the same room as him. Sucking away his breath and making his chest feel tight. If he had an inhaler, he’d be puffing it every time they made eye contact. His mother was pressuring him to make up with Roberto, but he didn’t know how he was supposed to do that. He was worried enough about his girlfriend and her recovery which seemed to him to be moving like molasses despite the doctors insisting she was recovering faster than expected. He hasn’t talked to her in two months even though he visits her every day. He missed her laughter and the way she lightheartedly teases him for being such a worrywart. He tries not to think about her absence too much but it’s an attempt done in vain. And now the friend whose betrayal had stung like deep scratches and chapped skin doused in a jar’s worth of hand sanitizer was calling him up with promises of having changed and wanting to deliver a heartfelt apology. More than part of him was skeptical. Somehow his mother had found out about his friend reaching out despite him only telling his close friends and sister. She was thrilled that her son’s social circle was expanding and encouraged him to accept the invitation to meet up. He forced a smile on his face and carried himself a little taller. Faking the confidence that he didn’t feel, he squashed down the nerves fluttering in his stomach as he approached the address Vance text him. He lifted a slightly shaking finger as he rang the doorbell. Breathing slowly in and out during what couldn’t have been more than 20 seconds before the door opened, his friend’s form filling the door space. They made eye contact before Vance’s face split into a smile, one that he mirrored with less enthusiasm and a bit of hesitation. “Come on in, I haven’t seen you in so long. You look the same as when I last saw you,” Vance said eagerly, as he ushered him inside. Vance started making pleasantries asking the typical “How’ve you been,” “What’s been going on with you,” etc. He quickly cut him off from the overdone and awkward pleasantries that only made the experience dreadful. “You said you have something you wanted to tell me?” he prompted. “I wanted to see you in person to apologize for what I did in high school; you were always an amazing friend to me, and I can’t say I was the same to you,” Vance spilled out. He didn’t say anything for a while the silence becoming a bit uncomfortable until finally, Vance muttered “I don’t expect you to forgive me or anything I just wanted to try to make amends,” awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “Are you just wanting my forgiveness, or do you want to rebuild our friendship?” he pondered aloud gently posing the question. “I’d love for us to be friends again I just didn’t want to pressure you into anything,” Vance blurted out. “I think I’d like to work on becoming friends again,” he calmly admitted. They both shared a smile and talked a bit more, both timidly dancing around the other, afraid to damage the delicate balance of their renewed relationship. As he drove away and Vance’s smiling form disappeared into the background, he felt a weight lift from his chest as they had buried the past and above the grave of the betrayal, they planted a small seed where he was hopeful their relationship could regrow from.
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"Mandala" - Kaidance White, 11
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"Scream" - Kaidance White, 11
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"Egg" - Raine Rippy, 10
"Where I'm From" By Julian Eslinger, 12
I am from the toy John Deer tractor on the floor, from my bicycle and chain moving down the grass hill. I am from the broken down ruckus of a home and the sunburnt blue window shutters that sat peacefully on the sides of the windows.
I am from the green power box we all sat on, whose walls were too tall to climb up onto by myself, and vibrated with electricity. I am from the power wheel we would pull on a rope behind a car From Eslinger and Smith
I am from the outgoing and athletic side And from the social butterfly within me From the short side of humanity.
I am from the royal knights and German emperors From beef tips and noodles and tomato macaroni, From successful farms, And from the blood, sweat, and tears given to be successful, Wanting to play football for the NECO Raiders. I am from those moments of the broken-down ruckus of a home, And the sunburnt blue window shutters that sat peacefully on the sides of the windows.
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"Tsukki" - Mallory Fee, 12
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"What's It Like at the Top of a Tree?" Aspen Traw, 12 What’s It like at the top of a tree? To be able to see all you can see? What’s it like to fly like a bird? To never be seen, But always be heard? To take to the wind, And glide through the sky. What is it like to really fly? What is it like at the top of a tree? This question has always puzzled me. Defying all laws of gravity. What is it like to truly be free?
"Haiku" Rsisiriann Kansou, 9 The feeling of trees moving in the peaceful wind and leaves falling down
-Photo by Molly Bryant, 11
"How To Be Beautiful" By Zorana Drakulic, 12 When I was a child, the concept of my appearance never crossed my mind. I was never worried about how I looked, let alone how other people look. I judged people based off how nice they were and if they were fun to play with, nothing else. I constantly find myself missing the simplicity of childhood, the time before Instagram and TikTok ran my life along with everybody else’s. Now, at 18 years old, I find myself in my room with my face glued to my phone. Mindlessly scrolling through social media, analyzing the pictures of the women with BBL’s and boob jobs, comparing myself to them. In the back of my mind, I know that these beauty standards are completely unrealistic and that these women literally went under the knife to look the way they do, and profoundly edit their photos on top of that, but I still can’t help but think to myself, “Why not me?”.
"Nothing To Be Done" - Mallory Fee, 12
But then I realized, I don’t need to meet the standards of the internet to be classified as beautiful because beauty is more than what meets the eye. You can look “perfect” but that doesn’t make you a beautiful person if you’re ugly on the inside. The most beautiful people I know are that because of who they are, not because of their facial structure, what they wear, or their size. Nobody is perfect, and nobody should feel pressured to change themselves because of what they see online. It’s not real.
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"The Psycho Couple" By Shadia Abdikadir, 11
It was a dark and stormy night. It was a dark and stormy night when lightning struck, and I woke up from my sleep sweating xsand breathing heavily from a dream. I looked to the side and saw my boyfriend sleeping peacefully like a baby, but I knew once he woke up all hell would break loose. I got up and went downstairs into the kitchen to get a glass of water. I went back upstairs into bed because I had school tomorrow. I was a senior in college. The next morning, I got up from Leo yelling "Get up Jasmine and go make me breakfast. Stop sleeping and being lazy and get up," he said as he pulled the blanket off me. “Calm down Leo it's only 6:00 am and class doesn't start till 8:00 am." I roll my eyes. I got up brushed my teeth, took a shower, and got dressed. Then suddenly I heard a glass break and Leo screaming "JASMINE GET DOWN HERE." I hurriedly put my hair up in a ponytail then rushed down the stairs to see Leo glaring at me and I looked at the ground and saw a plate broken into pieces. "What happened Leo?" I asked "What happened is I told you to put the dishes away last night and you didn't, and look what happens. A plate break? Like, are you that useless to do anything right!" I was annoyed already since he was yelling at me and I'm starting my morning like this. Suddenly, I was on the ground with my hand touching my cheek because Leo slapped me. "The next time you roll your eyes I won't just slap you," Leo said and walked away from me and left the house slamming the door. I wasn't even crying because I was used to his beating since we've been dating for about four months now and I just can't wait till karma hits him in the gut. I arrived at school and saw the bad boy, Min, leaning against the lockers with his earbuds in listening to music until he looked up. We make eye contact and I looked away quickly, then speed walked to my first class. It was the same old lesson that we learned yesterday so I put my head down on my desk and went to dreamland. I was suddenly woken up by someone kicking my desk from behind me and I turned around to see Leo saying, "Pay attention to the lesson Jasmine before the teacher catches you sleeping." I nodded my head and turned back to the front, paying attention. It was lunch and I was sitting with Leo and his friends eating and while they were talking, I was looking around the cafeteria and saw Min staring at me. He winked at me and walked out the cafeteria room. School was over and Leo was driving us back home. When Leo and I got home, I changed my clothes and started on my homework while Leo went into his gaming room. "He's always in that room playing those stupid games and forgetting he has a whole girlfriend here. Ugh, I'm over it." After finishing my homework, I started on dinner and Leo came out and we both ate together without saying a word to each other. After eating, I cleaned the dinner and put them away so he doesn't scream at me again. Suddenly, I heard Leo scream and I ran to him until I was hit in the head from the back that knocked me out and see pitch black. I was woken by Leo screaming and opened my eyes to see him in front of me getting hit by punches by a masked man. I groaned and the masked man stopped punching Leo to turn around to look at me. "Ahh your finally awake. My men didn't hit you that hard, did they? If they did just tell me and I'll handle them for you." I looked at the masked man wondering who he is and if he could have read my mind, he took off his mask that surprised Leo and me. "Min?! What are you doing! Why did you do this-" before I could finish my sentence, he interrupted me and said, "Oh quit the act Jasmine and show your true self to your so-called boyfriend." I laughed and smiled and said, "Okay, I'll stop but untie me right now." Min untied me and I kissed him. I stopped to look at Leo and he said, "What the hell is this Jasmine, and what's going on?" "What's going on is you're going to get punished for what you did to Jasmine," said Min. I smiled and nodded my head "And if you are wondering how long me and Min been together. Min and I have been together for about four years now and it's our anniversary today." "Enough with the chit chat babe and let's go before our jet leaves." "But what about Leo?" I asked Min. "The guards will make him suffer and punish him for what he did to you for the last four months." I smiled at Min and waved at Leo while walking and saying, "Bye loser, and have a great life if only you get out of here alive." I say as I laugh. As I was walking away I heard Leo screaming and it brought joy to my ears.
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"Hide and Seek" By Lee Dixon, 12
When I was 4
Oliolioxinfree.
My dad left me for someone else to find.
He said, “Let's play a game.”
He said, “You hide, and I’ll come find you.”
My dad said we were gonna play a game.
He said, “We're gonna have fun.”
He usually let me pick
I don’t find this fun anymore, Dad.
This time, he chose hide and seek
When the door finally opened
He told me to hide first.
I saw dad.
I knew all the best places to hide.
His eyes were bloodshot
My favorite one was in the basement.
He smelled of skunk
The bathroom closet in the basement.
He had given up on discovering me long ago.
Dad and I agreed on 60 seconds.
Dad told me to play in my room.
He would count to 60, while I hid.
Not long after I shut the door
I heard him get to 32
I heard a thump.
When my foot hit the bottom stair.
I wanted to know what it was
After 35 I stopped hearing him count.
I tried to push my door open.
But I thought I was just too far away to hear.
It wouldn't move
I heard the squeaky floorboard.
Dad said not to worry about it.
Then I heard the door to the basement click shut.
He would fix it.
The door locked when it shut.
Until then just play a game.
I ran back up the stairs,
Banging on the door.
It took him 15 hours to fix it.
I peed on my bed.
Dad, let me in!
Oliolioxinfree!
Please let me out.
Dad, I don’t want to play anymore!
I promise I won't bother you.
Oliolioxinfree!
Dad, please.
I don’t want to play your games anymore!
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"Operation" By Lee Dixon, 12 When I was 8 My mom left me for the surgeons. Mom brought home a strangelooking man one day She said he wanted to play Operation with me. But I didn’t want to play with him, He looked funny. He brought me to mom’s bedroom. I wondered why we couldn't play in the living room, But I didn't want to say anything. He kinda scared me. He didn’t go to the closet, where all our games were. But he did lock the door. Then he appointed me to the bed. Mom used to yell at me when I talked in Operation, “I have to concentrate. Don’t make a sound!” He crawled on top of me
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I wanted to scream. Let him know I don’t like this. Tweezers cold rubbing against my skin Broken bones, broken wishes, broken hearts I don’t need you putting bread in my basket. My knees aren't supposed to lock like this These butterflies have sharp wings Once he was done with our game, He left. I’m not a rubber band. I won't bounce back. My only wish Is to find a way to put back these Scattered pieces. No more life-long secrets No more Operation I don’t want to play your games anymore!
All I could think was X… Please X… Stop X... you can’t touch me there The cold mattress beneath me Pressing against my skin Felt more like a surgical table.
Lonely Watch - Saul Lopez, 12
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"Lonely Watch" - Saul Lopez, 12
"Skull" - Raine Rippy, 10
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"Abstract" - Haileigh Maher, 10
"Split" - Madison Tyra, 10