This is War

   The early morning sun looms over the distant mountains and its creeping rays of light pierce the slick panes of glass that encase the Princess Margaret common area. This is the greatest battlefield in all of history, at the heart of the longest war this earth has known, high school. For four years a student must fight his or her way up into the elite commanding force of grade twelve. These grade twelve students viciously battle their younger peers to keep peace and order throughout the grades and instill a hierarchy of respect for generations to come. Being a warrior in grade twelve means it is up each brave student to tackle the most ominous tasks from class to class, each fight its own. Between calculus and physics, a great monster is born with shimmering scales and a deep red fire that burns in its eyes. It is horrible. The fear that is created is etched into the very souls of each and every soldier, but united as a graduating class; each soldier assists their allies in any way imaginable to bring down this mighty beast. In war, they lay aside their differences and cement themselves as a solid, impenetrable force. No enemy may stand in the way of a grade twelve student because no matter how daunting the adventure or how evil the foe, they are equipped with the most powerful weapon of all. At the forefront of combat, in all their gallantry and fierceness they take the world with knowledge. Grade twelve’s are the strongest and most sensible students in action, and it is their job to raise a strong group to take their places when their service has come to an end. High school is a war, grade twelve the army’s finest, and graduation the victory.

Four Pieces of the Puzzle

           Is it possible for one to sit down and ponder on the individual pieces of their own soul? To choose representatives from a pool of nearly seven billion separate human beings and label them as one's own? Student and self-proclaimed individualist, Levi Thompson, was tasked with this very concept, and initially found himself at quite a loss. However, as he sat and began to write, his mind whirled and whizzed through list after list of celebrities and great peoples of centuries passed. Muhammad Ali, the Peoples Champion, shares with Levi a burning pride for what he feels is right in this world, and will stand against great odds to achieve his goals. Comparing himself to the greatest champion of all time made Levi feel arrogant and conceited, but that led him to stand next with Robert Downey Junior. Neither Levi nor Robert care what people think of them, they just have to “listen, smile, agree and then do whatever the (hell) (they) were going to do anyway.” Some may call it stubbornness, or even lack of respect, but Levi figures he can make up for those remarks by comparing himself to the almighty Superman. No, Levi cannot fly, nor lift a bus, nor can he save the world from an alien invasion. But one particular trait bind the two at the waist, and that is an impeccable love for those they hold close. There is no mountain too marvelous, no enemy too malicious, and no situation too macabre to stop Levi from protecting the people he loves. As the ecstasy of talking himself up wears off, Levi chooses one last figure to keep his ego in check. Levi takes pride in his honesty, and who better to look up to than the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe was given his nickname for the honesty and sincerity that he treated his people with. Levi and Abraham Lincoln are straight forward and unafraid to say what they think, therefore making tight alliances while also amassing many enemies. Looking back at the four powerhouses that Levi selected for his arsenal, he is proud at the image he created, and proud of whom he is today.