At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping how students learn, write and create, authentic human voice has never been more essential. While AI expands access to information and tools, creative expression grounded in lived experience remains uniquely human.
Across the nation’s community colleges, students are proving that originality, storytelling and artistic exploration continue to thrive through Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s award-winning publication, Nota Bene.
For 31 years, Nota Bene has showcased the literary and artistic work of community college students, offering a national platform for poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and, more recently, visual art. The title itself means “note well,” an invitation to pause and pay attention to voices that might otherwise go unheard. What began as a literary journal has evolved into a vibrant, multidisciplinary celebration of student creativity, reflecting how today’s learners express ideas across both written and visual mediums.
In recent years, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) intentionally integrated visual arts into the publication to highlight not only the literary prowess of community college students but also their expanding artistic abilities. The results have been extraordinary. Submissions of all types continue to grow year after year, demonstrating that interest in authentic creative expression is rising, not fading, even as technology reshapes the academic landscape.
“AI is changing how we learn and work, which makes authentic human voice and creative expression more essential than ever,” said Susan Edwards, PTK’s associate vice president of honors programming and undergraduate research at Phi Theta Kappa. “Community college students bring stories shaped by resilience, responsibility and real life, and Nota Bene ensures those original voices continue to be seen, heard and valued.”
A few stand-outs
This year’s edition also highlights standout creators whose work reflects the depth and diversity of talent found across community colleges. Wiame Benzouina of Austin Community College in Texas received top recognition for her essay “Bread,” while Farouk Elkaoukji of Connecticut State Community College was named International Poet Laureate for “Roots and Wings,” an honor recognizing the publication’s most outstanding poem.
The growing visual arts category continues to expand Nota Bene’s creative reach, with Faith Etheridge of North Iowa Area Community College in Iowa recognized for “Nala” and Jen Reneé Pellerin of Jefferson Community & Technical College in Kentucky honored for “Kentucky Strip Mine Reclamation.”
Among this year’s honorees, Elkaoukji’s work stands as a powerful example of the emotional depth and perspective community college students bring to creative writing. As part of his recognition, he will present a live reading during a special convening of scholars and donors at PTK Catalyst, the society’s annual convention celebrating academic excellence and student leadership.
Providing a voice
While individual recognitions highlight exceptional achievement, the broader impact of Nota Bene lies in its ability to elevate student voice on a national stage. Each edition brings together perspectives from students balancing work, family and education, offering a glimpse into the creativity emerging from community college campuses nationwide. From deeply personal essays, to visually compelling artwork, the journal demonstrates that community colleges are not only engines of workforce development and transfer success but also incubators of artistic innovation.
As colleges navigate rapid technological change, programs like Nota Bene serve as a reminder that creativity remains at the heart of education. Technology may accelerate how ideas are shared, but it is students’ authentic stories and artistic vision that give those ideas meaning. Now in its 31st year and attracting more submissions than ever before, Nota Bene continues to affirm a simple but powerful truth — in an era defined by change, authentic student voice still matters.
