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  • Teens: Write for Us THIS SUMMER

YCM Story of the Week

  • The Privilege of Telling My Side of the Story

    Limited in my English skills, I didn’t stand up for my grandfather during a confrontation. Now, I’m proud to be bilingual and will speak up next time.

    by Seohee Jung

    My younger brother and I grinned at each other from the back seat of my grandpa’s Jeep: We were making a rare trip to Burger King. I was 11. We had been living in the United States for four years after emigrating from South Korea, and most of the time, my mom preferred that we eat her home-cooked Korean meals.

Recent Stories

  • Choosing Myself

    by Faith Ornstein

    In 17 years, I’ve had to move more than 10 times throughout New York City. In 3rd grade, I attended five different schools. As a child, I never understood why my family moved around like a military family, but now I know some of the reasons. 

  • Losing My Brother

    by Anonymous

    Names have been changed. My brother Thomas is only three years older than me. We didn’t feel close to our mom, our stepfather, or our dads. So growing up, it felt like it was just the two of us. We had so much fun playing video games, basketball, and other games we created.

  • Writing Contest Winners Spring 2022

    Four times a year, we ask our readers to write about the impact recent stories have had on teens around the country. In Spring 2022, we had a range of responses from writers connecting to stories about family income, race, and fitting in.

  • There’s never just one way

    by Maddy Goldstein

    When I was in kindergarten, my mom read my favorite book to my class, How My Parents Learned to Eat. It’s the story of a Japanese woman and an American man who learned to use each other’s traditional utensils when they met: a fork and a knife for the Japanese woman and chopsticks for the American man.

YC Magazine publishes true stories by teens, giving readers insight into the issues that matter most in young people’s lives.

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Video: Stories That Transform

Watch how educators use our stories to support the well-being of students

Represent Magazine

Stories by Teens in Foster Care

Choosing Myself

Life with my mom was unstable, so I made the difficult decision to live with my cousin to prioritize my wellbeing.

by Faith Ornstein

In 17 years, I’ve had to move more than 10 times throughout New York City. In 3rd grade, I attended five different schools. As a child, I never understood why my family moved around like a military family, but now I know some of the reasons. 

Youth-written stories in Represent give inspiration and information to teens in foster care while offering insight into those teens’ struggles.

Explore YCMag Stories

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  • Arts/Culture
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  • Foster Care
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More Recent YC Magazine Stories

  • Why I Want to Be an Automotive Journalist

    by Jaden Baptiste

    Two years ago, when I was living in Antigua where I grew up, my mom needed to buy a new car. She had been driving a 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara. It was a beige SUV with chrome accents and a complementary beige interior.

  • A Commitment to Doing More With Less

    We recently interviewed the new Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education about the issues students face at school. Here are Chancellor Banks’ positions on budget cuts, school safety, the gifted and talented program, students’ mental health, and preparing young people to succeed after graduation.

  • Figuring Out Relationships By Myself

    by Anonymous

    Names have been changed. When I started 8th grade, my friend Ashley posted a status on Facebook saying I was looking for a boyfriend. Soon after, I received a friend request from a boy named David. I accepted it and we started messaging.

Express yourself, get published, win $

Youth Writing Contest

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