The class of 2026 is ready to walk across the graduation stage and out of BHS, and they’re waving goodbye in the Spring/Summer issue of Calliope, the school’s magazine of student writing and artwork.

The front cover of the magazine’s 59th issue includes a colored contour-line self-portrait by senior Abby Smith done for an assignment in Ms. Kropiwnicki’s class. Also on the front cover are junior Ella Banks’s whiteboard sketch of a classmate and a spectacular orange garnet ring by Gavin Cerrito.

The magazine closes with work by two more seniors on the back cover. Titi Nwakalor’s fish etched into a reflective surface bears a quizzical expression, and a close observer can almost make out the hazy outline of the photographer in the fish’s belly. Below that is a final work by champion contributor Stacia Comen, whose pastel drawing of her soon-to-be alma mater is reminiscent of the realist paintings of Edward Hopper.

The issue also marks the beginning of a collaboration with The Branford Buzz and Calliope to publish a digital version each issue along with paper copies distributed around school. Check out the entire first issue below:

Inside, this issue lulls the reader in with poems about pets, needlepoint images of European cities, and drawings of nature, but a cuddly felt mouse with frightening teeth hints at a change of mood … and then come two unsettling horror stories.

“One thing is for sure, we never know what to expect when we’re sorting through all the submissions to Calliope,” said Editor in Chief Gabby Silva. “There are a lot of creative and slightly explosive minds in the halls of BHS, in both metaphoric and artistic ways.”

In addition to the works named above, artwork in this issue includes pieces by Quinn Andresen, Saahil Bhawnani, Miles Cerrito, Sarah Kwadade, Camryn Lyons, Charley McPhillips, Wynter Parsons, Fathima Ramzeen, Eve Reilly, Emmarose Romano, Austyn Sparks, and Landon Thomas. Written work in the issue is by Kiara Guevara-Kragwell, Ella Lordan, Fathima Ramzeen, Lillian Rank, Ava Quattlebaum, Savanna Traca, and one anonymous submission. 

Other Calliope staff includes Xavier Geissler, Titi Nwakalor, Estelle Pechkis, Makenzie Petrillo, and Shayla Torres. If you’d like to contribute to Calliope or join the club next year, keep an eye out for meeting times and deadlines in the fall, talk to a current staff member or club advisor Mr. Matthiessen, or join the club’s Google Classroom with code j7v5c2l.

Print copies of Calliope are available for $1 from Mr. Matthiessen in room F14. All profits go to Read to Grow.

What do you think of the latest issue of Calliope? Let us know in the comments.