Jenny is committed to strengthening the literary arts right here at home. One of the strongest ways to accomplish this is by encouraging the youth of the region to begin and to continue to pursue the creative arts. One of the ways that we aim to aid in this cause is by partnering with the SMARTS program at YSU.

The SMARTS (Students Motivated by the Arts) program at YSU offers free quality arts classes to K-12 students of the entire region, instilling them with the discipline and focus required in the life of an artist. The SMARTS program offers lessons in the visual, musical, and literary arts.

Staring in the Spring of 2011, Jenny will be debuting selected writing generated by students in the SMARTS program. The writing of our youth offers important insight into the state of our region, offering unique perceptions. By bringing SMARTS writing into the pages of this magazine, we will highlight a special perspective on our region and its inhabitants, one that is highly relevant and rarely receives the attention it deserves.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the talent of our local grade-school students. Join us in exploring new stories, new poems, and the world as seen through the eyes of YSU’s SMARTS students at SMARTSmag.org.

-YSU Student Literary Arts Association