“The Blue Heron,” Casco Bay High School’s student literary magazine, has been recognized as a 2023 REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).  REALM stands for Recognizing Excellence in Art and Library Magazines and is an NCTE program.

“The Blue Heron,” is the only student magazine in Maine to receive the top honor in the 2023 REALM contest.   The CBHS publication also is one of just 105 student magazines nationwide to win the REALM First Class award in 2023, chosen from among 375 entries.

The REALM program publicly recognizes excellent literary magazines produced by students with the support of their teachers.  REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing..

“Congratulations to  you and your students on this exceptional publication,” wrote NCTE Executie Director Emily Kirkpatrick in a letter to CBHS English teacher Leslie Appelbaum, in announcing the award this month.  “We commend you for inspiring a love of writing that your students will remember for the rest of their lives.”

“This is an exquisite magazine and a well-deserved honor,” said the CBHS principal Derek Pierce. “We are so proud of our writers, artists and editors.”

“When this blogger was growing up years ago in New York state, the local daily newspaper, “The Reporter Dispatch,” dedicated the back page of the Saturday edition to the writings of public school students in White Plains.  I do remember it so well.  Especially my grammar school story of finding a snake in Clary Lake one summer.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the local daily newspaper here in Portland would do the same?,” offered this blogger.