WJHS Literary Magazine "Canvas"

Its here!

2014-05-15T08:51:00.001-06:00

The final lit mag is here! You can buy it for only 7 dollars during lunch. It contains 100 pages filled with artwork from our very own west jordan jags. So support lit mag and buy "Canvas" today to pair with your yearbook!

UPDATE

2014-04-10T10:35:00.000-06:00

We realize it has been a while since we have posted- that is because everyone here at the literary magazine is working hard on finalizing the pages so we can send it out to the printer! That means that the literary magazine will soon be available to the students (more info about that coming soon). So be looking out for that. In the meantime, we hope you are enjoying the warm spring weather and the last stretch of the year.

Deadline

2014-03-18T10:46:00.000-06:00

Theres still time to submit to the literary mag and let your voice be heard! But the deadline is coming up; all submissions are due THIS Friday, February 28th. For more information on how and what to submit, you can access our submit page.

Poetry Night

2014-01-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Jags! Looking for a fun way to showcase your creative and writing skills? Come join us for the free poetry night in the auditorium on February 5th. It is going to be a blast! YOU can perform your poem (maybe for a loved one? V day is coming soon!) or just come and spectate others. Either way, take one hour out of your day to enjoy some lovely writing from the students at West Jordan High. If you would like to perform, please sign up outside Mrs. Defriez's room (D-32). The program should go for about an hour starting at 6 pm.

Staff Spotlight

2014-01-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our Staff Spotlight this week features....

Erica Torres!

Job: Art Staff

Bio: Drill team member, Sagittarius, senior, steelers fan, bulls fan, love crocidiles

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Food: Cup of noodles

Favorite Book: house of night series

Favorite Movie: Jurassic park

Tell Us What You Really Think: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

2014-01-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Summary (Provided by Samantha Foote): Ben Stiller both directs and acts as the star in the new film "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", a film arriving on Christmas Day. Walter Mitty (Stiller) works in the photography department of Life Magazine. He develops the negatives into useable pictures. One of his heroes is a professional photographer, renowned for his work.Walter tends to space out and go into a fantasy world concocted by his mind where he effectively saves the day and the woman, who works in his office, fall in love. A new company has moved in and decided Life Magazine will now be an online magazine only, effectively removing Walter's job from the picture. When he receives a roll of negatives to development he is told number 25 is to be the next and last cover for the magazine. Sadly, the negative is missing and Walter is in trouble. In an attempt to save the day and find the missing negative, Walter takes a journey to find the elusive photographer from which the missing negative came from. His day dreams of heroic acts fade as he takes the adventures himself.

Student Reviews:

"'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' is nothing to rave about. While the commercial makes the movie sound like a fantastic adventure for any age, it's not the best film out there. The plot of the story drags along and the first several minutes are just of Walter Mitty sitting at a computer debating about whether or not he should send a 'wink' to the woman in his office on eHarmony. His day dreams are easily connectable to any writer, as writers tend to slip into their own mind formulating worlds and scenes to write. While his daydreams are heroic and hold a lot of romance, his real life is drab in comparison. He is in trouble with his new boss for his habit of drifting in and out of reality, which adds nothing to the plot, other than to further threaten his fading job. The insults fit very well with society today and can be quite funny at different moments. The story only begins to pick up when he travels to Greenland to track down the illusive photographer, then leading him to be caught in a volcanic eruption in Iceland after another interesting trip. While he does go on many adventures to find one tiny negative for the magazine cover, the story doesn't have much point other than to inform the viewers they should chase their dreams. The visual effects and over all message of the film are wonderful, but the movie is only a must see if you have a boring date and wish to have a setting where nothing can form between the two of you. Out of five stars, this film would be rated a 2." -Samantha Foote

Different Student Ratings:

2/5 Stars

Be In the Know

2014-01-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Do you enjoy reading into the minds of the other students at Dub Jay? Would you describe yourself as a follower of art? Then sign up for the mailing list for our blog! Each time we make a new post you will receive an email with a link so you can stay in touch!
Just enter your email here:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/WjhsLiteraryMagazinecanvas

Music and Movie Reviews

2014-01-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

To bring a little more color to Lit Mag we've decided we are going to review the art of expression through music and movies. If you've seen a movie recently send in your review and you'll most likely find it on the page. A new CD with a song you adore? Hearing a hit on the radio you love or hate? Any review will do, let others know your opinion!

January Contest

2014-01-07T09:57:00.002-07:00

The January Contest for the West Jordan Lit Mag has been announced! It's going to be a photography contest, so get your camera's up and running. We need as many submissions as possible in this category so click, click, click! Find your models, find your scenery, find the view of something no one has seen before. $25 awaits the winner. Submissions due February 3rd.

Thanks

2013-12-19T11:56:00.001-07:00

From all of us here at the Literary Magazine, we would like to thank everyone who has submitted an art piece for our publication. It is our pleasure to serve as West Jordan High's creative voice for each and every student and we have enjoyed the many brilliant works of art we have received. With that said, we are still accepting submissions and would LOVE to see yours turned in! So if you are looking for something to occupy yourself during the break, why not head over to the inspiration page and get started on a masterpiece for the world to see? Remember that with your submission we need you to complete the form located here. We hope you have a happy holiday break and stay safe!

Empty Canvas

2013-12-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Empty Canvas

By Samantha Foote

Golden waves of the sunset fell across the blue ocean, the sand, once a pure white, had long since turned a virtuous gold. The dark grey clouds were gathering above, each one looked as if they had been painted by God’s hand, on a white canvas with supple watercolors. The clouds closest to the fading sun lighting up and making an imaginary doorway into heaven itself; each cloud after shining like a rainbow of various purple’s and pink’s. In the last rays of the dying sun a few fish and mammals could be seen taking a leap from the warm water into the cooling air. On the right stood a long dock, it extended 100 feet into the cerulean sea and stood as a large ship beacon. No large ships had docked there in years, several small fishing boats could be seen tied to the tall wooden posts, but the main feature was anything but a boat. On the very end of the dock as if it were a toll booth was a small shabby building. It had a large bay window facing the sun on both the east and west, easily watching and waiting for the coming and going of the sun each day. A man sat facing the dying flame, his hand hovered over paintbrushes, bottles and platforms stood waiting for the paintbrush. Each bottle eager to feel some of their contents drained, the slender pallets waiting to be touched with cool paint and smeared into a new rainbow of colors. The dry, blank, canvas ready for the heavy weight of paint; show off the colors of dark clouds threatening impending rain, the gold and red colors of each dying day. Before the man could set any of his own fire to the white, the image had faded completely. Now tiny stars were appearing on a now black sky. New colors were lifted to replace the light, each one darker and heavier. Few of these tiny friends bathed with white light shone, the clouds covered up the common stars. A new canvas, just as dry as the first, replaced the first one. Each canvas had its own responsibility, one to carry the sunrise, another to hold the day, even another for the sunset, and one to show the darkest night. Each a new stage of life, each one depicting the simple life of a normal man; the painter of course was anything but normal. Only when an abnormal picture came, only when he saw an image of his own life would he paint. Then would he show the world the rare beauty that came with stumbling through every step of life. His life was anything but what society considered normal, but for the rest of his life the canvas would never be painted. That was the most beautiful thing he could paint after all, the only thing that almost all could relate too. It was only fair that his best painting be blank, his painting be nothing but white. The world after all was an Empty Canvas.

December Contest

2013-12-12T16:34:00.002-07:00

Guess what's here? The December prose contest! If you have any short stories then submit them to lit mag now for your (very big) chance to win 25 dollars and to have your work published in the literary magazine. Submissions due Jan. 15, so you have time to work on something over the break. Thanks for submitting and happy holidays!

MAGIC!

2013-12-06T10:00:00.001-07:00

Literary Magazine is holding a Magic (magic, magic, magic) show to raise money for the M.A.D. Jags Charity, the Children's Justice Center. It will be on December 12th at 7:00 p.m. Come see "Lefty" the magic extraodinare perform for people of all ages. The tickets are $5 at the door.

A Very Inspiring Student

2013-12-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Here at the Lit Mag we receive plenty of submissions, but sometimes there is that artist that catches your eye that you just know is a diamond in the rough. Suzie Carson, a senior here at Dub Jay, is a very inspiring poet that has sent us many of her poems and we are very impressed. We sat down with her to see just what she was doing to produce such lovely poetry.

-What is your favorite color?
Green
-What inspires your artwork?
Music I listen to and life experiences
-Where did you learn and develop your writing skills?
In 9th grade I became interested, other than that I haven't. I am taking a creative writing class next semester.
-What helps you produce you art?
Listening to music
-Do you practice any other artistic skills?
Ceramics, drawing. I write short stories as well!
-Out of all your poems, which is your favorite?
That's like asking a parent their favorite child!

Well there you go. It seems like Suzie is a creative soul that has a very special artistic talent. Read one of her poems below and if you like it as much as we did make sure to tell her when you see her in the halls!

Can You Find Me?

Too many doubts in my mind, I can hardly breathe

Too many voices, crowding out mine, it’s hard to speak

I’ve seen photographs, broken mirrors, tell me what you see

I can’t say for myself, can you see something in me?

I’ve lost my trust, can you still trust me?

Fading fast, can you still hear me?

I’ve lost my faith; do you still believe in me?

I’ve lost my way… can you find me?

Lived a small nightmare, It’s time to dream

Doubting myself for so long, not sure what I can be

I’ve seen too many lies, not sure what to believe

Stuck in a shell most of my life, it’s time to be free

I’ve lost my trust, can you still trust me?

Fading fast, can you still see me?

I’ve lost my faith; do you still believe in me?

I’ve lost my way… can you find me?

Am I a princess? Could I be a queen?

Is the something good in me that I could not see?

Are you still there? Do you still wait for me?

Am I too far gone?… can you find me?

By Suzi Carson

Need Some Help?

2013-12-03T16:57:00.001-07:00

We suggest going to this blog. It's relatively new, but it has a lot of good tips. It doesn't matter whether you're a fiction writer or not.

http://blogofafictionwriter.blogspot.com/

Staff Spotlight!

2013-12-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

Our Staff Spotlight this week features....

MacKensie Culligan!

Job: Marketing Assistant

Bio: Strive For Greatness

Excited for in Lit Mag: Hanging out with friends and having a good time

Favorite Color: Orange

Favorite Food: Mac& Cheese

Favorite Poem: No favorite poem

Favorite Book: Hunger Games

Favorite Movie: Miley The Movement

Favorite Piece of Art: Photography

Staff Spotlight!

2013-11-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

Our Staff Spotlight this week features....

Katelyn Nipko!

Job: Poetry Critic

Bio: See a cate on the street, I floor it.

What you’re excited for in Lit Mag: See all the talent of Dub J students.

Favorite Color: Teal

Favorite Food: Blueberry Muffins

Favorite Poem: Shake the Dust

Favorite Book: Pride and Popularity

Favorite Movie: Geek Charming

Favorite Piece of Art: Pieta

Staff Spotlight!

2013-11-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Our Staff Spotlight this week features....

Jessica Peters!

Job: Marketing Director

Bio: I love sports and food! I love to talk and meet new people. I want to be an Aggie! Jake Lortsher is my best friend! I think Cody Culligan is hot!

What you’re excited for in lit mag: The end product

Favorite Color: Red, yellow, orange

Favorite Food: Mangoes and Calzones

Favorite book: Hunger games

Favorite movie: Skyfall

October Art Contest Winner

2013-11-15T10:55:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Tiana Hull for winning the October Art Contest! She received a $25 gift card in compensation. It was really hard to choose just one winner, but in the end it went to Tiana. Her artwork was fantabulous! Take a look.

*All of the art is also available here:

WJHS Literary Magazine "Canvas" ART

A Baby is Coming!

2013-11-14T10:46:00.000-07:00

Lit Mag is proud to announce their brand new mini-magazine! In December we're welcoming our first brand new published baby magazine. It's going to be awesome! So be sure to look for our mini-magazine "zine" when it is released in December. There will be copies in you English classes and a copy to check out in the Library. If you've submitted work you just might find it in this zine. We hope to see you checking out what we're all about.

KEEP SUBMITTING THAT WORK JAGS.

Poetry Submission

2013-11-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

As you know, we are having a poetry contest this month for a chance to win a 25$ gift card. The poetry department has decided to publish a poem they received that exemplifies what we are looking for here at the literary magazine and is a great inspiration for you to write your own poem for the contest!

I Am, The Girl In The Writing

By Samantha Foote

There is the girl who stands lonely,

The girl who is dark,

The love,

The life.

Writing is all she has,

She whose eyes are emeralds of night,

She who is darkened,

She who will touch the hearts of everyone with kindness.

There the girl sits,

Sits in the window,

Sits in the Dark,

Sits with pencil and paper in hand.

Writing, the weeping of a woman’s soul,

The soul’s cry of loneliness,

The soul’s tender mercy of words,

The soul which none can understand.

There the writing says,

It says it all in words with meaning deep,

It speaks to all who will only listen,

It beats with passion fierce and wild.

Writing is the only thing she does,

Creation of beings supernatural,

Creation of death in fearful ways,

Creation of friends to hide from the world at hand.

There with the words,

In the darkness, the darkness of all,

In the room with only pencil and paper,

In the world entirely her own.

Writing her passion,

Her escape from all that haunts in truth,

Her only desire to say what needs be said,

Her fierceness of all things real.

There you see what the girl is about,

Everything connected one to another,

Everything full of the raw emotions of man,

Everything from life to death.

Writing the window closed every day,

She haunts from room to room with that ghastly smile,

She flows out her feelings,

She writes from the depression racking her soul.

There, and there again in all things literal,

The gesture, the gesture of death,

The secrecy of her eyes,

The open feelings of her writing.

Writing, oh writing is cried,

If only, if only one could open their eyes,

If they could see clearly,

If only their eyes could see what she’s trying to say.

There she opens,

No one can see it,

No one is noticing her feelings,

No one can see the death of her happiness.

Writing is the therapy,

The dream of the girl dying inside,

The hope of the girl reaching for something,

The girl who drowns in oblivion.

There she sits pencil in hand,

As she draws out a portrait of love so thick,

As she leads away thoughts of worlds beyond,

As she shows you the things she cannot say.

Writing the writing of all,

Her writing will always show you the way,

Her words drowned in books of thought,

Her desire to show the world who she really is.

There the girl sits with but one word left to say,

The pencil drops and she is done,

The girl with the wish,

The girl who is now free from her bonds.

Writing the last sentence,

It reads: “There she dropped, the girl dropped with death on her lips.”

Prose Rubric

2013-11-11T10:21:00.002-07:00

Here at Lit Mag we wanted to let you know what the Prose Submission group would like to see submitted. Follow this rubric and your chances at being accepted will go up ten-fold, GUARANTEED!

Quality Rubric for Prose

1The writing is grammatically confusing to the point of misinterpretation, overly simple in its concepts or ideas, excessively vulgar, or simply lacking in any intrigue. Additionally, any plagiarized material will automatically be classified as a "1".

2 The writing is simple in development and language, is inconsistent with the theme it attempts to convey, contains severe grammatical errors, is overly cliché or repetitive, or is generally uninteresting.

3 The writing is solid and understandable. Grammatical errors are present, but few. The theme of the piece is conveyed either implicitly or explicitly. Ideas may be somewhat underdeveloped. The piece moderately catches the reader's attention.

4 The writing is complex in development and language, contains minimal errors, is artistically intriguing, conveys the theme of the piece clearly, and employs good use of syntax and diction. The piece is generally interesting to read.

5 The writing is intellectually stimulating in both a literary and an artistic sense. The theme of the piece is intricate and unique. The piece employs especially powerful and effective use of syntax and diction to convey strong emotion. Grammatical errors are few if present. The piece is eye-catching and a genuine pleasure to read.

November Poetry Contest

2013-11-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

Now that it's finally November, the Poetry department is announcing it's November Poetry Contest. And guess what the prize is? A 25$ gift card! Just submit a poem to us (following the guidelines here) by December 4th and you will become eligible to win.

Class Photo!!!!

2013-10-25T10:32:00.001-06:00

Today we took a photo of our staff so you can see who we are. Don't we look awesome?

not pictured: Sheridan Mckay and Kyra Watts

Lit Mag Fundraiser!

2013-10-25T10:16:00.001-06:00

We have a huge fundraising opportunity with Yankee Candle! We are trying to earn money to help us publish our magazine at the end of the year. If you'd like to help us out, then you can visit:

www.yankeecandlefundraising.com

Then when you order through the site, make sure you enter our group number so the money benefits us!

Group #: 990057232

So go buy the products and help us raise money. They make great gifts for the holidays! Don't forget to tell your family and friends!