“In the second grade, ... For a bus monitor we had ... ‘the Wig’ who yelled and threatened us daily. ... I’ve learned that holding a grudge against a person takes a lot of energy and can really stress you out. ... I know I still need to work on forgiveness, but I’m making progress. I understand that some people in the world are not going to be nice to you, even if you’re just a kid. I hope someday to completely forgive the ‘The Wig’.”

by Harry Daley-Young
4th grader at Thomson Elementary School in 2009

“Teen girls are pressured into having sex…Girls do things they regret and can’t take back. They want to but can’t…I thought about my life and don’t want to get pregnant at the age of thirteen…I was pushed to do good and bad things, and almost everyone asks me to have sex. I thought about how much life is to me. I don’t want to get pregnant at an early age or have sex…This is who I am, and no one can change that.”

by Jania Suggs
7th grader at Raymond EC in 2013