The Senior High’s literary and arts magazine, VARIATIONS, has been running for 45 years, yet the award-winning magazine continues to break new ground. VARIATIONS displays everything from art to writing to poetry to photographs to six-word stories — all created and curated by students at NASH.

Any NASH student can submit work to the magazine. Simply log onto Blackboard, go to Student Information, and select the tab titled VARIATIONS.  From there, students can submit any work of literary or visual art they want. After submission, each of the designated VARIATIONS departments reviews the submissions — the authors and artists of the submissions are anonymous during the selection process.

The club is divided up into three departments: the art department analyzes art and photography submissions; the literary department analyzes all stories, essays, and poems; and the layout department compiles the selected pieces into the magazine. Once a piece is picked to be featured in the magazine, the author is notified. Each year, a theme is chosen by staff members, and submissions are categorized into what fits the theme. The 2017-2018 edition was themed with the times of day, from dawn to dusk.

Mrs. Esposito, retired English teacher, and Mrs. Lombardi co-sponsored the magazine for the past eight years, though they’ve now handed over the reins to a new team of advisers.

“I have loved being part of an organization that so enthusiastically supports the arts here at NASH,” said Mrs. Lombardi.

The 2019 edition of VARIATIONS is under the new co-sponsorship of English teachers Ms. Yakich, Ms. Rhinehart, and Mr. Rhinehart.

“I feel as though VARIATIONS offers an opportunity for students to showcase their talent and gain well-deserved recognition that the classroom does not always provide,” said Mr. Rhinehart.

Last month, the 2018 VARIATIONS staff members and editors were informed that the 2018 magazine won a first place award through the American Scholastic Press Association. The magazine has ranked first place in the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) for best literary magazine in the country for the past several years. The staff and editors will find out more results in the spring of 2019. 

Over the past eight years, VARIATIONS has won numerous other awards, including the Keystone Award, the highest award in the state, administered by the PA School Press Associations (PSPA), and the Highest Award in Pennsylvania issued by the National Council of English Teachers for Literary Magazines.

“I am looking forward to continuing the tradition of an award winning literary magazine,” Ms. Yakich said. “I enjoy VARIATIONS  because we as a school get to see the extraordinary pieces that are created by NASH students.”