NGU Skyliner

Daniel Stockwell, sophomore secondary education, and Melissa Weaver browse through archives of the Mountain Laurel at this year’s pre-release event. Next year, under newly appointed editor Christopher Gianakas the publication will undergo some design changes. (Photo By Elizabeth Wood)

The works presented were colorful and diverse expressions of time, person, relationship, location, emotion and experience. Several writers based their work on cross-cultural experiences, some on internal conflict and others on biblical themes.

There were several breaks from literature and art presentations for audience members to mingle and enjoy Leopard Forest coffee and refreshments. The event was so well attended that every table in the café was filled.

Lindsey Culbert, senior English, and editor of the Mountain Laurel, was the master of ceremonies for the evening. She described this year’s journey from staff selection to publication.

One of the developments Culbert described was the reorganization of the Mountain Laurel. In previous years, fiction, nonfiction and poetry were all intermingled. This year the Mountain Laurel will be separated into individual sections for each genre. Culbert said that the new classification system was inspired by the seasonal nature of life. “Everything goes in cycles. Everything comes in a spring, summer, fall and winter,” Culbert said. The new layout expresses this cyclic pattern.    

Culbert said that editing the Mountain Laurel was a growing experience for her personally. “I have learned a lot. I have grown a lot. Not just in knowledge, but spiritually as well. I learned not only to be a leader, but to be a follower and a servant as well. That is probably the hardest lesson I have learned,” Culbert said.

Katie Player, senior interdisciplinary studies and featured writer, told of her experience with the Mountain Laurel. “It’s helped me gain the confidence to put my stuff out there. I didn’t think I was a good writer,” Player said, “Dr. DeCiantis and Dr. Bruce encouraged me to pursue my dream of writing.”

Mountain Laurel staff member Melissa Weaver, sophomore secondary education in english language arts, put together a collection of student work from Blue Ridge High School that was specially featured at preview night.  A class that Weaver observed in her studies wrote poems about what made them who they are called “I am From” poems. Nine of the poems were selected to be featured. The poems were displayed at preview night as a tool to generate interest in North Greenville as well as to show that Blue Ridge students produce quality work.

A closer look of previous editions on display at Leopard Forest Coffee Company. (Photo by Elizabeth Wood)

Next year’s Mountain Laurel editor was announced at preview night. Christopher Gianakas, senior interdisciplinary studies known as “Gia,” is the new editor. “I am very excited. I have most of my staff already picked out,” Gianakas said, “I think we have a great staff. I think it is going to be a great expression of all our diverse personalities.”

Gianakas wants to continue the good work Culbert did this year. He also plans to make some changes, including a new logo for the Mountain Laurel. “We want to make this a precedent for future publications,” Gianakas said.