Julia Pentasuglio
Julia is a high school senior who shadowed at Lake Erie Ink for one week for her Senior Capstone project through St. Vincent – St. Mary High School prior to her graduation.
Prior to my week spent at Lake Erie Ink, my involvement in LEI’s program was almost exclusively limited to weekly Zoom meetings for a group called the Teen Editorial Board that is responsible for a yearly publication of teen art and writing. Thus, though I had been a part of LEI’s annual teen anthology for three years, I had only visited the actual LEI building once at the release party for the teen anthology, Blur. From my time as both a writer for the teen anthologies and as an editor, I knew the invigorating enthusiasm and dedication that was taken into every aspect of the book by the staff to make creative, exploratory collections of work. Yet, I did not know that this energy and enthusiasm expanded much further than the Teen Editorial Board.
At one point during my week, a member of the staff described LEI as a “small, but passionate group of people.” I would agree. The members of LEI’s staff are united under their collective passion for sharing creativity with children, teens, and each other. I was lucky enough to learn from them and witness their welcoming spirit. Most importantly, I will take their dedication to sharing the art of writing with me as I pursue my own career and future. There is much that can be shared and learned through writing, poetry, and art, and Lake Erie Ink fosters those areas brilliantly.