Creativity sparks at LPHS

Inspiration for writing comes in many forms. Similarly, Mrs. Cooper’s popular writing class allows those forms to come to life for Slicer students.
The premise of the class began in the 1940s before Cooper took over the class 25 years ago. Frequently, Cooper gives the class a vague idea, and they get to take that inspiration and create any piece of writing they feel fits them and their style best.
“I love this class. It’s really inspirational, and being around the people in this class helps me tap into my creative side and release my ideas,” sophomore Madison Dhoore said.
The first half of the semester is spent having the class create their own individual pieces of work to help boost their confidence and abilities as writers. The second half of the semester, however, is spent creating a completely student-run magazine called Reflections that showcases the artistic abilities of not only the class but the whole school.
Reflections Magazine has been a part of Slicer history for the past 100 years. Most of the writing and the work for Reflections is generated by the Creative Writing class, but out-of-class submissions are encouraged. The magazine takes any original work.
“We accept any kind of original work, whether it’s poetry, stories, narratives, lyrics, music, or any artwork. Artwork is generally pictures of the piece,” Cooper said.
Over the years, Reflections has consistently earned a Rank of Excellence from the National Council of Teachers of English. The contest is held nationally, and a panel of English teachers judge the publications.
Though this year’s edition of Reflections will be the first one published in a few years due to COVID-19, Cooper has no plans to stop producing the magazine in the future.
“I think it’s important for students to see their voices are valued and their talents are recognized, and this is a pretty low-key way to do that without judgment. It also helps quiet students be heard and recognized,” Cooper said.
If any student wants to submit any piece of their work to Reflections, they would need to email Mrs. Cooper at [email protected], or they can submit their works on paper to her classroom, J.15. All works will be graded anonymously by the class before being put into the magazine. Any donations for the magazine can also be directed to Mrs. Cooper.
For interested students, the class is a by-application one-semester course that allows students to express themselves in any way they choose. Each class is listed under a different course name for students who want to apply–Short Stories, Poetry, and Creative Writing. For example, sophomores would be taking the Short Stories class, but the students aren’t limited to writing only short stories.
LPHS is excited to see what inspiration comes through in the newest edition of Reflections Magazine.