2015-2016 Literary CLub officers and Literary Magazine editorial staff

President/Editor in Chief: Vicky Luzuriaga

Vicky Luzuriaga is a writer, photographer, vegetarian, book worm, music enthusiast, and tea lover. She's Ecuadorian and speaks Spanish, English, and French. She's a writer of prose and poetry and an analogue photographer. If she's not at your local Whole Foods, Barns and Nobles, Urban Outfitters, concert venue, art gallery, or independent coffee shop, she's probably sleeping. She's planning to double major in art and psychology to become a certified Art Therapist. Vicky collects typewriters and vintage cameras as well as vinyl records. Vicky has won various prizes in arts and writing such as National Council of Teachers of English Achievement in Writing Award (NCTE) and has been exhibited in galleries such as Girls' Club Collection. She's been on the editorial staff and in Seigel's creative writing classes since her sophomore year and is beyond excited to work with her new staff and produce the best magazine Cypress has ever seen. You can check out her website for more information here. 

Vice President/Executive Editor: Olivia Baruch

Olivia Baruch is an avid reader, history buff, and political enthusiast. She gains her inspiration from her adorable cat, Maverick, a munchkin with a sassy attitude, and loves to write poetry as well as short stories. Olivia has been involved in Mrs.Seigel’s creative writing class since her sophomore year, but her love for the art developed long before then. Along with writing, she enjoys catching up on her favorite television shows, listening to music, traveling, and trying new foods. Olivia is incredibly excited to begin working with all the new editors, planning the club’s annual Coffee House, and creating an extraordinary magazine this year! Let the work begin!   

Vice Executive Editor: Alex DeZayas

Alex DeZayas is a traveler, writer, and an unapologetic lover of clichés. As such, she has no fear in admitting that she may frequently be found sipping a pumpkin spice latte, reading The Fault in Our Stars, and snapping artsy photos to post on social media as often as possible. Alex's love for writing began the moment it dawned on her that she could physically chronicle her inner monologues, and the moment her pen met the paper, there was no going back. Aside from writing, Alex's interests include cooking, traveling, reading, and of course, occasionally shedding a tear over the tragedy that is Augustus Waters. 

Junior Vice Executive Editor: Alexa Vorhees

Alexa is a writer, artist/photographer, book reader, music lover, vegan, 80s movies buff, and a firm believer in the powers of baggy clothing. She is learning American Sign Language. She likes to write both poetry and prose; she is on the spoken word team, Live Poets Society, here at Cypress. Her love of writing was discovered her freshman year in Creative Writing One/Two when she found out her words could move people. Now, in her sophomore year, she is in Creative Writing 3 and wants to continue with the class and the literary magazine through her senior year. Alexa is very excited to work on the magazine and make it the best it can possibly be, times ten.

Treasurer: Lexi Stoloff

Lexi Stoloff is a writer, avid shopper, Netflix enthusiast, Starbucks addict, and Elle Woods worshiper. As the treasurer of the Literary Club, she is a math nerd at heart. She has a passion for charity work, especially that involving children. Lexi is on the board of directors of the Jorge Nation Foundation, a charity that partners up with Joe DiMaggio Children's Oncology Department to grant ill children's dream trips. She loves Mrs. Seigel and is beyond excited to work with her fellow editorial staff to make this magazine the best one yet!

Assistant Treasurer: Megan Ramos

Megan Ramos has been taking creative writing courses since her eighth grade English teacher told her to, but she has not regretted a moment of it. She prefers to write short stories, usually those with themes of humor and fantasy. She loves to read horror, although she hasn't written it. Megan can play the flute, is learning violin, and can manage one song on the ukulele. She is interested inanimals of all kinds and owns many pets.

Head Art Director: Nicole Arrieta

Nicole Arrieta is an artists, fervent Disney fan, musician, Krav Maga practitioner, and soccer player. She fully embraces and displays creativity in all aspects of her life. As the Head Art Director of the Literary Club, she will strive to share this passion with others, both in the club and throughout Cypress. Nicole utilizes her ability and imagination in various artistic disciplines such as drawing, painting, graphic design, poetry, and music. Not only does she enjoy the arts, but she is also passionate about science and mathematics. She has enjoyed being a part of both Mrs. Seigel's class and Literary Club for the past three years. with the support of those that are in the club, she hopes to produce the best literary magazine ever made! 

Assistant Art Director: Marcos Estrada 

Marcos Estrada is a writer, artist, and poetry lover. He wants to perceive a career in medicine and major in neuroscience but loves to write and draw in his free time as a way to relax and take the stress away from school. He is a sophomore here at Cypress Bay and hopes to work as hard as he can to get the best out of everything. He hopes to encourage more people to be involved in writing and the arts, as a way of doing something that they will enjoy and not have a doubt about doing it to “detach” for a moment from all of the problems of the world. He is excited about participating in the magazine and hopes that this magazine is one of the best ones there’s ever been.

Assistant Art Director: Madison Ramos

Head Public Relations: Juliana DoPrado

Assistant Public Relations: Nathy Hernandez

Nathy Hernandez is a writer, fashion critic, music lover, ice cream enthusiast, and an open minded soul. She's Venezuelan, and speaks both Spanish, and English. During her spare time, she enjoys catching up on the latest trends, snacking on chocolate covered pomegranates, or sleeping. She has had the opportunity to study abroad, and intern at Parsons The New School of Design. She hopes to later on major in communications and minor in Public Relations. Not only is she eager to work with the members of the magazine but ready to gain knowledge and experience for her future!

Assistant Public Relations: Rachel Schonberger

Rachel Schonberger is a writer, theatre enthusiast, Netflix addict, and animal lover. She always looks at the glass half full and loves writing about the positive things in life. Education is one of the most important things in her life, and her favorite part about school is Mrs. Seigel's Creative Writing class. She also is a dedicated member of Cypress Bay's newspaper, The Circuit. Rachel is looking forward to an amazing year with the literary magazine! 

Senior Associate Editor-Prose: Megan Muralles

Megan Muralles is a lover of comic books, poetry, political satire, and short stories. She's always been drawn to writing, specifically speeches. With experience on the Debate Team, English Honor Society, and Literary Magazine, Megan blends her love of public speaking, English, and writing. Additionally, she has a passion for LGBTQIA+ rights and plans to pursue a career in activism. She hopes to study communications, law, and queer studies in college. Megan has spoken at many nationally recognized events such as the Stonewall National Education Project Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale, educating and bringing awareness to LGBTQIA+ issues. She is very excited to bring all her passions together and work with extraordinary people to create an amazing magazine! 

Senior Associate Editor-Poetry: Maddie Gensolin

I am currently a senior at Cypress Bay High School to graduate in 2016. I have been a part of lit club for almost two years now and a dedicated member of the Live Poets Society. I love to write poetry and hate pineapples. I have also been dedicated to the art programs at this school since my freshman year.

Associate Staff-Poetry: Leticia Antonini

Leticia Antonini, who goes by Letty because most people can't pronounce Leticia properly, is a music lover, wanna-be singer and cheesy novel addict. She loves to write for children in a Dr. Seuss type of way; her poems are short, simple and often just cause readers to "aw" over it. Leticia writes for the Cypress Bay newspaper, The Circuit, and is obsessed with her dogs. She dreams of one day being rich enough (money hopefully made off of her future best selling novel) to open an animal rescue center without having to worry about money. She can also poorly play about 7 songs on the guitar and math. 

Associate Staff- Prose: Larissa Martins 

Larissa Martins is a writer, book collector, organization freak, mug lover, and film geek. She can't write poetry -although loves to read it-, so her focus is writing 20-page long stories with too many characters and details for her own good. Her dream is to double major in liberal arts -studying the things she loves the most: arts, history, and sociology- and dramatic writing, so she can combine the her two greatest passions, film and literature, and write for the screens and stages. She likes to spend time either watching tv shows and good films, or worrying about the future, and she is crazy about school. Larissa is Brazilian, and moved to the U.S. on her sophomore year. This is her first year in Seigel's class and participating in the magazine, but she couldn't be more excited about it!

Associate Staff-Poetry: Ryan Bush

Hi, my name is Ryan Bush. I am a tenth grader here at Cypress Bay and I have a passion for writing. I took Creative Writing as a class in ninth grade and plan to take it in eleventh and twelfth grade as well.  My goal for this year is to simply strive for betterment in everything that I set out to achieve no matter the difficulty that may stand in my way. My specialty as a writer is free-verse reflective poetry, and I am usually inspired by innate characteristics  of people as well as facts that I may find interesting. I have a passion for reading, writing, philosophy, and history. I am extremely excited for this year's annual Coffee House event! As some fun facts, I have two sisters and two dogs, as well as have never lived outside of the state of Florida. I am looking forward to a fantastic year!

Assistant Staff-Poetry: Isabella Hardesty

Isabella Hardesty is a book nerd and an introvert. She likes playing video games and annoying her cat for love. Isabella loves reading tragic novels, spending too much time on Youtube, and pigging out while on Netflix. She feels as if poetry is a safe haven from everything around her; though before taking a creative writing class, she hated writing because it would always be presented like a formula. Wanting one day to do something with writing, psychology, or animals, Isabella hopes to help create an extraordinary magazine this year.

Assistant Staff-Prose: Elizabeth Fernandez

Assistant Staff-Poetry: Giancarlo Laboy 

Assistant Staff-Prose: Naz Hussein

Assistant Staff-Prose: Alexia Velasco

Alexia Velasco is a messy person by nature, a reader, a writer, a mindless doodler, a cartoon TV show enthusiast, and a night dweller. She writes, reads, mindlessly doodles, and watches cartoons at night in her usually messy room. She is almost always in motion and she can't keep still very easily. She prefers her poetry to rhyme and especially likes to write the beginnings of novels she does not think she'll ever finish. She is clumsy and competitive, which have been proven to be a deadly duo at times and she likes to challenge herself often. She loves mysteries and conspiracy theories and all the paranoia that comes with them. She can openly admit that Creative Writing is probably her favorite period, no matter how interesting her science classes are. She is extremely excited to work on the magazine, something she's been looking forward to doing since her first year at CBHS. 

Assistant Staff-Poetry: Berni Berkower

Berni is a 10th grader at Cypress Bay and is so excited to be a part of the Literary club this year. She LOVES music, especially the Grateful Dead and Red Hot Chili Peppers. She plays the ukulele (not well) and gets completely lost in writing poetry. She has no idea what she wants to do with her life and is hoping she can wing it enough to end up on an island somewhere with lots of tattoos:) However, she is very interested in the ethics of criminal justice and psychology. She's also pretty good as speaking Spanglish despite not knowing how to speak Spanish.

Assistant Staff-Poetry: Erica Levenson

I love listening to bands like The Killers, The 1975, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I love reading books about mystery and romance. I go to the gym to relieve stress and am in the ocean every weekend. My favorite places are cute little cafes no one knows about, and I'm really excited to see what the literary magazine can accomplish this year!