My Father’s Failure, Not My Fault

by Anonymous ("Angela")

The assignment was to paint a mug for your father. It was June, and the warm air calmed our usually rowdy 1st-grade classroom. The other kids bragged about their fathers and turned their store-bought mugs into symbols of perfect families.  I dipped my paintbrush into the bright paint.

Teens Speak Out on AI 

As schools, parents, environmentalists, and pretty much everyone else debate the takeover of AI, YC has been gathering teens’ opinions on the technology and what it means for their lives. Many YC writers describe a similar arc in school: Over the course of about two years, messaging from teachers and administrators went from “Don’t use AI to cheat” to “Here’s how students and teachers will now use AI.” 

Cheated Out of Learning

by Anonymous

In 10th grade, frustrated by algebra, I went to Google, typed in “math solver” and found a website called Gauth. I typed in the equation I needed help with and the answer appeared. I was shocked to see how easy it was to just be done with my homework. 

High Seriousness

by Maggie Crary

A liberal arts college with a strong culture of participation, both in class discussion and campus activities. Passionate students with a love of learning. A holistic admissions process. Close relationships between students and professors. An American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA) debate team or the tools to start one.

Marching Forward With Little Women

by Zaria Nyah Lowe

I’ve always loved writing. As a child, I wrote essays for school on issues like gender inequality or deforestation, and journaled to vent emotions and record my life. Eventually I discovered poetry, and liked the freedom of it—how not every line needed to rhyme and I could play with different structures and tones.Inspiration

Not My Fault

by Anonymous

Names have been changed.  At the beginning of freshman year, I started hanging out with new, cool people who liked the same alternative music I did. I was so excited for a restart from the bullying I endured in middle school.