Everyone is smiling under their masks. People are talking and learning with one another, having snacks and building community. That’s a meeting of Refractions.

Refractions is the high school’s literary magazine. Its creators meet every X-block in room 386 to read over student submissions, learn about Adobe InDesign and volunteer after school.

Volunteering is a new facet of the club. With club advisor Robert Primmer, the club will plan future volunteering events in libraries and other places related to publishing.

Senior Isabella Aroesty, a new member of the club, finds both art and creating a magazine very interesting.

“I’m looking forward to learning new skills with editing and design,” Aroesty said. “I think it’ll be really interesting and exciting to see all the submissions that my peers and other people who go to the school share.”

Editor-in-Chief of Refractions, senior Kiersten Cummings, has been a member of the magazine since sophomore year. She looks forward to publishing this issue of the magazine because it will be the last time she will be able to share student work with her peers in high school.

“I really enjoy meeting the people who are in the club and seeing the artwork and writing with students because there are so many good artists and writers in the school, and no one else gets to see them like we do in Refractions,” Cummings said.

Cummings said the published magazines give the club members a feeling of accomplishment.

“I love having the printed copy of the magazine. It feels so special, and it shows how much hard work went into it, to have it finally printed with all the work,” Cummings said.

The magazine not only publishes physical copies, but it also has an Instagram account where students can find last year’s magazine and a form for submissions for the next issue of the magazine.

The club members are welcoming and, according to Cummings, always looking for new members.

“Just stop by when you have the chance and enjoy some student artwork,” Cummings said.

Sophomore Alana Cummings, who joined the club last year, said that her favorite part of the club was reading student submissions, and the community was also one of the reasons she returned to the club this year.

“I made a lot of good friendships, and it’s really rewarding to work on something and have a product to see at the end of the year,” Cummings said.

When not doing work for the magazine or volunteering, the club has time to play games such as Pictionary or just hang out. Refractions’ Vice-Editor-in-Chief, Senior Helen Huang, said she likes how Refractions’ community is small because it ties the club members closer together.

“We’re really chill, we’ll probably bring snacks every week, and it’s really rewarding. It might seem boring at the beginning because there isn’t too much to do, but it’s really rewarding at the end,” Huang said.