By Benjamin Whiting/reporter

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2008 edition of Marine Creek Reflections, the NW Campus award-winning literary magazine.

Any student, staff or faculty member on the NW Campus is eligible to submit an entry though student works receive priority over those of staff or faculty.

Also, works may be turned in at any time between now and the deadline, which is 1 p.m. January 31.

This year’s edition of MCR, like those in the past, will be entered in the Annual Literary Magazine Competition, sponsored by the Community College Humanities Association.

The contest is open to colleges across the country, and CCHA hands out three awards every year for each of the five regional divisions.

Works displayed in the past included poetry, short stories, essays, artwork, photography and musical selections.

This year, the staff is expanding the range by adding dance and drama performances to the journal.

These additions are being made possible by the biggest scheduled change to the magazine this year: a dual release of both print and digital versions.

Previously, the printed versions included a CD with the music selections as well as digital copies of the chosen artwork.

Now the CD will be sold separately as well, providing greater accessibility and availability while simultaneously cutting costs.

After another strong showing last year, MCR has established a streak of impressive results in the CCHA Literary Magazine Competition.

With the 2006 edition, MCR garnered the Most Improved Literary Journal award, which demonstrated a return to the excellence it displayed in previous years, such as in 1999 when it won both Best New Magazine and Best in the Southwest Region.

In the most recent edition, the 2007 journal, MCR finished first runner-up in the Southwest Region, placing a close second to Pima Community College, which was also the National Winner.

Theresa Bacon, English instructor and editor of the magazine, was excited about the results and hopes the newest edition can build on the journal’s successes.

However, while winning is exciting, it is not the purpose of the magazine.

Bacon hopes “to showcase the talents and voices at Tarrant County College NW.”

After the staff has completed the magazine, five copies will be sent to Edison, N.J., where it will be judged alongside the other entries.

The results will be released to the schools in early October.

Submissions for the 2008 MCR should be turned in to Cyndy Zamora at WTLO 4310A on a formatted disk and accompanied by a completed Student Release Form.

Artists will be notified by March 9 as to whether their work will be included in the magazine.

For more information or a copy of the release form, students should see Zamora.