Parker Stack, '23; Editor
Emily Jones’ powerful Op-Ed on school shootings is the first featured piece in The New York Times’ “Whats on Student’s Minds: School Shootings, Trans Bias, Content Warnings and More” annual letter-writing competition. Emily’s letter was chosen from a multitude of submissions across the US and is featured first in the Times article. In her letter, Jones powerfully laments, “I am tired of passing a place where six innocent people died. I am tired of seeing red and black bows tied neatly on the mailboxes throughout Nashville. There has to be a change. I am so tired,” Jones responds in her article titled “Heavily Armed Assailant Kills 6 at a School in Nashville.” It's a story we know all too well, but Emily distills sentiment into a powerful punch, worthy of national attention. “This is a big deal! Students need to read this. I actually heard about Emily’s work from a friend across the country on text message,” says Ensworth’s own Director of Ceramics and Studio Arts, Cati Blitz. Senior soccer phenom and varsity track athlete Alyiah Batton, agrees, “We read Emily’s piece in our Revenge Lit as a class. It was so impactful because she was able to write what everyone’s been thinking” (Batton). Congratulations to Emily Jones on her moving words and huge accomplishment. If you haven’t already, take some time to read, and think for yourself about what it means.
For Sydney Adams, noted Scholastic Silver Medalist and known mixed media artist, her time spent in the AP Studio Art means more than checking a box off the school schedule. To Adams, art is a form of healing and inner reflection. When her brother, Jordan Adams, “died suddenly in his sleep '' (Adams) in April around Easter, Sydney felt overwhelming grief and turned to the arts. “I listened to a lot of Motown music. I thought, hey, at least I’m not them” and decided to focus her senior AP Studio portfolio on Jordan’s life. In her portfolio, Sydney reflects “I combined photos with my drawings to create a fantasy, but by about piece 2 or 3, I kind of had a full-circle moment. This felt true to me as well. I feel like no one really knows me sometimes and it honestly made me scared. With this gallery, I wanted to show the Jordan that I knew, as well as who I am now.” (Adams). Adam’s accolades reflect her emotional precision and honed artistic skill. She is a recipient of The National New York Life Award, receiving $1,000 for her work exploring death and grief and an additional $500 on the state level. Out of thousands across the nation, only six were chosen for The National New York Life accolade. Sydney Adams won it all. Her younger brother, Gabe Adams, who attended her studio art show from 5:30 to 7:00 PM on May 13th, says, “Yeah. She draws us [her siblings] from her head. No references or anything sometimes. It's really cool.” In her AP Studio Artist Statement, Adams puts it best, “I wanted to show through art who I am and how grief shaped my mental state throughout the last year, so that way people never have to wonder, Who is Sydney Adams? I thought, why don't I put myself into my art like a diary? Every feeling or thought I’ve had this school year is in a piece of my art” (Adams). Before the school year ends, check out Sydney and the other Studio Arts students’ work in the Ingram Arts center.
Congratulations to Emily Jones and Sydney Adams on their fantastic work this year.
