By Lexus Yamashiro | Staff Writer

First-year KCC student Kaitlyn Victorino was amongst several students Tuesday evening to celebrate the accomplishment of having work published in the Board of Student Publications’ three academic journals: Lēʻahi Creative Arts Journal, Ka Hue Anahā Journal of Academic and Research Writing, and Pueo o Kū. The 19-year-old Liberal Arts major had her ENG 100 narrative published in the Lēʻahi Creative Arts Journal, her first time ever having her work published and recognized.

Kaitlyn Victorino was one of the 19 students who had her creative writing paper published in the Lēʻahi Creative Arts Journal. (Photo by Lexus Yamashiro)

“I’m kind of excited in a way … I’m getting some recognition for creativity,” Victorino said. “The fact that it got published in such a way, I feel … not as ashamed to show, not only my creativity out there but my personality [too].”

Titled “Craving for Love and Affection,” the Honolulu native’s narrative describes the relationship that people have with food just as similar to how relationships are built amongst others. Victorino wrote about the feelings that food can give, touching upon the emotional aspects that food can generate in people. Her decision to submit her narrative to the Lēʻahi journal was influenced by her ENG 100 professor, Alejandro Salinas-Nakanishi, who encouraged her to do so as an opportunity to have her work produced for others to read.

“I was kind of thankful for that because if he didn’t push me to put myself out there then I wouldn’t have put out something like this,” Victorino said.

A total of 48 students had their work published in the Lēʻahi Creative Arts Journal; 19 of these students were recognized for creative writing while the other 29 were artworks published. The Ka Hue Anahā Journal of Academic and Research Writing featured 16 students’ works.

Leiolani Malagon-Leon, a third-year KCC student who serves as BOSP’s chair, pointed out the importance of having the academic journals exist for those on campus and out in the community.

“[The journals] kind of serves as a way for students to get their work recognized,” Malagon-Leon said. “Publishing and writing is a way for students to get that experience, and to say ‘I was published in an academic journal,’ that’s a really big deal.”

English professor Davin Kubota, who was one of the many English professors present at the journal releasing event, added to Malagon-Leon’s statement of what it means to students to have their work published.

“I have a student who … said they have never won anything in their life and [the journal publication] is the first thing they have ever won,” Kubota said. “In that moment, I realized that this is an important thing to do. A lot of students at KCC don’t necessarily have that experience, so it’s a good thing [to have].”

BOSP’s next journals will be published in Spring 2019. BOSP will announce when it will open up the next submission period for the 2018-2019 school year.

Students who are interested in picking up one or more of this year’s set of academic journals can stop by the Kalia building lobby, Lama library, Office of Student Activities (OSA), or BOSP’s office in ʻIliahi 124.