Kokopelli, Colorado Academy’s literary magazine, recently went digital with its first publication of the year. The release of the magazine coincided with Halloween and used the holiday as inspiration for its theme: Macrabre, meaning “representing death in a gruesome or horrifying way.”

 

Going digital was only one of the changes for CA’s popular magazine. According to the Kokopelli editor, senior Peyton Koch, the decision was made in order to build momentum and incorporate digital media.

 

“I have been attending CA since First Grade and always remembered Kokopelli being a huge deal each year. However, when I got into the Upper School, I could tell that the importance of Kokopelli was slowly starting to dwindle and students were no longer excited for it.”

 

To help build excitement and include digital media, the staff of Kokopelli decided to release the publication digitally every two months, a change from the original production schedule, which was once annually.

 

According to Koch, going digital has done more than just make Kokopelli more accessible.

 

“Bringing Kokopelli online has allowed us to include CA’s video program, which has never been a part of the magazine before. Along with that, the online issue has allowed everybody to access the work much more easily.”

 

The 68-page Kokopelli features stories, poems and photography revolving around the theme of “fear.” The next issue, slated to be published in January, will surround the theme of “resolutions.”

 

“Every two months the staff of Kokopelli come up with a theme that we present to the student body. We then ask everyone to submit any work they have that they believe fits that theme,” says Koch. Members of the Kokopelli staff also pitch their own story ideas and write features.

 

Koch says they haven’t forgotten about print altogether, and plan on producing a final print publication featuring all of the “best” content at the end of the year.

 

The literary magazine, which gets its name from a southwestern Native American symbol of fertility, trade, and storytelling, was first published at CA in 1959. Originally, it was called The Harvest and went through a few iterations before finally becoming Kokopelli in 1994. The magazine presents a selection of writing, studio art and images in a professional, student-run publication.