In the past year, The Starling Press, the student-led publishing house of Townsend Harris, has expanded its operations, publishing several new books either written by individual students or that feature collections of student writing.
Published works include children’s books like Home by sophomore Olivia Perla and Drowning in Eyes co-written by sophomores Eva Ye and Melissa Tai. In addition, The Starling Press recently published Townsend Take Ten!, a collection of student-written plays, some from previous years. This book was published as a collaboration with the Nightingale Theatre company.
For Olivia, the publication process was both exciting and personal. Home explores themes of identity and belonging. “The book reflects the idea that ‘home’ is not always a structure. Sometimes it is a person, a memory, or a space where you are able to exist authentically,” she said. Olivia added that she hopes readers can feel seen and relate to the emotions depicted in her work.
“Sharing Home publicly meant exposing something vulnerable but at the same time, [the] publication validated the idea that personal stories deserve space in the world,” Olivia said.
Drowning in Eyes is a story that follows an insecure pufferfish named Pete who struggles with anxiety until he meets a new friend Shrew, the Shrimp, who encourages him to embrace his uniqueness.
“One of the main messages I hope readers can take away is that life isn’t about trying to fit in, but rather about being authentic with who you are,” Eva said.
Eva said that the book was originally created for the Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Competition in her graphic design class, before it was published in The Starling Press. Eva said, “It truly feels rewarding knowing your hard work has paid off.”
The fall publications also included, Townsend, Take Ten! a collection of student-written plays developed through the Nightingale Theatre Company. Nightingale advisor and Assistant Principal of English Ryan Dunbar said the project brought together years of student work. “We had all these student-written plays, many of which had been produced on the Townsend Harris stage,” he said. With the creation of The Starling Press, those works were compiled into a published collection.
Mr. Dunbar explained that publishing the plays allows them to have a lasting impact. “There’s something really special about getting your play published now; it’s kind of memorialized in this really special way,” he said.
English teacher Kevin McDonaugh currently serves as the advisor of the Starling Press. He stepped into the role after being approached to fill in, seeing the opportunity to connect his work in creative writing with the extracurricular. “I had a bunch of students already in the press, so it felt like a good opportunity to bridge the connection between what I’m doing in class into an extracurricular activity where I could serve as a coach and mentor,” he said.
Mr. McDonaugh emphasized that what makes The Starling Press unique is its nature as a student-run publishing house. “I don’t know of many student-run publishing houses that publish student work that’s edited by students, and then is sold to the public,” he said. He explained how seeing their work available online is what makes the experience especially meaningful for students. “When students see their work and they can actually search for their names, their faces light up,” he said.
The leadership of The Starling Press has also focused on expanding its reach this year. Junior Michelle Shi, the Editor-in-Chief of the Starling Press, expressed her goal to increase awareness and accessibility for student creators. “There is a need to empower youth voices, and we want students to be aware that there are opportunities for that in their community,” she said. She noted that the organization has grown significantly, with over 40 active members and increased outreach.
Michelle explained that the press prioritizes inclusion during all steps of the publication process. “All creative pieces and voices are encouraged. We work one-on-one with our student authors and artists to make sure our work is the best reflection of each person’s creative capabilities while also being publication-ready,” she said.
Member of The Starling Press and sophomore Marianne Mortel described her experience being in the publication as a learning opportunity. “It was definitely a learning curve, [and] I had to learn many new applications,” she said.
“[The Starling Press] creates a space where writing, illustration, and other forms of creativity can come together, which makes it a really unique and valuable part of the school community,” junior and Managing Editor of the Starling Press Namrin Zaman said.
