LITERARY

MAGAZINE

North Lawndale College Prep Charter High School Chicago, Illinois

2

Bye-Bye Haters 4 Jonathan Miller An Angel on the Warfield 5 Demetria Howard Eyes 7 Johnique Lowe A Spring Gave Me “Life” 8 La’Niece Wilbourn-Cooper If Only I Had a Magical Wand 11 Larrinita Starks Ad Infinitive Control 12 Amber Boyd Hood Springs 13 Annquinette Rice The Beginning of a New Life 15 Latisha Steel Love Without a Heart 17 Anthony Culp Realistic Magic 18 Tashay Slater

Eleven Word Apostrophes

Daphne Coats 5 Francisco Gamino 6 Tiara Wiggins 6 Kendra Greene 7 LaThomas Strong 9 Jenell Clyde 10 Shana Carless 10 Lakeshia Boyd 12 Kenneth Reyes 13 Denzel Johnson 14 Deznick Ellis 14 Brian Clay 16 Marcus Molette 16 Tania Tribble 19 Katrina Pipes 20 Veronica Williams 20 Marcelle Becton 21 Write Your Own 22

Cover art

Ramon Campos ‘11

3

PROMPT 1: Write a piece that

incorporates “SPRING” — spring

the season, spring the verb, spring the object,

or any other symbolic/metaphorical meaning of the word.

PROMPT 2: Take a problem that exists in your community or in the

world at large and imagine a supernatural, fantastical, or magical solu-

tion.

The shorter writing inter-

spersed throughout this magazine represents the winners of

the school-wide Eleven Word Apostrophe Contest. While also one of the

most misused punctuation marks in the English language, the apostrophe

is the name of a rhetorical device used by everyone from the Ancient

Greeks to Shakespeare (and now North Lawndale College Prep students)!

An apostrophe is a direct emotional appeal to an absent person or a per-

sonified object, place, or idea. (To “personify” something is to treat it as if

it were able to listen and respond.) This spring, almost every member of

the NLCP community wrote their own apostrophe in only eleven words.

This is just a sampling…

Ok...so what were the prompts for the contest?

And what‟s this “apostrophe” thing about? I thought they were those

upside-down comma things...

These stories and poems represent the

winners of NLCP’s Spring Writing Contest. All students were

invited to submit their best writing in response to two prompts, and

the best of the best were chosen by the NLCP Peer Writing Coaches.

So where does all this writing come from?

4

BYE-BYE HATERS By Jonathan Miller „10 Runner Up | Christiana Campus

Who cares about gang violence, teen pregnancy, or the recession? I know I don’t! The biggest problem is haters. Everybody has a few people that envy or hate on them. This is crazy! Why do people hate on other people? All they have to do is get like that person. There’s a fa-mous saying: if you can’t beat them, join them. That’s exactly what these haters should start doing. As a matter of fact, it is now mandatory for you to stop hating. For people that don’t like to follow instructions, I have some-thing in store for you.

As a result of being hated on everywhere you go, my solution will be there also. I’m going to call it “Haterproof.” Every convenience store, corner store, liquor store, grocery store, and clothing store will have my drink. For those hating on my drink, I feel sorry for you. For simple individuals who still decide that they’re going to hate, you are going to be in big trouble. There is a satellite in space that I’m connected with, and it has a hater radar. It shows me all the haters in any area I want to know about. If I still sense people are hating and people don’t want to drink my “Haterproof,” all you haters are in trouble. I’m going to get rid of you. The world will be better without you anyway, but I was trying to give you a chance to live.

I’m going to put a gas in the air. I didn’t want to do it, but if haters aren’t cooperating with my plan, I’m going to drop my hater gas in the air. I know this might sound a bit cruel, but believe me: the hater gas won’t harm everybody, just the haters. It will kill you all! The world will now be hater free.

Finally, everyone will be able to be themselves without having to worry about what the next man/woman thinks about them. I will be richer than before because of the profits from my “Haterproof” drink. The world will just be a better place all because of me and the new non-hating at-mosphere. Jonathan Miller plus “Haterproof” plus the hater gas equals no haters in the world at all. I know everyone will love this. But save the ap-plause; you can thank me at the crossroads. I did it for me; you guys are just lucky. “Don’t hate, participate!”

5

AN ANGEL ON THE WARFIELD By Demetria Howard „11 Winner | Christiana Campus

Bang! Bang! Bang! Three bullets pierced through my

flesh. Blood started to flow from my body like a running faucet. The

pain was unbearable, and my life started to flash before my eyes: my

8th grade graduation, my first bike, and my high school graduation that

I didn’t make it to see. “The light” was so bright and tempting. It whis-

pered my name sweetly, calling me to The World of No Troubles. I

walked into the light not even thinking about what I left behind. I made

it to a beautiful place that was sunny all the time. In The World of No

Troubles there was a glass globe full of troubles.

This glass globe was a collage of lifeless faces. It showed all gun

violence victims after they were killed. I looked into the globe, and there

was my body lying lifeless. Who would want to kill me? I didn’t do any-

thing to anyone. I just kept to myself and I was a strong believer in

peace. Looking closely at the bullets that had shot me, there was a name

on the bullets. In The World of No Troubles, bullets did have names, but

sometimes innocent people were caught in the crossfire. The name on the

bullets wasn’t mine; these bullets were meant for someone else. While

watching the globe, I was overwhelmed by the lives being taken by gun

violence. I couldn’t sit and watch this happen any longer. I decided

to go into the real world and take actions.

Justice, O justice, when will you come out of your hiding? Daphne Coats „11

6

O graffiti, why do people misinterpret you as violence to communities? Francisco Gamino „13

A man with a twenty-two caliber rifle aimed at a woman he

thought had stolen his money. The gunmen held the gun so tightly I

knew his intentions to shoot were strong, but my intentions for him not to

shoot were even stronger. I whispered repeated words into his ear:

“Don’t shoot; it’s not worth it.” I started to send pictures through his

mind. Pictures of his children, of the victim’s children, faces of the 1,036

gun homicides in Chicago alone, and I even showed him how his life

would be behind bars. I never gave up; I kept drilling the words into

his head, and each time his hand started to loosen. I kept repeating the

words until they became a chant. His hand trembled from the sincerity

of my words, and then suddenly the gun hit the ground. The gunmen

stood there in a deep trance wondering why he was going to kill this

woman. He spoke softly telling the woman she was free to go. I had

saved a life, and if I could sit in The World of No Troubles and wish

that things were perfect, I

would. But until then, I am an

angel on the Warfield.

Little whispering mouths,

why can‟t you say your words out loud?

Tiara Wiggins „11

7

He watches me as I sleep to make sure every dream

comes true. His pupils dilate as soon as he sees the beautiful sight of

me, leaving the meibomian glands dry. Spring, his eye lids are wide

open so that the April weather could stimulate the nature of his dry

eyeballs. Spring, his love comes around just as the seasons, but only

around my heart and faster. Spring, how bright can I be when in his

eyes the cornea and sun disguises me? He watches me as I sleep to

make sure every dream comes true. When the afternoon gives way to

night, his eyes rest for the long next day ahead. The longer the days,

the longer he looks in my eyes and then I awake to him in my face. His

eyes are brown like the trunk of a tree laying in the green grass. Eve-

ryday he fixes his mouth to say he loves me, but I already know be-

cause his eyes tell it all. He watches me as I sleep to make sure my

every dream comes true. My dream is to belong to him for the rest of

my life. Beautiful as his eyes may make him, he always sees a picture

of me. Curious, he covers his eyes only to imagine that I’m there in his

arms. Spring, here the weather couldn’t be any better. The high winds

are pushing north east, pushing you this way which signifies the love

between us. I hope he sees me in his future when he covers his eyes

and imagines. Whatever you say might not be true, but eyes don’t lie.

EYES By Johnique Lowe „11 Winner | Collins Campus

Hey! You there, don‟t follow what they are doing; be yourself.

Kendra Greene „13

8

A SPRING GAVE ME “LIFE” By La‟Niece Wilbourn-Cooper „12 Winner | Christiana Campus

Springs. Ugh, what’s so good about springs? Springs

are what put me in jail for life. Of course it sounds weird, doesn’t it?

Springs, putting me in jail. Let’s go back to the beginning. My name is

Brad Columbo. I have been working the same job for 12 years now. To

tell you the truth this shit is really beginning to get on my first and last

nerve. My boss, Tom Roman asks me to do everything: “Brad, file these

papers. Brad, have this report in to me by 6:00 a.m. Brad, get me some

coffee. Not from here in the office; go all the way down to the nice and

clean Starbucks not the crappy, filthy one. If you go to the wrong one, I

can tell.”

The thing is that for the last eight years, I’ve been spitting in his

coffee and he hasn’t noticed yet. Lately I’ve been slacking off and I

have noticed it, but I am wondering if he has noticed it. When he tells me

to file papers, I put them in the shredder and say that I never received

them. When he tells me to have a report turned in, I play sick and I don’t

come in that day so he can give it to someone else. And about the cof-

fee, well you know already. Then one day Mr. Roman called me into his

office. He said, “I’ve been trying my best to keep you here, but you

doing more and more to make me do this…I’m sorry, but Brad, YOU’RE

FIRED!” I stood there in the middle of his huge office. I didn’t say or do

anything for ten minutes, trying to get those words through my head.

Once I snapped out of it, security was hauling my ass out of there and

he was telling me to pack my shit and get out. Once I got to the crap

shack I call home, there was a board across my door and a letter nailed

to it, and this letter read: Dear tenant of apartment 2a, You have 6 days to pay your rent, and if your money is not handed to me by April 15th 2010, your ass will be out of here faster than bees on sugar... Sincerely, Roberto Recas

9

I went into my pocket for my keys, opened my door, and went

under the board into my “humble abode”. I threw down the box of

things that I had stolen from the office and went rummaging through

the refrigerator for my next meal. I found nothing so I went to the

bathroom and looked through the cabinet. I figured if I took some pills

it would knock me out and make me forget about being hungry. So I

took every pill that I found and washed them down with some tequila. I

went over to the couch and lay down.

When I awoke, I was in this luxurious place lying on this huge bed.

I got up to go find out where I was and I got cut by a spring sticking

out of the side of the bed. I thought nothing of it at the moment. I con-

tinued on through this place until I got hungry. I walked and walked

looking for the kitchen, and then there it was. The kitchen was the size

of my apartment.. I went in and grabbed something to eat, then I was

on my way, until I saw a trail of blood on the wall. I followed the trail

until I saw this gruesome crime. My boss, Mr. Roman, had been mur-

dered. Suddenly I vomited up that meal I had just eaten. Then I real-

ized there was blood on my clothes and underneath my fingernails. I

left out of there quickly so no one would think it was me. I went back to

my apartment and took a two-hour shower. When I got out of the

shower, I burned those clothes that I had on and sat there on the piss-

stained couch that came with the place, thinking, How could I? Did I

really do this? What if I get caught? I slept for hours, then I awoke to

someone beating on my door.

Death, you walk around when the wrong person is near you. LaThomas Strong „11

10

I walked over to the door and looked through the peephole; it

was only Roberto Recas. Wait, Roberto Recas! I didn’t have the rent

money! He yelled through the door: Get your ass out here Brad. I

opened the door and the police came bursting in. They told me that I

was under arrest for the murder of Tom Roman. I said they couldn’t

prove that I murdered anyone. They said my jacket was left at the

crime scene with my ID in the pocket. I couldn’t think of another lie until

this flew out of my mouth: “I left my jacket in my boss’s car after he

brought me home.” Then they saw the cut on my leg from the bed-

spring. They took a blood sample and got the results right on the spot,

then compared it to the one found on the scene, and instantly took me

to jail. They told me that I was going to be spending the rest of my life

in jail. Was it worth it? Maybe a little, because now I don’t have to live

in that crap shack of a house, I don’t have to pay for it, and food is

free — not good, but free! But then again, I probably would have

done what I was supposed to do at work, or would I? But the part that I

am still stuck on is that the reason I am spending life in here is because

of a spring!

What you did to me was a crime...cold case love. Shana Carless „11

O trials, tribulations, pain, and heartache, you‟ve made me the strongest.

Jenell Clyde „11

11

IF ONLY I HAD A MAGICAL WAND By Larrinita Starks „13 Runner Up | Collins Campus

I often wish I could solve problems around with the help of magic The racism, the violence, and all other sorts of tragic Situations nowadays seem so impossible to solve The way we live, the things we do, through which our community revolves I have this image, a supernatural feeling inside To bring joy to every heart, and every eye that once has cried With this magic wand I’ll create an outstanding, fantastical scene It will be a magical solution to everyone’s fairy tale dream I’ll point my wand inside of every parent’s heart And reward them for such independence and for being the person that

they are I’ll point to every teenager that’s being hurt and abused Not everyone’s perfect; we’re not all built to fit each others’ shoes. I’ll point to every teenage boy and gangster wannabe And teach them life’s much more then money, drugs, girls, and being in

these streets I’ll point to every girl who’s learning everything else but their books And show them their knowledge and personality should not be judged off

of their looks I’ll point to this world and start a new communication Aim at a different location Then turn the radio station Come back to this nation And build a new generation I’ll point at everything on earth my magical wand would be allowed I’ll point at every parent so that their lesson will be passed down to a

child Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic wand to help solve these problems So we as a community have to be in control of how we’re evolving.

12

AD INFINITIVE CONTROL By Amber Boyd „11 Runner Up | Christiana Campus

Strong fiery winds of fury grasp the ledges of my feet, preventing me

from moving. I can’t seem to shake them off as these winds take total

control of me. I pray to the sun god asking for the winds to ease; yet I

get nothing in response. I’m continuously dragged from dirt to mud

puddle to dog shit to… Is it never ending? The first step… BUMP, all

my memory feels at loss. Second, then the third, THRUSH… The only

word I could think of was “ouch”, and then the rains hit me. The rain

poured and hailed piercing every vessel of my body. It began to snow,

then again the weather changed. I can’t seem to understand the

changes… I’m inside. I’m constantly pierced, riddled, shamed with the

pain of… temperature. I’m alone, depressed and without you. Who

shall I run to; who will soothe the trickling pain, help bring that smile to

mother nature, quiet this devastating storm? Sunshine is needed, time

for the rain to be deserted. Life is beginning to drift off in wonder, as

if it’s thinking deep thoughts. Flowers fail to bloom in my life as if

global warming has dictated time. There’s no sunshine to brighten up

the hail, bring the memory back. What’s for me to look forward to

when drought keeps me from remembering the past, spring? This soul

shall now die and rest in quiet peace and harmony. The memory has

rekindled. Is the puzzle really completed? The flower within begins to

bloom. Shall I call it spring?

Fathers, you play hide and seek, but are never found. Lakeshia Boyd „13

13

Heaven locked me out,

But I opened up the gates again.

I’m done wit sin,

Which is hard in this city I’m in.

It’s pad and pen,

It’s school or Cook County Pen.

How to win?

In Chicago, too many caskets.

The first week of April alone,

More funerals than Easter baskets.

Any question just ask it!

HOOD SPRINGS By Annquinette Rice „11 Winner | Collins Campus

Like how can u just grab a gun and blast it,

Take somebody’s life and not think to unmask it?

I mean think about the family, was he a good kid?

Anything in common wit half the stuff u did?

If so, why u deserve to live and not them?

Chicago is getting stupid, people shooting on a whim.

I mean a rose needs a stem

To be a beautiful flower,

So I think we should all stand above this like the Sears Tower.

Every hour,

Families giving teary showers,

All because some people out here were clearly cowards.

World, so full of life so why are we all dying? Kenneth Reyes „11

14

Lethal weapon, why must you throw away so many innocent lives? Deznick Ellis „11

Sun, you shine when there is no light in my life. Denzel Johnson „12

All scared of a fat lip,

So they grabbed the whole crew came back and set trip.

Momma’s hearts rip,

And it never stops because people go wild;

The worst thing to a parent is burying their child.

This goes unfiled.

Police ain’t doing shit,

Only time they around is if a cop is hit.

So is 911 really worth the call?

I don’t know about them,

but I’m above violence y’all.

15

THE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE By Latisha Steel „11 Runner Up | Collins Campus

I once tried to be a hero of my surroundings, the hero of my people, and the hero of the world.

I was once that boy who was against all evil but now I’ve joined the evil. I watched it, I tried to stop it, I was influenced by it, I’ve joined it, and

now I perform it.

I was good in my books, but now my books are closed. Showed up to class before time, now I barely show up. Barely got noticed because of my silence, and then got noticed for violence. My fighting everyday pushed me out of school and I began to I seek my

mother for guidance.

My mom came first in my life then, now I never see her. She tried to be there for me, but told me all the wrong things. She tried to raise me better, but I’m only worse than her. She left marks on me when I was at the age that I couldn’t defend myself. I’m grown now and no more bruises are shown upon me; they show upon my mother’s face. No longer do I fight and argue with her; I’ve just moved on to better love.

I once had a lover, but then my love for her turned into hate. I used to touch her softly with passion; now my fist collides with her face

with rage. I feel no remorse as I grab her with all the anger I have within my body. I pound on her to let her experience my pain. One day I didn’t stop; my motions just kept beating against her and her tears kept dripping. I stopped at the drop of blood that ran down her face. I ran off, leaving her there, and moved on to a new experience, the

16

streets. The streets were all I had. The streets schooled me, raised me, gave me love, and then deceived me. I began to look for money, and then greed took over me. I stole, made, and killed for money in the streets. I killed innocent people, my people, and the people I was after. Nothing was getting in my way until that night the script was flipped. In my home I was robbed, shot, and left on the floor alone lying in my own blood, and I couldn’t Move on.

I laid there with nothing but thoughts of how I lost everything. I lost my intelligence, my family, and my love. Now unable to breathe any longer, I have lost my life. I wouldn’t say the streets killed me; I would say I ended my own life.

I experienced school, family, domestic, and street violence. After taking my last breath, I admitted to my mistakes and wrong doings. When it was time for me to leave I saw it, I spoke to it, and it helped me. This beautiful angel came down to earth to give me a message. He told me it wasn’t my time and he then erased everything bad that had

ever happened to me. I started as a child again; no one remembers anything but me. I was given a second chance and now I will move on and make the right

decisions. As an individual, I can warn others not to do the things I did. Their lives could be at risk, and I could make a change for the world by

doing my part first.

O public transit, why do you smell like old fish stick? Brian Clay „12

O refrigerator, how you stopped the earthquake in my stomach. Marcus Molette „11

17

LOVE WITHOUT A HEART By Anthony Culp „11 Runner Up | Christiana Campus

We met through a mutual friend. Searching through valleys and mountains,

Seeking for love and love again. It seemed that we had only run into dead ends.

We had no idea what paths we would encounter until we let love in.

You taught me patience as I awaited your advent. I dreaded the acquaintance of your sister.

For she is bleak and all of dreary.

But I waited. And waited. The showers in April were tears that tumbled down my cheek.

As I waited… and waited.

For the love you’d bring. The love that made the flowers’ petals blossom

as big as the palm of my hand. The love that made the earth’s heart enriched with profuse mineral.

And that was why I waited and waited. For your love to come to me.

Now that you’re here, It is clear what love truly is.

Love is not forever. So let’s cherish the moment.

For it lasts only a while, until you leave the next season.

Your time has come. Your time has passed.

Who knew that this would be last the time we’d ever see love again.

Love without a heart is like Spring without a sunset.

18

Adonis is 16 years old and trying to make it in the world. Adonia, his oldest sister, provides for Adonis, but Adonis thinks that he’s getting too old for Adonia to have to care and provide for him. Living in the roughest neighborhood besides Englewood is crazy. Adonia dropped out of school to take care of Adonis when she was 14. She now dances at a strip club called “Kingdom.” While being persuaded to become more than the average male, Adonis wishes he had magical powers to escape this place called life.

Scene 3: (Adonia cleans up the house right after Adonis leaves for school and gets online to look up some G.E.D. classes that she can take. Afterwards she starts to get dressed to head to the Kingdom for a dark night of hard work. Seeing Adonia pull up in front of the club, Trey instantly walks over to her car to try to spit his game.)

Trey: Damn shorty, I must say Hov must’ve did his thing when you was in the womb! Adonia: Trey please, get the hell on! Every time you see me you always trying to holla and spit yo lame ass game. But every time I send you clean dead off! Trey: I’m sorry, Adonia I just like you so much and I really want to take you out on a date. Somewhere special, not to the chicken shack, because I know you deserve more than the average chick. Adonia: Maybe! Tonight, I just might let you treat me to some early morn-ing breakfast right after I leave this shit hole. (Looking at the club as if she was about to regurgitate.) Trey: Okay, that would be nice! (Trey planned to take her to Red Lobster, and then to the finest hotel. Trey already knew what time it was. He had been dying to sleep with Adonia. Being that he was diagnosed with AIDS a year ago, he had decided to stop having sex for a while and study upon his new unwanted disease.)

REALISTIC MAGIC By Tashay Slater „11 Runner Up | Collins Campus

19

In Scene Four, Adonis and his friend Amillion walk home from school. While in a conversation about the fight that had taken place in school, Adonis notices an elderly man walking in the alley with a colorful bag. The elderly man puts the colorful bag behind a dumpster and suspiciously leaves. Adonis asks Amillion if she saw what has just taken place, and Amillion says yes. Adonis and Amillion enter the alley and grab the bag. Adonis opens the bag to find a black and white wand. Adonis exits the alley thinking that maybe his wish did come true – maybe he does have magical powers that can help him escape.

Scene 5: (Adonia leaves the club and meets up with Trey at her car.)

Adonia: Oh my feet are so sore! (Rubbing her feet.) Trey: It’s cool, shorty. I’ll rub yo feet, yo’ back, and so on. It’s whatever when it comes down to a beauty queen like yourself. I don’t mind doing nothing at all. Whatever you want in life from me you can have without asking, baby. Adonia: Trey, that was so sweet, but I don’t need nothing from you or any other man. I just need a friend that can understand what I’m going through and be there for me. Trey: Damn boo; it ain’t even got to be like that. (Looking sincere.) I just want to be your man, your friend, and your helping hand. Adonia: I’m sorry, Trey. I’m just tired and I need a massage and a hot bath. Trey: Well, follow me and I can lead you to all your desires. Just let me be the one you need. Adonia: (Giving in to Trey’s mischievous ways.) Okay Trey. I would really like that. Better yet, love it. Back at the hotel room, Trey runs hot bath water for Adonia and orders

room service. In all he spent over seven hundred dollars. Trey

Love, why do you make it hard to see the truth? Tania Tribble „13

20

wanted Adonia more than ever. He didn’t want to hurt her. He had grown on to talking to her about life and future preferences, but it was ordered that he do as he was told to do. As Adonia comes out of the bath room, Trey gives her a nice massage and starts to kiss her romantically. His hands then roam to her lower body and Trey loses his composure. Trey lets what’s about to happen, just happen. No turning back now.

Scene 6: (Adonia and Trey wake up from a night full of pleasure and pain.)

Adonia: Trey, I had a great night! Trey: Yea, I know you did, but I really need to tell you something. Adonia: Tell me? I mean it can’t be that bad right? (Smiling and breaking Trey’s concentration.) Trey: I want to tell you that I want to see more of you, and I really think that you and I can become more than friends. Don’t you think? Adonia: Yes, Trey, I believe so!

In Scene Seven, Adonia calls Trey to see if they can schedule another date, but Trey says that he’s too busy. Adonia doesn’t get mad, but she does get a little upset by the tone of Trey’s voice. Trey feels different. He really enjoyed what happened between Adonia and him, but he was on a mission. Adonia then hangs up the phone and visits her doctor only to find out that she has contracted HIV. Adonia contacts Adonis and tells him

College, you don‟t have long to wait. I‟ll be there soon! Katrina Pipes „12

O colleges, can‟t you lower your tuition for me: please. Veronica Williams „11

21

the news. Adonis soothes his sister by telling her that God is on their side, and they’ll live through the stormiest weather.

Scene 8: Adonia: I’m sorry this ever happened. All I wanted to find was a good man and a happy ever after ending. Adonis: It’s okay, sis. I’m going to take care of you. (Adonis reaches in his bag and pulls the wand out.) Adonia: Adonis, what is that? This isn’t a joke! I’m actually sick, and you want to play around with a wand. Adonis: Listen, sis, I can make the pain go away. Just with this and a few magical words. Adonia: Well let me see this happen! (Being sarcastic.) Since you know so much, Adonis. Amillion: Adonia, he knows what he’s talking about. Adonia: Whatever! Adonis: (Works his magic and says his secret words and hopes that his magic wand worked.) Okay, I’m done now! In about two weeks go see your doctor. Adonia visits the doctor in two weeks and finds out that she isn’t diagnosed with HIV. She’s shocked because the doctor has the test results in her hand stating that Adonia was in fact diagnosed with HIV. Adonia sheds tears and calls Adonis thanking him and telling that she now believes. Adonia eventually stopped working at Kingdom and got a real job after receiving her G.E.D. Adonis and Amillion got engaged and went to Georgetown while Adonia got an internship. She will soon be given two hundred thousand dollars. Life is going great for each of them, and Adonis had his magic wand mounted up on his wall.

Success, you belong to many; but can we, will we, marry? Marcelle Becton „10

22

Publication designed by Ms. Nora Gross with additional editing by Ms. Nathalie Lagerfeld

Write your own Eleven Word Apostrophe here!

23

The writing contests and the Phoenix Fire Literary

Magazine are sponsored by the NLCP Writing Centers. We seek to promote writing throughout the school.

We see writing as communicative, collaborative, and powerful. Peer Writing Coaches are trained to

support their fellow students in the writing process and promote a school-wide culture of writing

through projects like this.

The Writing Contests were judged by…

CHRISTIANA CAMPUS

A’shante’wa Aprilheart ’12 Marcelle Becton ‘10

April Birge ‘10 Angela Brown ‘10

Miriah Burns ‘12 Dimitri Crittle ‘11

Anthony Culp ‘11 Destaney Davis ‘10

Cadavian Dean ‘10 Mikita Lee ‘11

Quartney Taylor ‘12 Ms. Nora Gross

COLLINS CAMPUS

Shondella Davis ‘11 Montinique Garner ‘11

Jasmin Graham ‘11 Jsarques Harris ‘11

Katrina Pipes ‘12 Kenyatta Smith ‘12

Marina Whitehead ‘12 Shanera Wilson ‘12

Jaylen Winston ‘12 Ms. Nathalie Lagerfeld

24

Sponsored by the...

Christiana Campus 1615 S. Christiana Ave Chicago IL 60623 Ms. Nora Gross Writing Center Director ngross@nlcphs.org 773-542-1490 ext. 122

Collins Campus 1313 S. Sacramento Ave Chicago IL 60623 Ms. Nathalie Lagerfeld Writing Center Director nlagerfeld@nlcphs.org 773-542-6766