The Poly Record, Poly’s literary magazine, has been revitalized over the past couple of years. Although it was published regularly in the 2000s, it then went dormant before being brought back by students and released its first issue in 2023.
Guedes Smith had a “unique opportunity with the Poly Record.” Although she had joined the club in her sophomore year, they did not publish. When she became Editor-in-Chief, she had already spent time thinking about what she wanted the magazine to be, with some help from Poly journalism teacher Rachael Allen. Guedes Smith said, “Especially last year, when I was making [the Poly Record], I was kind of deciding everything on my own,…and so I worked very closely with Ms. Allen. But a lot of the stuff ended up being my decision.”
Guedes Smith entered her position as Editor-in-Chief in her junior year. Her responsibilities include managing deadlines and ensuring that editors submit their work on time. “I became Editor-in-Chief without actually having a lot of experience working in magazines. But I’d been working with the Polygon since freshman year as a layout editor, so I knew a little bit [about] the process of how a publication works, but a lot of it was new for me,” said Guedes Smith. Her role in publication was unprecedented, but she now feels curious about pursuing it as a career. “I like to organize and problem-solve. I don’t exactly love the writing [part] of it, which is partially why I do [a] more overseeing role… but I really enjoy being able to work with other people to create this product, ” said Guedes Smith. What began as a new opportunity for her has evolved into a role that has had a profound impact on her life and future.
Beyond Guedes Smith’s editorial leadership, The Poly Record also has a team of editors who ensure each issue is perfect. A few of the staff include Middle School Editor Dillon Rapp ’26, and Managing Editors Emma Auger-Dominguez ’26 and Meena Kodali ’27. Alongside the Editor-in-Chief, they work to gather and select interesting artistic submissions, including essays, poems, short stories, and visual art from Poly students.“I wasn’t part of [the Poly Record] before she was Editor-in-Chief, but I believe she keeps it very organized, and she does a great job,” Rapp says of Guedes Smith. This literary magazine has become a great outlet for the Poly community to share their creative work or to be inspired by what they see in the magazine. “I think that the Poly Record is really cool, and it is amazing to see all of the work and know that students made it.” said reader Hajar Oallout ’28.
Guedes Smith’s dedication to ensuring that Poly students have an outlet for their creative expression has sparked interest in the magazine, as she offers a fresh voice to students to take advantage of. The magazine also continues to influence other students to share their work and explore a new outlet of creativity. The Poly Record is meant to be a space where students can share their ideas and thoughts and thanks to Guedes Smith, the magazine serves as that for students. As the Poly Record prepares for its Fall/Winter issue, which comes out after winter break, the Poly community looks forward to a collection of new works from students.
