Creative Writing Anthology
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Creative Writing Anthology Somerset County Teen Arts Program 2015 Creative Writing Anthology The Somerset County Creative Writing Anthology is a component of the an- nual Somerset County Teen Arts Festival Program. Students’ creative writing is submitted to respected professional writers and/or Geraldine R. Dodge Poets who review the submissions and offer written critiques for each student. The professional writers engaged commend the students’ strong points and offer con- structive suggestions for improving particular aspects of their work. At the festival, students attend feedback sessions to discuss the work in the anthology with the critique writers. Additionally, students are encouraged to attend Creative Writing workshops on a variety of subjects led by the visiting writers. As a complement to school districts’ regular English classes, the Somerset County Teen Arts Creative Writing component offers students the opportunity to work directly with professional writers and poets who encourage them to fine- tune their writing skills while offering helpful hints into the creative process. The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission wishes to commend the students whose work appears in the anthology, and hopes the experience will inspire them to continue writing as an expressive art form. Cover Artwork: Edwin Sibaja Lopez, 19 Bound Brook High School Grade 12 2 SCHOOLS & STUDENTS ALEXANDER BATCHO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Teachers: Maggie Balzano, Jennifer Fallone, Rachael Lopa Arroyo, Samantha……………………………………………………………………………………………….7 Betancourt, Joel………………………………………………………………..………………………………...8 Castro, Maria……………………………………………………………………….…………………………..10 Cruz, Samantha…………………………………………………………………..…………...………………..12 Dolores, Berania……………………………………………………………………...………………………...13 Mayhuire, Johe…………………………………………………………………………………………………14 Mercado, Tatyana……………………………………………………………………………………………....17 Mora, Michelle…………………………………………………………………………………………………18 Romero, Michelle…………………………………………………………………………………….………...20 Scarpantonio, Maria……………………………………………………………………………………………22 Sharbaugh, John………………………………………………………………………………………………..25 Slater, Shelby…………………………………………………………………………………..………………27 Vega, Priscila…………………………………………………………………………………………………..30 Yanicek, Katharine……………………………………………………………………………………………..32 BOUND BROOK HIGH SCHOOL Teachers: Sue Del Conte Fry, Raymond……………………………………………………………………………………………...…...34 Martinez, Jose……………………………………………………………………………………….…………35 Meyers, Emily………………………………………………………………………………………...………..38 Reyes, Pamela………………………………………………………………………………………………….39 Williams, Davian………………………………………………………………………………..……………...40 3 BRANCHBURG CENTRAL MIDDLE Teachers: Suzanne Updegrove; Marie Cinque; Lisa Leibowitz; Wendy Michels; Justin Rogoff Boyle, Meredith……………………………………………………………………………………….………..42 Ciurleo, Emily………………………………………………………………………………………….…..…...44 Cleary, Emily…………………………………………………………………………………………………...46 Dailey, Katherine………………………………………………………………………………………..……...49 Duddy, Gianna…………………………………………………………………………………………….……52 Dugenio, Jaden………………………………………………………………………………………..………...53 Gliksman, Alonna………………………………………………………………………………………..……..56 Gooding, Dylan………………………………………………………………………………………….……...57 Hegadorn, Amanda……………………………………………………………………………………………..59 Jones, Tamara ……………………………………………...……………………………………………..…....62 Lagacki, Erin……………………………………………………………………………………………………63 Luger, Taylor……………………………………………………………………………………….…………..66 Marshak, Samantha…………………………………………………………………………………...………..67 Nawrath, Gabriella…………………………………………………………………………………….……….69 O’Neill, Sage…………………………………………………………………………………………….……..71 Taylor, Alexis…………………………………………………………………………………………….…….74 Zaleski, Jade ……………………………………………………………………………………………...……76 HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL Teachers: Kenneth Shindle Atlas, Michael………………………………………………………………………………………...………...77 Bizzoco, Kevin………………………………………………………………………………………………….78 Ciccarelli, Sydney………………………………………………………………………………………………81 Evers, Brandon………………………………………………………………………………………….………84 Herbert, Janelle………………………………………………………………………………………….……...85 Hollasch, Megan………………………………………………………………………………………...……...86 Johnsen, Olivia………………………………………………………………………………………………….87 Kumar, Rishona………………………………………………………………………………………….……..88 4 HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL continued Moin, Zain……………………………………………………………………………………………...………89 Naroden, Jake ………………………………………………………………………………………………….90 Patel, Sutee……………………………………………………………………………………………………..91 Vrabel, Tyler ………………………………………………………………………………………..………...92 HILLSBOROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL Teachers: Bill Dixon; Elena Amineddoleh; Nina Presuto Angelo, Siman……………………………………………………………………………………….…………95 Carew, Patrick …………………………………………………………………………………………………96 Cavagnaro, Thomas ……………………………………………………………………………………………97 Chandaka, Asha ………………………………………………………………………………..………………98 Clark, Kyle ……………………………………………………………………………………………………99 Consentino, Corinne …………………………………………………………………………….……………103 Damle, Nikhil ………………………………………………………………………………………...………104 Dooley, Nick …………………………………………………………………………………………………105 Fox, Mike ……………………………………………………………………………………………….……109 Franco, Victoria ………………………………………………………………………………………………113 Grodzki, Markus ……………………………………………………………………………………..………114 Kelshikar, Shreya ……………………………………………………………………………………………117 Leoni, Corinne ………………………………………………………………………………..………………118 McCormick, Brooke …………………………………………………………………………………….……119 Murphy, Mara ………………………………………………………………………………………..………120 Rodriquez, Ronald …………………………………………………………………………………...………121 Romito, Jillian ………………………………………………………………………………………..………123 Trampe, Stephen …………………………………………………………………………………..…………124 Villano, Karli …………………………………………………………………………………………………125 MANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL Teachers: Kevin Caldwell; Erika Barney; David Giantisco Bailey, Jamier …………………………………………………………………………………...……………126 Chachowski, Richard ………………………………………………………………………………...………127 Ciuksza, Amy ………………………………………………………………………………………...………130 5 MANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL continued Hidalgo-Cruz, Tamara ………………………………………………………………………………………113 Hvizdak, Michaela ……………………………………………………………………………….…………135 Kunjumon, Snehel ………………………………………………………………………………..…………138 LeVay, Carley ………………………………………………………………………………………………141 Michalski, Ashley ………………………………………………………………………………..…………143 Munguia, German ……………………………………………………………………………………..……144 Sisakova, Dana …………………………………………………………………………………...…………145 Spencer, Zach …………………………………………………………………………………….…………146 Walker, Emily ………………………………………………………………………………………………147 Wanjohi, Victoria ………………………………………………………………………...…………………148 THE PURNELL SCHOOL Teachers: Amy Wood Gardener, Dejah……………………………………………………………………………………………..149 Jarvis, Julia…………………………………………………………………………………...…….………..151 Lewis, Nia…………………………………………………………………………………………….……..153 McDonal, Lexi…………………………………………………………………………………………...….154 Tian, Jessica (Yunuo)………………………………………………………………………………….…….157 Artwork Arias, Esteban - Alexander Batcho Intermediate School………………………………………...…………..24 Ayerdis, Samantha - Bound Brook High School………………………………….…………….…………...41 Berisha, Shefkije Alexander Batcho Intermediate School………………...….……………….…...……….112 Chandara, Julie - Bound Brook High School…………………………………………...………………….132 Fillmore, Charli - Bound Brook High School………………………………………….…………….………51 Jimenez, Natalia - Alexander Batcho Intermediate School…………………………………..……………...58 LoMonte, Molly - Bound Brook High School……………………………………………………………….29 Nunez, Amy - Bound Brook High School…………………………………………….…………….……….66 Remache, Melanie - Bound Brook High School…………………………………………..……..………….73 Sarboukh, Aimee - Bound Brook High School…………………………………………….……..………..142 Wayne, Michella - Bound Brook High School…………………………………………...………….……..156 6 ALEXANDER BATCHO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Memories Why dwell on the past when you can live in the present Memories are just diluted and often embellished ideals from ones past. Rarely, if ever, are the thoughts and actions “remembered” the truth of the event. How is one supposed to diagnose their own problem and personal demons when the instances that shaped them into who they are cannot be recalled as they truly were? Ones soul eats away at them every living second when faced with unresolved problems. They break under pressure and fall, where they resort to cowering in fear of daily life. A simple human does not know to forget, because we are forced to remember. Remember our own freakish dilutions of things as they eat us from the inside out. We slowly die from our own minds without realizing it, our own memories burning us alive in a way. Why dwell on the past when we can live in the present? Samantha Arroyo Alexander Batcho Intermediate School Somerset County Grade 8 7 Believe "Hey Daddy how was work?" Jessica asked politely with a smile on her face. “Nothing much, or least nothing interesting," Ray chuckled. "Are we still going to the diner to celebrate our seven week anniversary of us living here?" asked Jessica eagerly. “Of course we are honey," responded Ray happily. Both Ray and Jessica got ready and they drove off to The Metro Diner. There, Ray ordered his 8 oz. Sirloin steak and Jessica ordered chicken nuggets, like they always did. "Breaking News!" bellowed out of the retro television in the old fashioned diner, "There has been an outbreak of a mysterious virus called, Solanum. Let's go live to the scene." "Hello, this is Gabriel Murillo live in Manhattan, just outside St. Richards's Hospital where there has been an outbreak of Solanum - I am getting word that the patients are...what?!" The reporter glanced back. To his absolute terror he saw revolting, pale green, lifeless creatures wearing hospital robes and pounding on the frail hospital