Government
Grade 7

Say No to Gentrification

Have you ever wondered why people in your area get kicked out of their homes? I see my neighbors being kicked out of their homes and replaced with people who seem like they have more money. This is called gentrification: the phenomenon that occurs when people of a lower socioeconomic level are priced out of […]

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Justice System
Grade 7

A Just Mercy for Death-Row Criminals

I have grown up wondering what I could do to help innocent people get off death row without being a lawyer. After I watched “Just Mercy” I felt more inspired to do some research on this topic. The film is about Walter McMillan who was unjustly put on death row, and a new lawyer, Brian […]

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Bullying
Grade 7

Put an End to Racism Now!

Racism is a bigger type of bullying. I should know because I have dealt with racism in my own school, with a Hispanic girl saying the n-word to me and calling me a monkey in front of my face. It was a really crazy experience for me. But I am not only going to talk […]

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Education
Grade 6

School Stress

When was the first time you were stressed? How old were you? Were you in elementary school, middle school, high school, or college? The definition of stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. I sometimes get stressed, and I know most people do, too. […]

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Education
Grade 6

Workforce Development: The Key to Fighting Poverty

Have you ever been forced to skip a meal, either because of financial deficiencies or other factors that hindered your ability to find a job? Unemployment is significant because people can’t always find jobs to help them survive. With solutions such as job training skills, however, the hardships of unemployment can be eradicated. Imagine you […]

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Environment
Grade 7

Clean Up the Anacostia River!

The Anacostia River is a source of life for countless species, and it is currently at risk. The Anacostia has a history of being polluted, and to this day, it is full of toxins and trash. I have volunteered for the Anacostia River Watershed Society multiple times and seen firsthand the crippling effect of pollution […]

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Education
Grade 5

The Importance of Soft Skills in School

Schools are great for helping us learn math, reading, and science, but what if that’s all they focus on? While we are busy studying for tests, we might forget about other important skills like being creative, working well with teammates, and understanding our feelings. If we only concentrate on getting the right answers in class, […]

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Education
Grade 8

Give Everyone the Chance to Read

Your teacher calls you up to read a paragraph during class, but you don’t know any of the words. Your mind starts racing: you should know the words, but you don’t. Your hands start to sweat, your heart rate goes up, and it becomes hard to breathe. Year after year, the reading continues to get […]

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Education
Grade 8

Alternatives to School Punishment

Have you ever made a decision you regret? What if I told you traditional school disciplinary systems only encourage students to repeat their bad decisions? For instance, look at Malcolm. He is a straight-A student, but he is poor and has no power in today’s society. Malcolm arrived late one day because he had to […]

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