Grades 9–10
PoetryWritingSamantha Wint wants to be a doctor and pursue her own hospital. She is the definition of idependent. She is from the hot sandy beaches of Kingston, Jamaica, and the carnivals in Camaguey, Cuba. She is that same girl who grew up in the Bay. All her struggles and accomplishments caused her to be the person she is today. She wants to help people and show them that the world is not just black and white, it can also be filled with color.
I am the definition of self-made. From my open-minded spirit like the valleys in California that go on and on for years to my independence like a lion queen running her pack. I am that same girl who grew up in bipolar weather, with the large buildings that touch the big fluffy clouds filled with so much emotion, to the volleyball court where I find my peace. My smile brings joy and describes me in many wonderful ways, a beautiful represenetation of two completely different cultures. One represents my fierce Spanish when it rolls off my tongue como el polvo picante entakis mezclado con salsa. The way I dance rumba like I’m at a Carnival that gives life to eveyone’s heart. The other represents my kindhearted spirit like red camellias blooming on the first day of spring. My ability to adapt to different situations like I’m in the middle of rain and shine.
I cannot be described as one thing. I am many different things that bring several emotions to others around me because I am the definition of an indescribable place.
This piece was originally published in 826 National’s original publication, A Place Worth Being.
by Jason Reynolds, The New York Times Best-Selling Author & National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Students will write a personal narrative where they describe themselves as a place. Not a specific place, but all the…
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A poet recounts his day out at the Yerba Buena Gardens.
Amara, 826 New Orleans
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Aliens give this student superpowers to help him fulfill his greatest dream.
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When Instagram becomes an unsightly battlefield.
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In this heartfelt exchange of letters, two students bond over food, videos games, and some scary adventures.
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One teen writes a letter to his 14-year-old self, citing his past fears but looking towards his present, a brighter future.
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In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, 10th grader Tala asks essential workers what motivates them to keep going during these difficult times, offering her own views on hope for the future.
by Jose S., 15, 826DC
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A young Black student's perspective on how it feels to grow up Black in the United States.
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In this poem, a student reflects on their roots and their desire to grow.
by Maggie Munday Odom, Kailua, HI
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This narrative calls us to see the world through the perspectives of others.
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Making bottle flipping look like child's play, this piece outlines rules for the new, competitive Fantasy Sport "Pencils".
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by Raymond A., Grade 10, 826 Boston
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Even though we may look different, we remain united with one another.
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A bilingual "I am" poem filled with conviction and courage.
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A student describes the eeriness of liminal spaces.
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A neighborhood ode filled with sights and sounds of the poet's street.
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A letter to the future Madame President of the United States.
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A soccer-filled, feud-fueled memoir.
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In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a sophomore at South High School in Minneapolis gives thanks to Children’s Hospital employees.
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This piece reminds us that a smile is not always what it seems.
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