Category Archives: Writing

Poetry & Ceramic Pots by Julia Polen ’24

by Brian Yun At the end of every year, Creative Writing students design and create a final independent project. Julia chose to write a series of flower-themed poems. The poems describe the 5 stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, … Continue reading

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Marina Chernin ’23 published in The Star-Ledger

Junior Marina Chernin’s personal essay about the war in Ukraine and her family’s connections to the region has been published in The Star-Ledger. You can read an online version here or view an excerpt of the print version below. Congratulations, … Continue reading

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“Othello” original scene by Sam Witt, Meredith Janay, and Stella Gilbert ’22

Post by Stella Gilbert ’22. In Mr. Reed’s IB English HL class, students had free rein to take on any creative project in response to Shakespeare’s Othello. Seniors Samantha Witt, Meredith Janay, and Stella Gilbert decided to collaborate to create … Continue reading

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Two Scholastic Gold Key poems by Kieri Keys ’24

“Ambidextrous” and “Permanent Marker,” two poems by sophomore Kieri Keys, recently won regional Scholastic Art and Writing Gold Key Awards. Congratulations, Kieri! Ambidextrous I believe in God, but I don’t believe his people. Why should I? They tell me that … Continue reading

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2022 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — Regional Winners

Congratulations to the 22 students who won a total of 29 Scholastic Writing Awards and the 8 students who won a total of 17 Scholastic Art Awards! The works of Gold Key winners Natalie Blake ’26, Marina Chernin ’23, Olivia … Continue reading

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Skywalker Li ’22 wins 2021 NCTE Achievement Award

Skywalker Li ’22 has won a Certificate of Superior Writing from the National Council of Teachers of English for his essay, “To Play Jazz,” and his short story, “Ҳикояи марг,” which you can read below. This year, 284 juniors from … Continue reading

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Chocolate Poetry Competition Winners

On February 24th, Newark Academy celebrated its annual Chocolate Day. Among the Chocolate Day festivities was a chocolate poetry competition. Andrew Zabelo ’21 won first place, with Oliver Adelson ’21 in second! The two winners received large chocolate prizes as … Continue reading

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2021 Scholastic Writing Awards—Regional Winners

Congratulations to the 22 Newark Academy student who won a total of 28 Scholastic Writing Awards! Gold Key winners Drew France ’22, Annika Inampudi ’21, Sammy Lederman ’22, Olivia Palker ’24, Kaya Patel ’22, and Lily Sternlieb ’24 will go … Continue reading

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Poetry by Kristin Duszak and Sarah Fischer

Last summer, NA faculty members Kristin Duszak and Sarah Fischer participated in a conference around place-based learning, where they wrote reflective poems in the style of George Ella Lyons’ “Where I’m From” about their identity, their culture, and their stories.

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Michaela Wang ’21 Wins Gandhi Art & Writing Contest

Michaela Wang ’21 was selected as a top contestant in the 2020 Mahatma Gandhi Art and Writing Contest, sponsored by the Association of Indians in America. The annual contest strives to “raise awareness on the importance of Gandhi’s message on … Continue reading

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Annika Inampudi ’21 & Lily Sternlieb ’24 Win NCTE Writing Awards

Two NA students have won recognition from the National Council of Teachers of English for excellence in writing. Annika Inampudi ’21 was awarded a Certificate of Superior Writing, the highest award available to eleventh grade students entered in the NCTE … Continue reading

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Senior Interns Spotlight: Alison Bader ’20 and Jamie Paradis ’20

In 2018, the WAM blog welcomed four student interns to work as a part of the team, helping to curate blog posts and organize outreach to the NA community. Senior Alison Bader ’20 has since then been a valuable contributor … Continue reading

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Lily Sterlieb ’24 Wins National Gold Medal in Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

Lily Sternlieb ’24 has won a Scholastic Gold Medal, awarded to “the most outstanding works in the nation,” for her dramatic script, “We Write The Words We Cannot Say.” You can read the winning piece below. Congratulations, Lily! Character Breakdown … Continue reading

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Jamie Paradis ’20 published in Hanging Loose

Four poems by Jamie Paradis ’20 have been accepted for publication in the esteemed literary magazine Hanging Loose. They will be printed in an upcoming issue. Congratulations, Jamie! I can’t see in this fog but it’s okay for now I … Continue reading

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“A Tale of Two Cities” by Alexis Romay

Faculty member Alexis Romay (aka Profe) writes about his complicated relationship with the city of Havana. The piece was published on World Literature Today. You can read his essay and poem in Spanish here. Havana just turned five hundred. The beautiful … Continue reading

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Student Reviews of Summer Art Programs

Interviews and write-up by Jamie Paradis ’20. Newark Academy students often spend their summers honing their creative craft in programs outside of NA. Here, students Ben Chaddha, Lori Hashasian, Jamie Paradis, Kaitlin Weiss, and Silvy Zhou reflect on their experiences … Continue reading

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Ava Sharahy Earns NCTE Achievement Award for Writing

Each year, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) hosts awards in a range of subjects and for different age groups. This year, Ava Sharahy (’20) was one of 15 11th grade winners from the state of New Jersey … Continue reading

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James Blume Earns NCTE Achievement Award for Writing

This essay by James Blume ’19 was part of a portfolio of work that earned a 2018 NCTE Achievement Award for Superior Writing. The Illustrated Generation To the great disdain of my parents and utter delight of his high school … Continue reading

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Jamie Paradis Published by Apprentice Writer

Poetry by Jamie Paradis ’20 was selected by judges of Susquehanna University’s 37th Annual High School Writing Contest for publication in the Fall 2019 Vol. 37 edition of the Apprentice Writer, a print and online magazine. This year the contest … Continue reading

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Published Fiction by Andrew Alford

The following short story by Computer Science teacher and Tech Department member Andrew Alford earned an Honorable Mention from Glimmer Train Press and was published in the Sweet Tree Review. His fiction and poetry have also been published in Midnight … Continue reading

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Poetry by Elizabeth Hawk

Poetry by Newark Academy senior Elizabeth Hawk ’19. 3,000 Miles Away I can hear the wind in California Crackling through the phone. Carried to me through threads Of bouncing information On waves into my ear But I can’t think about … Continue reading

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Melanie Kramarchuk Wins NJCTE Bronze Medal for Fiction

Melanie Kramarchuk ’22 was awarded a NJCTE Bronze Medal for Fiction for her short story “FALLING.” The piece was created in response to a challenge from her English teacher Mr. Lou Scerra to write something inspired by author Ted Chiang’s style in which … Continue reading

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Unnathy Nellutla Scholastic American Voices Medal Nominee

Poetry by Unnathy Nellutla ’19 earned a 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Gold Key for Poetry and was selected by judges as one of five nominees from New Jersey for the prestigious American Voices Medal.   Before 9/11 When … Continue reading

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Fiction by Annika Inampudi Earns Scholastic National Medal

Flash fiction story by sophomore Annika Inampudi ’21 earned a 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing National Silver Medal. This is Annika’s second National Medal. As an eighth grader she won a 2017 Gold Medal for her flash fiction story, “Stolen … Continue reading

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Jamie Paradis Published in Blue Marble Review

“A Tree Poem” by junior Jamie Paradis ’20 was published in the March 2019 Volume 13 issue of the Blue Marble Review, a quarterly online literary journal showcasing the creative work of young writers ages 13-21. In addition, Jamie recently … Continue reading

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Global Speaker Daryl Davis

Newark Academy’s Global Speaker Series hosted R&B/blues musician, activist, author, actor and bandleader Daryl Davis. An acclaimed boogie-woogie pianist, Davis has played with musicians Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, B. B. King, Bruce Hornsby, as well as Bill Clinton. In … Continue reading

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Personal Essay by Antonia Park

After graduating from Newark Academy, Antonia Park ’18 took a gap semester from Middlebury College to walk el Camino de Santiago in Spain and do volunteer work in Bali. While at Newark Academy, she attended the Alzar School, a semester … Continue reading

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Poetry by Young Se Choi

“Evening in New York” by Young Se Choi ’18 was published by the New Jersey Lives Poets Society for their “Inside of Me” theme, summer 2016. You can read more of Young Se’s published work on WAM: Selected Works. Evening … Continue reading

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Award-winning Fiction by Ezra Lebovtiz

The following short fiction by Ezra Lebovitz ’18 won 3rd Place in the 2016 Johns Hopkins Creative Minds Fiction Contest and was published in the magazine IMAGINE. The judges said of his work: “Much goes unsaid between the brother and … Continue reading

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On Being a First Generation Korean American Woman by Antonia Park

The following article by recent graduate Antonia Park ’18 was originally published in Keke Magazine, of which she is the Managing Editor. Focused on on female empowerment and representation, Keke offers unfiltered, honest reflections of women’s lives and seeks to … Continue reading

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Scholastic National Silver Medal Fiction by Ava Sharahy

“Hero to Three” by Ava Sharahy ’20 earned a 2017 Scholastic National Silver Medal in Flash Fiction. In 2018 Ava earned a National Gold Medal in Poetry for her poem, “M,” awarded at a Carnegie Hall ceremony on June 2018. … Continue reading

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An Exploration of Armor in Don Quixote by Reyther Ortega

This essay written by Newark Academy faculty member Reyther Ortega of the Language Department was presented at a May 2016 graduate student panel at Montclair State University where she studied in the Department of Spanish and Italian. Enjoy this thought-provoking … Continue reading

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Scholastic National Gold Medal Poetry by Ava Sharahy

“M” by Ava Sharahy ’20 earned a Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Gold Medal in Poetry awarded at Carnegie Hall in June 2018. In 2017 Ava earned a National Silver Medal in Flash Fiction for her story, “Hero to … Continue reading

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Scholastic National Gold Medal Poetry by Ezra Lebovitz

This poem was part of a poetry portfolio by Ezra Lebovitz ’18 that earned a Scholastic National Gold Medal, to be awarded at a Carnegie Hall ceremony in June 2018. Other poems in his collection included “Cracking My Knuckles in … Continue reading

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Apprentice Writer Publication by Young Se Choi

This short story by Young Se Choi ’18 was selected by the Susquehanna University Annual High School Writing Contest and published in their literary magazine, THE APPRENTICE WRITER, Vol. 35, Fall 2017. “Sunny” by Young Se Choi Upper Eastside. Carnegie … Continue reading

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Betsy Zaubler Wins Susquehanna University Writing Contest

This story by Betsy Zaubler ’17  won the prose category of Susquehanna University’s 35th Annual High School Writing Competition and was featured in Vol. 35, the Fall 2017 edition of THE APPRENTICE WRITER.  Dr. Glen Retief, Director of the Writers … Continue reading

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WAM Montage

Newark Academy’s Writing, Art & Music blog, affectionately known as WAM, is a place for students, alumni, teachers, staff and visiting artists to share creative work  with the goal of supporting and encouraging artistic pursuits, large and small. We feature … Continue reading

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Fiction by Samantha Kany

“The Sound of Winter” by Samantha Kany ’18 won 2nd place in the the Writers’ Slate annual writing contest sponsored by The Writing Conference, Inc. and Honorable Mention in Rider University’s Annual High School Writing Competition. The Sound of Winter … Continue reading

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Khalil Abdul-Malik’s ‘Federalist No. 86. Reparations for the Negro Slaves’

Federalist No. 86. Reparations for the Negro Slaves (after James Madison) by Khalil Abdul-Malik, Newark Academy Humanities Faculty To the People of the State of New York: Earlier I stated in Federalist No. 54, that “the case of the slaves … Continue reading

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Poetry by Abbey Zhu

In addition to earning Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Gold Key recognition, work by Abbey Zhu ’18 has been published in three national print magazines: Susquehanna University’s Apprentice Writer (“Ground Zero” Fall 2016, Vol. 34), Cicada Magazine (“Impediments” September/October 2016 … Continue reading

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Annika Inampudi Wins Scholastic National Gold Medal for Flash Fiction

This epistolary story by 8th grade student Annika Inampudi ‘21, written as a bonus exercise for English class with Ms. Alexandra Mahoney, won a Scholastic Art & Writing National Gold Medal for Flash Fiction. Annika will be honored at an award … Continue reading

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Poetry by Mel Xiao

Mel Xiao ’18 was named a 2017 New Jersey Youth Poet Laureate. She received a Governor’s Award and will have five poems printed in a national anthology. In addition,  Mel won a 2017 Moving Words Competition, through which her poetry … Continue reading

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Kiran Damodaran Earns 2nd Scholastic Silver Medal

Senior Kiran Damodaran ’17 earned his 2nd Scholastic Art & Writing Silver Medal in two years, last year for Poetry and this year for his short story, “Carnival Games.” Kiran’s fiction and poetry have been published in Crashtest Magazine, YARN … Continue reading

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Writer’s Bone Interview with Tess Callahan

On February 27, 2017 Daniel Ford of the Writer’s Bone podcast interviewed Newark Academy English Department faculty member and author of APRIL & OLIVER Tess Callahan on process, craft, and how her new novel came to her like a fly … Continue reading

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Mel Xiao Published in Blue Marble Review

This poem by Mel Xiao ’18 was published in the January 2017 issue of The Blue Marble Review. Mel’s work has also appeared in The Apprentice Writer, Black Fox Literary Magazine and Cicada Magazine.  She won a Bronze Medal for … Continue reading

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Montclair Times article by Betsy Zaubler

Newark Academy senior and Montclair resident Betsy Zaubler published this essay in the The Montclair Times in December 2016 in support of the Public Library. Betsy has received numerous awards for her writing, including the NJ Young Playwrights Competition, the … Continue reading

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Francesca Badalamenti ’18 Published by Claremont Review

“Dangerous Habits” a villanelle by Francesca Badalamenti ’18 was published in Fall 2016 Volume 50 of the Claremont Review. Established in 1992, the Claremont Review has published work by artists and writers aged 13-19  from all over the English-speaking world.  … Continue reading

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The Joy of SET by Rebecca Gordon & Co.

Newark Academy math teacher Rebecca Gordon has co-authored a book with Liz McMahon, Gary Gordon and Hannah Gordon: The Joy of SET: The Many Mathematical Dimensions of a Seemingly Simple Card Game, published by Princeton University Press. Have you ever … Continue reading

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“Searching for Ghosts” a Route 66 Journey by Steve Miller

Searching For Ghosts: Feral Tourist Explores the Past on Route 66 INTRODUCTION: Steve Miller, blues musician and longtime member of the NA Maintenance Department, ventured on a week-long motorcycle exploration of historic Route 66, also known as ‘Will Rogers Highway,’ … Continue reading

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Gabrielle Poisson ’17 Wins National Playwrights Contest

“Doesn’t That Sound Lovely?” a play written by Gabrielle Poisson ’17 during Newark Academy’s 2016 24-hour Play Writing Festival, won the Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival and was professionally produced in the Stella Adler Theatre in Los Angeles in June … Continue reading

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New Poetry Collection by Vanessa Jimenez Gabb

Newark Academy English Department faculty member Vanessa Jimenez Gabb is the author of Images for Radical Politics, which was the Editor’s Choice in the 2015 Rescue Press Black Box Poetry Prize contest and is forthcoming in November, 2016; and the … Continue reading

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Scholastic National Gold Medal Fiction by James Marcucci ’16

THE LONG HARVEST by James Marcucci ’16 won a 2016 Scholastic National Gold Medal for Novel Writing. National awards are given to less than 1% of Scholastic entries. Of those, only 15 students across the nation received Gold Medals for Novel … Continue reading

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Vanessa Gabb to Publish First Book of Poetry

This poem by English Department Faculty member Vanessa Jimenez Gabb was published in Issue 18 of the online poetry journal DUSIE.  Ms. Gabb’s first full-length poetry manuscript has been selected for publication by Rescue Press. Her manuscript, Images for Radical … Continue reading

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“Christian in a Masjid” a poem by Amani Garvin ’15

The following poem by Amani Garvin ’15 was published in the national print magazine Cicada in June 2014. Amani currently attends Columbia University.         Christian in a Masjid The green carpet of the Masjid, The smell of … Continue reading

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“Collision Theory” a poem by Kiran Damodaran ’17

The following poem by Kiran Damodaran ’17, written in NA’s Creative Writing Workshop, was published in the Claremont Review, an international literary magazine for young writers. Kiran also won a National 2016 Scholastic Silver Medal for Poetry.     Collision … Continue reading

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“The Russian Victory Network” creative nonfiction by Aaron Weiss

A. A. Weiss grew up in Maine and now resides in New York City. He teaches in NA’s Language Department after having lived in Ecuador, Mexico, Moldova and New Jersey. His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in Hippocampus Magazine, … Continue reading

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“The Fifth Diver” by Alexis Romay

“The Fifth Diver” is a freestanding short story included in Salidas de emergencia (Emergency Exits), the first novel published by faculty member Alexis Romay. The book was published in Spanish and Italian editions in 2007. His novel, La Apertura Cubana, was … Continue reading

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“reasons we should buy this belize livingsocial escape” by Vanessa Jimenez Gabb

The following poem by English teacher Vanessa Jimenez Gabb was published on the “30 Latin@ Poets/30 Days” segment of the online magazine Luna Luna. Ms. Gabb is the author of Weekend Poems, Dancing Girls Press, 2014. Please enjoy the poem … Continue reading

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“The City” a poem by Danielle Sidi ’14

The following poem by Danielle Sidi ’14, published on the Poets.org website, was written in response to “The Map” by Elizabeth Bishop (shown below). Dani’s experience in NA’s Creative Writing Workshop inspired her to take a creative writing class at … Continue reading

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“School Bus” a poem by Elizabeth Merrigan ’16

This poem by Elizabeth Merrigan ’16 was selected for publication in the Claremont Review, a premier international literary magazine for young writers. Congratulations, Liz!         School Bus The wheels sing rusty high into the street’s sandpaper sallow, … Continue reading

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“A Gun Story” by Aaron Weiss, Pushcart Prize Nominee

“A Gun Story” is excerpted from a memoir, LENIN’S ASYLUM, which is forthcoming from Bleeding Heart Publications in 2016. Aaron Weiss also serves as nonfiction editor for The Indianola Review. Visit his website at www.aaweiss.com. Orginally published in Hippocampus Magazine … Continue reading

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“Why I Do My Homework” poetry & photography by Michael Lee ’15

This poem by Michael Lee ‘15 won the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English 2015 Bronze Medal for Poetry and was performed at an award ceremony in Scotch Plains, NJ on April 23, 2015. Michael will be invited to … Continue reading

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“No More Shame” an essay by SaVonne Anderson ’13

“No More Shame” by SaVonne Anderson ’13 was published on the blog For Harriet, and reprinted in SaVonne’s book, Womanifesto, edited by classmate Alyssa McPherson ’13.  SaVonne’s work has also appeared in the Comma literary magazine and LoveBrownSugar multicultural beauty blog. … Continue reading

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Sylvia Plath Inspired Poems by Betsy LaPadula

Because curious minds never stop learning, English Department faculty member Betsy LaPadula (author of the poetry chapbook Elpenor Falls) took an online poetry class focusing on the work of Sylvia Plath. The following poems were written in response to prompts … Continue reading

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“May Day” a short story by Emma Hoffman ’16

The following short story by Emma Hoffman ’16 was selected for publication by Polyphony H.S., an international student-run literary magazine for high school students. The events of the story are loosely based on the kidnappings of 43 students in Iguala, … Continue reading

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Op-Ed & Personal Essay by Alexis Romay published by Translating Cuba & NBC News

“On Cuba, Hope and Change” was published on December 23rd, 2014, by Translating Cuba, the platform that publishes the blogs that are banned by the Cuban government. (Here you can read the essay in Spanish.) Alexis Romay of the NA … Continue reading

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“The Painter’s Wife” a poem by Alyssa McPherson ’13

The following poem by Alyssa McPherson ’13 won the NJCTE Gold Medal in poetry. Aly received a 2013 Governor’s Award in Arts Education and performed her poetry at the Patriot’s Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton in 2013 and … Continue reading

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“Intimacy and Disequilibrium” an essay by Claudia Lu ’15

The following essay by Claudia Lu ’15, written for the Film Studies class taught by Ms. Acquadro, won a 2015 Scholastic Silver Key Writing Award in the “Critical Essay” category. Intimacy and Disequilibrium: A Film Study on On the Waterfront … Continue reading

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“Night Without Words” a Sestina by Josh Martin ’16

Night Without Words As I approach my father lying serenely in his hospital bed, I feel ashamed to be called his son. What kind of father would abandon the ones he says he loves and look so peaceful lying there … Continue reading

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“If I Could Write to Truman Capote” an essay by Haley Mudrick ’15

Haley Mudrick’s personal essay, “If I Could Write to Truman Capote,” excerpted below, won the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English 2015 Gold Medal for Creative Nonfiction.  Dear Mr. Capote, I was raised to believe that people could be … Continue reading

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From the Desk of Poet Vanessa Jimenez Gabb

The online literary press Real Pants asked NA faculty member and poet Vanessa Jimenez Gabb, author of Midnight Blue and co-founder of Five Quarterly, to share a photograph of her writing desk and answer the question: Messy or clean? “I need … Continue reading

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“Can We Escape?” flash fiction by Daniel Kwiatkowski ’15

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards hosted a celebratory reading in a renowned independent NYC bookstore featuring a select group of Northeast Region-at-Large Gold Key award recipients. Daniel Kwiatkowski ’15 was invited to read his Gold Key Flash Fiction piece, … Continue reading

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“Shadow Friends” fiction by Gabrielle Poisson ’17

This story by Gabrielle Poisson ’17 won 1st Place in the 2015 Writers Slate Fiction Contest sponsored by the Writing Conference, Inc. The daylight was waning and the damp beach had descended into a cool lull. Over-sized men in beach … Continue reading

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“Cathedrals” a poem by Emma Hoffman ’16

This poem by Emma Hoffman ’16 was published in the Fall 2015 issue of The Louisville Review.  The piece, begun as a personal essay and distilled into a poem, is based on the poet’s personal experiences and on the Cathedral … Continue reading

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“Unembellished We” a poem by Mollie Wohlforth ’15

The following poem by Mollie Wohlforth ’15 was published in Polyphony H.S. Her work has also been published by Canvas Literary Magazine and BRICKrhetoric Literary & Visual Arts Journal. She was co-editor-in-chief of NA’s literary magazine, Prisms.   Unembellished We … Continue reading

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“Hammerhead Goes to the Gallows” a story by Andrew Alford

NA’s Computer Science teacher and Tech Office guru, Andrew Alford, was recently awarded a New Writer Award Honorable Mention by Glimmer Train Magazine for his short story, “Erasure.” He calls the piece below a “mock, mock trial story,” (with apologies … Continue reading

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Haicubano Haiku Project by Alexis Romay

I wrote the first 50, 000 words of La apertura cubana, my second novel, during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) 2009. This year, pressed for time, I settled for seventeen syllables per day. My idea was to deconstruct and/or (re)create Cuba, three … Continue reading

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“Like Agamemnon’s Bath” by Betsy LaPadula

“Ben Zimmerman ’19 sent me an article from the Huffington Post about high-saline-content, blood-red, 140-degree Lake Natron and its hauntingly preserved animals, who perish because something about the lake confuses their sense of direction, and they crash into it.  After … Continue reading

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Performances by Alyssa McPherson ’13 & Flannery James ’14

Alyssa McPherson ’13 and Flannery James ’14 performed their poetry at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on October 24, 2014. For details click on the Creative Writing News. Below is … Continue reading

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“Catey Shaw’s ‘Brooklyn Girls’ Is Only Cute When Lana Does It” by Elizabeth Coscia ’11

Alumnus Elizabeth Coscia ’11 is a New York Observer columnist operating out of New York and Washington D.C. with a background in culture and politics. Elizabeth participated in the Creative Writing Workshop at NA and currently attends Georgetown University. Read … Continue reading

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“Yellow Starbursts” by Danielle Sidi ’14

The following contribution to WAM! is from alumnus Danielle Sidi, who currently studies at Emory University. Another of her poems, entitled “The City” (written in response to Elizabeth Bishop’s poem, “The Map”) was published on Poets.org and can be found … Continue reading

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Flash Fiction by James Blume

The following story by James Blume ’19 won a 2014 Scholastic National Gold Medal for Flash Fiction. A multi-genre writer, James was a finalist in the 2017 NJ Young Playwrights Competition, won a 2017 NJCTE Bronze Medal for Poetry, and … Continue reading

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