Following a five-year hiatus, Allderdice’s annually published journal of the creative arts, “Dragonbreath,” is returning. Anya Zivanov, a junior at Allderdice, and I, a sophomore, will serve as the Editors-in-Chief of the journal. We will work alongside Allderdice English and writing teacher, Dr. Slifkin, who has facilitated its publication since 2003. Students can submit prose, poetry, and camera-ready art/photography any time before the deadline on March 31. 

Dr. Slifkin was a student at Allderdice when Dragonbreath was created in the 1980s by David Mayer, a former English and creative writing teacher. Slifkin’s passion for writing drew him to the journal as a student and led him to revisit it as a teacher.

He began sponsoring the journal following a first hiatus after Mayer’s retirement. “I always liked the idea of having a place for students to share their creative writing and artistic endeavors,” Dr. Slifkin said in an interview. “This outlet was around when I was here, and it is equally important for it to be here now.”

Similarly to Slifkin, my interest in the journal stems from a passion for writing. Writing is a long-time hobby of mine and something I studied for four years in the literary arts department at Pittsburgh CAPA, where I composed several portfolios of works of prose and poetry. Dragonbreath will allow me to continue to create new works of my favorite genres, such as fiction and screenwriting.

While Slifkin and I have a keen interest in writing, Anya Zivanov is drawn to the journal because of her passion for art and photography. “Art and photography can convey abstract concepts which other forms of expression simply cannot,” she told The Foreword. She adds that she enjoys viewing others’ work. When asked why she wanted to be a part of the effort to start Dragonbreath again, she said “It is a way to encapsulate the distinct talents of many students, and the opportunity to be able to display them [in the journal] is truly incredible.”

In past years the journal was printed annually in the spring, however, this year there will be a website compiling all of the student’s work, in addition to the published edition. 

Submissions are not limited to students engaging in creative writing and art classes, however, we greatly encourage those who do take them to submit their work from throughout the year. Additionally, if a student has written any prose or poetry from their English class, they can also submit. 

To submit work for Dragonbreath, email [email protected] (.docx for prose/poetry and .jpg or similar for photo/art). 

For more information or questions regarding submissions email [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].