Interview | Mrs. Gail Pollack, Caelestis Advisor
By Jacob Kaczorowski and Carli Cadet
We have taken the opportunity to delve into the creations the Caelestis Literary Magazine has for Nottingham High School and other information focused around it all. Since Northstar English teacher Mrs. Gail Pollack is the head of it all, I had asked her the questions that will help students of Nottingham understand more about Caelestis.
What sort of duties does the Caelestis do for Nottingham?
Caelestis is the literary/art magazine for Nottingham. Students have the opportunity to display their talents in writing, drawing, painting, photography, and layout. It’s a totally creative project.
Where can people join to help work on these tasks?
Answer: We will be having meetings after winter break, so I encourage students to listen for the announcements. We usually meet after school in room 207 on Tuesdays, depending on the majority of students’ availability. The closer we get to publication, which is in May, the more we meet. We have to choose what material will be included in the magazine and position each piece of writing and art/photography in an aesthetically pleasing way.
How can someone join? Do people need certain requirements to join?
Answer: The only requirement is the desire to publish a quality magazine. If you are on the staff, you can also submit original work. It will be judged like all the other submissions and will have to be approved by the majority of staff members.
How can this club aid someone academically in a future setting such as applying to a college?
Answer: This will go on your resume as an extracurricular activity. If you are planning to major in the humanities, it will highlight your interest in the area of the arts. It will also show that you are a team player.
What is the process of creating the magazine and how long does it usually take?
Answer: Publishing a magazine is a long process. First we have to solicit material from English and art teachers. Then we meet to read and rate each piece to decide if it should go into the magazine. Some staff members take photographs of artwork in the halls to be submitted. Sometimes we commission a student to produce a specific piece of artwork to tie in to a particular piece of writing. Once we have decided on a preliminary collection to use, we begin the process of laying out each page of the magazine. We have to consider space, suitability, and original design. We save every page on a computer drive. When we have finished the editing and layout to our satisfaction, we send it to a professional print shop.
When and why was the Caelestis Magazine created?
Answer: I’m not sure when Nottingham started it, but I think we just published our 21st annual issue; however, this is only my third year as advisor. I assume it was created to give a platform to creative students.
What sort of duties does the Caelestis do for Nottingham?
Caelestis is the literary/art magazine for Nottingham. Students have the opportunity to display their talents in writing, drawing, painting, photography, and layout. It’s a totally creative project.
Where can people join to help work on these tasks?
Answer: We will be having meetings after winter break, so I encourage students to listen for the announcements. We usually meet after school in room 207 on Tuesdays, depending on the majority of students’ availability. The closer we get to publication, which is in May, the more we meet. We have to choose what material will be included in the magazine and position each piece of writing and art/photography in an aesthetically pleasing way.
How can someone join? Do people need certain requirements to join?
Answer: The only requirement is the desire to publish a quality magazine. If you are on the staff, you can also submit original work. It will be judged like all the other submissions and will have to be approved by the majority of staff members.
How can this club aid someone academically in a future setting such as applying to a college?
Answer: This will go on your resume as an extracurricular activity. If you are planning to major in the humanities, it will highlight your interest in the area of the arts. It will also show that you are a team player.
What is the process of creating the magazine and how long does it usually take?
Answer: Publishing a magazine is a long process. First we have to solicit material from English and art teachers. Then we meet to read and rate each piece to decide if it should go into the magazine. Some staff members take photographs of artwork in the halls to be submitted. Sometimes we commission a student to produce a specific piece of artwork to tie in to a particular piece of writing. Once we have decided on a preliminary collection to use, we begin the process of laying out each page of the magazine. We have to consider space, suitability, and original design. We save every page on a computer drive. When we have finished the editing and layout to our satisfaction, we send it to a professional print shop.
When and why was the Caelestis Magazine created?
Answer: I’m not sure when Nottingham started it, but I think we just published our 21st annual issue; however, this is only my third year as advisor. I assume it was created to give a platform to creative students.