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I am constantly amazed looking at the submissions Élan gets for both art and writing. There are so many talented teens in our community that I am glad they have found Élan as an outlet to make their voices heard. With every book every Élan member takes part in choosing the writing and art pieces that will be in the final look of the book that we create, no matter if it is an online or print edition. My favorite part is being able to read all of the writing and art before the list of both are narrowed down. This is my favorite part because it allows me to dive in to someone else's world for a second and see what is going on in their mind. My favorite writing piece in our Fall Online Edition is "Icarus Drowning" by Isabella Tolbert. Icarus was one of the first of many mythology stories I read when growing up, and is a story that has always stuck with me. I love the way the images move throughout the poem, as well as how Isabella chose to make the poem about more than flying to close to the sun and touched further on Icarus' death too. I feel mythology stories are very accessible overall because of how long they have been around and how many people know of them. There are many mythological stories that have been told over and over in several different ways, including Icarus, and when writing in the persona of a mythological character you can twist certain aspects of the story to your advantage. My favorite art piece that is in our Fall Online Edition is El Sueno Produce Monstruos by Sam Pabon. I felt the strong emotion in this art piece the first time I saw it, despite the lack in color, which is what makes the piece so connecting to me. There is depth in the height shown and the darkness show in contrast to that height I feel tells a lot of the art piece's story. This piece is accessible because of the emotion and the perspective. The art piece was created to resemble first person point of view looking over an area from a high place. The perspective makes the art piece accessible because at least once in everyone's life, we have looked at an area from a high perspective (i.e. a Ferris wheel, bridge, etc.) The emotion that comes in with that perspective is also accessible because the perspective feels as if we, the viewer, is observing from a high place. Many people have different reactions to having that sort of perspective. Art and writing both equally can have a large impact on many people and in many different ways. I encourage you to go read Élan's Online Fall Edition and allow the work to inspire you and your own art and/or writing. - Catriona Keel, Senior Web Editor

Every piece in Élan deserves to be recognized for their ingenuity, intuition, and attention to craft. One such piece is “GG Explains It All” by Thaiyana Pittman. Thaiyana recently gave life to her words at the Jax by Jax student showcase. The language in this piece exudes life and a fondness for culture. The speaker elicits a sense of domestic intimacy. Throughout this piece, the reader learns along with the character. We grow closer to speaker, and gain an understanding of her heritage and the importance of her roots. Another beautiful take on heritage come sin the form of the art piece Mexican from the Corazón by Britney Garibay. The two-spread piece depicts a woman gazing straight into the viewers eyes, her hair flowing to the side and fading into the flag of Mexico. The subject is stands unfaltering, embracing her identity as a part of her being. The colors in this piece are vibrant and lively, enhancing the subject. This piece is one that catches the eye and holds it prisoner. Mexican from the Corazón captures its viewers not just in its colors and composition, but in its roots in self-identity. Élan is such a special place for art and writing to live for this very reason. Every artistic endeavor comes from a need for self-expression. Art is what ties the world to a common understanding. Élan is a place where young writers and artists can express their visions to the world. We long to give the youth a platform for their creations. The Fall Online Edition of Élan is the first copy of Élan that I have helped produce firsthand. I am so delighted to be a part of the process that highlights fantastic works and recognizes their creator’s efforts. -  Grace Brodeen, Senior Marketing Editor

Élan's Fall Online Edition's accepted pieces have been some of the most unique and beautifully written pieces I have seen in Élan. My personal favorite pieces are all about human connection, and new change. The cover of Élan, Hidden Look by Britney Garibay, strays from our usual covers over the past few issues. Over the last several issues, faces and portraits have always dominated the cover of Élan; yes, they are eye-grabbing, yes the pieces are beautiful, but Élan had gotten into a rut of staying safe. With Hidden Look I believe that we have taken a step towards change. This art piece is something different from previous covers, but it still has an interesting eye-grabbing effect to it. The hands arrange themselves to create a face, which is hitting back to what we are used to almost. I feel like this piece is an amazing way to start choosing different and unique issue covers in the future. For written pieces accepted into Élan, I have a few pieces that hold a special place in my heart like: "Ars Poetica" by Esther Sun; "Portrait with House" by Marin Hart; "In Which I Try to Explain to my Grandmother Why I Don't Call" by Sofia Miller; "forgot again" by Katlynn Sherman. But the one that struck me the most was "Ars Poetica" by Esther Sun because of the connections that is has with poetry, writing, and the writer themselves. The descriptions that are used connect the writer to their art with lines like "Soil & stones clumping under my fingernails," and, "Shows me where to find the softest moss..." These details create a scenery that settles the reader into a story. This poem sets itself nicely into the book, but is also a piece that stands alone strongly. - Luz Mañunga, Senior Layout and Design Editor

I connect with this piece, specifically, for a lot of reasons. This piece revolves around a conversation from a grandfather to a grandson – that conversation, while important and logical – has lots of emotional ties as well. The grandfather utilizes metaphor in order to communicate not only his deep love for his grandson, but his wanting to pass on knowledge himself. I think these lines dictate everything: “You are my blood, an extension/of my old life.” The extension of an old life is something important for generations of families. In this moment, the grandfather was in such a tender moment with his grandson to reveal something like that. In my current point of life, I mainly live with my grandfather. I have experienced my fair share of lectures and tips on how to live a full life – as most grandparents give to their children – but the vulnerability of this specific grandfather strikes a different chord in my own relationship with my grandparents, giving way to an upheave of emotions I have yet to even comprehend. It is these complex emotions that initially got me interested in the piece and I hope to dive deeper into the study of these emotions and see what I can get out of it. This poem, however, goes farther than just a grandfather talking to his grandson. This poem, hidden underneath the emotional conversation, houses themes such as loss and life; sorrow, and joy; pulling up, and bringing down. These themes have much more than meets the eye – they are the backbone of what’s actually making the poem emotional for the reader. This poem is about a tender moment between a grandson and a grandfather, yes, but this courageous work also lets the reader connect to moments that they themselves have experienced, thus making the poem so much more impactful. “Every breath that you take/has a purpose.” These two lines let the grandson know that he matters. That he has a purpose. That he isn’t a meaningless speck in the great universe – he means something. This specific phrase is something that so many people need to hear for themselves. It is important, it is necessary, and it helps the poem achieve even more intellectual integrity than it has already. I connected with this poem because of my relationship with my own grandfather, but I stayed because of the deeper meanings it has layered underneath the heart-blistering conversation. I hope more people read this poem and think, for themselves, “What can I do to better myself? How can I continue the legacies those before me have worked so hard to build?” - Jasper Darnell, Junior Layout and Design Editor

The importance I attach to my appointment with the publication was spurred by the rumored quality and responsibility attached to current editors and their positions. I found myself drawn to the value in sourcing new literacy works, and found the prospect of producing a tangible product, such as the magazine, to be of alluring interest. As genre editor, I get to determine and monitor the content that the publication selects, as well as ensure the preservation of the image we have cultivated in public events in and around the artistic spheres of greater Jacksonville. It is in this duality I have found myself in that I am allowed an integral role in the function of the product itself, as well as involvement in the managerial direction of the organization itself. My position, which allows a wide array of vested opportunities for involvement in all aspects of the publication, lets me engage with the artistic community of our community, and many facets of our production process. As I am tasked with the vetting and control of quality for the pieces we receive from our community of writers, I am able to apply my especially stringent filter in order to source the finest pieces in the expansive pool of selections we receive. It is in this way that I hope to be able to bring to the publication a renewed spirit of quality and a standard for acceptance in our selections. My hand in the presence of our magazine in events throughout Jacksonville and beyond will allow me, to an extent, the opportunity for supervision and direction to the way we present ourselves as a brand. My connections to the artistic community we pander to, as well as my knowledge of potential spaces for our introduction in events will bring to the publication a new dimension of viability in the realm of local literary talent. It has now become an investment for me, to be able to contribute a level of standard, and to ensure the level of communication delegated to me by my superiors permits me an emotional connection to the success of our product. To become involved in something as goal driven as a periodical publication such as this involves the intense binding of my personal character to the performance I provide to the team. I inherently need opportunities for me to explore and grow facets of my artistic abilities, as well as contribute to a common goal with a team of others sharing a vested interest. I expect my role as genre editor to be expansive, with responsibilities ranging through many aspects of the organization. I want to be able to wield both my family’s connections to the artistic community at large, as well as my desire for our success to further the interests of our fiscal success and mission. It is of supreme importance to my artistic growth, as well as the success of the publication that I have been allotted the space to operate that I have. Élan brings an exciting chance for experience and the improvement to the literary oeuvre of Jacksonville. - Sheldon White, Junior Fiction/CNF Editor

I didn’t picture myself as a poet two years ago. Now, I’m part of Élan as a senior poetry editor. It has always been a goal of mine to represent the very best of what Douglas Anderson produces, especially in a department that rarely gets recognition or acknowledgment by the student body. Élan is the physical embodiment of what we do: create. I applied to the Élan staff wanting to give back to the literary community that has so deeply taken care of me for years. I’ve been very privileged in the programs and shows I’ve partaken in and I know that many young writers around the world don’t get the same opportunities whether it be a result of lack of resources, lack of interest in the arts, or lack of confidence. Being accepted onto the Élan staff has helped me understand the sheer magnitude of this platform, often undermined, where I can help and give my peers a voice and be heard as well as a larger perspective. My privilege comes from Douglas Anderson and the opportunities granted that I otherwise would have no context for. I’m aware of the literary community and competitions and the process of submissions—only few young writers do. Élan has the ability to give a stage to the voices of teenagers with little access to the literary world, give a stage to upcoming young writers, and showcases just how powerful teenage creation is. Élan’s importance to people within my community is not unknown to me. We are able to produce and demonstrate young artistic excellence beyond our own communities, which is the most significant aspect of Élan. We get to lift our peers’ voices and represent our work as equal importance to established writers. I won’t lie. I’ve been struggling as a writer throughout the few months with very little emotion toward creating until school started and I was introduced, once again, with the power of art. This isn’t to say I’ve been creating masterpieces every night. I’ve started to realize the art in learning how to edit, check, approve of pieces. How do we determine which piece is accepted or denied? How do we, as a team, show our magazine to locals and strangers? I find there’s beauty in rekindling the relationship between a creation and its future. Reading new pieces and evaluating our archives for different posters or needs subconsciously flows one’s mind with lines and poetic language, it sneaks into our brains late or during class, and the simplest, mindless engagement with art will create something. Something churns in my head, I can feel it, and I know it’s from familiarizing myself with this craft. The engagement with art does so much more than one realizes, and I’m excited to see how it will pave a way for my own writing. - Alexa Naparstek, Senior Poetry Editor

I’m the junior managing editor and I’m super excited for this school year. I first heard about Élan at the first arts area meeting my freshmen year, from that moment on I knew I wanted to be a part of the team. When it was time to fill out the course recommendation sheet the summer before junior year, I was ecstatic to pick Élan as my number one choice. Élan is important to me because I’m apart of such a great legacy. I’m honored to be a part of it, and I can’t wait to leave my mark. It’s important for me to be able to help spread the love of creative writing in the community. Community service is important to me. I really enjoy helping others, it warms me up inside. I know that sounds very cliché, but I enjoy helping others, especially with writing. Often the first thing people say when they hear about Creative Writing is; “I can’t write”. I believe that statement is false. Because everyone can write. Putting together a sentence is technically writing. People believe their first draft must be perfect, which is wrong. First drafts are where you make the most mistakes, where you experiment, where you do too much or too little. There's no such thing as the perfect first draft and that's what I love to tell people I enjoy helping others find their creative grounds. So, I'm excited to help young ones write and learn about other styles of writing besides poetry because they don't know about the others. Most young writers just think of creative writing as writing poetry or fiction. There are different genres inside of each other and they intersect, the possibilities are endless. There’s more than poetry. I also enjoy exploring other people work besides my own and Élan is the perfect place to do so. Not only do I get to read and see some of the art students at my school produced I get to see work from other students outside of my school and around the world. That by itself is mind blowing to me. I believe being junior managing editor will allow me to step out of my comfort zone and communicate with others. Those who already know me knows communication is not easy for me, so being able to improve my communication skills will really help me in the long run especially because senior year is quickly coming up. Being managing editor will help me with my organization skills. I’m already kind of organized, but that’s commitment will allow me to take my skills to another level.  I believe being on Élan will help me explore my writing style and the genres I love to write, which will ultimately Improve my relationship with writing. Being able to write whatever you want whenever you want is such a blessing that you don't really get to have your regular art classes, you must do what was assigned and there's not really much wiggle room. So, I'm excited to explore my personal writing project. I believe this year is about growing a writer. - La’Mirakle Price, Junior Managing Editor

The role of Marketing Editor for Élan Literary Magazine comes with an obligation to understand the evolution of the magazine. It is more than seeking out ways to publicize Élan. It is sharing the continuous legacy of the publication according to the foundation that has been laid over the past three decades. At the same time, the role asks each individual to search for the spaces where there is room for expansion. What people often don’t see about this role is the paper shuffling and calendar conniving that happens beyond the scenes. I create content for the website and all platforms of social media, which requires a lot of collaboration with the layout and design team. This role has forced me to live in multiple worlds at once. I have to have one foot in our many community outreach engagements, another in our current publication, and another in the publication to come, all while juggling our past and our future. I have to be aware of each community engagement event Élan is a part of and plan ways in which to maximize the turn out of the event, and create opportunities in the community that fall in line with our precious legacy. Though this role is the most hands off when it comes to the creation of the book, I have enjoyed the way this role has challenged my creativity. I always review how Élan has represented itself in the past, but brainstorming different approaches to marketing are key. When working with another organization I often have to research to understand the way the other organization has branded themselves, and activate my own strength for pattern recognition to see how the bigger messages and themes of Élan relate. It is important to understand the connections Élan already has in the community and the audience it seeks to reach. Élan has foundational marketing plans, which include Élan posters that highlight an event in detail, video content of staff members preparing for events, and a social media posting schedule which highlights Élan events as well as book content. However, the world moves fast and is constantly evolving, and Élan must keep up so the search for new ways to market is never ending. There is a constant battle to feel fresh yet familiar. Apart from the objective of publicizing the many events Élan takes part in is actually hosting and attending them. This is by far the best part of my job. At its heart attending events is an opportunity for Élan to gain exposure and reach new crowds of people. It is true we are always considering how it could easily turn into a book selling opportunity, but even more than that, each event is an opportunity to advocate for teen artists worldwide. Each sale is their work reaching more hearts. That is why I joined Élan, and it’s the reason you’ll see me at any event with a smile on my face. - Ashley Chatmon, Senior Marketing Editor

This year is full of excitement for me because, as opposed to last year’s steep learning curve, I actually know what I am doing this year. I half-expected to feel just as lost and confused reentering the staff this year as I was last year; I had never been a member of anything close to the size of Élan, nor had I ever worked on anything so important. Simple questions—what would my job entail? What does “managing” mean?—didn’t have an immediate answer. The pressure of those unknowns was unspeakable. Having had those questions answered by the trials and tribulations of last year, I am excited to take the lead as this year’s senior managing editor. “Managing” is a deceptive title because it does not quite mean what it appears to denote at first glance. The managing editor does not hover above the other members of Élan; nor do I “puppeteer” the inner workings of the magazine. My job is much simpler (and less nefarious) than that: communication. I am responsible for making sure the machinations of the editor-in-chief are delegated to the respective members of the staff, turning the large-scale goals of the magazine’s head into small-scale, achievable tasks. Beyond communication within the team, my role handles communication between the magazine and our contributors. When Élan opens up the submission period, I am the one who reaches out to teachers throughout the nation (and internationally) to call for submissions. Furthermore, anytime a teen writer sends a piece to the staff during the submission period, I am the one who receives the written work and files it away for our reading process down the line. With such a complicated body like Élan, it needs a bridge between our valued writers and our staff, and I seek to reinforce and streamline that connection. Needless to say, being the managing editor is difficult. It takes a detail-centered mind to ensure everything slides into its correct placement. The filing system must remain organized. The emails must be sent and responded to. It is a lot to keep track of. However, the difficulty just means that there is still growth to be done—for myself and for Élan. I want this year to be the year in which the intricacies of the magazine are made just a little simpler. Ideally, the work I do this year will never be necessary again in the future of Élan. It is impossible to predict exactly the difficulties of this year, but half the excitement this year will be simply figuring it out! My junior submissions editor this year is very capable, but surely the new staff members are just as lost as I was when I joined last year. I am excited to prove yet again the potential of our magazine. - Noland Blain, Senior Managing Editor

The hardest part about my role in Élan is figuring out the right things to say and the right ways to portray Élan on both our social media and our website. As someone who did not use social media very often when I was assigned the role of being a digital media editor, stepping into the social media part of my role was more difficult. I wasn’t allowed to slack off or hope someone else could do my job, because as a part of Élan overall, the digital media team is how the world sees us as a magazine, especially as a student ran and published magazine, which makes the job even more important and special. When Élan has events and those who attend want to find out more about us, they are either directed to the website or our social media. I felt a lot of pressure at first, sometimes I still do when we have several events going on in such a short amount of time. When it was time for me to take over as the junior digital media editor in the second semester of the last school year, that is when I really got more confident in my role and what I was doing. I took more responsibility for what I had to do, and I did it with pride in the fact that I was helping spread what Élan meant to me and the rest of the staff. My triumph in my role came from learning how to do my job as a digital media editor and knowing I was doing the job right. Taking on the digital media editor role, for me, was a lot of change, but looking at how much I have grown since I have gotten my role and actually stepped into my job as something I wanted to do, I am so thankful for it and I wouldn't want to trade my position with anyone else. When I took on the job, I kept a lot to myself and I was not very good at communicating with others, but in the same time period that I took over the digital media team as a junior and took responsibility for what I was doing, I also learned to communicate better, have more control with what I wanted instead of standing back and having others tell me what to do. Learning to do that in my experience as an Élan member is very important because without this job, I wouldn’t have learned that, and it was something essential for me to know so I could grow as a person. On our social media and website, the digital media team constantly will update when submissions are for all of our book editions, for both art and writing, as well as update for the events we will be doing in future months. Élan has at least two submissions period, one in the Fall, for the Online Fall Edition, and the second in Spring, for the Online Spring Edition. Near the end of the year the team chooses work from both books, as well as new submissions to be in our print book. All three books are highlighted on our social media and our website, along with our past books. Even if you are someone who submits, but does not get a piece into the actual books, it is still special to read through the books and see the beautiful art or pieces of writing others your age can create. - Catriona Keel, Senior Web Editor

This year, I am one of the senior Layout and Design editors for Élan. My responsibilities have changed since the year before, and I’m excited to grow into this role. Élan is a beautiful magazine that allows teen writing and art to live in one place; I know that showcasing teenager’s passion, and talent is extremely important for the literary/art community to see. Young artists need to be acknowledged, and Élan does that. I have always been proud of what I do at Élan, but considering that this is my senior year, and I’m a mentor, I feel more joy and pride. My responsibility is to pass down my editorial knowledge to my junior counterpart, but I also want to pass down my love for Élan. It is exciting to see a “new generation” of staff members, and seeing Élan grow and evolve. Submitting to Élan is a chance to tell the world that you are here. Élan has always been special to me; this international literary magazine is made by students, for students, and to me that is a wonderful thing. The Élan staff is supporting other students, other young artists, and we are giving these teens a voice. For so long teenagers have been silenced in plenty of different spaces, and the literary and arts community have sadly been one of them. It is extremely important to have Élan as a place that allows teens to express themselves in the truest ways possible. As a writer, I’m inspired by all the new pieces that are submitted for our issues; it is amazing how so many different types of people can express themselves through such creative writing and art pieces. From junior year to senior year, my personal growth as a writer can be contributed to reading. Reading poetry books at home, reading short stories, reading submissions to Élan. I get excited when Élan opens their submissions because it is a unique chance to read and select works from teens who are just as dedicated to their art as I am. Personally, I try to put my all into my writing, and it shows that these artists do as well; it’s crazy how so many young artists create with so much life inside of them. I have always struggled with being honest with myself on the page, and truly expressing anything; last year, I had to get comfortable with being vulnerable with myself and others. I had many places that I felt like I could go out of my shell, but Élan showed me that there are other teenagers around the world who are also putting themselves out there, and that it’s okay. I had real life examples of young writers being vulnerable and true; I grew with my writing during my junior year, and I had the space to allow me to do so, for that I am forever grateful for Élan. – Luz Mañunga, Senior Layout and Design

As a layout and design editor, my position is valuable editorially because it helps make every decision of the group tangible. The staff could accept and pair each individual piece of writing and art, yet without the role of layout and design being filled, their visions would never become complete visual representations. Creating each issue is obviously an important part of my role on Élan, but layout and design has a hand in many other aspects of the magazine world as well. As a member of this team, creating and producing flyers, pamphlets, brochures, or any other informational tool is important in between submissions. While there isn’t a book being created, we make sure Élan has enough of an audience to make the rest of the process run smoothly. We put together the posters that inform our classmates that submissions are open, as well as flyers and pamphlets to introduce the public to the fact that our work exists for them to purchase or submit to. One of the best parts about being on the Élan staff is that we get to reap the benefits of our work to get outside submissions. Of course, it’s always a pleasure to read and accept submissions from our own creative writing department, but receiving work apart from that category lets the magazine reach its most creative and interesting point. I think that because we are taught only literary work at DA, it is easy for writers to all fold into the same type of writing. Literary work is always beautiful, but it’s interesting when it is broken up in the book by different outside voices. Outside submissions are important because our audience at Élan expects to be reading the very best work from youth. Although many of the writers from Douglas Anderson do reach that standard, it is arrogant to believe our school holds the only best work. As a young person, I know that putting your work out there is one of the scariest and most vulnerable things to do. Submitting to Élan was one of the best things I have ever done in terms of upholding my confidence as a writer. I used to believe that I didn’t need validation to prove that I knew what I was doing. I let fear hold me back from so many opportunities because I couldn’t stand the thought of rejection. I created this sense of pride on not applying or submitting my work. It wasn’t until I saw my name in print that I realized how much I actually craved validation. Being accepted into the Élan magazine was like I had finally proved to myself that I can make it into the world with my writing. That being said, there have also been times when a piece I submitted was rejected. It’s really important to understand that not being published doesn’t mean the work submitted wasn’t good enough. Submitting over again once you’ve been rejected shows your bravery as an artist. It took until I was an upperclassman to realize that writing is only half about your talent. The rest relies completely on your bravery to grasp the opportunities you’re given. I discovered that being rejected is only an invitation to submit again. I would like to challenge any writers out there to submit something to this years fall issue. Whether you’ve submitted to the book before or not, the experience of allowing a piece to feel completed enough to submit is one that will never be regretted. Being vulnerable and brave enough to showcase your work will help you grow as an artist. - Shelby Woods, Senior Layout and Design