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Valley Stream, NEW YORK (February, 2022)—The American Press Association (APA) has awarded the 2020-2021 edition of Valley Stream South High School’s literary magazine, Trials of Society, First Place in the high school publication category.
The APA judged roughly 1,300 school magazines nationwide on layout and creative variety. For the 2020-2021 edition, South’s student contributors submitted short- and long-form poetry, physical and digital artwork, photography and prose, all on the theme of this edition: nostalgia.
The magazine was published amid a year of unprecedented upheaval and disruption, challenges that were well represented in student submissions. “Many of the works focused on the artists finding their identities, looking for a community, or dealing with isolation,” said Tahreem Shah, Co-President of South’s literary arts magazine. “They also touched on mental health issues, anxiety and depression, which a lot of people were struggling with during 2020-2021. These wonderful writers and artists reflected a lot about where the whole world was at that year.”
Assembling the magazine under the remote and hybrid schooling configuration of the year was an added challenge, with parallel teams working together remotely and in person. Despite the hurdles, Ms. Shah said the team bonded through a shared experience. “With all of the issues that were going on, I really felt a connection to the people contributing to the magazine,” she said. “It made us feel like we were one as a whole.”
“The recognition really goes to the students, because they put so much time and effort into this,” said Michael Florio, who serves as the advisor for the magazine, “At the end of the day it’s their artwork, and creativity that goes into it.”
For more information about the Valley Stream Central High School District, please visit the District’s website at https://www.vschsd.org/, and like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ValleyStreamCentralHighSchoolDistrict
Date Added: 2/10/2022