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Looking Glass gives students a chance to showcase their work

Illustration by Amelia Rennell ’13. Title: untitled. Rennell’s graphic was featured as the Looking Glass’ 2011-2012 cover. Students were able to submit pictures, illustrations and poems to be shown in the literary magazine.

Jack Chase ’13 | Staff Writer

Featuring work by South students, the 2011-2012 edition of Looking Glass, South’s literary magazine, is on sale for $5 in the main hallway during both lunches.

With over 150 copies of Looking Glass preordered, there are still copies available for purchase, Editor-in-Chief Char Koelsch ’12 said.  This year was the first time that students submitted their work online, which led to a greater number of pieces to choose from, compared to previous years.

“(This year) we were more meticulous with the layout and we changed to online submissions, which helped streamline the process, allowing us to review submissions better,” said Koelsch.

Being the leader of Looking Glass comes with its fair share of responsibilities, Koelsch said.  On top of coordinating meetings, Koelsch makes the draft for the layout of the final publication and has the last word on whether a piece makes it into the magazine or not.  One of the most important pieces to decide upon was the cover artwork.

“My favorite piece was probably the cover (done by Amelia Rennell ’13),” said Koelsch.  “It is very colorful and most of the past covers were dark.  I think it is nice to have a change.”

Final layouts of Looking Glass are so protected that Rennell was unaware her submission had been selected for the cover until Friday, May 19, 2012, Rennell said.  Designed around a Buddhism theme, she made the unnamed colored pencil drawing to symbolize being an all around good and happy person.

“I started it about two years ago in the summer and just procrastinated and once I finished it, I saw the Looking Glass thing and just thought I’d submit it,” said Rennell.  “(Making the cover) was a big surprise.”

Photo by Margaux Forster '12. Title: monarch 1. The picture is the centerfold located in the 2011-2012 issue of Looking Glass.
Photo by Margaux Forster ’12. Title: monarch 1. The picture is the centerfold located in the 2011-2012 issue of Looking Glass.

Although every piece in the Looking Glass is outstanding, only two can be selected as Editor’s Pick, the decision is made by all the editors, Koelsch said.  One work from the visual and one from the written submissions were chosen. This year’s Editor’s Pick from the visual submissions was “Umbra” by Alex Pizzimenti ’12, Koelsch said.

“I’m really excited that they (Looking Glass) liked my work because I submitted it to Scholastics and they really didn’t like it,” said Pizzimenti.  “Just that they liked it made me happy; I got something out of my work.  I was really surprised.”

From all the written submissions, the poem “Commencement,” by Dominique Whitney ’13, was selected for Editor’s Pick, Koelsch said.

“It is about graduation and it’s actually my favorite piece I’ve ever written,” said Whitney.  “I just put a lot of work into it, (I’ve been) working on it since November.  That is actually the seventh version, but I ended up sticking with that one.”

Whitney was humbled by being selected as the best overall written submission.

“There are a lot of people I think are much better writers than me,” said Whitney.  “I’m really proud of it; I just get really embarrassed when people mention it.  I don’t like the attention.”

While maintaining her position as editor, Koelsch also submitted pieces of her own writing to be published, Koelsch said.  Deciding which pieces should be published helps Koelsch improve her own work to meet the same standard.

“I get to be on both sides (of the process), submitting and also reviewing submissions,” said Koelsch.  “It has made me look at my work more critcally and know what I want to be published and know when I need to edit more of my own writing.”

Copies of the Looking Glass are available for purchase during lunch near the main office.

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