Golda Och Academy’s literary magazine scores national award

“NUTS & RAISINS,” the student literary magazine created at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, won a First Place award in the annual national American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) magazine competition for 2019.

More than 200 schools entered the contest, which has been running since 1980. Entries are judged on content coverage, organization, design, presentation, and creativity. Out of a possible 1,000 points, “Nuts & Raisins” scored 885, an “extraordinary achievement,” according to ASPA chair Dr. Richard Plass.

GOA students in grades 6-12 are invited to submit poetry, prose, and artwork for “Nuts & Raisins,” which is run under the direction of faculty adviser Jason Langer. A student-run editorial board reviews submissions and edits the publication, which is printed each spring.

According to the ASPA citation, “Nuts & Raisins” exhibits “the superior efforts of talented and creative editors, writers, artists, photographers, layout/graphic designers, staff members, contributors, and advisers.”

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Last year’s magazine, titled “Patchwork,” was also run by editors-in-chief Naomi Esrig and Eva Hale, both members of the class
of 2020.

“Our students have taken great pride in creating this literary magazine, which is why this award is such an honor,” said Langer. “It’s a testament to the passion and hard work our student editorial board exhibited putting together this publication and the creativity of our contributing authors and artists.”