Gun Control
Grade 9

Unanswered Questions

How many of you have lost someone due to gun violence? How many of you know someone who has lost someone to gun violence? If this is you, I want to know, have you ever felt angry? Have you ever wondered how people could do this? Gun violence is something that plagues this world. It […]

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LGBTQ Rights
Grade 10

Stop the LGBTQ+ Bullying at School

According to StopBullying.gov, “more LGBTQ+ students (14%) than straight students (7%) reported not going to school because of safety concerns.” One of my closest friends in middle school told me about their experience when it came to bullying. They shared how it affected their mental health and how they had to resort to telling me […]

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Government
Grade 10

The Fight for DC Statehood

You know those nightmares when you wake up and can’t speak? Or when you’re running from a clown and can’t scream? These dreams are terrible, and you wake up and have never been so happy to hear your own voice. This is a nightmare that DC has been living in since its birth. Washington, DC, […]

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Education
Grade 10

Student Debt and Scholarships

Raise your hand if you have $40,000 to spare. College tuition is very expensive and is going to keep getting higher. Growing up, I have seen my mom working hard because she had to pay off her student loans since she didn’t get much money in scholarships. To alleviate the cost of tuition, the Federal […]

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Immigration
Grade 9

Rights of Immigrants: From an Immigrant

Every time my parents talk about emigrating from Central America, they say, “We were idiots. We didn’t know anything back then, and we didn’t have support.” They’ve worked multiple jobs to provide for me, but it often makes me sad because I can rarely spend quality time with them like other kids do. This sadness […]

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Food and Nutrition
Grade 10

The Cut to SNAP Benefits: A Post-Pandemic Predicament

Food enriches cultures, brings people together, and, most importantly, gives us the strength to live, but what happens when food is financially unattainable? Each day, someone is struggling to make ends meet and goes hungry. Sometimes, programs and organizations provide financial support, but it is scarcely enough to buy anything. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—also […]

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Mental Health
Grade 9

Mental Illness Stigmas in Teens

When I was younger, I always wondered why people struggle with mental health despite there being so many available resources. I’m growing up in a time where people are pretty open. They’ll talk to others about a mental illness they have struggled with, casually mention seeing a therapist, or say they had a mental breakdown […]

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Bullying
Grade 6

A Problem to Think About

For all you straights and LGBTQ+s, this is for you. LGBTQ+ bullying in school should be stopped and addressed because bullying is not good for mental health. You may think that being straight as a ruler isn’t a problem, but neither is anything else, so for all you bullies, keep your noses out of the […]

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Mental Health
Grade 7

The Way Quarantine Affected Kids

Did you know that kids have shown more restlessness, irritability, anxiety, and clinginess since Covid-19 started? In 2020, when schools shut down, kids lost social skills. To solve this, parents can let kids know they can open up, or that therapy is an option if they don’t want to open up to their parents. Kids […]

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