The 2019 Roaring Run Review

Gerstell Academy, founded in 1996 by Dr. Frederick G Smith, is an independent, non-profit, co-
educational, non-sectarian, college preparatory school. Gerstell offers students an educational
program of excellence in a community focused on Gerstell’s Leadership Principles and
Attributes. Gerstell is a diverse educational community dedicated to providing a nurturing and
mentoring environment where each student's potential to become a leader, to learn, to grow
morally, to be physically fit, and to compete is maximized.

2500 Old Westminster Pike
Finksburg, MD 21048-1823
Cover Art by Jessica Silverman
(Sponsored by Cara Meekins)
Published 2019 by Gerstell Academy Creative Writing Students
www.gerstell.org
All rights reserved.

Foreword

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest
accomplishment.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson
There is an honest sincerity in someone being themselves. In the deepest sense of the word, that is
what the definition of Sincerity is. Owning oneself is a great achievement, as it asks the person to be
venerable to criticism that could attack their character. This, however, comes with great self-growth. The
ability to completely and wholly own one's characteristics and personality can demonstrate incredible
strength. In that regard, the students who have submitted this year have put their character and
vulnerabilities forward, writing out of a place of honest Sincerity.
Writing can be a daunting task for many; it takes a lot of Courage to put one’s honest and raw
thoughts on paper. Thankfully, people often take to story and poem writing to help refine and share their
thoughts, as poems and stories are a great way for people to express themselves. From word choice,
subject matter, characters, setting, and even the tone of the story itself can be used to the writer's benefit.
Thanks to these tools, all writers have the potential for achieving creative greatness. These writing tools
combined with passion and purpose yield wonderful results, and the creative writing class is pleased to
say that this year’s Roaring Run Review holds plenty of Passion, Conviction, and Persistence.
While working on the Roaring Run Review, this year’s creative writing class has focused on the
themes of growth and fostering creativity and self-expression through leadership. This year’s
contributions have transcended past simple stories or poems, but have all been amazing evidence of
growth, creativity, and self-expression. Everyone who submitted their work has grown, not just as
students and writers, but as people. As a team of leaders, the creative writing class is proud to present this
year’s Roaring Run Review.

Drake Miller, Johnny Hood, Ben Kulbak, Sydney Smith, and Jon Bazov

Poetry and Artwork

Nothing..................................................................................................1
By: Nafisah “Suzie” Akim-Shittu

Photo by Sam Best.................................................................................2

Adventure Beckons................................................................................3

By: Jana Dubinovsky

Photo by Johnny Hood...........................................................................4

Cinderella...............................................................................................5

By: Emily Fenwick

Snake Tongue.........................................................................................6

By: Jon Bazov

Photo by Hannah Spicknall....................................................................7

Those Good Old Days............................................................................8

By: Rory Smist

At 5:30 in the Morning...........................................................................9

By: Lauren Mesinesse

Photo by Sam Best.................................................................................10

Knowing You Don’t Belong..................................................................11

By: Kate Maerten

Artwork by Jessica Silverman…………………………………………12

The Now.................................................................................................13

By: Grace Vaeth

Photo by Grace Vaeth…….....................................................................14

Who I am Today……………………………………………………….15

Artwork by Jessica Silverman……………………………………….16

No Eyes................................................................................................17

By: Drake Miller

Photo by Jason Koval...........................................................................18

Magic....................................................................................................19

By: Brenna Bruffey

Photo by Sydney Smith........................................................................20

Something #27......................................................................................21

By: Eesha Gupta

HEY YOU: a response poem................................................................22

By: Sasha Astrinsky

Photo by Sam Best.................................................................................23

Hot Pink Nails........................................................................................24
By: Khadija Shah

Photo by Jack Demola............................................................................25

A Leaf.....................................................................................................26

By: Johnny Hood

Rain.........................................................................................................27

By: Nafisah (Suzie)Akim-Shittu

Photo by Grace Vaeth………………………………………………….28

When the Sky has Shifted from Black to Dark Blue...............................29

By: Cameron Sumers

Photo by Sydney Smith............................................................................30

You are Alone...........................................................................................31

By: Grace Vaeth

Photo by Sam Best....................................................................................32
The Longing of a Fairy Tale.....................................................................33

By: Maddie Sprinkle

Photo by Sam Best………………………………………………………34
Darkness in the Light................................................................................35

By: David Schechter

Nightmare Variations................................................................................36

By: Zak Patel

I Walk Down the Street….........................................................................37

By: Taylor Yetta

Photo by Grace Vaeth.................................................................................38

Start Again...................................................................................................39

By: Morgan Feustle

Photo by Drake Miller.................................................................................40

Gone.............................................................................................................41

By: Grace Vaeth

My Uber Driver Rating is at an All- Time Low............................................42

By: Dylan Berman

Photo by Sam Best.......................................................................................43

Get Me a Show on TV................................................................................44

By: CJ Kovalsky

Short Fiction

Wreckage....................................................................................................45-47

By: Katie Krueger and Haley Gochnauer

Photo by Jack Demola...............................................................................48

The Waiter’s Rainy Day............................................................................49-50

By: Dayyan Noble and Noah Spencer

Losing Control……………………………………………………………51-53

By: Emma Leonard

Heart like a Wooden Board........................................................................54-57

By: Josie Henderson

My Last Name............................................................................................58

By: Sydney Smith

Artwork by Jessica Silverman.....................................................................59

Am I real?....................................................................................................60-61

By: Luke Frey

Déjà vu......................................................................................................62-65

By: Johnny Hood

Photo by Jack DeMola...............................................................................66

The Story of Francis Fynnwilliams...........................................................67

By: Francis Fynnwilliams

Artwork by Drake Miller............................................................................68

The Disfigured.............................................................................................69

By: Ben Kulbak and Christian Jerez-Roemer

Nothing

By: Nafisah “Suzie” Akim-Shittu
Love.
Is it not what we hear,
Is it not what we yearn for.
Is it not what we fear,
Is it not what we care for?
Yet.
It is also what we hate,
What we kill and we hurt for.
What we steal,
What we lie and we cheat for.
Nothing is as it seems,
Nothing is really worth it.
But as time goes on,
I will always be after it.

1

By: Sam Best
2

“Adventure Beckons”

By: Jana Dubinovsky

It’s the unbearable madness, the essence of unbearable agitation that bullishly heralds
ADVENTURE,
Adventure will beckon; its purpose unclear besides vigorous irritation, until “black spiders [seem
to crawl around you] like malevolent worshippers”
The spirit of freedom beckons, thunderstruck -
“Come aboard if your destination is
oblivion”

as you swerve through the underwater maze of limbo to finally breach the surface of divine
exaltation

3

By: Johnny Hood
4

Cinderella

By: Emily Fenwick

I wait for the last dance,
so I know I’ve made the best of my time spent here.
I take in every last second.
These are the nights I live for,
the unforgettable moments I cherish.
And here I am, with nothing to regret.
Brown, curled hair, long, sparkling dress, and a proud smile.
To say that I’ve made the best friendships over the years,
would be saying the least.
I’ve come a long way,
And I have worked hard to get where I am now
My next path is bright and successful.
I appreciate those who have made this journey lively and memorable.

5

Snake Tongue

By: Jon Bazov

At this farm the snake left to find

farm. snake ate another the

a new from the lively and so

to hunger farm empty

got that keeps it is

it it in its Now

until strength. weakness. Farm.

woods For days It ate the at the

through and days rats and cats and dogs

the snake traveled and even hogs

6

By: Hannah Spicknall
7

Those Good Old Days

By: Rory Smist

I remember the good old days when the sun was shining,
When the leaves were green and the birds were flying.
It wasn’t only the weather that changed,
Something else did too.
My young caged mind,
Went on to find,
The sorrows of my southern townspeople.
I began to see the evil, hatred, and greed,
That my life began to lead.
Until my father stepped in,
And changed despite of his kin.
My father kept me on the right track,
I couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

8

At 5:30 in the Morning

By: Lauren Messinese

When the sky has shifted from black to dark blue,
and I witness seeing the new moon,
I begin to call out to you for new guidance and direction.
Your faith makes me bold
but in a second all my hope has disappeared.
The constant ache in my chest
and the uncontrollable tears that roll down my face
all because of the thought of you.
I call-out to all but I am still standing here alone,
a long dark road with no strength to hold.
You have my life in your hands,
please take control.

9

By: Sam Best
10

Knowing You Don’t Belong

By: Kate Maerten

The bird perched on a tree
sits for all to see.

Everyone gawks at the magnificent thing
as it opens its mouth and starts to sing.

When the tiger sits apart from it all,
it tries to shine, but it doesn’t stand as tall.

The bird spreads it’s wings out wide
causing the tiger to run and hide.

Though the tiger is fierce and strong
he can still feel as though he doesn’t belong.

If the tiger hides himself away
he would never know what someone else would say.

How his beauty shines bright from the rest,
and how his stripes are beautiful across his chest.

So never doubt your own self-worth,
because you are the only you on this Earth.

11

By: Jessica Silverman
12

The Now

By: Grace Vaeth

Sitting in class,
You watch each second go by,
With eyes full of desperation.
You long for the moment you are free;
Free from work,
Free from stress,
Free from drama.
You impatiently await the arrival of the future,
The ability to live out your life and determine your own path.
Your anticipation of the future conceals the present.
And before you know it,
You are in the future,
Longing to go back.
You miss your times of “work” and “stress” and “drama.”
For you never really knew what those meant.
As if you had been sheltered your entire life,
You were unaware that the problems you faced then were so infinitesimal,
As to be worthless in the future.
So enjoy the now.
Because before you know it,
The future is the now.
And as for the “problems” you faced then,
They were nowhere near close to those you face in the now.

13

By: Grace Vaeth
14

Who I am today

By: Morgan Dowell

What if there were no beauty products or fashionable clothes?
What would our society think of you then?
It’s not about the money, the clothes, the popularity.
It’s about who you really are or who you want to be.
Take a look in the mirror and think to yourself what do I see in me?
What can I change to make my life ordinary like everyone else?
Is there a way I can influence others in order to create a better community?
That’s only for you to decide whether you want to reach for unity.

15

By: Jessica Silverman
16

No Eyes

By: Drake Miller

While some roam the indoors, artificial light seeping inside, others walk outward, a wonder in
their eyes.
While some fall with the fall, gray clouds sculpting a guise, others rise with flowers, a magic in
their eyes.
While some eat in abundance, large frames grow and rise, others can only starve, a sadness in
their eyes.
While some listen and enjoy, color filling their minds, others can hear only silence, curiosity in
their eyes.
While some move past tragedy, leaving their darkness behind, others fall down the hole, an
emptiness in their eyes.
While some see the wonders, the world as their guide, others see nothing...
No Eyes

17

By: Jason Koval
18

Magic

By: Brenna Bruffey

From the beginning, you see the spark.
Almost able to anticipate the slight of hand,

The glowing light in the dark.
Almost as if disappearing to a far off land.

Immersed in magic,
you just have to believe
in things unexpected, the good and the tragic
for you never know what’s up its sleeve.

Magic is tricky,
You never know the whole story.

Try not to be too picky,
It could be mystical territory.

It’s impossible to ignore,
If you’re caught by its hook
Then you dread nothing more,

Than closing the book.

19

By: Sydney Smith
20

Something #27 

By: Eesha Gupta

 
Bank accounts can’t be filled 
There’s always more to add 
They’re just endless holes drowned in green paper, 
Is that why people become so greedy? 
Because no matter how much money you have, there can always be more.
No matter how many times you go to the bank, no matter how many checks you receive, there’s
always one more deposit, one more withdrawal, one more paycheck, one more penny that can’t
be wasted. 
From the bottom of an Olympian’s pool, they suck every last drop of water, every last ounce of
life and longevity and sustenance these innocent people can manage. 
What’s next? 
What’s next on their quest to conquer and split the shares? 
Do they ever really split the shares, 
Or do they keep one finger holding on tight until they’re pulled into the whirlpool of coins and
bills, drowning in their own pain and guilt and regret and sorrow and greed. 
And everyone who ever put money before themselves realizes what a huge mistake they’ve
made 
They realize right before they tip over the edge of death what they did wrong, and they despair,
and they will themselves to fall sooner until they do 
And they crash 
And they’re swallowed 
A black hole with no escape, the last particles of a legacy burning bright behind them 
They wonder, does the fire warm their hearts or burn their souls? 
Does it matter? 
They lose anyway 
They all lose 
 
And they sink 
                        down 
                                  down 
                                            down 

21

HEY YOU

By: Sasha Astrinsky 

You sitting at that desk, on the verge of falling asleep. wake up maybe?
You must be tired and stressed or maybe
You staring off into space. maybe
You're thinking about the days
You didn’t have anything due or any responsibilities. maybe
you’re barely awake or
you look like you haven’t eaten? or maybe
you feel it inside that you seriously need a break but what I know for sure is… 
YOU are stronger than you think 
you don’t have to be lazy, you better keep on working 
you got this, don’t you worry
you have to give it all you got or you’ll lose your shot 
you work hard each and every day and sometimes you feel like it’s never enough 
you will someday see, that it truly was worth it
you, someone who feels real down 
you, who feels like you’ve just run out but hey 
you’re almost there. keep it up and 
you surely will become the best you, you could possibly be and 
you deserve that ….

22

By: Sam Best
23

Hot Pink Nails

By: Khadija Shah

I paint my nails hot pink. It’s what he likes. I hate pink, but I guess I could do something he
wants. “Paint them, you look beautiful when you do.”
So I did.
I wear sweaters in the summer. It’s what he prefers. “I can’t stand it when any other guy looks at
you,” he says. I guess I need something to cover his bruises. What kind of sweater covers bruises
on the inside? “Come on,” he says.
So I did.
I marry him. It’s what he wants. Blind smiles congratulate us. How do they not know my pain?
Wedding night it happens again, a red river rushes down my dress. “It won’t happen again,” he
says “stay with me.”
So I did.
I have his children. Two boys. Beautiful, vivacious. But in their soft steps I see them inching
toward the path of their father. Scared their wives will become me. Feel my pain. I shouldn’t
have stayed. “If you leave,” he says “I will kill you. Stay.”
So I did.
I bury my husband. Tears taste bittersweet as they flow down my face. I could have left. But I
couldn’t. He was the only one who could ever love me. Or so he said. My boys are married,
sometimes falling into the pattern of their father. My son’s new wives, my daughters, their pain
mirrors my own. “Help us. Please” they cry.
So I did.

I correct my sons. Try to teach them in their adult years what they should have learned as
children. Try to teach them that the way they grew up wasn’t the way. They listen, but it’s hard. I
drown in regret, but the happiness of my grandchildren and daughter-in-laws resuscitates me. I
fight for them the way I should have fought for myself long ago.
“Forgive me.”
“I am so sorry.”
Irreversible Mistakes.

24

By: Jack DeMola
25

A Leaf

By: Johnny Hood

I stand on a sidewalk
As gravity keeps me from flying away

I wonder where I will go
As the wind makes my body sway
I look around to see the seasons change

As a leaf crosses my path
“Is it here for a reason?”
I said, like it was complex math.

I pull out my phone
In hope that the leaf won’t blow away
I take a picture to capture the moment
There is no way my mood could sway
Watching, identifying, observing. Alone.
It was just the leaf and I on this path

“Why is this leaf here with me?”
I said, like it was complex math

26

Rain

By: Nafisah(Suzie)Akim-Shittu

As I see it dripping down my window,
I wonder,
If it can see me too.
As I see it hitting my car,
I wonder,
If it knows it’s making my car look like new.
As I see it slip the car beside me,
I wonder,
If it knows the madness it just brewed.

27

By: Grace Vaeth
28

When the Sky Has Shifted from Black to Dark Blue

By: Cameron Sumers

My nightmare begins with a beep, beep, beep
A sliver of light peeking through the curtains
The door creaks and in comes the dog
Scratching, biting, clawing, barking
Doors slamming, people talking
And through all that, the alarm goes beep, beep, beep
All the while I’m just trying to sleep

29

By: Sydnee Smith
30

You Are Alone

By: Grace Vaeth

“You are not alone.”
It’s what they always say.
But I beg to differ.

This world is comprised of individuals –
People with their own minds, bodies, and hearts.
People make their own decisions;
They control their own lives.

So how you react when you get a failing grade,
Or when you disappoint those around you,
Or even when your boyfriend or girlfriend stops loving you –
These are all empty pages which you have the task of filling out.

You determine your own “story.” You are alone.
You choose for you.

And that is something to be cherished.

31

By: Sam Best
32

The Longing of a Fairy Tale

By: Maddie Sprinkle

I listen for music,
dreaming of letters from a love
I put on the prettiest dress in my closet,
Put light curls in my hair,
And danced around the attic.
Yet here I am, dancing with a broomstick,
My heart aching for someone to hold
Like a beggar, longing for something just out of reach.
Gazing out my window,
Trapped inside, but still on the outside
Always looking, but never living.
Beautiful, yet forever hidden.
I’ll never give up, I swear to myself, on finding my fairytale lover.

33

By: Sam Best

34

Darkness in the Light

By: David Schechter

When the lights go out, the darkness gulfs
I start to feel the cold chill down my body
The thought “this may be the end” passes my mind.
And when you come to mind with your turquoise shirt tonight
It will feel as if you are here once again, on this Earth
To have imagined such a miracle, would seem impossible.
Perhaps we can try to understand the joy we used to bring to one another
Sharp and painful are the thoughts of you, crippling my heart to a halt.
In the darkness I begin to see the light, my next life, holding me close
I hear your voice and feel your hands running over my face
I am not ready.

35

Nightmare Variations

By: Zak Patel

To sit on a chair
Myself all alone
To not move at all
What’s dull is my tone.
Then get up and stand
Being engaged
Yelling at myself
Turning into rage—
That is my life!

36

I Walk Down the Street

By: Taylor Yetta

I walk down the street, the field, the town
And everyone always acts the same
They stare, they whisper and laugh
Thinking, acting like I can’t hear
But that’s where they are wrong
I can hear, and I do hurt
This is where people are blind
When they believe I am deaf
This is the world I live in
A world where people are so blind

they believe others are deaf.  

37

By: Grace Vaeth
38

Start Again

By: Morgan Feustle

Send me a letter
containing the invitation
to my new life.
I want to lay out in the sun
it has kept me warm and bright
in the presence of darkness.
The man is calling our names
into an intercom as an invite
to the renewed souls
waiting to start again.

39

By: Drake Miller
40

Gone

By: Grace Vaeth

It starts from nothing,
And develops into something of its own.
It floats…
And floats…
And floats…,
Prospering high into the sky.
It journeys onward,
With no end in sight.
Then all of a sudden,
It bursts.
Something once a source of beauty,
Completely gone.
Gone from the world;
Gone from the people –
Gone.

Life is like a bubble.
We start from nothing,
Become something,
And then we, too, are gone.
Each life is temporary,
Like a bubble.
But there is beauty in the journey.
And I only wish that people saw the beauty in this journey,
Before it is gone.

41

My Uber Driver Rating is at an All-Time Low

By: Dylan Berman

My natural singing range is an octave and a half
But according to everyone else it’s only half of that
So now I’m reduced to only singing in the shower for the rest of my life
No, I don’t eat out every single night
I cook sometimes, like ramen and spaghetti, sometimes
My room is the only place where messy feels orderly
and relaxing
Nobody will ever understand and appreciate the clutter like I do
When I’m tired or overworked, don’t mess with me because
I am a grumpy old man
Intolerable, so don’t talk to me
My uber driver rating is at an all-time low

42