Creative Writing Anthology Somerset County Teen Arts Festival 2016 Creative Writing Anthology The Somerset County Creative Writing Anthology is a component of the annual 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 constructive 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: Shaniyah Phinn, 17 Bound Brook High School Grade 11 2 SCHOOLS & STUDENTS ALEXANDER BATCHO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Teachers: Maggie Balzano, Ericka Barney, Kevin McManus Arias, Esteban ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Barras, Giavanna ...................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Berrocal, Adam ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Brennan, Jason ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Cornelson, Holly ................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Diarra, Fatima........................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Kunderevych, Mykola .......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Melendez, Tiffany ................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Pfeiffer, Isabelle ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Saburova, Yekaterina ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 Scarpantonio, Maria ............................................................................................................................................................. 28 Sharbaugh, John .................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Shimp, Megan ........................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Starzynski, Sophia ................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Swierszcz, Olivia ................................................................................................................................................................... 39 BOUND BROOK HIGH SCHOOL Teachers: Sue Del Conte, Alex Papanicolopoulos Allen, Daniel........................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Cubas, Samanta ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Fitzpatrick, Gabriela / Williams, Jawhari ...................................................................................................................... 47 Gallagher, Ashley ................................................................................................................................................................. 48 Garoia, Gabriel (pen name Mordeai Rigorson) ............................................................................................................ 51 Johnson, Kamiyah ................................................................................................................................................................. 53 Meyer, Lacey .......................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Puar, Kulveer ......................................................................................................................................................................... 55 Roth, Nicole ............................................................................................................................................................................ 57 Shallop, Madeline .................................................................................................................................................................. 58 Sibaja, Pedro ........................................................................................................................................................................... 60 Tomaselli, Megan ................................................................................................................................................................. 63 Whitehead, David ................................................................................................................................................................. 66 Wisniewski, Stephen ............................................................................................................................................................ 67 3 BRANCHBURG CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL Teachers: Wendy Michels, Suzanne Updegrove Andia, Melissa ........................................................................................................................................................................ 70 Aldrich, Kylie ........................................................................................................................................................................ 73 Cockrill , Tyler ..................................................................................................................................................................... 76 Dailey, Katherine ................................................................................................................................................................. 78 Gandhi, Anany ...................................................................................................................................................................... 81 Goel, Saanya .......................................................................................................................................................................... 84 Harnanto, Jeremiah .............................................................................................................................................................. 87 Hegadorn Amanda ............................................................................................................................................................... 90 Legacki, Erin .......................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Lines, Lily .............................................................................................................................................................................. 95 Miltner, Anna ....................................................................................................................................................................... 97 Porraro, Isabella .................................................................................................................................................................... 99 Shiffman, Zachary ............................................................................................................................................................... 101 Stitt, Callie ............................................................................................................................................................................ 104 Tracey, Hope .......................................................................................................................................................................