The ability to express and share unique art, music, film, poetry, and prose is key to the culture of BSM. Over the past years, the literary arts journal called Apotheosis has been growing at BSM and has developed as a place to share a rich culture of art.

Apotheosis is a place where any student can submit pieces of art in many forms. Out of all the submissions, some get chosen to be put on the Apotheosis website where the artists can get recognition for their work.

This year, there are two new teacher advisors for Apotheosis: Ms. Nan Onkka and Ms. Kaia Preus. Onkka is a senior high art teacher and Teaching and Learning team member and Preus is a senior high English teacher. This year is their first year co-advising, and they’re hoping to try some new things while also working out the kinks of being first year advisors.

One of the new ideas for Apotheosis this year is “partnering” with KEQ, the Knight Errant Quarterly magazine. They hope to use the KEQ as a method for every BSM student to see the Apotheosis pieces in print. “In the past, one of the things that has stopped us from doing a print issue is the cost. This year we’re paying for the website but then were going to work with the KEQ and once we figure out our submissions, we’re just going to hand off all of that information and they’re going to dedicate the last KEQ to be all Apotheosis,” Onkka said.

In addition to the two faculty advisors, there is an editorial board of 13 juniors and seniors. The students on the editorial board are key to the success of Apotheosis. While their main job is to assess and choose the best work from all the submissions, they also do some other small activities. “The board will do all of the poster designs and they’ll speak to some of the classes; we’re hoping to visit most of the writing and film and other art classes for them to kind of put a plug in for students to submit,” Onkka said.

The board members come from a variety of different arts backgrounds, some with more experience than others. One of the board members, senior Abigail Gage, has been submitting her writing and photography since freshman year. This year she signed up to be an editorial board member because of the impact art has had on her life. “Art has always been a coping tool for whatever I have going on in my life, and I wanted people to have the same opportunity to use art as an outlet. Students should be able to get the credit and recognition for their talents that don’t always get noticed or appreciated,” Gage said.

Other students are less interested in doing the artwork but enjoy the side of Apotheosis that includes criticizing the pieces. “I think that it’s interesting because it’s students who self proclaimed don’t always think they’re the best at doing or making the artwork or writing, but they really feel strongly about reading and giving people feedback,” Onkka said.