Jessica Bolden is not a typical high school senior. She is smart, talented, and a model student - but that is not why she’s atypical! The truth is; Jessica actually enjoys talking to her parents! Yes, that’s right. She says that her friends are confused by the fact that she shares her personal thoughts and feelings with her parents.
Jessica Bolden is a High School senior from Sussex, Virginia who was selected to be one of this year’s published authors in the VSA arts online literary journal, Infinite Difference. Her poem, “Category Five”, is a wonderfully fluid lyricism that tells the sad story of Hurricane Katrina's devastation through the eyes of a bird in flight. Jessica has been actively writing poems, short stories, and plays since she was a sophomore. One of her current stories is about a young girl who is dealing with verbally abusive parents. Jessica says that although she has never experienced anything like this, she feels great empathy for the kids who must struggle with it every day. Jessica says, “It’s always good to see something through someone else’s eyes...” I’m impressed! It’s hard enough for a seasoned adult to attempt this feat. It’s a wonder that Jessica has time to write. She stays extremely busy with a minimum of a dozen impressive school activities along with volunteer work at the regional hospital and a home for the elderly. Jessica says that writing is relaxing and she keeps a journal; “keeping a journal is a good idea, you can say things that you wouldn’t say out loud”. At this point she is not considering a career in writing. She doesn’t like deadlines; “Sometimes it takes five minutes and sometimes it takes five days...”. Jessica intends to study medicine and hopefully start a clinic that caters to women’s health needs. She certainly has the compassion and dedication to pursue any goal. Congratulations Jessica! We applaud your unique spirit.
