For the first time, Laura Secord staff and students have come together to create an anthology composed of students' work in hopes of showcasing the boundless talent possessed by the Secord student body. An anthology is a collection of selected literary pieces, passages, and works of art or music presented in a visually confluent way. Mr. Siriani’s Writer's Craft class and Ms. Bolan’s Drawing and Painting class decided to come together in pairs of writers and artists to create a brand new piece of work specifically for the anthology. Although work created outside this process was also accepted and published, students were encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and work with someone they were unfamiliar with.
Once groups were formed, the goal was to decide on a theme and then conference weekly to allow their work to complement each other effectively and creatively. After careful consideration, 38 pieces of art and writing were accepted and published, selling for $10. Pairing down to 38 pieces was a tough decision, according to teachers. Since his first year at Secord, Mr. Sirianni has wanted to create an anthology, debating on a digital anthology. After Mr. Kent joined Laura Secord, the dream took off. Mr. Kent, who has previous experience creating anthologies at AN Myer Secondary School, was able to bring a polished inception of the Secord anthology.
The teachers involved, Ms. Bolan, Mr. Kent, Mr. Lyle, and Mr. Sirianni, went into this project with high expectations that were met beautifully. When they were asked if they thought anything could have been improved for next year, they all agreed that the initiation for the integration of the artists and writers could've gone better. Rather than being paired at random and then deciding on a theme together, students could select topics/themes they are comfortable working with and then have the students paired based on liked interests. This would allow for a smoother creative process and allow students to have more control over their work. Ms. Bolan also proposed getting the classes together and doing a group critique the next time around.
Ms. Bolan was especially impressed by the work of Gwen LeClair, whose artwork is featured on the cover. She said that Gwen's work was perfect for the idea she had in mind and represented the energy of the anthology as a whole quite nicely. Gwen is glad to have her art featured on the cover and is excited for her work to be acknowledged. Mr. Siriani would like to acknowledge the work of Reegan Hounsell, and Sophia Munoz, whom he said have heart-touching and powerful pieces. Still, once again, all teachers were incredibly proud of all the students' finished work.
Before reading, it's important to keep in mind that the anthology's creation was a group effort and wouldn't have come together as nicely as it did without the collaborative efforts of students and staff. It's also important to note that there is a person behind the words and art, and many of the pieces are very vulnerable, and it took a lot of courage for students to share their art with the world. Remember to congratulate featured students and enjoy!
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