A social platform for published teen writers.
WRITE WHERE YOU BELONG .
WRITE WHERE YOU BELONG .
COVID-19’s Impact on Education
Now that the pandemic is over, kids and toddlers are struggling in school.
NBA’s Finest: Steph Curry vs. Trae Young
TOP ARTICLE OF THE MONTH AWARD: Who is better? How do they match up all time?
How Badly Are Screens Affecting Teens?
Many studies have identified how addicted teens are to electronics.
The New Age of Cell Phone Bans
TOP ARTICLE OF THE MONTH AWARD: Schools all over America are beginning to make students lock up their phones for the day to prevent distractions and increase focus.
The Wedge Between Old & New Cultures
Communicating through superstitions and spiritual connections in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club
Do You Ever Feel Lonely?
All of a sudden P.E. turned from the free social period to the how-do-I-stall-another-hour-without-seeming-suspicious-and-keep-my-grades-up-without-a-friend-group period.
Celebrating Bay Area Asian Cuisine
The Bay Area is a melting pot of cuisines ranging from Korean Army stew to Japanese sushi, from Burmese mohinga to Taiwanese scallion pancakes.
FIRST PLACE WINNER
Grade: 10th
School: Bellarmine High School
Hobbies/Interests: Swimming, Coding, Volunteering
Why I write: My favorite thing about writing is if your writing is good enough people will read through your essays and consider your opinion. Whenever I write about a topic, I learn new information through my research. Additionally, whatever I write will always be my own ideas. This means I can treat a topic like no one else has or write about something new. Writing about something new means that there are no constraints and I can write about anything I want.
First Place Article: “The Hidden Problems of Farmers Markets“
Grade: 8th
School: Bernal Intermediate School
Hobbies/Interests: Rubik’s Cube, Swimming, Math
Why I write: I wish for the best when it comes to my country, which is why I have a question. What do a fantasy book, chess, a Rubik’s cube, and math have in common? For me, it's a branch of my life to depict images, explore challenges, learn, and improve. That’s how I think when I write, and how I hope I can help others. Everything has technique, practice, and dedication, something I work my hardest for and writing is no different. I always plan to have anything I make be great, so in the future, I am able to say, “I dedicated my life to this, and hope to pass this on to others.” That is why I love to write.
Featured Article: “Celebrating Bay Area Asian Cuisine”
Grade: 11th
School: Leland High School
Hobbies/Interests: Tennis, Biology, Singing, Tutoring/Teaching, Healthcare
Why I write: I write to deepen my understanding of the world, enhance my analytical skills, and learn how to be a powerful writer that speaks for change. Writing is an essential life skill, allowing us to convey thoughts and opinions clearly to communicate efficiently and effectively. I value the importance of building upon this skill and do my best to improve my proficiency as a writer.
Featured Article: “Left Behind in Healthcare”
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Grade: 9th
School: Leigh High School
Hobbies/Interests: Digital animation, Taekwondo, Computer systems/Coding
Why I write: When I design and build my own world, the feedback I get from peers, which provides me with a fresh perspective on my project, is the one thing I am seeking most. Every single time I find a viewpoint that I've never considered, I feel a great joy. How did they get to their point? Also, reading others' writings inspires me. It brings me a competitive spirit and motivates me to write articles that surpass them.
Second Place Article: “The End of the Golden Age”
Grade: 10th
School: Summit Tahoma High School
Hobbies/Interests: Drawing, Running, Swimming
Why I write: I write because I like to share my opinion and learn about things I didn't know by researching. I think that being a writer is good for me because I can express how I feel. It is also good because I can be creative and write whatever and as much as I want.
Currently working on: “Appreciating People in Your Life”
Grade: 8th
School: Union Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Reading, Drawing, Writing, Braiding, Dancing
Why I write: I write so that I can pour out all my emotions, so that I can express myself to others, similar to dancing or illustrating. Writing has a freeing way of letting yourself be whoever you want to without the limits of reality. Imagination is the only power we have against this cruel and unfair world, against real life. I can create entire worlds and all sorts of different people. I get to make the incredibly risky and bad idea work and feel a sense of satisfaction and happiness for these characters knowing that they would never experience the utter despair and heartbreak.
Featured Article: “Do You Ever Feel Lonely?”
Grade: 7th
School: Lawson Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Guitar, Visual Art, Volleyball
Why I write: Writing isn’t just putting words on a piece of paper. These “words” make up a grand symphony. It expresses emotions, feelings. The greatest delights and the darkest despair. The ability to leave the reader on the edge of their chair, waiting for more. Descriptions and colors dance together to create a magical, beautiful scenery. It fascinates me how you can create an entire world and story for the reader to be lost in. To lead this great symphony, there must be a conductor, the writer.
Featured Article: “Romanticize School for Straight A’s”
Grade: 10th
School: Wheatley School
Hobbies/Interests: Wrestling, Reading, Cars
Why I write: I write because it is a necessity in the world, an important skill in the workforce. I also write because I enjoy writing. It allows me to connect with people on a deeper level, and helps me understand my own self in times of self-doubt. Moreover, I write because I want to challenge myself into becoming the best writer I can be. Writing allows me to expand and raise my knowledge, and that makes it an integral part of my life.
Featured Article: “How Far Will Notre Dame Go in the Playoffs?”
Grade: 8th
School: Venture Christian Academy
Hobbies/Interests: Reading Fantasy, Dance, Hanging out with Friends
Why I write: I write to let the worlds inside me escape, to let my fantasies become real to my readers, if only for a moment. But mostly, I write for them to become real to me. I write because I am filled with stories of tragedy and magic and love, because those stories deserve a shot to be read. I write because I love to read and I dream of becoming an author, so that someone can find my world too.
Featured Article: “Read Any Good Books Lately?”
Grade: 7th
School: Stratford Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, Video Games, Playing with Friends
Why I write: I write because I want to learn to become a better writer. When I am writing for an assignment at school, I often find myself struggling because I feel like I phrased some words wrong or that my writing feels choppy and repetitive. While writing, I can also learn new things while researching and learn new ways to make my writing interesting.
Featured Article: “Is Life Truly Better with a Dog?”
Grade: 10th
School: Design Tech High School
Hobbies/Interests: Swimming, Mechanical activities, Video Games
Why I write: I somewhat despise writing. Unfortunately, throughout my life the only writing I've really done were things like required school assignments, etc. I have never thought of writing just “for fun” as it always seems like a boring school activity and nothing else. I write just for good grades, which is awful, so I'm here now to change and hopefully find happiness in writing.
Featured Article: “The New Age of Cell Phone Bans”
FIRST PLACE WINNER
Grade: 8th
School: Castillero Middle School & Korean International School
Hobbies/Interests: Watching Netflix, Crocheting, Drawing, Painting, Reading
Why I write: I write not only because it’s a necessity for school, but as a way for me to express myself. My thoughts, feelings, and ideas in my writing show who I am and what I’m interested in. Putting my thoughts into words allows me to have a better understanding of myself, and it is a great way to create goals that benefit me and others around me. Writing is also a way to communicate my ideas to others and strive for a change in my environment, or even the world. Whether it is argumentative, persuasive, narrative, or just journal writing for myself, I believe that writing has many benefits that will change my future.
First Place Article: “Crossing the Golden Gate”
Grade: 7th
School: Ralston Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Basketball, Soccer, Art
Why I write: Blood, sweat, tears. This is the way that life goes, and the same goes with writing. You work as hard as possible 100% every time to make this essay, story, or argument perfect. That's my approach to life and writing. I write because it is an art I have not yet mastered. Writing is a way to get a message out into this world. I want to take my part in leading this world to a brighter future. Practice makes perfect. Michael Jordan, Messi, Tom Brady, etc., were beginners. I might not be the greatest writer now but with practice, I can implant my visions for the world in others.
Featured Article: “Stories from the Bay Area Streets”
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Grade: 7th
School: Taylor Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Dancing, Baking, Spending time with Friends
Why I write: Why do I sit in front of my computer alone for hours trying to perfect an essay when I love physical movement and hanging out with others? This is because I enjoy expressing myself as an artist in various ways. I love the art of being able to use your body to send expressive and purposeful messages to the audience. In dance, you use your body to create shapes that tell a story using emotion and technique through movement. However, in writing, I get to express myself with words which gives me another way to show everyone who I am. I write because it gives me a chance to express myself using my abilities to be creative and send a forceful message to readers.
Second Place Article: “Unleashing Bay Area Performance Arts”
Grade: 8th
School: Bret Harte Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Theatre Arts, Digital Art, Pet Sitting
Why I write: I’m a writer because when I write I can escape from all the stress from homework, worksheets, and projects. Writing makes me feel separated from the real world and it opens a new world of imagination where I can express everything. When I write, it’s like the same process as creating a gigantic ever-growing photo album. I imagine a lot of interesting ideas and writing is the only area where I can store the ideas and make it a complete “photo” for the album. Now come and join me and let’s create new “photos” together.
Featured Article: “How Bay Area Zoos Benefit Humans and Animals”
Grade: 7th
School: Union Middle School
Hobbies/Interests: Violin, Tennis, Hanging out with friends
Why I write: I write because it gives me a chance to write amazing and very crazy stories. I enjoy writing, and I just let myself keep going with a story to see how I make it. Many times I usually love to do creative writing because of how random you can make it with your imagination!
Currently working on: “Will AI Take Over Someday?”