By Grace Ward, Eliza Brown, Evelyn Maxey & Dylan Fox
The Squall
Dexter HS
1st Place Division 3, News Writing
Alternative Story Form
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Should be a story told in a unique, alternative way
- This is not a traditional story as in inverted pyramid, news, anecdotal, analysis or feature narrative
- Story is told with quick facts—it’s a quick read that provides readers with a unique approach to a story
- While the read is quick, ASF should provide reader with complete information. Readers should not be left asking questions
- Organization is such that story is easy to follow and logical, even though it’s in an alternative way
- ASF is visually engrossing, bringing readers in through strong use of typography and other types of visuals
- Should not be packaged with another story or part of another story.
- Stands totally alone as a storytelling device
- Submission only considered if submitted with entire page on which it was featured
Through all of our high school careers, bathroom graffi ti has been a norm. Every bathroom in the school has some form of it, whether it be a bird, a shroom, a “did you come in here to vape or go to the bathroom” tally chart, and an endless amount of “Juul Room” innuendos. While school staff wants the artwork to be put to an end, it’s unlikely it will. DHS school principal, Kit Moran, believes it is extremely hard to catch a vandaliser. There is no way to know who drew or wrote something, or when it was even drawn. Moran believes school bathroom graffi ti is not normal: “artists tag their artwork, no one tags what they do in this school unless it’s for an art class.”
While most people liked what they did and didn’t feel the need to do the same thing again, they may contribute if the opportunity presented itself. Another joke with a funny response will be written, either by someone just starting their graffiti career or a serial artist. A funny drawing, an emotional sentence, and a drug reference may always decorate the school bathrooms.
Kit Moran has seen it all during his 40-year teaching and administrative career. Back then, much worse was written in the stalls: demeaning language, racial slurs, homophobic rants, and even death threats. Occasionally, Moran said, police would have to get involved. Dexter may have graffi ti, and not all of it is pleasant, but Moran feels it [graffi ti] is much better and safer than what he has seen before. According to daytime custodian Maria Mast, the most common things are “F***…. [someone or something]” or a drug reference. Another common pattern is deep thoughts and personal feelings: “Is life worth living”, “Why am I alive?” and many others. Mast chooses to cover up mean words or drawings directed towards someone before she covers up a juul in a pool fl oaty. Many things reference drug usage such as juuling and smoking (especially on school grounds).
Many students said that they would not redo what they have drawn/wrote if it were to be covered up. If the school were to cover all the graffi ti, how quickly would it come back? Would it come back? Would others redo what they did originally or just call it quits on school graffi ti? If DHS was to scrub off, or paint over, all bathroom graffi ti, and then continue to cover up any additional graffi ti that may appear ASAP, would our school be able to put an end to graffi ti once and for all? Would this at least diminish the large amounts of it in every bathroom? Would the constant recovering of the artwork and words teach students to stop altogether? Or would everything return to its current state in a short amount of time, with the school unable to cease the graffi ti? Mr. Moran mentioned something called the “Broken Window Theory.” “If you stop the little things the big things won’t happen.”