iliad literary-art magazine summer mailer

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

H

ello! My name is Kaija Gilbertson Hall and I am the upcoming Editor-In-Chief of the iliad literaryart magazine at Clarke Central High School. To give a brief introduction, I started my journalism career as a Journalism One student from 2019-2020, served as the iliad Social Media Coordinator from 2020-2021, and iliad Co-Editor-in-Chief from 2021-2022. I’ve learned so much in these roles and I’m so excited to begin the new year!

For those who may not know, the iliad is an annual magazine published in the spring that features creative works from the CCHS community. Our team consists of an Editorial Board, a group of seven editors who work behind the scenes to compile and create the magazine, maintain the social media, and manage the club, which meets weekly and is a safe space for any student at CCHS to spend time creating art or writing.

In addition, A handful of iliad editors participate in the ODYSSEY Media Group Production class to create content and to curate the iliad magazine while the OMG students work to make theirs.

During the fall semester, the iliad Editorial Board focuses on reaching out to as many members of the CCHS community as possible to facilitate submissions to our magazine. During the spring semester, the Editor-in-Chief and Design Editor work to compile all of the pieces into a magazine that follows a cohesive design theme, chosen by the Editorial Board, which is carried throughout the magazine.

In addition to having several editors in the Production class, the iliad’s involvement with the OMG also includes designing the annual Creative Writing Project, which is a two- week long project that ODYSSEY staffers, iliad members, and Journalism One students complete. We incorporate poetry and prose writing, as well as monologue and script writing to expand the literary skills of the students, and potentially feature CWP pieces in our magazine.

To give a brief recap of the 2021-2022 school year, our team executed a rebranding of the iliad, which included designing a new website, logo, and shirts. On our website, the Editorial Board posts updates on the work that the iliad is doing throughout the year, profiles on artists in the community, features pieces from previous editions of the iliad magazine, and more. Our team is thrilled to continue our progress this year with expanding the content on our website. In May of 2022, we were proud to publish astraeus, the 20th edition of the magazine since its refounding, which featured a range of art and writing pieces from CCHS students, faculty, and rising 9th graders from feeder middle schools.

I am thrilled to once again be a part of the iliad this year and I look forward to working with all students in the OMG and continuing the progress of our program.

why is the summer workshop important for the iliad?

The summer workshop, which will take place on July 25-27 from 8:30-3:30 at Clarke Central, gives members of the iliad a chance to form connections with the students they will be working with throughout the year outside of the normal school day. This team bonding is crucial for cultivating a strong team environment.

We will spend time collaboratively critiquing both our new webiste and this year’s magazine to identify areas for improvement and learn from what was done well and should be replicated this year.

Students will have the opportunity to learn important skills applicable to their individual roles in iliad, including using programs such as InDesign and Photoshop, learning how to effectively edit writing pieces, how to interact with community members and businesses professionally, and much more.

This workshop gives students an opportunity to become familiar with the program, acclimate to the workload and staff culture, and ensures that all iliad members are fully prepared for the upcoming year.

frequently asked questions how do I submit?

To submit, students are required to fill out an online submission form that will be available on our website and social media in August. If a student is submitting digital work, there is a space available to attach work. Physical creations, such as art or sculptures, will be photographed or scanned. In order to do so, please contact iliadlt@odysseynewsmagazine.net. how do I apply to be an Editor?

Applications to be a part of the iliad Editorial Board are released in May via Google Classroom and are announced on social media platforms and the CCHS school announcements. Applicants will be required to complete a written application and complete a follow-up interview with members of Leadership Team and Mr. Ragsdale. Positions are decided on and released in June via

how are submissions decided upon?

Submissions are reviewed by the members of the Editorial Board and selected based on the theme of the magazine, the quality of the content, the grade level and the piece’s ability to pair with other forms of creative work. when is the magazine distributed?

The iliad is published annually and mailed to patrons and senior contributors in May prior to the end of the school year. Distribution to the rest of the community takes place in the fall at the Creative Writing Celebration.

This event is open to all creators, donors, and students and teachers of the Clarke Central High School community.

Additionally, when finalized, the magazine is uploaded to issuu for everyone with the link to access.