BHCC Literary Magazine Earns National REALM Recognition
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Bunker Hill Community College’s (BHCC) student literary magazine, Tell, received First Class recognition in the 2025 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) Awards. Results were announced on January 22, 2026.
This marks the fourth time Tell has earned top distinction in the national competition, which recognizes outstanding student-produced literary magazines supported by educators. In 2025, more than 400 magazines from 44 states and seven countries were nominated across middle school, high school, and higher education categories.
Guided by English Professor and faculty advisor Alison Ruch, Tell is a student-driven publication that showcases original poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and visual art from the BHCC community, with a mission centered on inclusion, artistic expression, and racial and social justice.
“Professor Ruch has worked hard over the years to develop Tell Magazine into an award-winning publication,” says James Canniff, BHCC’s Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. “Multiple recognitions speak to the enduring excellence of our student creators.”
Founded in 2018, Tell is produced twice yearly as part of BHCC’s Literary Publishing course and is available for free on the College’s website. The Spring 2025 issue, themed “Home,” is posted online at https://bhcc.digication.com/tellmagazine/spring-2025-home.
“This national recognition reflects the imagination and hard work our student editors bring to Tell,” said Alison Ruch, English Professor and Faculty Advisor. “Each issue showcases the powerful voices and artistic range of our BHCC community—writers, artists, and storytellers who make Tell possible.”
Student editors for the Spring 2025 issue were: Yashira Marie Martínez, Tianna Davis, Amira Sharif, Megyn Ta, Daniel Le Goff Pollack, Sayma Polanco, Sami Haddi, Lily McDonald, Shannon ("Kat") Buckley, Andrine Pierresaint, Nini Lee, Kalliyah DeJesus, Laisha Vargas, Bobbie Richards, Tiffany Bilguun, Lydia Mihretab, Nikiya Rivera, Raymani Clair, Dayanara Cordero, Jeda Eke, and Monterey Rojas.