Triple the awards for Columbia’s Guildscript!

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Columbia High School art and literary magazine, Guildscript, has received three awards of distinction for its 2017 edition!

Two of the awards are from the American Scholastic Press Association, including a first place win with special merit. The annual magazine received high marks in creativity, organization and presentation. The ASPA stated that “Guildscript is an excellent publication” and it exhibited “superior efforts of talented and creative editors, writers, artists, photographers, layout/graphic designers, staff members and advisers!”

In addition, the ASPA awarded Guildscript’s 2017 edition with Most Outstanding High School Literary-Art Magazine. The ASPA commented, “Guildscript is an amazing publication! Not only have you mastered the basic elements of good magazine … but you have also published excellent works from your school population. Guildscript is a model for those up-and-coming magazines and an inspiration for those that haven’t quite aced the necessary skills.”

Guildscript also received the Recommended For Highest Award Certificate for the 2017 Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English. There were 372 entries nationally and Guildscript was one of only six other schools in New Jersey who received this honor.

Senior Leonel Soares, who was one of the design editors for the 2017 issue, and is art editor for the 2018 edition, commented that he is “feeling confident” about this year’s Art Selection Committee. “Everyone seems to be really excited about it. This allows us to create quality and creative content,” Soares said.

Co-editors in chief Seniors Sophie Salvato and Meredith Olin, both seniors, agree. This year, Guildcript received an unprecedented number of literary entries and the work is of a very high caliber, they said. “Narrowing it down to the top 10 percent is going to be a difficult task,” Olin said, “but we have a very strong board this year and I’m feeling confident that the 2018 edition is going to be our best yet.”

The 2017 staff included editors in chief Salvato and Olin; art and photo editor Emily Glynn; design editors Soares and Caroline Neri; and Writer’s Group leaders Sophie Alvarez, Izzy Kalodner and Samantha Reichgut. Guildscript advisers Cindy Malhotra and Tracy McNamara are thrilled that the magazine was so well received and attribute the magazine’s success to the dedication and hard work of all the editors, writers and artists involved.