A quarter through the iliad’s 50th edition
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Above: NEW YEAR, NEW TEAM: The 2025-26 iliad Editorial Board stands in the Clarke Central High School Eve Carson Memorial Garden on Sept. 2. iliad Social Media Coordinator Scarlett Alston is new to the Editorial Board for the 2025-26 school year, though she had been previously involved in the program as a club attendee and published artist. “(The Editorial Board) has a vision (for the program),” Alston said. “I feel very proud of what we’re putting out there, and I think we have come up with a lot of new ideas that are interesting and fresh.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
The 2025-26 iliad Editorial Board has begun planning community engagement and promotion to support the production of its 50th edition.
The 2025-26 iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editorial Board is composed of five members. Each member has been working to contribute to several events and projects the iliad team has planned so far this school year, including outreach, fundraising and collecting submissions.
The first big project of the year for the iliad was our annual Marketing Project, which involved the iliad Editorial Board members reaching out to their friends and family to seek donations for the program. In total, we raised more than 50% of our $4,000 goal for fiscal year 2025-2026.
“Without fundraising, (the Editorial Board) wouldn’t be able to support the magazine or (any of its) contributors,” iliad Business Manager Ella Adams said. “(For) my first Marketing Project as Business Manager, I saw this as an opportunity to get used to fundraising and outreach. I was able to grow in how I go about reaching out to others when discussing funding and donations.”
Above: CELEBRATING ARTISTS: Clarke Central High School seniors EJ Smith (left) and Cameron Mojock (middle) and CCHS English department teacher Meg Vanderbilt (right) speak at a Q&A at the iliad Creative Celebration on Sept. 10. The iliad Editorial Board worked to plan and coordinate the Creative Celebration. “It was really cool to see all of (iliad Editor-in-Chief) Margo (McDaniel) and (iliad Managing Editor) Finn (Sleppy’s) hard work turn out so well,” iliad Social Media Coordinator Scarlett Alston said. “I think events like these are so cool because they allow students to know they have a creative space and know their creativity is valued.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
The iliad hosted its annual Creative Celebration at Nuçi’s Space on Sept. 10. The event showcased an art exhibition, creative writing readings, a Q&A, and musical performances from published students and faculty to celebrate the artists published in the 2025 edition and 49th issue of the iliad, “Sound & Color.” The celebration was presented to an audience of CCHS students, faculty and community members.
“Being able to see what the past (iliad) members have accomplished and the community that they created with the iliad is inspiring to me as the new Outreach Director, and I want to apply that to the upcoming issue, my current work and future events,” iliad Outreach Director Jay Braswell said.
Above: CLUB CREATIVITY: iliad Club member Evan Mojock, a sophomore, creates a ghost garland at the Oct. 23 iliad Club meeting in Room 231. iliad Managing Editor Finley Sleppy, who has planned and facilitated the iliad Club meetings, was happy with how the first meeting of the semester on Sept. 18 went. “There was great attendance, despite a last-minute announcement,” Sleppy said. “People came in ready to learn and create, and I hope that it really set the tone for the upcoming meetings this semester.” Photo by Anna Flath
The iliad Club had its first meeting on Sept. 18 and its second on Oct. 23. iliad Managing Editor Finley Sleppy works to plan and facilitate every club meeting, each of which spotlights a different artistic medium such as collaging, photography and creative writing.
“The club meetings are a really great opportunity for CCHS students to know about what the iliad is and learn more about what we do,” iliad Editor-in-Chief Margo McDaniel said. “We have some really talented artists coming to our meetings, and I hope they inspire people to make something they’d want to submit.”
On Oct. 17, the iliad Editorial Board and adviser David Ragsdale co-planned an author visit with author and Savannah College of Art and Design Executive Dean Dr. Harrison Scott Key in the CCHS Media Center. The event featured a reading from Key followed by Q&A moderated by Braswell and McDaniel for an audience of CCHS students and faculty.
“Planning the author visit was a new experience for me, and knowing that I would be co-hosting the experience with Margo made anticipation build during the planning period,” Braswell said. “Continuing to learn new things about Dr. Key made me excited for the event, and when the time came, it was very fulfilling to see and hear my research come to life.”
Above: NEW EXPERIENCES: iliad Outreach Director Jay Braswell (left) and iliad Editor-in-Chief Margo McDaniel (right) speak at the Dr. Harrison Scott Key author visit in the Clarke Central High School Media Center on Oct. 17. McDaniel was proud of the payoff of the event and found it to be engaging. “I think that Dr. Key is very charismatic. He's very electric, and I was inspired by his answers (during the Q&A),” McDaniel said. “The opportunity to have him here was a really good chance for me and everyone who attended to hear his insight.” Photo by Kye Streetman
Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Editorial Boards attended the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Fall Conference on Oct. 28. iliad Social Media Coordinator Scarlett Alston was a first-time conference attendee and found it to be a good networking opportunity.
“Getting the opportunity to meet other people interested in journalism and design was really interesting,” Alston said. “Seeing what these other places (outside of CCHS) have to offer gave me a lot of insight into how I can do things in the future and how I can implement things into the (iliad’s) social media.”
The iliad has opened submissions for the 2026 magazine as of Sept. 10 and is set to close on Jan. 23, 2026. This year will be the 50th edition, to which the upcoming magazine’s theme pays homage.
“With submissions this year, we’re looking for more mixed media pieces that experiment with photography, collaging and 3D knick-knacks. We’re also keeping an eye on longer prose and written pieces,” Sleppy said. “The theme reflects the eras of life in which important milestones happen. We want the pieces to convey the emotions that are felt and the five senses that are being used in these eras.”
Above: REPPING THE BRAND: ODYSSEY Media Group Outreach and Alumni Coordinator Gillian Williams (left) models a iliad 50th celebratory T-shirt and iliad Editor-in-Chief Margo McDaniel (right) models a a 2023 edition iliad hoodie in the Clarke Central High School bus loop on Nov. 16. The iliad celebratory tees were created in black version with yellow and red designs to represent CCHS colors, as well as a gray version with blue and white designs to represent the iliad’s brand. “The iliad Literary-Art Magazine is proud to mark its 50th anniversary with a commemorative T-shirt,” iliad adviser David Ragsdale said. “Each shirt helps support Clarke Central High School’s award-winning, student-produced magazine, which showcases original art, photography, and writing from our school community.” Photo by Grady Dunston
Additionally, McDaniel and Ragsdale are working with the ODYSSEY Media Group Booster Club to coordinate a celebration of the 50th edition. The event will be hosted sometime in the spring semester, and more information will be announced soon.
"When I re-founded the iliad in 2001 with a cadre of ambitious students after the magazine had been dormant for several years, I had no idea we'd continue to produce 25 magazines, many of which have been award-winning," Ragsdale said. "I'm looking forward to meeting and greeting our patrons and past team members as we celebrate a huge milestone this spring."
Story by Margo McDaniel
Margo McDaniel is a senior and the Editor-in-Chief for the iliad Literary-Art Magazine at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. This year, she hopes to help creativity flourish at CCHS by giving student artists and writers a space to create, grow, and express themselves. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.