By Megha Lakha
The Signature Magazine, a student-run publication, has been around for over 20 years. According to Senior Editor in Chief Naya Saigal said. “We aim to highlight art in the upper school community by featuring fine arts.”
This school year, a few new things were added to the Signature to make it more appealing to students. “We added a performance section, which just included QR codes for students to scan, which would take them to videos of the dance, theatre, band, or any other performing arts videos from the school,” Naya said.
Naya said that as co-editor in chief, she has a big responsibility. “I oversee all of the design and layout,” Naya said. ”It all goes through me, and I figure out which art can be omitted.”
According to Signature Sponsor Ms. Walter, “During a typical meeting, the Signature staff engages in various tasks to bring their publication to life.” She said that “the meetings generally begin with organizing staff responsibilities, so that each member knows their role and what is expected of them.”
Much of the team’s job is about content curation, to make sure it “aligns with the vision and standards of the publication,” Ms. Walters said. “Discussions often involve which pieces to include, how they complement each other, and the overall balance of the content within the publication.”
Ms. Walter also explained some elements that the staff employs to make the Signature pop. “The staff experiments with different page layouts to enhance the magazine’s visual impact,” she explained. “Creative use of typography can affect the magazine’s aesthetic and readability, so the staff might choose custom fonts or create their own.”
Ultimately, the goal is to make the magazine stand out. “By harnessing these elements, the staff of The Signature not only demonstrates their creative capabilities but also ensures that the magazine serves as a vibrant showcase of the student body’s talents and artistic expressions,” Ms. Walter said.
At lunch today, the Signature staff plans to have a fun celebration day for the end of the year and to launch the magazine. They will be inviting students who have been featured in the magazine as well, but the event is open to all! “Hopefully, a good number of students will show up because we will be giving out King of Pops and coffee,” Naya said.
Naya is also very artistic, so being editor as well as a prominent member of the Signature Magazine allows her to show her art off. “This year I put a lot of my own artwork in the issue,” she explained. She then held up a breathtaking design of a magazine cover. It was red and black with some roses.
“I really love red and black,” Naya said, “But the cover was most inspired by fashion magazines like Vogue.”
While the Signature has a tiny staff, it is a mighty one. Even so, Naya hopes more underclassmen and new students will join in the years to come. “It’s a great experience for anyone interested in publications, visual arts, and performing arts,” she said.
The magazine is mainly filled with art components, but the writing parts come from creative writing submissions and the annual short story contest. Still, students are free to submit their writing pieces through the survey.
Through the Signature, the staff hopes “to highlight work in the upper school community and showcase the creativity within the school,” Naya said.
Ms. Walter said that The Signature helps “students receive recognition, which validates their efforts and skills, boosting their confidence and encouraging them to continue developing their artistic talents.”
Ms. Walters said that “the magazine aims to foster a sense of community among student artists,” and it “allows students to leave a legacy at their school, creating something lasting that they can be proud of and that future students can admire and be inspired by.”
So, if you’re looking for something fun to do in your free time, love art or writing, The Signature is for you. And be sure to come to the Signature celebration if you want King of Pops!
