If you are an artist or writer and want to get a chance to show off your work, Expressions magazine invites students to submit their creative pieces. The magazine is created by the Expressions club, which gives writers and artists a place to work on their projects and get feedback from their peers. All types of artistic pieces are put into the magazine, from poetry to collages.
Both the club and magazine used to be called Images, but they re-branded to Expressions in 2012. While the club has had several club sponsors throughout the years, the 2025-26 sponsor is English teacher Ron Feiereisel. Feiereisel started volunteering with the club in the 2023-2024 school year with Michele Lewis, who was the sponsor at the time. Feiereisel took over the club due to Lewis’s retirement last year.
In the club, Feiereisel provides students with a writing prompt to give them inspiration, but he structures Expressions to be flexible. Students can write whatever they choose, as there are no strict assignments to work on. Feiereisel hopes that the club will act as a way for students to write creatively outside of school and as a place to show off their work, all while getting constructive feedback from their peers.
“I think Expressions helps students at Niles West by acting as a low-pressure creative outlet,” Feiereisel said. “It gives them the time and a supportive space to explore new types and styles of writing. Members can share pieces that they’re proud of, but they also have the option to let go of anything they feel isn’t working. My hope is that members will carry their creative energy beyond the club and keep writing all sorts of stories and poems in their free time. More creativity is a wonderful thing.”
Freshman Hannah Ghiliazghi was one of the students who participated in the Expressions club last semester. The club gave Ghiliazghi a space to further work on her creations and to improve her writing. She believes that this club gives writers a great opportunity to share their work with peers who have the same passion for writing.
“I think that it’s a really good way for writers to put themselves out there and get more promotion for their stories or works,” Ghiliazghi said. “I think it’s a great way for writers to promote their work.”
While Feiereisel has run the Expressions club for the whole first semester of this school year, he had to transfer the sponsorship due to his paternity leave. The sponsor this semester is English teacher Tyler Guerin. Guerin volunteered to be the sponsor of the club because he believes that the club is a great way for students to celebrate creativity. He encourages all students who have a passion for art or writing to participate in the club or submit to the magazine.
“[Feiereisel and I] encourage [students] to join us at Expressions this year and in future years,” Guerin said. “I know that things might seem set as we get closer to the end of the semester, but if this is something that interests them, they should ask their English teacher, Mr. Feiereisel or me.”
If you’d like to submit to the Expressions magazine, you can do so through submitting to this google form. Feiereisel and Guerin look forward to what you will create!
