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Fall into Resonance

Ms. Emily Turner
Each year, the members of Falmouth Academy’s Creative Writing Elective edit and publish Resonance, a literary magazine that showcases the talents of FA’s numerous writers and artists in grades 7 through 12. Many wonderful contributions are submitted, but publication in Resonance is competitive, and only the most “resonant” pieces are chosen by the creative writers themselves for “Lit Mag.” 

This October, in order to foster school-wide enthusiasm for creative writing and to encourage their peers to submit work to Resonance, the members of the elective organized a fall contest. Contestants were encouraged to compose Halloween or autumn-themed poems and plots, but any and all genres of writing were considered. The contest garnered about a dozen participants, all of whom demonstrated exceptional creativity. 

The judges, Mrs. Klein, Mrs. Riddiford, Mrs. Santamauro, and Leo Zhang ’21, were faced with a daunting task; to discern winners from among the submitted works. On Halloween, their decisions were revealed to the student body. John McDowell ’20, the editor-in-chief of Resonance 2020, announced the finalists to a rapt audience at All-School Meeting. 

A tie for third place was awarded to Charlotte Ray ’23 and Sam Thrasher ’22. While Charlotte’s skillful blend of horror and flash-fiction gave the judges chills and reminded them to double-check the latches on their bedroom windows before falling asleep at night, Sam’s heartfelt ode to the season of autumn warmed them with imagery of “apple pies…made from scratch.” In second place, Ursula Junker’s meditation on autumn from the perspective of a young child discovering the wonders of the season left judges nostalgic for their first time watching “the leaves under the tree decay into lace and bones.” Finally, “(un)Familiar,” a short story penned by wordsmith Aidan Schwenk ’24 earned first place. Aidan’s thrilling tale of a mysterious narrator who awakens in an “eerie, dead mall” populated by hypnotic posters and dark figures kept judges on the edges of their seats, and, perhaps, prevented some from getting a full night’s rest. The members of the Creative Writing Elective extend their congratulations to all four talented and deserving finalists. 
 
The fall contest is just one of the many opportunities available to students who wish to submit their creative writing to Resonance. Submissions are accepted until April 2020.
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