Monache student becomes published poet at Fresno State | Photos

Monache student Isabella Alcantar has had her poem published in a Fresno State Department conference’s youth journal.

Alcantar was one of 16 Marauders who attended a full-day event hosted by Fresno State’s Department of English. She ended up having her poem published in the conference’s youth journal, Spectrum, and received the Allison Murphy Award in hand.

The poem, titled “I, Wyatt Enrico, Love Darrel,” is written from the perspective of a boy reflecting on a fractured friendship. Alcantar said the piece draws from a larger book she’s writing about the consequences of bullying. She completed the poem in one day and spent a second day editing before submitting it.

“I noticed my name quickly, and it made me really excited, but also a little bit embarrassed,” said Alcantar about finding out at the conference her poem was published. “I wouldn’t consider that the best poem I’ve ever written, but I was still so happy that it won a place.”

The keynote speaker at the conference was Margarita Engle, a Cuban-American author and U.S. Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019, whose honors include a Newbery Honor for The Surrender Tree. Alcantar said one moment from Engle’s address changed how she thinks about her own process.

“She mentioned that you should write anyway, even if it’s bad, because you can always fix it later,” Alcantar said. Engle told attendees she doesn’t believe in writer’s block.

Students also attended afternoon workshops taught by Fresno State graduate students. Alcantar’s group was challenged to write using unfamiliar medical vocabulary. “Although it was hard to write, I had fun,” she said.

Honors English teacher Ryan Price organized Monache’s attendance after learning about the conference through his connection to Porterville High School’s writing program. It was Monache’s first time at the conference since Price joined the school in 2021.

Price said he wasn’t surprised to see Alcantar recognized. “She is such an incredible writer, and she’s actually working on a novel,” he said. “I feel really inspired by my students when I see them creating and sharing their work.”

He said he hopes the experience showed students what’s possible. “They get to see that there are opportunities out there if they are brave enough to try and apply for them,” he said.

The Young Writers’ Conference has run each spring since 1980, bringing together hundreds of student writers from across Central California for workshops, a keynote address, and the publication of Spectrum.

Alcantar said she plans to keep writing. She’s on the second draft of her book and intends to publish it when finished. “I love writing. I’ve been doing this hobby since I was eight years old,” she said.

Price said he hopes the trip becomes a yearly tradition for Monache. “It’s a really awesome event and I’m so glad we were able to take students to it,” he said.