Gifted Young Writer's Scholarship Has Come In

By MEGAN HUSSEY Tribune correspondent

Published: Aug 12, 2007

Wesley Chapel resident Celeste Lipkes, a graduate of Land O' Lakes High School, is one of 17 young people across the United States to be honored as a 2007 Davidson Fellow.

Identified as a gifted student by the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Reno, Nev., "that encourages, nurtures and supports profoundly gifted youth," Lipkes received a $25,000 scholarship as part of her honor.

The scholarship will come in handy this fall, as Lipkes, 17, begins her freshman year at Johns Hopkins University. Yet for this International Baccalaureate graduate at Land O' Lakes High School, who started a writing club and a literary journal at the school, the portfolio she completed to earn her honor was a reward in itself.

"I found out about the scholarship through an Internet search. When I saw how competitive the Davidson Fellow program was, I thought I had a slim chance of getting it," she said. "Even so, I loved the idea of putting together a portfolio of my work. It's good to see how your work has evolved through time, and the different themes you choose."

Lipkes' 72-page portfolio, "Room to Pace," was a collection of poetry, humorous and science-related essays and literary criticism that drew top praise from Davidson judges.

"Predominantly composed of poetry, it is witty, expressive, passionate, evocative and fun. There are two aspects to her creative portfolio. While her in-depth critical essays analytically evaluate the work of other poets, her personal essays focus on the concept of physical loss and the universal theme of naturally eccentric family relationships," read a news release. "Celeste's portfolio is an outlet through which she seeks to inspire her readers to take notice of life's everyday details."

These details include Lipkes' yearlong battle with Crohn's disease, a digestive ailment that she describes in an untitled essay included in "Room to Pace."

"Crohn's disease is an intestinal ailment that not many people like to talk about, and people who have it may not have a lot of information about it," she said. "I want to change this - to use my talents to give back to the community."

Asked how her disease affects her life, she said, "In a good way, because it gives you perspective." And purpose, especially as Lipkes said she hopes to become a medical researcher and science writer after college.

On the other side of Lipkes' literary spectrum are her humorous poems, such as "Punchline," a light account featured in "Room to Pace" that details her best friend's futile attempt to tell a favorite joke.

"He was really excited about the punch line," she said. "But then he messed it up."

Lipkes favors poetry because of the unique challenge it presents of fitting in a lot of ideas in a small space. To record those moments of life that form the basis of her work, Lipkes said she carries a notebook and index cards with her at all times.

"I like to write down observations," she said. "It's helpful."

She credits many of her English teachers at Land O' Lakes High School with guiding and encouraging her, and said she also attends writing workshops on a regular basis. Another inspiration comes in the form of parents who not only support but advise her literary efforts. Her mother, Rita Ciresi, is an English professor at the University of South Florida and the author of published works that include "Sometimes I Dream in Spanish," a short story collection, and the novel "Pink Slip." Her father, Jeff Lipkes, is a veteran history teacher and author of several history books, including the upcoming "Rehearsals."

Celeste Lipkes expresses great admiration of her parents' work and values their advice, adding, "It's helpful to have parents who are good at writing."

In September, Lipkes will receive her scholarship honor at a Davidson Institute ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. And in the eyes of Jan Davidson, co-founder of the Davidson Institute, she and other Davidson Fellows have many more great achievements ahead of them.

"The Davidson Institute is built on the belief that individuals, who have extraordinary intelligence and talents, when encouraged and supported, can improve the quality of life for us all," she said in a news release.