Junior High students can now submit art pieces, poems, and creative stories to be published in our new school magazine, Lumina. Lumina is an art and literary magazine where seventh and eighth graders can share original art and writing.
“It’s much more motivating if you can produce work that not only your teacher will see, but people outside of your school–your friends, your family, people in your community, and that has a wider impact,” said Upper School English Teacher and Lumina Advisor Mrs. Palacios.
Students feel the same way. “I love that we have Lumina because it is a way for students to express themselves and have an outlet to display their work to the rest of the school,” said Carolina Moreno ‘30.
One thing that makes Lumina special is that it is student led. There is a group of 7th and 8th grade editors who participate by helping choose what pieces will be included in the final magazine. “It is fun and a really good experience,” said Anne Fierro ’30, one of the editors.
Alessandra Yu ‘29, another editor, agrees. “It’s fun, and it’s a lot of writing, and I like to write,” she said.
In addition to giving students the chance to publish, Lumina also offers students the opportunity to participate in contests and attend workshops for people who want to paint, write, or draw over lunch. The goal is to inspire students to be creative.
“I really enjoyed the workshop,” said Marcela Larrea ‘30 after a lunch session in March. “I thought it was a great way to see other people’s creative projects and come up with fun topics to write about.” This made Larrea feel “part of a creative community.”
And that is what Lumina is all about–building community. According to student-led literary magazine Harker Aquila, “Student writers uplift one another, joined by their common goal to improve their craft.” The collaborative environment not only nurtures individual talent but also strengthens the collective spirit of publications.
So far the magazine has had two contests to encourage the submission of creative pieces. These contests encourage participation as students are motivated to win prizes. Many students have submitted this semester and are excited for the next contest. “I love writing, and these contests help me write more,” said Moreno.
Lumina is a new piece of history, which is sure to be a long-lasting staple at Carrollton. In future is that Lumina might also want to accept different types of mediums. “I’d also like to see more graphic design prompts because I think that’s an area for us to grow in,” said Mrs. Palacios.
