Deep End 2026

THE DEEP END The Woodstock Academy’s Literary & Arts Magazine

2026

“October Northern Dawn” by Adian Newall-Vuillemot ‘28

The Deep End Staff Avery Nielsen ‘26 Chris Bourdeau ‘26 Kyrialis Rivera ‘26 Dakota Joseph ‘26 Kaylyn Hall ‘26 Ryan Yang ‘26 Zeo Fish ‘27 Kealyn Lamarche ‘27 Adian Newall-Vuillemot ‘28 Autumn Hill ‘29 Lilliana McCormick ‘29

Advisors Madison Millar Samantha Romero “Where The Sky Opens Up” by Erika Yeliguo ‘27

Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to introduce to you this year’s issue of The Woodstock Academy’s Literary & Art’s Magazine: The Deep End! We are so excited to share the hard work of students at The Academy. Our club has worked super hard and poured all of our energy into this edition, All of the submissions were beyond amazing, and we struggled deciding what to put in the magazine. The talent and effort of the students at The Academy is clear in the amount of submissions alone! We would like to thank everyone for submitting, and congratulations to all the students who made it into the magazine.

We encourage you to submit next year so we can keep making this awesome magazine.

We hope you enjoy!

Zeo Fish Senior Editor

1

A teacher is a person not a servant So be nice, they deserve it Beauty isn’t a trip to Ulta It’s a mix of Jesus, love and good character Words don’t always make sense But actions show what was meant Dear WAThe reason I write to you today Is to share things I’ve learned from all of you And to give you some reminders We all need to keep in mind: If someone wants to sit with you on the shuttle Consider it a honor, not a trouble That someone trust you enough To sit with you on the chaotic bus

There’s a reason for everything Don’t jump to conclusions please If you can, say “thanks” to a custodian They do a beautiful job cleaning what we can’t Be careful when you are using your phone It’s honestly impossible not to doom scroll Strange is typical and typical is strange

A grade is a letter, not your worth If they are a human being, love them well So if you get a B, don’t let it hurt Hold the door, don’t slam it in someone’s face They will appreciate that you wait If you mess up presenting just laugh it off They all know you try to apply what you are taught Everyone you meet is dealing with a conflict So give them and yourself a break You can say no, it’s not against the law But please don’t let your yes totally stop Know hard things happen But things get better

2

Don’t change yourself for anyone You’re enough the way you are I tried being a different someone And I didn’t get very far Asking for help doesn’t make you weak If anything, it makes you wise Never be afraid to speak If it fails, at least you tried Always be kind even when it’s hard Love other people with all your heart Finally always remember You are incredible, beautiful and loved beyond measure

Betrayal of the Masked Youth Excerpt from Autumn Hill ‘29

Although to my surprise, the outside world was different. Instead of an abandoned and overgrown cityscape in the distance, left to rot into nothing, I was met with color. Buildings of every material rose proudly in the distance. Skyscrapers disappeared into the transparent clouds above, their jagged silhouettes mirrored across the river. My boots were misted from a collection of nighttime dew on long blades of meadow grass. Every step I took fireflies spun around me, their blinking lights giggling at me from their abdomens. The once bland and black nighttime sky was now painted with Vincent van Gogh’s brightest colour palette. Sapphire blues, golden yellows, and emerald greens gracefully danced and twirled around as if welcoming me back into the beautiful past of six heroes, powerful deities remembered for giving our ancestors their powers. Without them, our city would have been wiped away completely by dragons.

“New York City” by Elina Makarenko ‘27

“Ring of Fire in the Ring of Fire”

by Adian Newall-Vuillemot ‘28

3

“Mother Nature” by Juliette Bernier ‘28

But there’s something different about you What draws people to you, I don’t have a clue But I do know, it draws me in too Guarded flower, Covered in thorns The one everyone adores

Guarded FlowerGuarded flower, Covered in thorns What are you Hiding for?

You blend in pretty well With other flowers around you Concealed with leaves That all surround you At first glance You can’t tell the difference From you and the other plants

4

Do you ever get tired in there?

Practically impossible to get a breath of air But you still grow in your place All your colors taking shape Everyone comes to see you But no one can seem to get through The briars that protect your petals The defense that’s supposed to help Guarded flower Covered in thorns, You deserve far more Than what your boundaries have to offer

Connecticut

By Zeo Fish ‘27 The weather is cold here, but it helps I have never wondered why though Maybe it takes away all the stress Or even the pressure to be the best Whatever it may be, the rural, cold state brings me comfort The kind of comfort you can only experience by being there Like the hug from a relative or the warmth of a fire I wouldn’t trade this for anything This comfort is my home Connecticut is my home

“Sky’s Tint” by Ryan Yang ‘26 Comparing Woodstock To Alaska

(An Essay Excerpt) by Anonymous

“By A River” by Ryan Yang ‘26

I had moved schools once before. I still remember the aching loneliness that clung to me like glitter on my skin. I remember the desperation I felt, watching friends talk loudly at lunch while I sat by my lonesome. I remember begging with my eyes for just a scrap of attention from someone my age. I remember fantasizing about my old friends bursting through the door and announcing they are a new student at the school. Nevertheless, I wanted to do it again. I wanted to feel alone in the world. I wanted to rebuild my reputation starting from the bottom. I wanted to walk the halls, knowing no one could judge me because no one knew anything about me worth judging. I guess, in a way, I was like Chris McCandless, a man who went to Alaska to tear apart the strings tying him to society and reattach them to the mountains. Like McCandless, I thought the change would heal me. And like McCandless, it really did.

5

Fossils to be Foretold

By Piper Moore ‘29

Hiding away all this time Most by now covered in grime Forgotten yet larger than life

Juliette Bernier ‘28

Holding secrets of there life I often wonder why How many never got to say good bye The cry’s, whines, and screams All silenced by one scene It wasn’t fair The living nightmare The blood, the loss of breath

“Lonely Little Birds” by Juliette Bernier ‘28

The impact and regret Searching high and low Looking for the truth, still untold Determined death Never left to rest Archeology, paleontology All things I dream to be Searching to uncover you Wanting to show everyone the proof.

6

“Mountains of New Hampshire” by Zackary Tegtmeier ‘29

Humanity -A.N. It’s strange, isn’t it?

Things are changing all around us Some good, some bad.

But the weird part is, In the middle of the chaos, People are celebrating the misfortunes of others.

It seems the only times we can agree Are when the nation as a whole is placed under jeopardy.

How are we meant to be strong collectively When we smile as someone dies?

When one of us has fallen?

I’d say that’s inhumanity.

No matter who the person is, They’re a person, just like me and you And whether you agree or not Is entirely up to you.

I just ask for you to have some sympathy One human to another -

“Calming Beach” by Juliette Bernier ‘28

For at least everyone directly affected Who suffered at the terrors.

“Spectre Seconds” by Ryan Yang ‘26

7

She turns and says “thank you” Like she was planned to They talk for hours Their voices getting louder and louder

Here I am again And frankly I’m embarrassed I come here in the evening With barely any exceptions I come here pretty often But I’m not too sure why When I come here I don’t expect anyone to walk by It doesn’t make sense, yet here I am I wonder if this is apart of God’s plan Everyone comes here for a reason Making decisions, lamenting seasons The list could go on And likely beyond

I am happy for them Really I am But I’m trying as hard as I possibly can Not to lose faith Not to leave this place And it’s not hard to tell I care When I can’t find my person anywhere Is he out there? do I know him, Is he alright?

Why do I always hold on so tight?

You say to hold on But it has been so long And if he’s here I can’t say anything So what’s the point?

No! No! This is not how this ends Not torn or on the fence, truly I’m all in So I will decide to sit and watch the pictures lay out on the ceiling While I wait for God to restore back my feelings In the meantime, I;ll wait and this joy I will keep And I will save him an extra seat

As I sit in my chair I notice the people Comparing their image to mine I just come off as feeble My eyes trail to a guy across the room Hair cut, cologne, all with a suit He has his hand locked with a girls As they move through every compact hurdle They arrive at a table My heart starts to tear As I watch him pause And pull out a chair

8

“Good Morning Sunshine”” by Juliette Bernier ‘28

“A God's Goodbye” by K. Rivera (Pt 1) To love is to be mortal.

Love as a concept is fluid. It ebbs and flows, moving with the passage of time, shifting and swirling through the sky and stars.

To be loved by a mortal is to be loved like a mortal.

Mortals love like time is short, showering their lovers with everything that they have during the time they are together.

They shower you with gifts of any kind, extravagant bouquets filled with flowers from across the world, or small trinkets that remind them of you. They shower you with time, spending every waking moment by your side, creating memories that will last for aeons beyond their time. They shower you with words, their compliments dripping a saccharine sweetness when they grace you with their kindness and compassion. They shower you with their touch, holding you close, covering every piece of skin with a kiss or a touch of nothing but adoration. They shower you with service, making you food that you’re not quite sure you need, cleaning the space they grace you to share.

A god’s love is nothing close to what it is like to be loved by a mortal.

To be loved by a god is to be risen, treated as a prize or a trophy that is won. A god’s love is tainted by immortality, as they feel they have until the end of time to prove themselves worthy. To be loved by a god is to be loved by a being above time, one that feels decades pass on like seconds, blurring the seasons together into moments that are blown away by the wind.

A god’s love is temporary. A mortal’s love is forever.

To be loved by a mortal is to be loved by a poet, as their words are told with the same grace as a poet writes about the stars.

To be loved by a mortal is to be loved by an artist, as to them, your image is of one painted in the ancient murals of the cities, a statue carved by the hands of Earth herself to create the perfect being.

“Landscape in the Riesengebirge” by Elina Makarenko ‘27

By Autumn Hil 29’

9

A God's Goodbye by K. Rivera (Pt 2)

To be loved by a mortal is to be loved by a chef, as the meals they create are made with more care than talent, but taste better than any food received elsewhere.

To be loved by a mortal is to be loved by a being so pure in intention that it tastes sweeter than a nectar from the divine.

The love given by a mortal is more powerful than any gift that could come from the divine.

And to you, it is everything that I cannot give.

To you, my light, I cannot love you as you love me.

The divine power I hold pales in comparison to your sheer will.

You are the reason I have not fallen from grace, and to bring you into this world with me would be a fate worse than death.

In death, you will live on in the memories of thousands.

In life, you would fade to time.

I cannot love you as you love me, and for that, I can only apologize.

The distance I keep from you hurts more than you can imagine, but if I reach any closer, I won’t be able to leave.

I love you like a god, and you love me like a mortal.

And a god cannot love a mortal. Not in the way you dream.

So I must say goodbye, no matter how much this pains us both.

I love you, my light.

But the sun must fade eventually.

By Autumn Hill 29’

10

“Small Kindness” by Alana Maiullo ‘28

“Wavy Shores” by Zeo Fish ‘27

“Hummingbirds in Bloom”

by Avery Schaefer ‘27

“Dragons in the Mountains”

by Dakota Joseph ‘26

11

“Trust”

by Anonymous

by Juliette Bernier ‘28

Trust the process.

It is not easy, nor is it hard.

Everything is meant to be the way it is.

Though it may not seem that way.

You fall down to learn.

You make mistakes to grow.

Take the hard route, Even though you may not see the path.

Follow your heart and soul.

You deserve the challenge The most important person to trust, Is the one staring you back in the mirror.

Trust the process.

“First View” by Adian NewallVuillemot ‘28

“Cacti Sunset 2" by Lupulella

12

by Adian Newall-Vuillemot ‘28

“Rule the World” If the Ocean is our friend, Then why are we betraying it?

If the Sky is our protector, Then why are we destroying it?

If the Earth is our sanctuary, Then why are we fighting in it?

If the Fire is a threat, Then why are we fueling it?

If the Animals were here first, Then why do we keep killing them?

If the Inventions are harmful, Then why do we keep using them?

If the Trees are keeping us alive, Then why do we keep cutting them?

If the Structures are overpowering, Then why do we keep building them?

If the world was made long before we existed, Then why do we think we rule the world?

by Juliette Bernier ‘28

-A.N.

“Voyage to the American Dream” by Ryan Yang ‘26

13

By Elina Makarenko ‘27

“Lanterns Over Downtown”

by Erika Yeliguo ‘27

14

By Elina Makarenko ‘27

“Ocean View”

by Juliette Bernier ‘28

“Mathematics”

by Heath White ‘27 Mathematics, invented before time Mathematics, the count that makes this rhyme Mathematics, the science and art Mathematics, what makes ones’ heart start

From integrals to derivatives Whom create infinite initiatives Tackling problems none thought possible And solving for the optimal But truly, the Beauty the Elegance Stems from its innate relevance So

“Dog Days” by Ronan Curran ‘27

nebulous, encompassing endlessness As inventors like Daedalus Bring us that much closer to the Sun Math is the future and the past Like Ebenezer Scrooge it should be broadcast As it stands unsurpassed In its use, philosophy, and perspective And it IS for everyone

by Elina Makarenko ‘27

15

“Housing You”

by Dakota Joseph Looking back Upon my memories Perfectly placed pictures of you Upon my walls Solitude left in its wake

“SOMEHOW”

by Ms. No One SomehowI have fallen past the standard And lost all my words I’ve been wrong more than right I’ve been trying to fight But I am no where near where I need to be And somehow, God, you still want me

Untitled by Grette Zheng ‘27

You say you love me, but it’s hard to believe How could a King ever love me?

I’ve been wrong too many times I’ve been falling more than I would like I am broken and forgotten Nothing more than this Or so I thought But still, somehow, you want me, scars and all You say you don’t care how far I fall You will always be there to catch me And to love me unconditionally

16

Untitled by Grette Zheng ‘27

by Juliette Bernier ‘28

“Judgement” by Anonymous

Comparison, the thief of joy Hiding your true self, always coy Always striving to do, to be better It can truly ruin you When you don’t see that you matter

by Juliette Bernier ‘28

“Vision of a Dream” by Sydney Reed ‘27

“Cacti Sunset” by Adian Newall-Vuillemot ‘28

17

“Traces”

by Lilah Jafar-DeCesare ‘26

18

“Moon in the Still Night” by Erika Yeliguo ‘27

“Umbrella and Penumbra” by Lupulella

By Elina Makarenko ‘27

By Juliette Bernier ‘28

19

“devour me”

by K. Rivera sink your teeth in. rip my flesh from my throat. reveal my insides, gritty and raw. i am all that is yours. take a bite. savor the taste of uncertainty, an identity not solidly formed, yours for the taking. peel back a layer of skin, uncover the muscles underneath. they cover the personality that festers, lingering hidden through fear of being known. sink your teeth in. rip my flesh from my throat. understand my being in ways no one else does, deeper from the inside out.

20

“The NIght Was Awake” by Erika Yeliguo ‘27

“A bunch of buildings with an orange man”

by Ryan Yang ‘26

eat me whole, and take me as i am.

“Bloom” by Ryan Yang ‘26