Titan Tribune

       In honour of Mental Health Week last week, I submitted this piece about a fictional character struggling with depression. This story touches on sensitive topics that may be distressing for some, so please read with respect and discretion. The Clouds Have Been Crying Lilia deBoer Drop. Drop. The thick November clouds slowly start to crumble into heavy drops of water. They fall invariably in November, so I know what to expect. I can prepare myself for the dark afternoons and the somber mornings. I can layer myself in clothing and hope to stay warm. I can be okay when I look up at the trees and find that they are completely barren. In my bedroom on a bleak Tuesday afternoon, I turn on my radio. A sad song is playing. I quickly switch channels, and I hear the flamboyant weatherman predicting a thunderstorm in a cheerful tone. How is he always so optimistic? I switch channels again just as Elvis explodes into a chorus. I listen for a bit and then sigh and switch my...

NewShoots Creative Writing The NewShoots Creative Writing Workshop has ended! After months of meeting, writing, and revising, several members of this club submitted work for publication in an anthology. The following is an excerpt from Tiffany Lo’s short story, Dough .  “Tim arrived at the bakery and began turning the lights on, tying his white apron around his waist, starting the first batch by kneading the dough with expertise, pulling and squeezing the dough to its desired shape, and poking a divot into the centre for a special touch. Tim was obsessed with his craft. The ability to sculpt the dough as freely as he desired fascinated him, but soon his fascination began morphing into an obsession. He became unrecognizable. No matter how little he ate, how much he exercised, or how much he spent on skincare, there was always something to change about himself. A sliver of light crept through the lengthy, thin window.  “Oh shoot, it’s already time to open up.”    Want ...

  “It’s Just Two More Minutes” By Hana Hollingshead I am sure you have heard him. With a somewhat infamous musical voice that often fills the grounds of Templeton, and his unwaveringly positive teacher, this student is a bright spot in our community and the Life Skills hallway. His name is Hannes, and he loves to go for walks with his kind and incredibly inviting teacher and companion, Aaron Rutledge.  Although most are familiar with his signature voice, there is much more to Hannes, Aaron, and their incredible relationship.  “What makes Hannes so loveable, is his joy for music, food, walks, and singing,” says Aaron, after returning from yet another walk with Hannes through the neighbourhood. When asked to describe his connection with Hannes, he described it as “intuitive,” saying “this works really well for me. Hannes and I can quickly sort each other out in terms of what he needs.” These words were put to action a mere five minutes prior, when Hannes was stressed out an...

  Cinco de Mayo By Evynn Lau and Nola Matsuzaki Every year, the grade nine, ten, and eleven Spanish classes put on a Cinco de Mayo celebration, full of games, activities, music, and traditional food. Special treats like horchata, churros or empanadas are served by each group along with activities like karaoke or face paint. The Spanish classes have a few weeks to prepare for the event, like finding recipes, making posters and creating decorations. The Cinco de Mayo event takes place in the cafeteria where students and teachers are welcomed in and encouraged to try the traditional food. This event allows for our school to celebrate Mexican and Latin culture.  This holiday commemorates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While it is not a widely celebrated holiday in Mexico, it has become a reason for the United States (and Canada) to celebrate Mexican and Latin American culture and heritage. It is a symbol of Mexican resistance against invasion, and cr...

Antigone Poems   By Wren Davies These are poems I wrote about the play Antigone Theatre Temp performed in March. I created a poem for Antigone, Ismenee (Antigone’s sister), Creon (the king), and a Sentry (a guard). I titled the poems based on lines that the characters said in the play! “And right in the middle, Antigone”   The flame flickered brightly in the dark night,   Growing taller as the fury rises   The smoke, the shame, the suffering   Haunts Antigone like smoke haunts a fire   The thoughts of her brothers smother her head   She knows what she must do   She knows what will happen   But she also knows that her flame isn’t going to die without a fight   She isn’t going to be burning in a room forever, she would rather   Burn fast and now and be able to prove herself.     The one log holding her back is her sister   Just a candle in a world of fire   But Antigone knows what she must do,   and knows that...

  The Weight of the Falling Stars By Wren Davies Charlotte sluggishly turned her head towards the window and gazed outside. The sun was setting and casting a glow of cotton candy clouds across the sky with a soft lilac buttercream. From her room in the children’s hospital, Charlotte could see all the way out to the coast where fellow teenage girls were playing volleyball in the evening sun. Charlotte sighed and moved her head back because as much as her parents tried to deny it, her death was imminent and she felt that. Charlotte had been battling leukemia for a grueling ten years. She relapsed twice and now aged fifteen, her body was beginning to shut down. The day that the doctor mentioned palliative care, Charlotte’s parents burst into tears, but Charlotte felt at peace with that decision because her body was tired of fighting and it would be much easier for her to die no longer in constant pain.   That was six months ago when the pain had been manageable, now it either dul...

  Spring Crafts to Embrace the Season   By: Kate Mitchell      Pressed Flower Stickers/Bookmarks   Utilizing pressed flowers is so much fun in the springtime because crafts with them are very customizable and allow for lots of creativity! I suggest making stickers and bookmarks for something fun and easy, but there are lots of other ways to use pressed flowers such as a mason jar lamp or customizing picture frames. For making stickers, the easiest thing is to use parchment paper and packing tape, making sure there aren’t any air bubbles.Also, when making the bookmarks be sure to paint a layer of mod podge over them once you’re finished to ensure the flowers don’t get ruined. I find pressed flower crafts always test my patience because they take so long to fully dry out, but I promise it is worth the wait to let them dry completely because I have had some moldy and smelly flowers due to my own impatience. Crafts like these are also a great excuse to be mindf...