Racial Equality
Grade 5

Racism in School

Have you suffered from racism, or seen students facing racism? Racism occurs when someone is treated differently because of their skin color or culture. It has happened to many kids in school, including me. In 5th grade, some students would call me an animal, tell other students I ate cats and dogs even though I […]

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Government
Grade 7

Addressing Opioid Overdoses

Have you ever lost something valuable to you? My friend’s aunt died due to overdosing on opioids. This has put their family in a tight situation since they had to pay a lot of money for all of the expenses of the funeral. A lot of people are losing lives due to overdosing on drugs, […]

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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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