Godwin Heights — Recently, Godwin Heights hosted its first “I Belong, I Matter” writing and art competition. “I Belong, I Matter” is a district-wide initiative begun this school year. It is designed to help students develop a connection to their peers and the school and create a sense of belonging.
Junior Aaliyah Pringle was the high school’s art winner, and sophomore Anthony Tinoco won the high school writing competition. At the middle school, the winners were sixth-grader Jimena Matias Rodriguez for art and eighth-grader Antoniah Sanders for writing. All winners received a $250 check thanks to sponsor Lumbermen’s Inc.
Siouxsie Sioux
By Aaliyah Pringle
My painting is of Siouxsie, famously known for being in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Siouxsie first became well known in the London club scene for her fashion that would soon be heavy influences for punk and gothic fashion with her signature cat-eye makeup, deep red lipstick, spiky dyed-black hair, and black clothing. Soon, in the seventies, girls and guys alike started to dress after her, thus helping to create the goth movement.
To me, this relates to “I Belong, I Matter” because of how people in the goth subculture were treated and still get treated. Even though the treatment isn’t as bad as it used to be, people still get weird looks for dressing and wearing the makeup that many goths wear.
I myself, as a black female, get weird looks for dressing in black and wearing black lipstick and big eyeliner. It makes me feel like I’m weird and not like everybody else, but at the end of the day, I know that it’s OK to not be like everybody else because no matter what you look like, what music you listen to, and what you like: You belong and you matter.
Siouxsie was one of the first people I listened to when moving myself into the gothic subculture, and I’m really happy I did because I feel like I found something that makes me happy and makes me feel like I belong somewhere.
To create this painting I used a lot of black and white and black and red flowers. I felt the black and white would be a nice touch for how dark the goth subculture can be and I used the flowers to show how pretty it can be as well. The red flowers are supposed to represent Siouxsie’s red lip she was also famously known for and also for her pop of color she would bring into every outfit she wore. I’m not sure how many days it took to finish this painting but I know it did take me a long time. I’m very happy I get to share my work with all of you. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
You Belong, You Matter
By Anthony Tinoco
Life will always be hard, as if it’s against us
Sometimes, life tosses us around, over and over, until we crack
Though it’s best to learn to fight back
Life can toss so many things at us
Though it’s best never to surrender
Although you don’t have my eyes, see things the way I do, I hope this poem will act as a walk-through
There is no greater enemy than our minds
We can live in a room with someone we hate
Much longer than we could make it alone with our thoughts
Learning to see the overall picture
Seeing the positives in the negatives
Seeing the better instead of the worse
Understanding that you have people who care about you
Having that mindset will make you strong
It’s been the key to peace all along.
Focus on the here and now
Don’t allow experiences from the past to drag you down
You’ll allow your inner peace to be found
Something like this is really hard to do
Especially when we’re always surrounded by people who judge us based on what we’ve done
Not. who we can become.
It’s hard to focus when we’re alone
When the thoughts in our head become overwhelming
When our hearts begin swelling
Remember, you are not weak.
People look for their mistakes instead of their wins
Holding the pain of failing in your heart and tossing the success in the bin
Everyone knows what they can do better
Understanding they have so much left to learn, instead of appreciating what they have already earned
Everyone ignores their strengths when they should be their best tool
Looking at the people around this school, it is a pool of different chemicals
Different reactions.
Nobody will ever be perfect
Nor will our actions
But the friendships built here are the best chemical reactions.
We have all the tools we need to succeed as long as we use them right
As long as we’re able to make that commitment to fight
Though you might be in darkness, the person next to you can act as a light
Learn to love yourself.
In times when you feel the world around you is crumbling, know
You have yourself.
Even if the people around you hate you
Love yourself
Become someone you’re comfortable being around
Understanding your flaws will help you be easier on yourself
Understand that you have people around you to lean on
Although we might put on a smile, faking everything we’re going through, so people around you think you’re fine
All this does is stop your shine
Learn to count on the people around you
The people who care about you the most matter.
The same people you’re scared to talk to
Worried about whether they’ll judge
Learning to count on others may be the hardest thing to do
But when you do, you’ll thank yourself for doing something you never thought you could, though it’s something we should
Understand that you belong.
You matter
Belonging is never about hiding the true person you are
You have people who love you for you
Not the past
Nor your future
But you
You Belong
You Matter
Read more from Godwin Heights:
• High-schoolers share thoughts on school safety, engagement & more
• Eighth-graders reenact Constitutional Convention from their own perspective
