The Inkwell is Sora’s high school literary magazine, serving to spotlight student writing and visual art. A student committee oversees all aspects of the Inkwell’s publication, from selecting seasonal themes for upcoming magazines, to writing their own works for inclusion and editing submissions, to designing the magazine’s layout and promoting new issues.
When you're young, you often take those years for granted, always wondering what it's like to grow up. Now that Emery has grown up to be a sophomore in high school, she likes to reminisce about old memories. In this poem, "Prospect Park" she reflects on every city kid's favorite childhood memory--going to the park after school. When she lived in Prospect Park, she would spend all her afternoons there. This poem details specific memories she has from those afternoons, and how such small things can mean so much to her today.
Written for the winter 2026 issue of the Inkwell Literary Magazine, "Nostalgia" is a poem reflecting the upbringing of Sora’s own high school STEM expert, Sandra Ruiz. Sandra's poem is a sensory journey of her childhood, highlighting each season of memories.
Ava’s artwork weaves together three symbols of identity and continuity; the vintage camera that has remained a constant companion, the Coraline key representing enduring passions, and the black and white self-portrait bridging time. It is an intimate dialogue between past and present, where the hands reaching across the frame symbolize the connection between different chapters of life. The artwork speaks to how certain objects become anchors of our identity, carrying our stories through time while remaining unchanged themselves.
For this issue of the inkwell, Jack Palacios presents “Night Thoughts", a song that explores the feelings of nostalgia, sadness, and reminiscing that take place in the late hours of the night. It delves into the notion of empty resolutions versus real commitment to change. In the piece, Jack reflects on old friendships, missed opportunities, and the doubts that inevitably creep in between the hours of dusk and dawn. “Night Thoughts” acknowledges these universal feelings, but names that, despite however all-encompassing they seem in the moment, in the end they are fleeting and will pass.
Darah reminds us to reflect on our past memories. She was inspired by herself in kindergarten, where she made a hand painted craft of a turkey. In addition to the memory, she recalls the feeling of the paint and the laughter the sensation caused.
Life can get stressful, with studying for standardized tests or completing final projects, but these moments of simplicity remind us that life ebbs and flows.
Romy wrote this when she was stuck in a period of writer’s block. Looking for inspiration, her mother helped by providing her with three words: singe, memory, and kiss. The ideas started flowing and Romy ended up with a piece of fiction she ended up being quite happy with. Romy’s fictional work addresses nostalgia by returning to specific sensory memories—burnt hair, lilac perfume, craft paper, the rough carpet—to show how the past lingers in small details, especially when a relationship ends without ever fully beginning.
Pablito, de la serie, la bolita, (from the series, "the gang") is a digital multimedia work by Humanities expert Pablo Echanove. Modeled and rendered in Blender, the piece presents a portrait of his ten-year-old self, capturing a moment when his sense of identity was just beginning to take shape. At that age, his self-concept was deeply intertwined with the social dynamics of his friend group: one friend was known as the silly one, another as the “golden boy,” and Pablo saw himself as the quiet one.
In her novel Nocturne, Arabella sets her story in postwar Cinque Terre, centering it around a small seaside restaurant called Ciao Luna, where love, longing, and identity slowly unravel against the backdrop of the sea. Through this setting, she explores the difference between love that consumes and love that endures.
In Chapter 3, the tone shifts from romantic intensity to something more unsettling. Told from Alaric’s perspective, the chapter captures the moment he begins to recognize that Donovan’s love for Lua may be transforming into something destructive. What once felt passionate and fated begins to show signs of imbalance. The idea of the “Nocturne’s Curse” becomes less about myth and more about erosion—about watching someone you care about slowly lose themselves and not knowing whether it is fate, obsession, or something older and darker at work. For Arabella, this chapter marks the turning point where longing ceases to feel beautiful and begins to feel dangerous.
Together, these chapters reflect the literary magazine’s theme of nostalgia by examining how memory and longing can both romanticize the past and distort it, and by suggesting that true growth comes not from living inside nostalgia, but from learning how to carry it without being consumed by it.
In Chapter 9 of Nocturne, Arabella follows the emotional journey of Donovan and Alaric as they navigate longing, loss, and love within and beyond the walls of Ciao Luna. Chapter 9 takes place after the height of the unraveling, when the chaos has quieted and what remains is something more honest.
Rather than centering on the curse or spectacle, this chapter focuses on stillness and choice. It revolves around a quiet conversation between Donovan and Alaric, during which Donovan finally speaks about his parents and the silence he inherited from them. For Arabella, this chapter represents growth. It is the moment when Donovan stops chasing what nearly destroyed him and begins choosing something steady instead.
The sea remains, and so does the past, but the focus shifts toward building something lasting. This chapter moves away from longing and toward healing—toward the conscious decision not to repeat inherited patterns of hurt, and toward allowing oneself to stay.
When Jonathan began reflecting on nostalgia for this prompt, he realized he perceived it differently. Rather than collecting keepsakes that could fit into a box, he instead focuses on curating memories from specific times in his life. Throughout his poem, High School Director Jonathan Oglesbee shares snapshots from moments in his life, ranging from his mother’s piano playing to taking the stage for the first time. “I Am Not Nostalgic" showcases the many forms nostalgia can take, and how something as simple as laughter with friends or a day at the beach can be forever archived into one’s memories.
While undertaking a challenge to draw something each day for a year, Blue shares a magical artwork of a cat wandering through the woods. In January 2025, Blue promised themself that they would draw every single day for as long as they could. This drawing represents a mix of Blue’s artistic persistence and interest. The warm and welcoming landscape that encapsulates the detailed, free roaming animal is a visual depiction of Blue’s determination to create a piece they would be proud of and pushing through the ups and downs that come with making and struggling with creating an art piece.
Sora's Photography Club was inspired by the Inkwell’s winter 2026 theme of nostalgia. Club members considered the act of looking at and picking up old photos. Across the exhibition, they showcase the sounds, smells, moods, and selfies that connect to specific moments across their lives.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Jack shares Dear James, a song inspired by a heartfelt conversation with his Nonno during a walk. As his grandfather recounted the story of his first marriage—ended abruptly through a letter sent while he was away on a business trip—Jack was struck by the emotional weight of those years, when his Nonno fought tirelessly to stay connected to his young son. One line from that story, “She wrote me a dear John, addressed to James,” became the spark that shaped the piece. Through this work, Jack transforms family memory into art, honoring an untold chapter of resilience, heartbreak, and the quiet strength carried across generations.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Karibella, Etai, and Valentina of Sora's Photography Club offer 'Untold Photo Collage', a collaborative exploration of stories captured through the lens. Each photograph frames a moment, memory, or experience, turning everyday and extraordinary sights into untold narratives. The first page features recognizable landmarks from around the world, historic architecture that reflects the nuance of different continents and evokes personal and shared memories. Through this project, the artists highlight how photography can preserve fleeting moments, giving viewers a chance to witness the untold stories hidden within each frame. *refresh page to view
For this issue of The Inkwell, Lucas presents a piece inspired by macro photography, celebrating the overlooked beauty in the smallest details of life. Through careful composition and an in-camera desaturation, the work emphasizes that even without color, life holds wonder and significance. Tied to the theme of Untold Stories, the piece draws attention to the subtle, often unnoticed moments that surround us, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and find meaning in what might otherwise go unseen. *refresh page to view
For this issue of The Inkwell, Emery shares a poem reflecting on protests in New York City and the journey from witness to participant. Inspired first by watching Black Lives Matter demonstrations from her window, she later joined a No Kings Day protest herself, experiencing the power of having her voice heard. The poem bridges her younger self’s dreams with her current reality, capturing the growth from a ten-year-old hoping to make a difference to the sixteen-year-old actively shaping change. Through her words, Emery gives readers a direct window into the courage, inspiration, and persistence behind taking action.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Karibella presents a photographic collage exploring what it means to have the entire world as home. Drawing on years of travel across continents, she captures fleeting moments from each place that shaped her identity, using a scrapbook-style composition to reflect the beauty and chaos of a life without a single, fixed home. Each image serves as a small window into everyday experiences, untold stories of belonging and movement, and together they form a cohesive reflection on how the fragments of a wandering life can create a meaningful, unified narrative. *refresh page to view
For this issue of The Inkwell, Charli shares a piece inspired by an uncanny melody heard in the night. The work captures the tension between the familiar and the alien—music that radiates joy and energy, yet remains just out of comprehension. Through this piece, Charli explores the mysterious beauty of the unknown, tying into the Untold Stories theme by giving form and voice to moments that are fleeting, enigmatic, and often unnoticed.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Ava offers a piece inspired by Greek mythology, exploring the untold stories of Icarus. Through hidden text woven into the artwork, she connects the myth’s timeless themes—ambition, risk, and consequence—to the everyday lives of people pushing beyond their limits. Ava’s work illuminates the universal human experience of chasing impossible dreams, ignoring warnings, and sometimes paying the price, reminding viewers that countless untold stories unfold around us, echoing the flights of Icarus in small, poignant ways. *refresh page to view
For this issue of The Inkwell, Romy shares a poignant in-character poem written by a girl for a girl, capturing the delicate intensity of a hidden relationship. Within the story, the two must keep their bond unseen, echoing the theme of Untold Stories and the quiet struggles that go unrecognized. Through this work, Romy illuminates the beauty and pain of secrecy, offering a voice to experiences that are often left in the shadows and reminding readers of the countless untold poems and stories that deserve to be read.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Evan contributes the untold fictional work, Cycle, a short story exploring the suffocating repetition of a toxic relationship. Through stark, symbolic language, the piece captures the feeling of being trapped within one’s own patterns—thoughts circling, choices narrowing, and the weight of emotional confinement pressing in. Evan’s story reflects on the quiet, often invisible struggles of entanglement and the haunting pull of cycles that feel impossible to break, inviting readers to confront the ways we can become both prisoner and witness of our own experiences.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Ma’ayan shares a powerful poem, tracing the quiet, often invisible weight of growing up. Through vivid, haunting imagery, the poem reflects lived experience—childhood folded beneath silence, grief carried in private, and the self shrinking to survive. Each stanza traces the evolution of resilience, from vanishing into shadows to finding a pulse of defiance beneath layers of unspoken pain. Ma’ayan’s work honors the hidden struggles so many endure and reminds readers that even when the world does not notice, the ember of identity and hope persists.
For this issue of The Inkwell, Blue offers a candid reflection on the quiet weight many people carry but rarely name. Their piece explores how quickly life can become overwhelming—how responsibilities stack, pressure tightens, and it can start to feel like the world is watching, waiting for you to slip. Through their work, they capture the struggle of holding yourself together when everything threatens to crack at once, inviting readers to recognize the hidden challenges so many endure in silence.
For the fall 2025 issue of The Inkwell, Cameryn contributed a reflective piece centered on two three-week-old foster kittens, Oliver and Oscar. Through her accompanying paintings, she recounts the contrast between the kittens’ personalities—Oliver, the sleepy and gentle tuxedo, and Oscar, the adventurous black kitten always trying to wriggle free. Though they appeared healthy when first found in an attic with no trace of their mother or siblings, the kittens suddenly fell ill and were quickly taken back to the shelter for testing. They were diagnosed with Panleukopenia, a devastating disease that young kittens rarely survive, and despite care, they passed away. Cameryn’s piece highlights the theme of this issue, Untold Stories, as her work features the often-untold realities of fostering: that even with love and effort, not every story ends the way we hope. Through her artwork and writing, she honors Oliver and Oscar while also highlighting the importance of adopting and fostering—reminding us that choosing a shelter pet can truly save a life.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Skylynn wrote a science fiction short story following a person struggling with a malfunctioning teleportation device. The machine unpredictably transports them to different locations, each time, leaving them feeling more frustrated and helpless.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Marley originated a myth of Opalaset, the daughter of Khonsu, the god of the moon, and Sage, a brilliant astronomer. It tracks her life from orphanage to young adolescence, away from the dangers of her divine heritage, only for fate to intervene.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Charli developed an original work of fiction where a contemplative soul reflects on the cosmic and timeless beauty of the night sky, feeling both a deep connection to the universe and a disconnection from humanity, longing for freedom beyond the confines of reality.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Dirk submitted an original artwork titled Spirit of Motion, The Great Gatsby. In art-deco style, Dirk's work strives to convey poetry in motion and the beautiful relationship between man and machine in motorsports, particularly at Le Mans and in endurance racing.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Ricardo developed a piece of fantasy writing following Kalus, a determined young man seeking to become a powerful monster slayer and avenge his sister. He navigates the trials of a prestigious university while uncovering dark secrets and facing dangerous foes in a world plagued by monsters.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Arabella developed a work of historical fiction and sci-fiction, in three chapters. A girl from 2025, listening to "Cigarettes Out the Window" by TV Girl, finds herself mysteriously transported to the 1940s, where she falls in love with Rudolph in Cinque Terre, Italy.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Darah submitted an original artwork from her recent expedition on The Crusades.The artwork depicts the Battle of Antioch, where Crusaders, inspired by the discovery of the Holy Lance, charge against a larger Turkish force led by Kur Bugha, with a focus on conveying the energy of battle, bias in representation, and an attempt to capture historical accuracy and motion, while incorporating angels and symbolic imagery.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Ari submitted this original myth. Combining traditional mythology and fairytale patterns and techniques, Ari's myth expresses the importance of curiosity and wisdom as well as the great hardship and heavy responsibility of holding power.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, this Sora student developed a powerful and haunting narrative work focused on the interplay of the stories she reads and the reality she endures. A daughter, trapped in a distorted relationship with her mentally unstable mother, struggles to understand love and identity amidst cycles of violence and confusion, ultimately seeking to feel something—anything—through acts of extreme devotion. *TW: violence, gore, mental & physical abuse*
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Stephanny submitted an original short story. With elements of creative nonfiction, interview, and realistic fiction, Stephanny writes on the emotional and physical journey of an immigrant fleeing Venezuela in search of a better life in the U.S., while reflecting on the pain, resilience, and sacrifices of leaving one's homeland.
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Ma'ayan submitted an original poem, an homage to her middle school days. Ma'ayan is working on a collection of horror short stories and poems...stay tuned!
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Grace decided to develop a second chapter to her fiction short story, The Tinkerer. In this piece, the story continues with a fantastical and magical angle.
*original artwork by Jake Zatzkin
For the spring issue of The Inkwell, Nuala chose to create a historical fiction short story based on an infrastructural project in southeast Alaska in the early twentieth century.
For this issue of the Inkwell, Raven chose to highlight Black History Month by developing a short story focused on American Sign Language represented through an enslaved Black historical fiction narrative.
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Skylynn developed an original poem inspired by this theme.
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Milan developed a series of original poems inspired by this theme.
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Sophia developed a series of original poems inspired by this theme. *original photo by Sophia Porembski
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark as well as good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Arabella developed a series of original short stories inspired by this theme. *original artwork by Arabella Francois
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Skylynn developed an original poem inspired by this theme.
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Grace developed an original short story inspired by history and witchcraft. *original artwork by Jake Zatzkin
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Nuala developed a series of original poems inspired by this theme and relationships.
*original photo by Nuala Rego
For this most recent publication of The Inkwell, our theme is light & dark and good over evil. In The Inkwell's first ever expedition, Nuala developed a series of original poems inspired by this theme and relationships.
*original photo by Nuala Rego
This short story for The Inkwell's March 2024 "Found Family" edition is inspired by Sora's Table Top Role Playing Game club Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
