Andrea Vale, 02/20/13

high school student and writer

It is often assumed in today's largely secular society that attending a parochial school will lead to a parochial mind. I think I thought this, too, when I entered a Catholic high school.

Matthew Ford, 02/20/13

high school senior from Detroit, Mich

Save that word for someone special, not some ding-dong in math class. Congratulations! I just saved you money you could've spent on boxes of Kleenex and chocolates.

Luis Ruuska, 02/19/13

17-year old senior from Tennessee

Here are the five best pieces of literature -- in chronological order -- that I read in high school.

Crystal Duan, 02/19/13

High school senior in Portland, Oregon

Overall, the second episode of Harmon-less "Community" (HLC) was considerably better. However, that statement will stay tentatively qualified until next episode, because I'm still not impressed.

Laura Brennen, 02/18/13

16-year-old from Glasgow in Scotland, UK

Part of me wonders if this is my brain trying to tell me that I do not want to grow up and start making scary "adult" decisions. I have no clue what I want to study at University, much less what job I want to do.

Carmin Chappell, 02/17/13

High school senior from Maryland

There have been times when I have failed to realize the true privilege of choice. Attending college, let alone choosing between multiple colleges, is an opportunity that many teens will never experience.

Mitchell Alexander, 02/17/13

16-year-old political junkie from southwestern Virginia

I truly believe that this generation is different. We have an aura of tolerance and hope, and America will come closer than it ever has before to total equality in our lifetime.

Shanzeh Khurram, 02/17/13

18-year-old from California

Unfortunately, the American dream is becoming more and more materialistic. When I look at America today, I see a nation obsessed with shopping and buying unnecessary products.

Rebekah Bolser, 02/17/13

High school student in Ohio

I'll admit that sometimes my beliefs are questioned, but when I meet people like Mark and Ismini Svensson, I gain a little more faith in the magic of everyday life.

Justina Sharp, 02/17/13

15-year-old fashion blogger

I work really hard on my blog, and it's something I love so much, but it's crazy to actually realize that somewhere in Poland, or Brazil, someone else is sitting down on the other end of that screen, and smiling or laughing.

Jessica Yang, 02/16/13

High school senior from New Jersey

It is a truth universally acknowledged that high school students do not get enough sleep. (Sorry for butchering the famous Pride and Prejudice line, Jane Austen-ites.)

Leah Kashar, 02/15/13

15-year-old student from Westchester, New York

I didn't pay much attention to it at first. But as it got later in the day, I began to hear less and less.

Zach Veach, 02/15/13

17-year-old racecar driver

The Super Bowl reminded me that we're all working towards what we see as our top goal, our end result. As we continue to reach for those goals and realize those dreams, the stakes get higher and the obstacles far greater.

Hannah Weintraub, 02/15/13

16-year-old co-president of her school's women's advocacy club

Thousands of miles away in countries across the globe, millions of girls do not have the luxury to ignore their chores like I do. Instead, their families rely on these girls to spend hours of their days collecting water from faraway or unreliable sources.