Student-made magazines, “Twigs” (1981) and “Zine O Phelia” (1995).

by Lilah Boig ’26

Like all high schools in MCPS, Sherwood offers art classes such as Studio Art, Digital Art, Photography, and Ceramics for students to take as electives and avenues to fulfill their Fine Arts graduation requirements. Beyond these courses, Sherwood has an Art Honors Society which recognizes exceptional art students, and the school has for many years held an annual ‘Art Show’ to display student work.

But in addition to the basic art programs, many other schools across the county have literary
and art magazines that showcase a broad representation of their creative community. Sherwood has a
journalism elective that produces a school newspaper and also a yearbook elective, and it has offered a creative writing class in some years. However, there is no literary art magazine like at many other MCPS high schools. Schools such as B-CC, Richard Montgomery, Wootton, Einstein, and Whitman all have their own student-run art magazines, where they post and produce magazines. Students can submit works to the magazines, such as short stories, photos, poetry, classic art, and much more.

“I think having a creative literature ‘magazine’ could be another venue for students to showcase their amazing creative skills,” said Media Specialist Stephanie Flaherty, “We have some tremendously talented students here at Sherwood and while we have outlets for their work such as shows and showcases, since these are in-person events, not everyone gets to see the work. With a magazine that contained both artwork and writing, we could make it available to the entire Sherwood community.”

B-CC publishes a student-run magazine called Chips, which is done through its own class at the school. “It creates an atmosphere that encourages creativity in the school community,” the B-CC school homepage explained while celebrating how its magazine is extremely honored across the country. Richard Montgomery has a magazine named Fine Lines, which is done
through a club year-round to produce a magazine similar to the one at B-CC.

“An arts magazine is an outlet for art and communication,” said English teacher Chris Goodrich, who has taught the Creative Writing elective. “It provides a forum for students who specialize in creative thinking to express themselves. Can you imagine a serious high school without a theater program or a
newspaper? It’s one more outlet for a thriving, thoughtful student body.”

Goodrich and Flaherty agree that there would be plenty of student interest in a literary and arts magazine. Although there would be challenges, none of them are insurmountable. “Currently we
don’t have a sponsor to run it, the personnel to control production, and the money to make it a reality. I actually think these aren’t difficult hurdles to overcome,” said Goodrich. “This could be a
perfect project for a creative writing class to tackle.”

Flaherty also notes that there would be some work to create the guidelines, the initial start-up, and
procedures for publication of a magazine, but the payoff could be profound for Sherwood “I think
in the end it would be something that Sherwood students would love to have as an opportunity to
showcase their talent and also be able to add to their list of accomplishments in high school.”