Thistletalk Winter 2011 - Winchester Thurston School

Since its inception, The Plaid—or Plaid, as it is now known—has been a student-driven project that follows a traditionalliterary magazine format, showcasing works of art, poetry,and prose. Student editors are in charge of all the editorial andgraphics decision-making. All WT students are encouraged tosubmit their works of writing and art, and the editorial staffselects works for publication.As computer technology has advanced, Plaid has not onlywithstood the test of time, but also expanded the boundaries ofwhat a student-run publication could be. Today’s Plaid not onlyfeatures student writing, but also artwork and photography, andstudents have learned more about page layout and graphic designas they build each issue using powerful software tools.Plaid’s current faculty advisor and English Department ChairJill Kazmierczak comments, “From the start, the writing and arthave been edgy and innovative and thoughtful. It’s a wonderfultradition for WT to have captured this school’s rich and enduringcreative bent in this publication.” Last year’s Plaid, Phi/Fie 2010,marked the publication’s 53rd issue, and it earned first placenationally from American Scholastic Press Association, and threenational awards from Columbia Scholastic Press Association:second place for cover design, credible mention honor for pagedesign, and second place for essay writing, to senior ThembaSearles for “Breaking the Color Barrier,” Plaid’s first writing awardat the national level.The publication has also received awards and recognitionfrom Columbia Scholastic Press Association, AmericanScholastic Press Association, and the National Council ofTeachers of English in past years.In addition to top notch writing and art pieces, studentshave contributed a computer program, an interview with aprofessional poet, and a musical score. Kazmierczak says, “Wehave a range of talents and interests here at WT; we want Plaidto reflect that variety.”After a year of work, Plaid is finally unveiled and distributedto the WT community every spring. On Plaid’s distribution day,students, faculty, and administrators can be found in all cornersof the Upper School, poring over the work.The inaugural issue was dedicated as a “means ofstimulating enthusiasm in writing.” One could confidently saythat Plaid has energized hundreds of students over the years topursue their passions. As Hubel reflects, “I’ve done a lot of thingsin my life but nothing has sustained as long as Plaid, and I amvery proud of that.”www.winchesterthurston.org15