AMY SZPARA

LaPlace teen reaching out to help others PHOTO: Michelle Watsky looks at her published essay, “The Verdict,” printed in Teen Inc., at a coffee shop in LaPlace. (Staff Photo by Amy Szpara) LAPLACE – When Michelle Watsky saw her words in print for the first time, she was proud not only of her first publication, but of the fact her voice would be heard by other teen-agers. “The Verdict,” a short essay Watsky wrote in English class was accepted by Teen Inc. Magazine, and it later appeared in a compilation of essays written by teens in the volume two Teen Inc. book. The essay is about the trial of the man who molested Watsky when she was 5 years old. After the trauma he put her through, he only received two years house arrest, but Watsky encourages other survivors of sexual abuse to step forward and let their voices be heard. “It started out when my English teacher asked us to write about something that irked us,” said Watsky. “I just started writing. I was writing about something else, then it just started coming out. It happened to me. It was tormenting me for so long. I just needed to get it out. I finally just turned it in, and said, This is my paper.'” Watsky chose to remain anonymous when the article was published in the magazine, but when she found out it would be part of the book, she decided to let her byline be published. “When they picked mine, I thought, This is really cool.’ I was afraid for so long. I was just trying to get over the fact. I really want my voice to be heard,” said Watsky. The Hahnville High School student is also a student at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA), where she studies music and theatre. Though her love is in the theatre, Watsky does write a bit to vent and put her feelings on paper. “The first time I saw the article in print, I was shocked. It felt good, though, that someone else could read it. They also included a national help hotline. I felt proud of it. It was a good moment,” she said. Though Watsky didn’t report her own sexual abuse, as her brother found out about it and told, she encourages other kids to tell if it happens to them. At 5, Watsky’s abuse came to an end and her mother learned that her boyfriend had been assaulting her child. Three years later, Watsky went to court. “I had nightmares of him for a while. I went through depression, suicidal thoughts. But, I’m OK now. I get a little depressed sometimes, but who doesn’t?” she said. “If I feel the need to write, I do. I’m no Ernest Hemmingway or Sylvia Plath, but it helps.” A huge art fan, Watsky once found herself at an art museum in the Post Modern section, and upon seeing the painting of a red dot with squiggly lines, titled, “Red dot,” she felt the urge to write. “This was not art. I wrote all about it. I was getting all this passion over why this wasn’t art. Maybe I’ll be a critic,” she said. Watsky does have dreams of acting or being a physical trainer, since her trainer at NOCCA has helped her so much. “It’s a really distinguished job,” she said. These days, Watsky is feeling good about life and her future. “I used to keep everything inside. Now my life’s an open book. I’m happy about that,” said Watsky.