On Thursday, May 22, at 7 p.m., A Talon’s Touch Literary Magazine will be holding “The Sketchbook” at Dover Area High School, which will allow students to showcase their art and writing for the public.

This is a resurrection of the open mic event that the school used to hold, which went away during the COVID-19 pandemic. The school community is excited that the tradition is making a comeback because of senior literary magazine editor-in-chief Jack Cuffaro. Cuffaro said, “I am proud of all the work the magazine editors have put into getting this event together and bringing it back.”

Cuffaro’s love for poetry and creativity inspired him to bring back the event. “To make the event official and have it scheduled, there had to be a meeting with (building principal Jennifer) Fasick to approve the event, and then decide on a time, day, and place,” Cuffaro said.

A Talon’s Touch advisers Barbara Lomenzo and Andy Karras play a role in the event’s execution: “Poems will be reviewed by Mrs. Lomenzo, and art pieces will be reviewed by… Mr. Karras,” Cuffaro said.

They’ll refer to it as The Sketchbook. Cuffaro and A Talon’s Touch hope that it will stay imprinted on the community for all to remember. Cuffaro said, “We hope that the name The Sketchbook will eventually become a trademark for the event in further years instead of people referring to it as ‘the poetry reading.'”

Lomenzo wants to keep the number of people there small, as some readers and/or artists can get stage fright. They want it to be a comfortable place for people to show off their talents, and there will be light refreshments as well.

Lomenzo said, “Poetry and art have so much to offer every community and every individual soul- it allows us to be heard and to hear others, so The Sketchbook opens more opportunities for students in our school who excel in writing and the fine arts or who want to try something new.”

The sketchbook brings that opportunity to both the school and the community.

If you would like to share your talent, you can contact literary magazine advisers Barb Lomenzo at [email protected] or Andreas Karras at [email protected].