On Tuesday, Arkansas Northeastern College debuted a new magazine to the public titled, “Spark.” The magazine was a collaborative effort between ANC and the schools in Mississippi County. The magazine, edited by Ryan Perkins and Mallory Burnette, includes artwork and poems from elementary students in Blytheville, Gosnell, and Armorel.
The opening of the magazine states, “Spark would like to thank Dr. James Shemwell, June Walters, Deanita Hicks, and the Arts and Sciences Department. We would also like to extend gratitude to everyone who encouraged students to submit work. Thank you to the dedicated teachers of Armorel, Blytheville and Gosnell Schools. We are grateful for all the words of encouragement and support for our first edition of Spark!”
Perkins and Burnette both had a small letter in the beginning of the magazine. Perkins stated, “As a former school administrator and teacher, I have spent a lot of time with young children. Sometimes I got too caught up in testing and academics that I forgot why I chose education in the first place, which was to develop, love and appreciate the many unique gifts and talents of children. I helped come up with the idea of ‘Spark’ because I wanted to find a way to showcase the creative talents of the kids in the area. So many times children have a talent or gift that may never be seen, discovered and stifled. So, we hope Spark will encourage them to develop that talent, express themselves creatively, and help them develop a passion and appreciation for the arts.”
Burnette’s letter said, “For eight years, Arkansas Northeastern College has been publishing Energy Magazine, a compilation of student work including art, photography, poetry, fiction, and essays. We carry on this tradition to showcase our talented students at the college. To showcase younger talent from area schools and engage in the community surrounding the college, we’re extending Energy to create Spark, a compilation of work from elementary students. Our goal is to ignite a spark of interest in the arts, to embolden students to write and create.”
The magazine contains 35 pages of students’ artwork and poems. One poem titled “Oh, A Child’s Cry” by Julez Malone reads,
“I sit late at night crying
Silent and Praying for my
Father, that one day he will let go of the street life.
One day he will become a man of God.
One day he will raise me to be a strong man.
One day he will drop me off at school.
One day he will come to church with me.
One day he will help me with my homework.
One day we can have that father and son talk.
One day we can cook my favorite food.
One day I can tell him how much I love him.”