Youth Radio

Daniel Gilstrap started drawing cartoons when he was five years old, and later had the chance to visit Cartoon Network Studios.

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When I was about 5 years old, I started drawing. I used to draw characters from my favorite cartoons like Digimon, Gundam, Dexter’s Laboratory, and even Dragon Ball Z. These were difficult to draw, so I used to ask my uncle to draw them for me. I really wanted to be able to draw like him.

Then, in second grade, my friend Lucy’s dad invited our class for a fieldtrip to see his office - at Cartoon Network Studios! We all went, got on the elevator and up to the floor where they worked on the cartoons. The hallway was full of drawings and posters of their most successful shows. We then got to go underground to a passageway set up like a cave in a science fiction movie. I was so happy in that building. Our day ended by getting to watch cartoons that had not even aired on television yet. It was very hard for me to leave when our field trip was over. So, when I got home, I immediately started drawing. I have gotten a lot better at it now and I can even draw those characters I used to need help with. While I don’t know if I want to make a career out of drawing, I’ll just keep drawing cartoons of my experiences, so I can have them forever.

Fatima Ojeda Rojas hears people tell her to return to Mexico but doesn’t let it bother her.

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“Go back to Mexico.” That’s what people say to me even though I have lived in the United States for more than ten years. Sometimes, my brothers and sister come home from school depressed when other students say rude things to them. But I don’t take it as an insult when someone tells me to go back to Mexico. In fact, it’s my dream to do exactly that.

My parents came to the U.S. to provide me and my siblings with a better education and a better life and I’ve grown to love it here. I have awesome friends and great teachers. I feel like I can accomplish anything.

I love Mexico too. But truthfully, I don’t remember much anymore. The few things that I do remember are the things that I really miss. Like be surrounded by my caring grandma, funny aunts, playful cousins and the beautiful land. My grandma has a pretty garden in front of the house, with lilies, roses and all sorts of sweetly scented herbs so their whole house always smells nice. After finishing college, I plan to return to Mexico and then travel the world.

Mason Gepp doesn’t think coaches are supposed to be good friends with the players. You won’t hear him whining about any harsh treatment he gets from his coach.

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I play baseball, basketball, water polo, tennis, and football, so I think I’m qualified to speak about sports. Many of my coaches, especially in high school, curse and yell… and make me and my teammates run laps and do extra push ups if we are out of line. I once had to run extra sprints just for talking during practice. Some call this approach unnecessary. I think it makes a coach great.

High profile cases of coaches accused of abusing their players has the sports world talking. Texas Tech coach Mike Leach was recently fired after allegedly ordering a player to be locked up in the dark during practice. Now, everyone is debating what is too much when it comes to coaches’ techniques.

I think tough coaching should be allowed and actually encouraged. But society has gone soft. We expect coaches today to be our best friends instead of strong coaches. That’s a problem. If any one of my coaches has to take harsh measures to get respect and obedience from my team, I will support him.

In my experience, the most disciplined team wins. When my coaches make me stay an extra hour for practice or push me to exhaustion, I don’t whine about it. Unless you are in the little leagues, last I heard sports are supposed to be tough.

Erin Bailie saw the video images from Haiti in a personal way and realizes how grateful she is for many things.

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My friend’s father is a cameraman for a cable news channel. He was sent to Haiti almost immediately after the earthquake hit there. My friend was worried for her father’s safety, knowing how bad things were for everyone there.

Within days, the footage he shot was on a special news program. I decided to watch it partly to support my friend. They say “seeing is believing” — and I wholeheartedly agree. The images were powerful, and the fact I knew the person behind the camera made it even more real for me.

It changed me. When I first heard about the earthquake, I wasn’t too concerned. I donated some babysitting money to the Red Cross and I skimmed the headlines in the paper. But for the most part, I didn’t think about it. I know terrible natural disasters happen, like Hurricane Katrina, the Indonesian tsunami and global warming. I figured the hype would soon pass.

But those video images my friend’s father captured have really stuck with me. Suddenly, I get it. And I’m grateful for so many things: the home I live in, the shower I use every morning, the public transportation I take to school, and yes, even my school itself.

I doubt I’ll ever go to Haiti or many of the places where my friend’s dad goes on assignment. But through him and his work, I feel connected to the world.

Angelica Bryant wants to become a fashion model. But if things don’t work out, she’ll be happy being a role model instead.

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I had heard it all: “You are so pretty. Have you ever thought about modeling?” Or, “You have the height, shape, and everything.” Finally, a woman I met in middle school actually offered me some advice - so I took the chance. She got me started on what I hope will be my modeling career.

The glamour of wearing fashionable clothes is amazing. On the runway, I can become a whole new person and feel like a star. Everyone looks at me because I’m introducing the newest trend of clothing that they’re just dying to have.

One time I modeled for a clothing company. They put me in all sorts of extravagant dresses. One in particular made me feel like I was on a stage in an old country/ western movie. That was cool.

There are a lot of attractive girls who also want to become models, but don’t plan on getting a college degree. Though, after I had done only a few modeling gigs, I think I became wiser: I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket. I know that I should have a back-up plan. If modeling doesn’t work out, I’ll get a degree in education. Instead of being a fashion model, I could be a role model.

Dionne Humphrey explains how she sees her school’s band and orchestra to be similar to the Republican and Democratic parties and which group she relates to.

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I’m in the band and the orchestra at my school and I’ve noticed some interesting parallels between these groups and our political parties.

Like the Republicans and Democrats, there’s definitely some tension between the marching band and the orchestra.

The marching band is really conservative - like the Republican Party. All band members dress exactly alike. We don’t show our personality when it comes to our uniforms. And there is a strict rule about respecting the drum majors, the same way Republicans tend to usually stick together behind their leaders.

But, the orchestra at my school reminds me of the Democratic Party. We’re more into individuality than conformity. You should have seen the Halloween costumes we all wore on stage last year. I wore a cat costume and tied a mouse toy to the end of my viola. That would never happen in band! There’s a sense of humor in the orchestra that I see in the Democratic party too. I’m not saying there is no such thing as a funny Republican, but Republicans are often too busy staying on point to be funny.

I’ve tried to figure out what leads a student to gravitate to either the band or the orchestra. We all have common goals — to play good music or pass good laws — but our approaches and cultures are different.

I guess I must be in the middle; you know, an Independent.

Frederick Harris says his Valentine’s Day wasn’t so bad even though he just sat on his couch most of the day.

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I spent Valentine’s Day this year by myself. I mostly sat on the couch and tried not to dwell on my past. You see, two years ago, I was the victim of a terrible breakup. Sure, I knew that relationships have risks, but I wasn’t expecting the pain to be so bad. Things turned sour when I started realizing my girlfriend wasn’t returning my phone calls. She told me everything was OK, but it wasn’t. Just two weeks before my birthday, she admitted that she was cheating on me.

My heart crushed into a thousand pieces. I thought that I would never be able to trust and love another person, and I just wanted to be single forever. I really missed her and her warm sense of humor. Then, two days after her confession, she finally sent me a text message, but it said that I “deserve better.” I knew if I was to hold a grudge, my future relationships would suffer. So, although it was hard, I decided to forgive her and move on with my life. I’m a better person now. Although Valentine’s Day isn’t any fun, it’s no longer a reminder of my pain.

Deranda Butler says she wants fellow African-Americans to stop judging her and her friend by the shade of her black skin.

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Far too many times have I heard people tell my friend Sara she’s “pretty for a dark skinned girl.” Or how about the many times during black history month when I get the heart cutting remarks about how light skinned people had nothing to worry about during segregation and that I would have been a well-protected house slave, simply because I am a light skinned. How crazy is that — being judged so strongly by people of my own race!

We love to address ourselves as a “black community,” yet we are quite divided within it. After all the boycotts, bloodshed, tears, sit-ins and marches for equality, here we are, judging each other based on what shade of black we are.

No matter how dark or light we are, all African Americans check the same boxes on standardized tests and job applications that say, “African American” or “Black non -Hispanic”. There is no box that acknowledges light skinned and dark skinned people so why do we do it? Dr. King was right when he said people should not be judged by color but by the content of their character. And until black people learn to put our own physical differences aside, people like Sara and myself will always be prejudged based on the shades of our complexion.

Myia Lane-Vickers finds it hard to understand why someone would commit suicide.

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Many of my friends have tough lives. Heck, most of them live in single family homes and face struggles every day - but I don’t think they would ever consider ending their lives. Yet, suicide is ranked as the third leading cause of death for American teenagers.

Recently, while listening to the radio in the car on my way to school, I heard on the news that a young lady committed suicide. She was just 17 years old like me. But apparently she was unlike me in one way because I think committing suicide is pathetic. From my perspective, the girl had no vision for the future. I myself am looking forward to many things, like attending college next year — hopefully in California.

The newscaster said the girl who died was a church going girl. As someone who goes to church, I don’t know how that can be. I believe her decision to end her life shows no belief in a higher source, so it’s hard for me to have sympathy for her.

Even on days that I am sick, fail a test or get yelled at by mother, I know it’s just a part of life. I can’t imagine suicide as a solution for anyone’s problems. If it rains when I am at the beach in Florida, my vacation isn’t ruined.

Kate Lewis has a new look on life and explains why she doesn’t want to feel like a visitor to our world.

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No one says it better than the poet, Mary Oliver with her powerful prose, stating, “I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.” I didn’t like the quote at first. I thought it was arrogant. But I was only focusing on the big picture.

Last year, I attended the Outdoor Academy, a semester school in Western North Carolina. It was high school without the standard high school dynamic. We abandoned our labels and we saw ourselves and each other for who were. It was a small community of teachers and students where we built a strong bond. My math teacher would assign us homework, and not take it up, and he would trust that we did it - because we did do it.

Since coming home, I have developed a more positive view towards life: I started my own vegetable garden and I have plans to graduate early and travel across the country. Now the words of poet Mary Oliver make sense to me. It’s not arrogant to refuse to be just a visitor in the world. I realize I don’t need celebrity status to have a positive impact. Just by living my life well, doing what I think is right and being true to my beliefs can change the people around me, and that can have a wide ripple effect.

Mason Gepp doesn’t condone graffiti, but he tells us where he enjoys reading his classmates’ uninhibited musings.

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Each time I walk into the bathroom at my high school I am greeting my newly scribbled remarks from my peers. The underground practice of writing graffiti is obviously a popular pastime. Many of the postings are vulgar. Some appear to be gang related and others simply detail what someone intends to do after school that day. The prose is typically written with a Sharpie pen and is rarely more than a few lines long. Many of the authors apparently need to work on their penmanship because it is hard to read their handwriting. Our poor custodian works hard to paint a coat of white paint over each of the musings but he has a daunting challenge. Even after a fresh paint job, I often see new remarks written on top of the damp walls. It makes me wonder how much tax payers have spent on all the gallons of paint that are needed to combat this cycle of graffiti.

Though I don’t condone my classmates damaging school property, I will admit that I find the messages entertaining. Trips to the bathroom are quite humorous. I can live vicariously through the postings of some punk and laugh at his latest “accomplishments”. Nowhere else in my school do students seem so uninhibited and free with their thoughts than on our bathroom walls.

Kathleen Quillian is grateful for some notable journalists she says are similar to her: they have trouble speaking clearly.

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I remember in elementary school, we would go around the class taking turns reading aloud from out textbooks. I wished I could speak as clearly and as fast as some of the other students. But each time it was my turn to read, a cold sweat took over my entire body. My jaw would lock and I would get a sharp pain in my teeth. As I forced the words out of my mouth, I would stumble over the sentences. I hated reading in front of others — and I still do.

Even now as I am reading this commentary, I worry about losing my place, so I use my pointer finger to guide me. But I no longer slur my words together. Over the years, I have learned to take my time and enunciate. Concentrating on my speech has made me more observant of journalists who don’t have the so-called “perfect delivery”. I was recently watching Sunday Morning on CBS and heard a reporter, Mo Rocca, do a story about designer glasses. Wow! He has a really strong lisp. But his story was so witty and interesting, it was easy to forgive. And then there is Barbara Walters, of course. Her speech is certainly easy to criticize, but everyone overlooks it since she is one of the best journalists of our time.

We teach young school students that we should all try to sound the same when we talk… but that would be boring. I listen to all the lisps, stutters and accents on the radio and I am thankful — that I have a chance in this business!

Kelcie Willis proudly admits she is part of the reason celebrity magazines in doctors’ offices are read more often than the others.

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At just about every doctor’s waiting room I have visited, People magazine and US Weekly’s are worn and ragged, while the Newsweek and Time magazines are as crisp as they were the day they came in the mail. Obviously, we are fascinated with celebrities. We love reading about stars’ love lives and meltdowns. I am definitely captivated by celebrities. At home, I check out people-dot-com and Variety. At school, I talk with friends about celebrity gossip or the movies we want to see. I hate to admit that those conversations are often more interesting than the political debates that we have in class.

Sure, there are people that claim they don’t care about famous people. Well, in one way or another, we all do to some extent. Whether it’s because of a movie we watched, a song we liked, or a TV show we are obsessed with, we all care in some way about celebrities — and I am no exception. I have taken my personal fascination with the talents of the rich and famous by pursuing a career in entertainment journalism. One day, I’d love to have a successful entertainment blog and work as an editor for People magazine. Like many Americans, I have more interest in the latest celebrity scandal than a new government policy. Is that something that most people would admit? No. But judging from the doctors’ office magazines getting the most use, they have the same vice.

Teyonna Ridgeway doesn’t need an iPod to make her happy. She says she is just thankful to have been born.

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I am a mistake. That’s what I used to think and it really did hurt. My mother told me that she wasn’t supposed to have me. Her words came during one of the worst times of my life when I felt I had no purpose or reason to live. I always complained about things that were out of my control because I secretly hated my life and wished that God had dealt me another hand.

After having my older sisters, doctors told my mom she shouldn’t have any more children and that it was best if she got her tubes tied. However, six years later, she found out she was pregnant again, with me.

What if I hadn’t been born? I ponder the thought of my family without me, without the peace maker. My extraordinary grades and positive outlook on life makes my mom proud of the young woman I am.

Life is precious and people often take it for granted. It’s ok not to have an iPod Touch or the latest shoes but taking each breath is so much more important. After discovering that I wasn’t supposed to be born, I began to be thankful for everything that I have and will achieve. I now realize that instead of a mistake, I am a miracle.

Amber Smith has a handicap, but would rather explain her abilities.

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I am an upper-extremity amputee. That means I was born without my forearm and hand. My left arm stops just below my elbow, so I usually wear my sleeves no longer than three-quarters length.

When filling out applications for jobs, college and even scholarships, there is often a category that asks me about my physical state. It always bothers me. I don’t like the idea of a simple box being used to define me as disabled or handicapped. I think people need to realize that there are so many levels of ability that fall under the category of handicapped. I understand that applications should give a little bit of background about me, but I do not think that it is fair that I am confined to using a term that could paint an inaccurate picture of me and doesn’t explain the extent of my capabilities. I’ve played softball, been a cheerleader, served successfully as my student body’s vice president, created wonderful paintings and yes, I can even tie my shoes. I don’t need two hands to do all those things. My friends and family don’t even notice my missing arm and they often forget that anything sets me apart. It’s just too bad that on paper, there is no way to convey that to strangers.

Lily Moseley tells us why she thinks it’s important never to leave someone when you are angry with them.

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It’s not easy getting along with your parents. One day, I slammed the car door and stormed away from my mom, deliberately not returning the “I love you” she called out to me. But then suddenly, I remembered, even that in the midst of my anger, I should have made everything right with her instead of leaving in a state of annoyance.

I learned how important final words can really be when my mom got colon cancer. Seeing my mom in the hospital made me feel really bad about all the things that I had ever said to her that were mean. I was really careful with my words when she was sick but swore I would be just as careful when she got better.

Fortunately, my mom did recover and the experience made me realize something important: now I try to leave people with a kind word or at least with a smile because I know how unpredictable life can be.

Mathew Thomas-Quick doesn’t want to have a negative stereotype as a black athlete or as a nerd.

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I’m a good athlete, but it doesn’t exactly make me a dumb jock. I take honors classes at school and have a 3.7 GPA. But there are times that my friends at school will joke around with me and call me a nerd because my grades always look better than theirs. Some seem to have a problem with a young, black male being well-rounded. I’m considered one of the best players on my football team and I’m also a good track athlete.

As a person, I feel that I possess qualities not defined not by my extracurricular activities and my educational status. But the fact that the first thing people think about me is that I am another black male who has his mind and life goals set around making to the NFL or being on the corner is just wrong. I turn my back on those people and refuse to be another statistic.

I have fun without making trouble. I’m very social at school but have a clean discipline record. I wear Polo, American Eagle, etcetera, but you’ll never know what color boxers I am wearing. I am not a perfect student, but I give my best effort in the classroom and I have never seen anything below a C on my report card.

Don’t stereotype me because I have already shown that I can break the chain and be an all-around athlete and person. I’m just me.

Caylan Griffin says having a man in your life is like sprinkles on your ice cream: sprinkles are nice, but the ice cream can be just fine without them.

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I am not a victim. I have good grades and am involved with many extracurricular activities, including the performances in my school’s theater. Though I have a single mom, it doesn’t mean I can’t rise to my full potential. Sure, it has been hard at times, but my mom filled in the gap by serving as both a mother and a father. My dad left my mother when I was only one year old, so I never really had a father. Without a man to help raise me, I think I turned out just fine. It’s like sprinkles on your ice cream, it tastes better with them, but the ice cream is still good without it. I have yet to find something that a man can do that a woman can’t. My mother always says nothing is given to you. If you want it, you either have to earn it or take it. With her, I feel I have just as much support as a student with both parents. I refuse to allow my father’s absence to be an excuse.

Kahlecia Brooks is not a fan of strange, older men approaching her and wants guys to show respect.

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I’m on my cell phone, having an important conversation while standing near my house, when some random guy walks up and says, “What’s up shawty. You looking good in those tight jeans.” I was like, “huh?” Don’t get me wrong, the guy was fine as ever, but he was four times my age! Then, a few days later, I was just sitting outside my house, minding my own business, when one of my guy friends walked up with a couple of his guy friends. I didn’t expect anything but a regular old conversation. Instead, each one of the guys I didn’t know started saying thins like, “What’s your number” and “I’ll cook for you.” I didn’t even like that type of attention. Usually, I hang around males anyway, but solely because I feel like drama awaits when you are hanging with females. But when strange guys approach me, I think that is really creepy. It’s also annoying when guys that look like they could be my grandfather try to talk to me. I wish that all of these fellows could recognize that I don’t like it and respect me — and then maybe I would actually like to talk to them. Otherwise, it’s just freaky, crazy and nerve racking to experience this mischief.

Melissa DePeaza finds it hard to believe someone complained to her church about her parents’ marriage because they are of different races.

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When my parents go out, I don’t notice anyone looking at them funny for being an interracial couple. In my eyes, my parents are relatively normal. My dad has told me however where there have been instances where people have stared, reacted negatively and even gone to the pastor of our church and complained that their relationship is not of God.

My mother, who is half white and half east Indian, grew up in post-apartheid South Africa. She says that her side of the family still had that discriminatory mentality when she and my black father were engaged. But because they are happily married, I’ve always believed that love transcends skin color. That’s why I’ve dated guys of other races and just assumed that no one cared. But I know that’s not always true even for my generation. Some of my black guy friends think, “I can date a white girl but I can’t marry her.” That’s nonsense to me because isn’t dating the act of looking for someone to marry? What importance does skin color have?

What really matters is who they are on the inside. I think sometimes people are afraid of what their parents or peers might say if they date someone outside of their race. But my parents are a great example of why that doesn’t matter. In our house, “race doesn’t matter” is not just a slogan, it’s a reality.

Raya Tobler says certain words can’t be replaced — which is why she thinks it’s alright to curse sometimes.

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Talking to a friend on the phone as I stepped on the train, I chatted meaninglessly with her and took a seat. As she spouted the latest gossip, I reacted as most teens would, with a gasp and some choice words. I watched as every adult face on the train shot surprised looks in my direction. I knew as soon as I dropped the bomb, they would think differently of me… the “F” bomb that is. I readily admit to using some dirty words in a casual conversation. Many adults view foul language as the decline of the next generation and that society is doomed to failure. But my choice of words doesn’t mean I am not smart. I have a B average in school and I’m a writer and the editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper. What important person in history didn’t have an R-rated moment or two? Everyone has their days of careless language. It doesn’t make them incapable of achieving greatness. I think there are some times where the best word to use in a situation may be a so-called improper one and it actually demonstrates a good understanding of vocabulary.

Angela Li considers clothing to be art, so she certainly doesn’t agree with the phrase “dress to impress”.

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My clothes are everywhere: flung on the bed, tossed on the dresser, crumpled haphazardly on the floor. My tons of clothes can take up three closets of space, becoming as prevelant a feature of my room as my bed. But they aren’t some superficial means of conforming to a crowd or displaying my material wealth. In fact, most items in my collection are salvaged from thrift stores, consignments shops and bargain bins. My clothes are my own personal way of creating art. I woefully cannot sculpt, paint or sing, but what I can do is find a creative way of expressing creativity through the ensembles I wear. I think we should move away from the dress to impress mindset of generations past. What we should do is dress to express, and that means finding a look that lets you say what you want about yourself. Even if I can’t draw, I still want my clothes to show I that have an artistic vision. And though most wouldn’t call me an artist, I think I am.

Stanley Stewart recalls his disdain for people who use Facebook, then describes why he has joined the crowd.

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I was shocked and horrified as I sat there, staring at what I had just done. I became the kind of teenager that I most despised: a social networker. I had just created my first Facebook page.

I always hated kids who used internet social networking sites, and now I was one of them. My name, school and photo were now posted on the internet for all to see. Would I now spend mindless hours staring into the dull glowing computer screen? Had I just become another internet obsessed teenager? Well the short answer is no.

After a few weeks of connecting to long lost friends, laughing at their latest adventures, and looking at old photos, my attitude changed. I’m careful not to reveal too much online, but I’ve learned that teenagers who use social networking sites are actually pretty cool. It may not be the most personal way of communicating, but at least this gives me a way to talk to my many friends — and I’m glad I’ve turned into one of those people that I feared. It’s not a matter of who uses these sites, it’s how you use them to your advantage.

Cassandra Maddox thinks of herself as being young, but she explains why her voice should be heard.

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Supposedly “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. But how about a compromise? I’d like to give an old dog, namely my step-dad, a new perspective from a younger dog’s eyes.

My family has just started a weekly circle time where each of us can speak out on issues in the house: My mom often asks us to help her with the after dinner dishes. My siblings talk about easier ways to settle arguments between us, involving computer time, the remote and who takes out the garbage. And I sometimes complain about who left their dirty clothes all over my floor. Sometimes it’s successful, meaning that we understand where each person is coming from, and agree to do something about it. There are many adults who don’t seem to want to listen to teens. They think it’s a waste of time to hear us out, like my step-dad. They get up and walk away. They use the excuse that they are older, but as Oscar Wilde once said, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”

I just wish people would work together no matter their age, because we all have something to bring to the table, even young dogs like me.

Ayanna Heaven describes her encounter with a homeless man and why he got goose bumps.

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I have always had a soft spot for the homeless. So when a homeless man recently approached me asking for food, I felt a little bad when I answered “sorry, no.” I continued listening to my iPod, watching him from the corner of my eye. And when he came walking back in my direction, I decided to ask him about his story and how he ended up on the streets.

He explained that a hip replacement took him off course financially. I was inspired by his optimism, especially when he told me that even though his stomach was hungry, his spirit was full with faith and he knew that would get through this difficult time in his life.

I felt privileged to talk to him and learn about him, and I’m pretty sure he enjoyed talking to me too In fact he told me he had goose bumps from just talking to me, which made me think he probably doesn’t have many opportunities to speak to people on a regular basis.

The next day, I returned to the same spot and surprised the man with two public transportation tickets and some food, along with an address of a homeless shelter I knew could help him out. I know many people assume that the homeless are lazy drug addicts, but if more people could take the time to really interact with homeless people, they may find something different.

Deranda Butler recalls what it was like competing against the tall and thin girls in a modeling competition - and winning.

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I stood on the sparkling stage, with a sign that read 102 around my neck, waiting for my results in the modeling competition when I began reminiscing: I remembered those days when I used to do crazy, crazy things to look like the girls next to me: I would only eat one meal a day, take weight loss pills and I struggled with bulimia. But on the day of the competition, I proudly posed on stage — short, and not exactly thin as a rail. And next to me were the tall girls, with long hair and slim frames.

We all know the distorted images of Barbie dolls and how the slender model photos in magazines influence little girls. I too questioned what “beautiful” was when I didn’t look like the women on television.

Ultimately, I decided not to let the media or society intimidate me. After all, beauty comes in many forms. And I knew the judges agreed, when I heard the announcer say: “The winner is contestant 102!” I had won.

I’m glad to see America’s ideal image evolving. I look up to women like plus-sized model Queen Latifah who helps motivate girls to be proud of what they look like — because beauty is also on the inside. Sometimes, I wish boys could understand this too.

Dionne Humphrey wants rap musicians to put their talents into writing messages that are more positive… like respecting your mother.

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I enjoy all kinds of music — except country. Like many of my friends, I actually listen to lyrics and even try to sing them. Unfortunately, most of the rap music we hear today has the same few themes: selling drugs, buying drugs, money, love, making love, or of course, going to the club.

There are very few songs out there that actually convey any positive messages, like going to church or being respectful to your mother… and I rarely hear those songs on the radio. I’m concerned my generation is being influenced by all the negative things we listen to in our music. I get pumped up when I hear lyrics with angry messages… which is ok, because I don’t act upon those feelings. Though, some of my peers may be more inclined. I’ve read studies that say music with negative lyrics can really influence what we do and say. So I asked my friends if they are affected by the tunes they listen to: no one really admitted anything but all agreed that they do believe lyrics can and do influence people.

I wonder, what would happen if the same talented rap musicians who write about selling dope wrote about staying in school? It would probably be corny and the artists would lose their street cred. But, if they pulled it off, maybe a cool rap song about getting a job could actually persuade the same kids who wanted to buy drugs.

Kathleen Quillian thought planting an organic garden would save her family money and was good for the environment. Now, she has second thoughts.

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My mom and I were so excited: we finally got motivated and started our very own organic garden. Our backyard was perfect for it — with plenty of sun and nice fertile soil. This was going to be a great way to save money on our organic produce… so we thought.

To start, we bought a 15-dollar shovel, 6 bags of organic dirt at 5 bucks apiece, seeds, and a 10 dollar incubator to start them off in our window sill. You probably see where this is going… I started wondering if we would really be saving money.

It seems growing your own garden has become a fad in the US due to the downturn in the economy and grocery prices have shot up. So, we think growing our own food will help out.

But now I question whether this food garden craze saves money or even helps the environment. When I think about all the trips to the store my mom and I made to get our supplies, I feel guilty about my carbon footprint. And, when I add up the total from all the purchases — I feel skeptical we’ll get our money’s worth from those tomato plants.

Of course I’m looking forward to eating healthy organic food that I helped grow. I also think a garden is a great family project. However, I think I would rather go down the street to my neighborhood grocery store and pick up a bag of their potatoes, rather than putting so much time, money and sweat to grow my own.

Erin Bailie gives examples of how her school could make some environmental improvements.

I shake my head in disgust every day in my school’s cafeteria. Sure, I think the food is gross, but what really makes me angry is the way the food is served: on polystyrene trays. The used trays pile high in the trash cans by the end of my lunch — and won’t decompose when they reach the landfill. Even worse, chemicals from the trays can seep into our food and may cause cancer. Anything would be better than these foam trays.

Our schools need to reduce their environmental impact. Schools are incredibly wasteful and it seems that for every step we take forward at home, we take two steps back once we arrive at school.

My school is probably like most others — not very green

Here’s another example. My school wastes a lot of paper. While notes, quizzes and worksheets are essential to learning, they often are thrown away at the end of the school year. Fortunately, my school has a recycling program in place… but we could do more.

I bring a sweater to school year round, because most of my classes are so cold. We do have windows — we should use them.

Schools can teach us by example. We need to do everything we can, everywhere we go, to use our resources wisely.

Kaylin Morton has always wanted her prom to be like the tale of Cinderella, where she is the belle of the ball.

When it comes to prom, I’m like a little girl with dreams of being one of those special princesses on Disney. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve looked forward to two events the most: my prom and my wedding. These are so significant to me because they are my nights to be in the spotlight. For these special occasions, I care about fun and excitement — so ultimately the cost isn’t a main factor.

I know getting a one-of-a-kind dress for prom is more expensive, but, this has always been my dream. The tale of Cinderella isn’t quite my story, but, I’ve always wanted to be the belle of the ball.

Ok, I realize I may sound snobby to some, but I’m not like this every day. Prom is a magical night that girls think about for years. We see movies where glamorous young ladies enjoy the evening with their elegant friends. For one night, what’s wrong with that? Nothing.

For prom, I didn’t want to look average. I searched the internet for the latest fashions and tried to imagine myself in each outfit — without looking at the price.

I wanted my fairytale to be written where at the stroke of midnight I was the one in everyone’s last memory.

Kallina Harrison says her teacher should know more about African-American slave history but blames herself as well.

I recently watched a movie during school about the Holocaust called “The Boy with The Striped Pajamas.” It showed the life of a Jewish child in a concentration camp. A girl in my class asked our teacher why the Jews didn’t fight back against the Germans. My teacher compared the experience to African-Americans being unable to resist slavery. Furious, I blurted out, “Yes, we did!” But when my teacher, who is white, asked me to elaborate, I paused. Finally, I recalled the rebellion led by Nat Turner… but I couldn’t think of any more — and no one else could either.

Surely, there were other slave revolts. I felt ashamed for not knowing - and angry my teacher and classmates were just as uninformed. With just a few minutes of computer research, I read of other heroes. And I’m sure there are many others whose names we’ll never know.

There is pain in my heart when I think about how little I have learned about my ancestors. I also think I may not be learning enough about others’ ancestors as well. While watching a movie or participating in class surely helps, I can’t just rely on that. I know it is up to me to learn history — so next time I won’t feel so ignorant.

Kathleen Quillian says while some students are taking the drug Adderall for their ADD, she explains how others may using it to cheat on exams.

At my school, I hear a lot of the usual talk among my friends: who has the highest grade in class, what’s everyone’s SAT score, and who got into an Ivy League college. Teens can get competitive when it comes to academics. Some of my friends in middle school were prescribed Adderral to help them with attention deficit disorder- ADD. Some of them say it helped their grades go way up, because they were able to study better. So I became curious about the drug.

If you look it up on Wikipedia, Adderall is described as a brand-name pharmaceutical psychostimulant. Thats a mouth-full, but basically it’s like steroids for your brain, keeping it stimulated for hours.

When I first heard about Adderall, I was like “I need to get my hands on some”; I was a desperate 7th grader who would do anything improve my grades. But then I saw my friends on the drug, acting anxious and angry. That’s when my desire for the Adderral subsided.

I still know teens who take Adderral. I also hear stories about my brother’s friends whose parents allow them to use their Adderall selectively - like for the SAT or other really big tests.

I think taking it without a prescription is cheating, like an athlete who medicates to grow oversized muscles.

I would rather struggle in school than take a drug that alters who I am as a person.

Jane Beal loves sweat tea, but explains why she won’t be going to college in the South.

As I snaked through the more than two hundred booths at my first college fair, I found myself consciously avoiding every school in the South. My arms filled with brochures from colleges and universities in stattes from California to New York - but not once did I glance at any school located below the Mason-Dixon line.

I was born in Georgia, so don’t get me wrong: I’m not going to say I don’t appreciate Southern charm or that I haven’t had my fair share of sweet tea, but I believe that after 17 years in the land of Krispy-Kreme doughnuts and conservative politics I’m more than ready to leave the nest.

My restless tendencies aren’t unusual. The desire to explore has been engrained in the psyche of our country since its founding. It’s only natural that some people my age feel this urge to leave the place we’ve come to know so well in an attempt to better understand ourselves. Teenagers everywhere feel the need to flee what’s familiar and predictable and search for something new. Some parents might confuse this as teenage rebellion, but I think it’s better characterized as “growing up.”

Maybe my decision to go so far from home for college will make me appreciate my home in the south, or maybe it will make me never want to come back. But one thing is for sure, I won’t really know what’s out there until I step out of my comfort zone and do some exploring of my own.

Angelica Bryant’s grandmother’s house burned to the ground. Though, this fire has a happy ending.

My grandmother’s house that she lived in for more than twenty years burned down not too long ago. It held lots of good memories from my childhood… not to mention old photographs and other little mementos. It sounds kind of sad, and it was sad for my family in many ways. But in the bigger picture — it cleared a way for a new life for my grandmother.

Let me explain:

Some of my family members who stayed at my grandmother’s house, along with some of their friends, were not the best of people. They used to come over at all times of the night, just to hang out and do drugs. My grandmother would kick them out, but they always would return, almost as if they were addicted to the house as much as the drugs.

After the fire, like the city of Atlanta after the civil war, a new life arose from the ashes. If Atlanta never burned down, it may have never become the wonderful city that it is today. And if my grandmother’s house had never caught fire, she wouldn’t have been able to start her new and better life, by herself.

Dionne Humphrey recalls how a first impression becomes a lasting impression — and why she keeps her toenails freshly painted.

On the first day of fourth grade, I had an unfortunate incident in gym class. Someone stole my shoes out OF the locker room. But since I painted my toenails the night before, I didn’t think my feet looked half bad. So, I walked into my Language Arts class barefoot. My teacher looked me up and down with a questioning gaze and didn’t say a word as I sat down and prepared myself for class. But when the bell rang she motioned me to her desk as everyone was leaving. I explained what happened and she loaned me a pair of flip flops she kept under her desk when her heels started to feel uncomfortable.

That very first impression she got of me will probably stick with her and me for the rest of our lives. I heard about a study that explains if someone says something negative to you, you’ll probably remember that longer than something positive. Think about it, if you got a hair cut and everyone kept giving you compliments until at the end of the day someone said, “That haircut is ridiculous.” I bet you that you’re going to remember that mean comment the next time you sit down for a haircut.

So I try to make all my first impressions positively unforgettable…and keep my toenails painted just in case.

Sam Weinstock compares people at his school to others on the other side of the world and finds we are quite similar.

As I walk through the halls of my high school, I see a magnificent variety of people. I am aware of different colors, different incomes, different religions, and even different languages. But most of my peers share very similar ideologies. Sometimes I wonder how we developed these opinions. Perhaps it was our parents, who have helped shape our thoughts since birth. And as we got older, we absorbed ideas from peers, teachers and neighbors who continue to mold our paradigm of the world.

If I were to walk through the halls of yet another high school, a school thousands of miles away, I wouldn’t expect to find that their values match mine. They grew up in a completely different region, and therefore had different leaders, lived in different houses, wore different clothes: all of which could have played a role in forming their principles.

But the thing is, all of us people, in spite of where we live, are really just that… people. We all get stressed out. We all get embarrassed every once in awhile. And yes, we all have different ideas about how to achieve our goals. But just about all of us want the best for our families, neighborhoods, cities, nations, and the world. Whether you live in America or Europe, Africa or Asia, I always try to remember that my so-called opposites probably want the same things in life as I do.

Kalina Harrison says she will never do drugs, but she wonders if they are truly as bad for you as she has been taught.

In elementary school I was taught that drugs were bad and would ruin your life forever. My teachers lectured about how much better our lives would be if we never went near drugs.

They told horror stories about drug addicts, or as we called them, junkies. They warned that our minds would blank out every time we used drugs. This led me to think that people who do drugs will forget everything they’ve ever known—their name, their birthday, and any knowledge that once existed in their brain.

But I’m starting to question this concept. Here’s why: There is a person I know, and respect, who has been on and off drugs for about fifteen years. From my perspective, she knows almost everything. She’s a whiz in calculus and chemistry - a pure genius.

I am a little confused about how some people can still be smart after doing so many drugs… maybe my teachers were just trying to scare me. But I think it’s amazing that after taking a toxic substance, a person can still do college calculus.

I don’t plan to ever experiment with drugs or alcohol, but for the people in my life who might, I hope my teacher’s weren’t right.

Ben Gittelson compares the sour note he hit while playing his violin to our economy: it was hard work and tears that got him back to making music.

I cried. I still feel a little ashamed when I remember it- big, fat, salty, tears sliding down my face during the middle of my violin lesson only three years ago. Why? Because of one little e-flat that wasn’t quite in tune. For the better part of an hour, my teacher made me play it over and over and over again until it was just right. But in spite of all the crying and whimpering, I eventually walked out of that lesson with a dry face and a perfect e-flat.

Sure, a musical note might not be quite as important as a recession, but perhaps America could take a bit of advice from my violin teacher. I wonder if it’s time for America to stop taking the easy way out and do a little bit of crying.

It’s going to take more than a quick fix — more than bailouts and economic stimulus packages — to solve this problem. What we really need some is painful self-reflection, time, and effort, and maybe even a few tears. Maybe we need to let some businesses fail, and let the stock market fall, before things can truly get better.

I can only imagine how different America’s economy would look today if we had taken the time to fix that out-of-tune e-flat years ago…before it developed into a mess.

Emma Alexander says her best birthday party gift was when she and her friends celebrated by donating blood.

I walked into the Red Cross with a homemade paper party hat on my head and a cluster of nervous, laughing teenagers at my back. Despite the novelty and excitement, I was terrified, nauseated, and not at all happy.

As I sat anxiously in the lobby on the morning of my first blood donation, I agonized over my crippling fear of needles and wondered why I hadn’t just had a normal birthday party.

But as it turns out, giving blood really isn’t that bad…in fact, it was kind of fun. Perhaps it was the experience of facing an irrational fear, or perhaps it was the knowledge that what we were doing helps others, but something about the experience had all of us hooked.

Aside from being a life-saving charitable act, giving blood has proven to be an addictive and enriching social activity. I never thought that I would look forward to any experience involving a needle, but every trip I make to the Red Cross is a rewarding one. As it turns out, giving the gift of life to others was the best birthday present I’ve ever received.

Iris Schaer has heard a lot of derogatory words, but the “R” word, retarded, is the one that really bugs her.

I think that when someone says the “R-word” in the teasing manner, they are making a statement about themselves — they are saying that they don’t care about hurting the feelings of people who are mentally challenged. Teenagers are usually the ones who misuse the word. Some may do it because they don’t know how offensive it is, but others do it to gain popularity adding what they think is a cool insult to their vocabulary.

When someone uses the word retarded in such an inappropriate way, well, it is just plain… dumb.

Kate Lewis is not like most teens. Although she is almost old enough for her driver’s license, she explains why she doesn’t plan on getting it.

But I actually have a bigger reason for not wanting to drive: Besides eating meat, I think cars are the worst thing we can do for our planet. I am cautious when I say this since I am already picked on enough for my hippie ways. I also hate to look like I’m caught up in the whole phony “green” movement… but I really do care about the earth and the other living creatures on it.

We are living in a world with limited fossil fuels. We have the technology to create “energy efficient everything”, so I hope we start making better cars soon. Assuming that I don’t die in a car accident, I am looking forward to seeing a world of vegans with water powered cars… and then maybe I’ll get my license.

Chernail Arnold describes gentrification. It is viewed as urban renewal by many, but some former residents have a different perspective.

The renewal of run- down urban areas by middle class people, often resulting in the displacement of lower- income occupants is called gentrification and it affects many lives. And while the promises of renewal come into play, ashes of past lives flutter away in the wind.

Gentrification unconsciously expels people out of there neighborhoods by building million dollar condos in urban areas in which the resident who once lived there can no longer afford. Although some argue the gentrification benefits neighborhoods by providing renovations buildings and attracting individuals with higher incomes, I believe that gentrification is a real issue. Instead of thinking about the people the new condos bring in we should never forget about the people that the new condos shy away.

Yasmeen Malik appreciates luxury and says she is a good kid. However, she also says she is a good example of why teens shouldn’t get nice cars.

Many parents just want to make sure their children have the best of everything, including cars. However, with statistics showing that 16 year olds have higher crash rates than any other age, it seems irresponsible for parents to purchase these lavishes vehicles if the reality is the car will be totaled or be involved in a crash at some point.

After several months of driving my parent’s Lexus, I was carelessly pulling into a parking spot and scraped the bumper against another car. I was in shock. I am proof that even a responsible “good” teenage driver can mess up.

My parents realized then, that a cheaper, more modest car would suit my needs. Parents of teenagers who are about to drive, or just started, should be thoughtful when buying their teen’s car. Just buy a reasonably priced car and put the saved money away for college tuition!

Kamalia Blunt recalls her years of being bullied and the day she decided she wasn’t going to be a victim anymore.

Usually, I ran home, wrote in my journal all of my mixed emotions and tore up the pages. But one time instead of tearing it up, I balled up the sheets, threw it in the sink and set it on fire. I had enough and everything changed.

As I watched the flames, I knew that with the paper I was burning up all of my emotions, pains and fears. I decided that I will no longer be affected in any shape, form, or fashion by bullies and instead, worry about myself.

I’ll no longer give a bully the satisfaction by being concerned with what they say and do. Playing the “I-don’t-care” card may not knock them off their game completely, but eventually, they’re going to get bored.

By showing no reaction to what they do and say, I’m not entertaining to them anymore and therefore am not the object of their pitiful amusement.

Tracy Jackson feels teens like himself would succeed if they had more intern or job opportunities.

If there were more internships and jobs, it could help teens better choose their career in addition to making them more interested, encouraged to do better, and motivated to learn. I would like to major in; law, medical, and or technology as one of my career choices, but I could not find any programs that could accomplish my goals in participating in these fields. It is important to help teens with fulfilling their dreams.

We want more opportunities because most of them are provided to college students who are legally adults. This is unfair. I think that adults can help teens achieve by giving their support and participating in sponsoring programs, and offering jobs because together we can do great things.

Tyees Roberts now hesitates before giving food to the homeless after someone wasn’t thankful.

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One day I pulled a hot stickybun out of my purse that I had been dying to eat all day myself and offered it to a young homeless boy instead. Rather than thank me, he turned around and said he didn’t want it. My food was rejected by a homeless guy! From my perspective, I was simply trying to help out a peer who I saw was in need. In return for my offer, he decided to be rude and greedy, instead of being grateful.

He should have been thankful that I decided not to ignore him and tried to help out. That experience left me thinking that young people who are homeless feel their peers owe them something special. Though, if I was homeless, I would surely take help from another young person. I wish the homeless teen that I tried to help took into consideration that no one has to help him. Now I will think twice before offering my stickybun or other food to people on the street. It may sound harsh, but if they aren’t going to eat my food, I could be enjoying those offerings, including delicious sticky buns — myself.

Modupe Alabi worries about the influence television shows have her peers, but she admits to watching the dumb shows as well.

Watching all these events take place, it seems that today’s youth can’t get enough of watching “everyday people” eating reproductive organs of pigs, running through obstacle courses and lassoing free ranged animals, all to end up with a “broken heart” as reality show stars claim.

However, I am guilty of watching these shows, too. Yes, Sunday nights around ten p.m. I turn my TV to VH1 or sometimes MTV to watch the antics of yet another artist whose career ended before I was born. On Monday mornings, instead of engaging ourselves in some sort of intellectual conversation, many of us teens talk about ridiculous things. These TV shows have taken something as important as finding love and turned it into a gimmick and yet another product to feed and corrupt the minds of today’s youth. It’s no wonder why it’s called the “idiot box”.

Raquel Walker knows the tragedies of gun violence, so she finds Georgia’s gun laws to be upsetting.

Having two loved ones become victims of gun violence leaves me with nothing but bad feelings about guns.

This year Georgia passed a law that said people can bring guns into public places and places that serve alcohol.

How could I agree with this law since the two people who created me had their whole life changed by guns? I guess the people who wrote this new law think more guns lead to more peace but it’s actually the other way around.

When I learned about this new law I felt like my heart had sunk to the bottom of my stomach. Guns left me without a father in my life and my mother permanently in pain.

I wish people with guns would think more about the potential for harm…and think about how they’d feel if a gun killed or wounded one of their loved ones.

Akiria Dennis says she knows it is wrong to send a text message as a condolence, but she has done it anyway. OMG.

Sometimes texting will get you in trouble because when it’s not free, it puts a huge damper in the cell phone bill. And if you share your cell phone contract with your family, it hurts them as well. Texting also impacts our social skills. People send Happy Birthday text messages instead of buying birthday cards. I am a victim of this crime. I sometimes even send condolences through text messages. I know it’s not right.

My friend’s mother hates tattoos, but as he was getting his third tattoo, my friend texted his mom to inform her. With these kinds of examples, it’s hard to say whether new communication like texting has helped society or not. We’re communicating in ways our parents never taught us…and ways our parents can only barely understand.

Maybe that will change one day.

Michelle Karim has several relatives serving in the military and wants everyone to support the troops and bring them home.

My cousin is one out of my six relatives who is currently in the military. I have a sister and five cousins who are fighting for this country. I really like support groups that try to help the soldiers by sending them money or food, and other things that they may need. I think that if more people were supportive of the soldiers, they would feel safer. People tell me all the time: “Oh they might not be fighting.” But I say they’re still over there in a foreign country, and I have no way to contact them unless they call me or send me an email.

I know that a lot of people have relatives in the war that they wish could be home with them. There’s always and empty space in my heart on my birthday when I don’t get those special calls from my relatives because they can’t.

The politics are important, but I just want my family home. I don’t think it makes me or anyone else less of a patriot to want their family home.

Dover Tuft has seen his friends killed and says he has a solution to keeping kids out of trouble: let them have jobs.

In Atlanta, I see the same problem of ongoing violence in my neighborhood. As someone who has seen it up close, I’ve got an unusual solution to gang culture. I think the Department of Labor should change the age limit for teens to work. Teens with a job at a young age would not be attracted to drug dealing and distracted by gang activities. Having a job is an easier and safer way to make money.

My parent always pushed me to get a job so I would not end up in a gang, dealing drugs, destined to be dead somewhere.

Passing a law like this would actually help teens. With jobs, teens can show responsibility, gain trust, get ready for the real world, and get off the street corners. So many teens have no way to be independent and stay out of trouble. Having a job as early as possible will improve that.

Briyanna Releford does fine on exams, but thinks she should be judged by other things.

Friends of mine get scores that are on both sides of the grade spectrum too, but many of them don’t have the same attitude I do. When they get a low test score, they hang their heads in failure. When they get a high test score, they gloat and act like they are better than their classmates. Their mindset is totally influenced by the grades they make.

I’ll never forget a TV episode where a boy who was a slacker applied to an Ivy League college. He got accepted into the college not because of his scores but his personality…which I agree with. On the show, the character’s cousin applied to the same college and was declined because he thought scores were everything.

I wish real life was more like that TV episode. Instead of scores being a main measure of a person maybe it should be personality. Having a great personality can take you way farther in life than a bunch of numbers. They don’t put your test scores on your gravestone. People are remembered for their personality and the great things they have done. Which is why grades will never measure me.

Miriam Archibong tells how Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, is inspiring her to set higher goals in life.

I somehow understood that there were certain things that were not within my reach because of being black.

That all changed this year.

And for me, it’s as much about the rise of Michelle Obama as her husband. I was in Denver when she delivered her inspiring speech to the Democratic convention delegates, dispelling every negative myth about black women.

After the convention, I carried Michelle Obama’s energy and spirit back with me to Atlanta…to share with two at risk high school girls I’m mentoring. They watched Michelle Obama’s speech on TV, and said they felt proud of her and were not going to let challenges stop them. I could tell that both young women were beginning to set higher goals for themselves. Inspired by these conversations, I decided to re-visit my goals too.

Michelle Obama is a real life embodiment of the change African American, and indeed all young women, need to see.

Sam Colt wasn’t too pleased with the presidential election results and hopes for the future of a stronger third political party.

Of course, the Libertarian presidential nominee didn’t win the election. But that doesn’t make me feel obligated to label myself with a party that doesn’t represent me. I’m going to continue support for my party and voice my opinion as much as I can, because other voices should be heard.

Americans should be faithful in their ideologies rather than aligning themselves between the two popular parties. Having only two political parties is paramount to asking America’s citizens to choose whether they like Coke or Pepsi. But what if they like Perrier? I’ll stick with water.

Ana Cunningham explains her feelings about being adopted and wants to clarify the meaning of family.

It always seemed to me they wanted to hear some tragic story about my life before I met them. There isn’t one.

Just the other day I was watching a fictional TV show, and this girl was talking about her mom having issues of feeling neglected because her mom was adopted. This made me think whoever wrote the show didn’t quite get what adoption was. But it also made me realize that people watching the show might think that being adopted naturally means you feel neglected, which is not true.

That’s not to say that some kids don’t have a tragic story behind their now happy lives. But if I had a heartbreaking story to tell I wouldn’t tell it so freely anyway. I feel funny sometimes thinking about how there are some people who were never taught that families with adopted children are just the same as families with biological children. And that’s a really hard concept for some people to grasp.

Grant Coyle doesn’t want anyone taking his picture. No, he’s not ugly. Rather, he knows what everyone does with their photos.

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Rachel Cruz realizes that her pants sag a lot lower than they used to. Sometimes, her underwear may even be exposed. She’s not losing too much weight — she is expressing herself.

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Kelly Douglas likes it when people compliment her on her clothes because she knows how to buy them really cheap. She also explains how she is helping the environment.

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Barbara Dougherty felt like she was living in the Stone Age. Hard to believe, but this teenager actually didn’t own a cell phone!

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Janna Kaplan is so competitive with her grades, she seems to be missing out on some major current events. Her aunt is not pleased.

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Sam Weinstock saw Barry Bonds hit his record homerun and how fans in Atlanta perceived it. Similarly, emotions about residents in the Middle East can be skewed by perceptions.

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Sarah Bufkin has joined up with thousands of others in her new found way to fight breast cancer, as her mother battles the disease.

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Emma Alexander explains what she sees as the benefits of allowing students to skip class and even drop out of school.

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Pace Maynard disagrees with the notion that teens drive poorly because their brains are not fully developed. He has another theory.

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Paul Katzman says he has found the solution to get teenagers involved with politics and to speak out against war.

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Jessie Andrews knows how important her score is on the SAT exam, but she describes why it feels as if she may be cheating on it.

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Ben Gittelson describes an unfortunate parallel between his 5th grade student council election and the electing of our US President.

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Seth sees the good in the world. While he knows there are troubles around him, he says there is no benefit in complaining.

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Khadija is called “grandma” by her peers because she has a different upbringing. Her background doesn’t let her act like a crazy teen.

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Jasmine has found solutions to depression without pills and shares her success.

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Nia defends who she is, despite being called an “Oreo”. She says she doesn’t see the need to fit into a stereotype.

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Catherine lists some of the words many use in their speech that are derogatory and hopes people will realize how ignorant they sound using them.

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Isha explains why she is a horrible babysitter and warns parents not to hire her to watch their kids. Though, she does have a new job…

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