First volume of the Tech High School Literary Magazine

1. excerpt from Piano Collage
Pegasus
Miracle Thomas, 10th Grade Tech High School
2011 Literary & Visual Arts Magazine

3. Pegasus
2011, Vol. 1
TECH HIGH SCHOOL
1043 Memorial Drive SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
www.techhighschool.org
P egasus, Tech High School’s
literary and visual arts magazine, is
in its charter year. Our goal is to
cultivate the talents of our high
school students and provide them
with a forum to share their work
with their fellow classmates and
their community. We thank all the
students who submitted work for
consideration and ask you to help
us celebrate the creative efforts of
the students whose work
Hallway was selected for publication.
Kesalyn Benton, 11th Grade
FACULTY Sponsors
Shanna Miles, Literature
Maureen Reuter, Art
1

4. Students in the Stairwell
Shanteal Weldon, 11th Grade
2

5. Table of Contents
Literature Art
Fiction Photography
“Poetic Power” Jessica Hood 4 “Hallway” Kesalyn Benton 1
“Making a Choice” Chris Cannon 13 “Stairwell” Shanteal Weldon 2
“A New Life” Medford Daniels, Jr. 18 “San Fran” Taylor Scott 12
Non Fiction Graphic Design
“The Old and Wise” Suliman Abdus-Salam 7 “Piano Collage” Miracle Thomas Cover, 3
“I‟m in the Army Now” Rashawn Smith 16 “Roses Collage” Miracle Thomas 6
“How to Ride a Bike” Enrique King 16 “Azaleas” Imon Freeman 17
Poetry Drawing/Mixed Media
“Hate Takes a lot of Love” Danisha Almond 5 “Love” Danisha Almond 5
“Tomorrow” Miracle Thomas 6 “Grimjow Fanart” Josef Thompson 8
“Mirror, Mirror” Shanae Bethea 8 “Regret” Audia Anderson 15
Drama
Brash and Beauty Gabrielle Hunt 9
Piano Collage
Miracle Thomas, 10th Grade
3

6. Poetic Power
Jessica Hood, 12th grade
During the day, I mask my true persona. I The next day at school, I was still feeling the
change for the people who challenge my identity. high that I gained from the Poetry Slam. As the
Transformed into something other than me, I have winner, no one had to tell me that I wasn’t all that,
become just another phony. Happy in my perfect until the blackness of Christie Carmichael hit me.
realm of writing, I am yanked out with the alarming She screamed down the hall way,” Ladies and
sound of my mother’s voice. “Jamie, wake up. Gentlemen, It has come to my attention that Big
You’re late for school.” I roll my eyes to her Baby James is not a loser after all. She won first
unnecessary loudness, turn my boom box up to the place in the Cat in the Hat composition last night.
highest volume, and force myself out of bed. Congratulations Jamie, I am so proud of you…I
Repeating my daily affirmation, “You are strong. lied!!” Following her snide comment, her flunkies
You are beautiful, and your path is your own.” I laughed hysterically. But surprisingly, a small but
accidentally blanked out the rest of the morning. enormously loud girl named Lauren stepped up to
It’s not until Christie Carmichael, my enemy since defend me.
second grade and the most popular girl in school, “Christie, now I know you’re not hating on
threw her empty water bottle at the back of my Jamie because she’s known for something other
head. “Big James, can you pass me my bottle? I than being the dumbest girl in school.”
tried to throw it in the trash can, but you’re just so “Hi, Lauren. I didn’t know you were here
big that you’re blocking the entire front of the today”, said Christie.
classroom.” “I’m not surprised”, said Lauren. “Why don’t
“Christie,” I screamed. you go pretend to read a book and get off Jamie for
“Yes…Big James. Is there a problem?” she doing something good.” With Lauren’s suggestion,
stated so nicely. Christie and her crew unexpectedly left without
“Of course there is. The problem is you. You saying a word. Blown away, I immediately thanked
are the most disrespectful, careless, and unlikeable her for standing up for me, but what she replied
person at this school. The only reason you were was startling. “Don’t thank me for something you
voted Miss Twelfth Grade is because you’ve slept were very well capable of doing yourself. I was there
with half the senior class,” is what I told her; or at last night and heard the confidence you had in the
least what I imagined myself telling her. What really way you performed. If you are that strong in front
happened was that I told her, “As a strong woman, of people you don’t know, then it shouldn’t be hard
I dismiss the negativity that is seeping from the for you to be strong in front of someone you’ve
pores of the devil.” known for years. Don’t let her disrespect and
In response, she told me, “As a beautiful belittle you. I don’t care if she is my sister.”
and physically fit woman, I dismiss the hippie “You are a Carmichael?” I screamed.
powers that come from a fat feminist.” “Yes, born and raised in the same house as
With her comment, I put my head down and my monster of a sister, but you’ve lost the point.
convinced myself that by ignoring her statement I You are stronger than your enemies and can
have become the bigger person, knowing that if she overcome anything you put your mind to,” she said.
had heard me she would have said,” You are I told her, “I know that now. I’m going to be
obviously the bigger person, Big James.” So I the person that I was last night and prove to
finished my day with the exterior confidence of everyone that I’m somebody worthy of respect and
someone who has won the Carmichael battle, but will not lie down and take their crap.”
internally knowing that I have lost in the overall After the conversation that I had with
war with self-esteem and self-worth. Lauren “Carmichael,” my whole image of myself
It wasn’t until 3:30 that afternoon that I changed. I didn’t need to repeat corny affirmations
gained some form of respect and power. The every morning because when I woke up from then
second annual Youth Poetry Slam competition was on, I already carried a certain strength within me.
finally here and I was first to perform. With my first All I had to do was write, and use my poems and
line, I killed the audience, “Twenty years from now spoken word to express how I felt every day. My
my words will stick to the soles of our youth.” With confidence and self-respect would defeat everything
great precision and consistent energy, I finished my else. I am my own enemy. Trapped in a nightmare
poem and was embraced with applause and created by me, I have altered my original destiny
acceptance. I knew in this moment that I did and changed my path. It is me and only me that has
something right and was loved by everyone in the to come to terms with that. It is me that can change
room. it back.”
4

7. Hate Takes a lot of Love
Danisha Almond, 11th Grade
I kneel on the floor,
Tears falling from my eyes.
I have learnt to hate you,
Along with all your lies.
Then why do I still love you?
Why am I still here?
When you have broken me,
and still not shed a tear.
People say its plain to see,
People say its clear.
That is I just run away,
You would just disappear.
But nothing was ever simple,
There‟s nothing clear to see.
I could never run away,
From what was once so dear to me.
I love you but I hate you,
Without you I‟d be dead.
But you‟ll be the death of me,
With all the things you‟ve said.
I know this won‟t make any sense,
You might misunderstand.
Please just never leave me,
I hope you‟ll understand.
5

8. Tomorrow is a Day
Miracle Thomas, 10th Grade
T omorrow is a day that glistens brighter and higher than the noonday sun
Hoping that you still have breath
And your eyelids open ever so slightly
While your head presses against your soft pillow
And laying under your covers so warm
Your arms extend in the air and a yarn trails behind
Your brain speaks „staying in bed is perfectly fine‟
But soon your legs are dangling off the bed
Dreading the morning because more sleep is all you need
But to some, this is just a dream
Because the morning is such a beautiful sight
Rose Collage
Miracle Thomas, 10th Grade
6

9. The Old and Wise
Sulaiman Abdus-Salam, 12th Grade
Every child has heard their parent tell them always to listen to their
elders. Most children will ignore this advice, not realizing that it could be
very enlightening in their future. I, unfortunately, am one of those children
that ignored his parent’s advice and had to learn the hard way.
I remember at age 11, my father’s friend, Amir, invited my brother
and me to his shooting range in Alabama. At first, I thought my dad would
decline the invitation because of safety reasons, but apparently learning
how to shoot a gun is a good thing to learn at a young age. The very next
day, we set off to Alabama. It was so early, we had to use the headlights on
the freeway. It’s surprising how fast time goes by when you are listening to
an old man ramble on about the art of haunting, politics, his past, and
forest survival. It felt like it took 30 minutes to arrive in Alabama, but really
it takes several more.
As we unloaded the car, my brother and I couldn’t help but stare at
Amir as he loaded three 20mm carbines, which are really large rifles that at
the time were almost as tall as me. In order to enter the main part of the
shooting range, we had to take a short hike through a grassy plain. He told
us to tuck our pants into our boots so that nothing harmful could crawl
into them. What he told us was good advice, because minutes into the hike,
all of a sudden he paused and told us to stop. He pointed to the ground and
told us to look carefully at the ground. As my brother and I searched the
ground, I spotted an odd slick figure that had a black and brown pattern all
over its body. It turned out that it was a rattle snake. Amir told my brother
and me that if we missed that snake, one of us could have gotten bit.
Instead of simply stepping over the snake, Amir pulled out a Glock
19 and emptied a shell in the snake’s body. The sound of the fire arm made
my ears ring. I couldn’t hear a thing for a couple of seconds. I then asked
myself, if that small pistol made a noise that loud, I wonder how loud the
rifles will be. It was time to find out. We finally got to the tower and before
we climbed up, Amir handed me the pistol he had recently shot, and asked
to slowly climb up to check if there was anything up there already that
could harm us. He basically used me as a pawn. Thankfully, it was clear.
My brother was first up to fire one of the rifles. Amir passed us a set
of earplugs so that we wouldn’t be deaf when we got older. When my
brother pulled the trigger, I couldn’t stop laughing because his body was
shaking like he was having a seizure. I shot next and the same thing
happened to me. After that, he passed me the Glock again to shoot. I was a
little more excited about shooting this gun because it was more my size.
Amir saw the look in my eye and immediately told me to take it easy
because the size of the gun didn’t matter. I of course ignored his advice and
held the gun the way I wanted, stood the way I wanted, and fired when I
wanted.
The first shot I took was the last. When I pulled the trigger, the gun
flew out of my hand because I was holding it with one hand instead of both
hands. The gun flew up and behind me. It happened so fast that my
brother didn’t realize that the gun was flying towards him. The gun hit
against his head, firing off another shot. All three of us froze in a frightened
stance. Amir didn’t ever say anything, didn’t even scold me. All he did was
grab all the equipment and told us to follow him back to the truck.
The ride back was long and soundless.
7

10. Mirror, Mirror
Shanae Bethea, 12th Grade
M irror, mirror on the wall,
Who‟s the fairest of them all?
I don‟t see me in your reflection,
I see someone beautiful, without imperfection.
I see a girl. She‟s dainty and thin,
Her dark hair brushes against her soft skin,
With dark eyes that reflect the moonlight,
Such delicate features, they sink into the night.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Why am I not there at all?
I see beauty in front of me,
I‟m sure that‟s not what you see.
You see a no one. A nobody,
A thin girl in a fat body,
I want to become the real me,
Work long and hard just so you‟ll see.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Am I the fairest of them all?
No, not yet, but I aim to be,
When I become it, then you‟ll see.
Grimjow Fanart
Josef Thompson, 12th Grade
8

11. Brash and Beauty
Gabrielle Hunt, 12th grade
Characters:
LYNN, the owner of Brash & Beauty salon
ERICA, Lynn‟s employee and friend
MIA, salon employee
MIKE, salon employee
MOESHA, salon employee
FRED, Lynn‟s fiancé
MRS. BLOOM, a customer in the beauty salon
SCENE I
[LYNN opens the salon, turns on the light with a switch at the door, and enters with a huge smile on her face. ERICA then enters
the salon behind her and starts to engage in a conversation with Lynn as they set up their stations for the day.]
ERICA: Hey, Honey.
LYNN: Hi, Erica. Isn‟t today a wonderful day just to be? [Lynn starts to smile and twirl around the salon.]
ERICA: Oh, I see someone had a good weekend with their soon-to-be husband.
LYNN: Erica, Girl, it was beyond good. It was like heaven. He treats me like a queen. I just imagine how he will treat me
when we get married.
ERICA: I‟m so happy for you. Glad you found a good man because, Girl, I can‟t seem to find a good man these days.
[As LYNN and ERICA are talking, MIA, MOESHA, and MIKE enter the salon.]
MIKE: Hey, y‟all. The finest has arrived! [He struts like a model down an imaginary runway to his station.]
LYNN [laughingly]: You a hot mess, I tell you.
MIA: Girl, you know how he is. [She starts to laugh.]
ERICA: Mike looks fabulous today. Work it, Brother, work it! [She snaps her fingers.]
MIKE: Ladies, I had a beautiful weekend. My gal and I went out for a candlelit dinner for two.
LYNN: That‟s romantic, Mike.
[MOESHA enters sheepishly and rushes to her station.]
MOESHA: Hey, everybody. I‟m sorry I‟m late. I went clubbing last night and had a couple of drinks. Girl, I went home
with a fine brother.
LYNN: Girl, you know you young. You stay out every night, no worries. I remember those days! [She sighs.]
MIKE: Moesha, you need to start bringing your butt to work on time because your clients are waiting on you!
MOESHA: I know, right, but I just can‟t get up on time. I totally need an assistant [looking at LYNN]
LYNN: Don‟t look at me like that! Sure, I‟ll get you an assistant! [Said sarcastically.]
ERICA: We totally need one around here. Things would go a lot faster if we had an assistant.
MOESHA: Not to bust your bubble, but I‟m not deaf and clearly Lynn said she would get me an assistant, not the whole
salon!
[She rolls her eyes at Erica. The others look at her and shake their heads.]
MIKE [loudly]: Girl, why you busting bubbles? Just to inform you, Sweetheart, I don‟t need an assistant. I do a marvelous job
all by myself!
ERICA: Moesha, I don‟t know exactly who you think you‟re talking to because I‟m 32 years old, a grown woman, and you
are 21years old, talking to me like you have really gone crazy. Just because you are at the legal age to drink doesn‟t mean
you have to drink the whole bottle! You got to be drunk to be talking to people as if you run this salon! As I recall, you
are not Lynn and you don‟t pay for nothing around here. So, remember, Sweetie, pick your fights wisely.
LYNN: Hold on. You all need to calm down. Our first client will be here any second. [She speaks with quiet authority.]
ERICA: I truly apologize, Lynn, for arguing over petty things! [She looks pointedly at Moesha.]
MIKE: I‟m just tired of the selfish people that surround me each and every day! [He looks pointedly at Moesha, as well.]
[The argument ends as Moesha storms out of the salon. Lights fade.]
9

12. SCENE II
[The next day in the Brash & Beauty salon, MIKE, ERICA, and MIA are doing the normal routine things they would do at their
stations. MIKE and ERICA are at adjacent stations.]. MRS. BLOOM, a customer, sits in a chair at Erica’s station.]
ERICA [addressing her client]: Mrs. Bloom, how would you like your hair today?
MRS. BLOOM [looks up at Erica]: Girl, just make me flawless!
ERICA [laughing]: OK, I can definitely do that!
MIKE: Erica, I wonder where Lynn and Moesha could be at this time of the day.
ERICA: Well, Lynn said she had to meet Fred.
MIKE: OK, and what about Moesha?
ERICA: I don‟t know where that child is. She is always late. That‟s nothing new [she shakes her head and purses her lips.]
MIKE: But she has never been this late.
[LYNN interrupts Erica and Mike’s conversation by entering the shop. She slams the door and storms to the back of the salon with
anger in her eyes. ERICA and MIKE are startled and look at each other wondering what could be the problem and why Lynn is so
angry.
MIKE [quietly]: I wonder what‟s wrong with her.
ERICA [worriedly, just above a whisper]: I‟ve never seen her this angry before.
MIKE: Somebody really had to piss her off!
LYNN [re-entering the room]: Yes I‟m pissed, and do you want to know why??
ERICA: Tell us what‟s wrong, Honey.
MIKE: Yeah, because we hate to see you like this.
[Mike turns his chair expectantly. Lynn sits as the other three gather around. She looks at Mike, Mia, and Erica in the mirror. She is
holding back tears.]
LYNN: Well, you see, today I was supposed to meet Fred to pick out the wedding decorations with our wedding plan-
ner.
MIKE: OK, so what happened?
LYNN: I‟ll tell you what didn‟t happen - he never showed up!
MIKE: He probably has a good explanation for not being there. [He rubs Lynn’s back to comfort her.]
MIA: Oh, no, he knew this meant the world to her. [She shakes her head.]
ERICA: Did you call him?
LYNN: Of course I did, but he didn‟t pick up.
[As they are talking to Lynn about Fred, MOESHA walks in the door with a huge smile on her face.]
MOESHA [walks toward her station dreamily]: Hello, everyone! I‟m sorry I‟m so late.
MIKE: Why you so happy?
MOESHA: Because I just had lunch at Dolce with my new man - he‟s a lawyer!
MIKE: Wow, Dolce, he must really like you!
ERICA: What did you do for a lawyer to take you to the most expensive restaurant in town?
MOESHA: Dang, I didn‟t do anything! We are in love, and he just likes to treat me well [she smiles dreamily]
[Lynn’s phone starts to ring. She answers and it is FRED. She puts the phone on speaker. Everyone becomes silent so they can hear
his excuse on why he wasn’t able to meet Lynn.]
LYNN [angrily]: Hello.
FRED: Hi, my beautiful queen!
LYNN: Anyways, explain to me why you were not able to meet me today?
FRED: I‟m sorry, Honey, I had to go to a very important meeting with some important people at Dolce today.
LYNN: OK, so why you didn‟t call me and tell me what was going on?
FRED: I‟m sorry, Honey. I promise I‟ll make it up to you tonight.
LYNN: You better.
FRED: Don‟t be mad, Sweetheart. I love you. I‟ll see you tonight!
LYNN: I love you, too.
FRED: Bye, Sweetheart.
LYNN: Bye.
10

13. [LYNN and FRED’s conversation ends. Erica, Mia, and Mike are curious about what Fred had said on the phone. Moesha steps
back, with her hand over her heart and with a strange, shocked look on her face.]
ERICA: Lynn, didn‟t he say he was at Dolce?
LYNN: Yes, he was there in an important meeting. Did you see him there, Moesha?
MOESHA: I don‟t know. I‟ve never met Fred.
MIKE: Wow, Fred and Moesha were each at Dolce. So, you‟ve never seen Fred, have you Moesha? Not even once, huh.
Too bad. Then we‟d know if he‟s telling the truth about that meeting.
LYNN: Leave her alone! If she doesn‟t know him, then oh well. I know she would have told me if she had seen him. Then
I would know if he was actually in a meeting or if he‟s lying and was with another woman.
ERICA: I guess.
MIKE: Yeah, I guess you are right, Lynn. Moesha, what is wrong with you? You look like you just saw a ghost!
MOESHA: Oh, no! I can‟t hold this in!
MIKE: Hold what in?
MOESHA: That the lawyer I have been sleeping around with is Fred! I didn‟t know until just now when I heard his voice.
It‟s been going on during their whole relationship!
[Lynn turns around with tears in her eyes. She doesn’t open her month when Mike and Erica start to go off on Moesha.]
ERICA: You dirty son of [she catches her self]
MIKE: If I were a full woman, I would kick your butt.
ERICA [addressing Lynn]: Girl, do you want to black her eyes, or can I do it?
[Lynn sits down with tear-reddened eyes but says nothing. Lynn just sits and stares as if her heart has fallen out of her chest.]
MOESHA: As I thought, Lynn isn‟t gonna say nothing to me. I‟m sorry and all, but Fred and I are in love!
ERICA: See, women like you make women like me go to jail!
MIKE: Lynn! Lynn! LYNN!
[Lynn gets up and paces, obviously lost in thought.
LYNN: What should I do? Do I want her friendship or do I want my man? You know what? I don‟t want either one!
[Lynn then goes on a rampage, throwing beauty products from the counter across the room and at Moesha. She is cursing under her
breath as she does this.]
LYNN [addressing Moesha]: You are so evil! I hate you! Get your stuff and get out of my salon! I don‟t need you in my life!
You are so money hungry! You know what? I had your back when nobody else did. You came and stayed with me when
your mother kicked you out. You little home-wrecking child! I gave you this job when you had no experience. I taught you
all you know. But you can kick rocks with open toed sandals!
MOESHA: Why are you so mad? I said I was sorry! [She begins to cry]
[LYNN then walks up to MOESHA and punches her in the face. LYNN loses control and she keeps punching her.]
ERICA: Stop! Lynn, stop before you go to jail. She‟s not worth it!
MIKE: Oh, my god, she is going to break her face!
[ERICA and MIKE finally get LYNN off of MOESHA.]
MOESHA: You tried to kill me! [She is crying while looking at Lynn]
LYNN: I would have killed your trifling butt if they didn‟t get me off of you!
MOESHA: I‟m sorry, I‟m so sorry! [She cries and she pleads.]
LYNN: Why are you still here? Leave! Get you and your purse and step because that‟s all you own in this salon. And
make sure you tell your lover boy that his stuff will be outside, so he should come get it before the trash man does. [She
laughs while tears rush down her face]
[Moesha leaves the salon with just her handbag, her head bowed down, while Lynn sits and breaks down. She cries for several sec-
onds, but then she begins to smile, then laugh.]
LYNN: Thank you guys for showing me what‟s really important. I have my salon and I know who my real friends are.
ERICA: No problem, girl! I love you, but that‟s not why I did it. I just didn‟t want to have to bail you out of jail!
MIKE: I know that‟s right!
LYNN: I love you guys. And I‟m too cute for jail!
11

14. San Fran
Taylor Scott, 12th Grade
12

15. .Making a Choice
Chris Cannon, 9th Grade
“Down. Set. OK, I can do this. Just one score away from winning. Set. Hut, hut hike. Almost there 3-2-1
lunge like a lemur. Yes, I did it! And the winner of the game is East Jacksonville High, 28 and West Miami
High, 26.
Good game, Josh.
Thanks, same to you to, D.
Riiiiiing!
Thanks for that, you stupid alarm clock.
“Josh, time to wake up. You know you have to be at school at eight. You can’t be late again if you
want to stay on the team.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah, “I know, Mom. What’s for breakfast?”
“Now you know I don’t cook in the morning.” Well, thanks for that. “Time to get ready.”
Music. Clothes and time to get dressed. Can’t you see that I’m the one who understands you?
“Son, what’s going on in there?
“Uh … nothin’, just getting dressed.”
“Well, stop all that singing!”
Hey, I don’t talk about you while you’re in the shower. Now listen, you leave me out of this.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Uh, nope that shirt doesn’t match with these pants. Try again. Ah, that’s better.
“Josh, you need to hurry up if you want a ride to school.”
“Alright, Mom.” Teeth, hair, breath, hah hah good.
“JOSHUA LEROY MACAVELLE.”
“I’m coming, Ma.” Gosh!
“Where’s your sister?
“I don’t know where she is.”
“Well, can you go get her and tell her to come on?”
“I always do, don’t I?” Don’t get slapped.
BANG!
Darn steps! I always fall up them every time.
“Come on! Ma said its time to go.”
“Haven’t you heard of knocking?”
“Nope, I’m a cave man.”
Downstairs. No falling this time. Where’d she go? “Where’s Mom, Dad?”
“Oh, she just left. Said you guys were taking too long.”
“Dad, can I get the keys to the car?”
“Sure, just don’t get a ticket like you did last time.”
“Thanks, Dad. You’re the best!”
“You better hurry up. You gotta drop your sister off, too. And when you get home, we need to
have a talk about your grades. I don’t want you kicked off the team.”
Yeah, me neither.
Chirp. Chirp. Boom. Vroom. Vroom. Vroom. Vroom.
Now, what is that girl doing! Take off in T-minus 5…4...3...2…
“You almost got left. But you didn’t ’cause ... I don’t know. You just almost got left!” Music.
Shades. “Count it down for me, Sis.”
“Red … Red … Yellow … Green! I don’t see why we’re always getting left.”
“Neither do I.”
“It’s not like we take forever to get dressed.”
“Speak for yourself on that one. Is your school to the left or the right?”
“The right, Dummy.”
“OK, you startin’ to get too grown for yourself, Missy. I’m here, now get out. Bye. Have a nice day.”
“Don’t you get mushy with me, L’il Boy. Bye.”
Now let’s see, what time it is? Oh, my gosh, it’s 7:50 and I’m not even halfway there and these red lights
aren’t helping. Three minutes left and a quarter mile to go. Time to open this baby up.
OK, one minute left and I gotta go to my locker and get to top class.
Riiing!
Dang it!
13

16. “Sir, you’re late to class.”
“Yeah, I know I am. Uh, sorry.”
“Why are you late?”
“I had to drop my sister off at school.”
“Well, go to the office and tell them your story there.”
“Yes, sir.” Here we go again with the falling up the steps. Gosh.
“OK, Josh, why are you here in the office already?”
“And why were you late?”
“I had to drop off my sister.”
“Oh. OK, but next time that happens come tell me first. And by the way, you need to get those two
failing grades up if you expect to play on the football team.”
“Yes, sir.” Do you think I don’t know that!
“Now you go ahead and go to class. I’ll call him and tell him it’s alright this time.”
Forget homeroom. I’m gonna ask my teachers for some work to do. Man, I gotta bring up my grade.
Knock Knock.
“Yes, come in.”
“Uh … OK, can I have some work so I can bring up my grade in your class?”
“Sure all you need to do is a page for every missing assignment, and I’ll change all your 0’s to B’s.”
Ha! Now to the evil witch of the West Wing.
Knock Knock.
“Come in.” “
“Uh, hi. I was wondering … can I please make up some of my work for your class?”
“Yes, sure. Just do all the work you didn’t do and I’ll give you partial credit. But you’ve got to get
each one signed by your parents and tell them why.”
Great. “OK. Thanks.”
“Both parents, Josh.”
“OK, no problem.”
Two more classes then I can go home and do this work. Second period here I come. The most fun class I
take. Vehicle engineering.
“OK, so Josh, which ride out here is yours.”
“Uh, you want me to go get it?”
“Yes, sir. I would like to compare student cars for the class.”
“OK. I’ll be right back.” Forgot to turn the music down. OK, that’s better. “Here she is, K.”
“Oh, this is your car.”
“Yes, yes it is.”
“Well, that’s all we have time for today, class. So, Josh, you show me what you know about this
car after school, and that’ll put your grade in my class up to an A. So, what’s a good day for you, Josh?”
Oh, no! If I miss football practice, Coach is gonna nail me but if I don’t get my grades up it’s not gonna mat-
ter.
“Today after school will be fine.”
“OK, I’ll be in the teachers’ parking lot. See you then.”
Third period class. I hate P.E.
“You’re here on time and dressed out. What’s going on? That’s not like you, Josh.”
“I know it’s not. I’m making a change for the better.” And I have a challenge for you, Coach.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“If I beat you in a game of 21 and a 400-yard dash and do 100 push-ups, you give me an A in
your class.
“What happens of I win?”
“Uh, I have to do our first deal.”
“Deal. Let’s go then, Josh.”
OK, let’s tally it up. Game of 21 goes to Coach, 400-yard dash goes to Josh, and so does the 100 pushups.
Josh wins. Now let’s see that grade change to an A. Nice doing business with you, Coach.
Is he going to show up for practice, D.? No he’s doing something more important for a change, K. Yes, here
he is.
“Here’s my car. How long do you think this is it going to take?”
“Josh you already passed the test.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I wanted to see if you actually would skip football practice to come do what’s right.” Here's your
grade, and now I can officially say you’ve changed for the better.”
14

17. Regret
Audia Anderson, 9th Grade
15

18. I’m in the Army Now
Rashawn Smith, 12th Grade
On Thursday, July 15, 2010, I became a
member of the United States Army. It all
happened at Fort Gillem U.S. Army Base. The
atmosphere was very fierce and tense. It began
the day before at the recruiting office with my
recruiters while they were finishing up my
paperwork so they could drop me off at the
Double Tree Hotel. How to Ride a Bike
Once they dropped me off at the Double Enrique King, 12th Grade
Tree by Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, I
wandered into the hotel lobby to be shown to my When I first learned how to ride a bike, I
room. We had a briefing at 8:30 pm, where they was ecstatic. The learning process wasn’t easy
told us about our 11:00 pm curfew. As the hours but I stuck to it. The funny thing is, I did it
slowly passed, I didn’t sleep until it was three alone when I first started. But once I fell the
hours before it was time for me to get up at 4:oo first few times, my grandma gave me a few
in the morning. pointers and the rest is history. Looking in from
the outside, an ordinary person would say it’s
Once I got up, I got ready to leave. The rest
easy. If they knew what I do their minds would
of the recruits and I lined up in two parallel lines
change rapidly.
to walk to the two charter buses that they
provided for our transportation. Once we got on I was about eight years old and I got my
the buses, they pulled off and we were on our way third bike, my first without training wheels. I
to Fort Gillem. was intimidated by it because it was taller than
me. I thought that if I walked it up the hill, it
As we entered the base, everybody had to
would be an easy ride down. I began to walk the
show an I.D. to the guards at the front gate. Once
bike up my street. Once I reached the top of the
on base, we made our way to M.E.P.S., which
hill, I climbed onto the seat and proceeded to
stands for Military Entrance Processing Station.
ride down the hill. I fell due to an acorn in the
At the entrance to M.E.P.S., we grabbed our bags
middle of the street. My knees were bruised
and walked into the building. We placed our bags
and scraped up. I got up and tried again.
into a closet and went to the waiting room.
So, I went up the hill again, and rode
I waited for about six hours along with
down but this time when I fell it was in front of
other Army recruits to be sworn in to the United
my house. My grandma saw me fall, and she
States Army. As we were being sworn in, I had
showed me to try to balance myself by holding
lots of butterflies in my stomach. However, I
the bar with a firm grip. I went back up the hill
worked through the butterflies and became an
for my seventh or eighth time. This time when I
official member of the United States Army.
rode down, I took my grandmother’s advice and
This is one of the greatest achievements in rode down sturdily. Ever since that day, I still
my life so far. ride bikes the same way.
16

19. Azaleas
Imon Freeman, 11th Grade
17

20. A New Life
Medford Daniels, Jr. 9th Grade
Peter was a young sixteen-year-old boy living with his mother. His father had died
when he was three. His mother gave him his father‟s pocket watch that reminds him to do the
right thing. They had moved from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia. Peter was an only child.
Although he and his mother were very poor, one thing that he did have was a cell phone.
“Hey, Chris. What‟s up?” Peter‟s mom often let him talk to his old friend, Chris, each
night. “Yeah, we‟re still here. Man, these apartments are B-A-D! Not like our old one in the
City. Carver Homes. They make it sound like a mansion, but it‟s just a hole in the wall even
the rats won‟t live in. And I‟m so tired of the gangs.” They wanted Peter to be in their gang,
but he did not want to be in any gang.
Every night, Peter would tell Chris how they kept asking him to be in their gang, but he
kept saying no. “Man, let me tell what they did today.” They bullied him every time they saw
him, and he didn‟t want to speak out and tell anyone. The neighborhood boys told him if he
told anyone, they would beat him up. So every night, as he talked on the phone with Chris, he
cried and wished he had some friends here he could count on and hoped that everything
would be OK. Chris would always tell him to tell his mother, but he was afraid that the boys
would beat him up even worse than they did each day.
So, one day as he was playing outside with his basketball, the same group of boys came
up to him. They said that they were not asking him to be in the gang anymore. They were
telling him. He told them no repeatedly, but they told him that he had no choice. He ran into
the house and did not come back outside for the reminder of the day.
The next day as he was walking to school, that same gang of boys came up to him and
told him that they were not playing anymore. He started to run, but they were faster than he
was since he had his book bag and it had multiple books in it, so it slowed him down.
They caught up with him and a boy named CJ came out of nowhere with a devastating
punch. CJ with knocked him off my feet and onto his back. The rest of the boys laughed. At
that moment, he knew that he was in danger, He balled up on the ground like a beach ball as
they stomped him and kicked him until someone pulled up and they ran.
When he got home, his mom asked him what happened. He told her that he had
gotten jumped. As she went to wipe the blood from his eyes and his lips, she noticed that he
had a gash on the side of his face. Next thing he knew, they were on their way to the hospital.
He told the doctor that his side was hurting. After some x-rays, he found out that he had
three broken ribs. While they were giving him pain medicine and stitches for all the gashes
and cuts, they begin questioning him about what had happened, but he was full of fear and he
would not speak. He went home a few hours later, and his mom asked him again what
happened, but he would not speak.
Finally, a week after the incident, he told my mother everything. The police found the
group of boys, and they were immediately arrested. The next day, when he went to school,
everyone was proud of him for standing up to that gang. From that point on, he made lots of
new friends
18

22. Pegasus
2011, Vol. 1
TECH HIGH SCHOOL
1043 Memorial Drive SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
www.techhighschool.org