Westover Senior Nominated for 2027 Pushcart Prize
Chenyue “Nina” Wang ’27 began her journey as a poet in English II at Westover. That following summer, before her junior year, Nina dove into poetry as a passion and pastime outside of the classroom. On October 5, January House Literary Journal announced their nominations for the 2027 Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses, where Nina earned a nomination for her poem “Waking Up I Don’t Know Where I Am.” This piece will also be printed in January House’s Spring 2027 issue.
Since her sophomore year, Nina’s writing skills and interest in poetry have blossomed, both on and off campus. At Westover, she is a member of the Westover Letterpress Collective and an editorial board member of The Lantern, a student-led literary magazine. In her own time, Nina is a poetry editor for The Bokeh Review, a quarterly international magazine. Her work has appeared in Vagabond City and Pictura Journal, among others, and is forthcoming in Asterales: A Journal of Art and Letters.
Nina is a boarding student from Beijing, China, and a proud Over. For the past two years, she has been a proctor for Westover’s living corridors and her favorite tradition is Lantern. She loves Lantern’s sense of sacredness and how it helps her feel more connected to Westover’s community. Nina also shared that being a part of The Lantern’s staff is a highlight because she loves bringing the Westover community’s poems and artwork to life through their annual publication.
In addition to The Lantern and Letterpress Collective, Nina is the copy editor of The Wick, Westover’s student-run newspaper. She is also an active member of the Asian Students in America (ASIA) affinity group and Spectrum. In the fall, she enjoys running on Westover’s cross country team. Running feels like a form of meditation that gives her time to clear her head and reconnect with herself, she says.
Her favorite spot on campus is the Teaching and Learning Center’s study room, a quiet space where she can work with no interruptions outside of her dorm room. As her senior year continues, Nina is looking forward to the spring semester and is hopeful to have more time to slow down, read books, and watch more movies.
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Nina is a boarding student from Beijing, China, and a proud Over. For the past two years, she has been a proctor for Westover’s living corridors and her favorite tradition is Lantern. She loves Lantern’s sense of sacredness and how it helps her feel more connected to Westover’s community. Nina also shared that being a part of The Lantern’s staff is a highlight because she loves bringing the Westover community’s poems and artwork to life through their annual publication.
In addition to The Lantern and Letterpress Collective, Nina is the copy editor of The Wick, Westover’s student-run newspaper. She is also an active member of the Asian Students in America (ASIA) affinity group and Spectrum. In the fall, she enjoys running on Westover’s cross country team. Running feels like a form of meditation that gives her time to clear her head and reconnect with herself, she says.
Her favorite spot on campus is the Teaching and Learning Center’s study room, a quiet space where she can work with no interruptions outside of her dorm room. As her senior year continues, Nina is looking forward to the spring semester and is hopeful to have more time to slow down, read books, and watch more movies.
Get to Know Nina in Her Own Words:
Where do you like to write poetry on campus?
I can only write poetry when I’m alone, so I mostly write poetry in my dorm room.
What brings inspiration to you while writing?
Sometimes a phrase or a sentence appears in my mind, and I have to jot it down on a sticky note or type it into my phone before it disappears. I also love collecting interesting words and lines from what I’ve read. Once in a while, I go through these fragments, which sometimes gets me started on a complete poem.
How has your relationship with creative writing and/or poetry grown since joining Westover?
At first, I treated writing almost like a diary entry: a private form of exploration and self-expression. Once I decided to share my poems, though, I realized that writing also becomes an experience for other readers, however small that audience may be. Just as I had felt deeply connected to my favorite poems, I hope my own poems can create that same sense of connection for someone else. Certainly, a reader may connect with my work or dislike it entirely, but either way, I want to write with care and make the experience of reading my work worthwhile.
Is there a poem that challenged you?
Every poem challenges me in some way, but the one I am currently working on always feels like the most difficult at the moment.
How does it feel to be published as a high school student?
After the initial euphoria of acceptance, I don’t feel very different. Publications haven’t changed my daily life as a high school student very much, and, frankly, they are very few compared to the rejections I’ve received. And I just don’t see being published as the goal of writing. Still, there is a real sense of validation in knowing that someone I’ve never met might be reading (or even enjoying) my work somewhere in the world!
Do you have a poem you are most proud of, or one you would call your favorite?
It’s always hard to pick a favorite, but I would say “Home Ghazal.” This was my first time experimenting with a poetic form. Since each couplet in a ghazal is meant to function autonomously, the form challenged my habit of zeroing in one specific moment. And I found it fascinating that the writing process gave me a new way to think about the concept of home.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in writing poetry?
Read widely across different styles, even the ones you don’t immediately like—that’s something I’m hoping to do more as well. I think it’s through the influence of other writers that you gradually find your own voice.
Do you have a favorite author, poet, or writer?
There are too many poets I love to choose just one favorite! Recently I’ve been especially interested in reading Victoria Chang, Erika L. Sánchez, and Mary Jean Chan. Their work encapsulates the feelings I’ve experienced yet haven’t been able to articulate, expressing them in language that is so fresh and surprising.
What book would you recommend to Westover’s community?
For anyone interested in writing poetry, I recommend The Poet’s Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry. It is an incredible guide for poets. Beyond explaining poetic techniques through thoughtfully chosen poems, the book has taught me to approach writing with genuine respect and care. And I always return to the chapters “Self-Doubt” and “Writer’s Block” whenever I feel frustrated with my writing; they have given me endless encouragement throughout my writing journey.
What else would you like to share with Westover’s community?
Please pursue what you are passionate about, even if it feels unrealistic and uncertain at first. Give yourself a chance to see where it takes you!
Be Boldly You
Westover School admits students of any race, color, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. As a gender-diverse girls school, Westover welcomes applicants and students who are assigned female at birth and/or identify as girls. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions and financial aid policies, and athletic or other school-administered programs.