M.Miesse, 10th - Washington D.C.
Can we go back? Just weeks ago your smile would light up a room I never thought it could or would, disappear so soon Now that you're gone I’ve gone back to my cocoon But with each passing moment I feel what we had is doomed I miss you every day As my emotions go astray I wish I never met you cause you made me feel this way I’m not used to this feeling I’m used to feeling strong But then you came and then you went Now all my strength is gone I don’t know what I did, Maybe it was nothing Sometimes people drift away but it’s normally not this sudden You’ve forced me to break down, like a car missing a fuse But with all this anguish, comes the thought, maybe I’m being used. Sam, 10th - Oakland, CA
As most of us know by now, our school is haunted. Oakland high school has been around nearly 2 centuries, being established in 1869 and having a rich history of famous individuals including jack london and damien lillard, as well as many others. Our school also used to host an ROTC and firing range inside, although that program stopped a while ago. Many people know these things, but what most do not know is what is hiding under our historic campus, which I discovered with a group of friends when we unwittingly stumbled upon a secret basement underneath our school. To start at the beginning of our story, we need to go back several weeks to when me and a group of my friends stayed after school and walked around to explore the empty halls, what we ended up coming across was an unfamiliar door, tucked away from the halls and nestled between an electricity room and a janitor's closet. We couldn't open it by ourselves, since it had a big lock on the door. We decided to come back later with bolt cutters to see if we could explore further. We planned to come back the next day, but unfortunately I was headed on a trip so we couldn't do it then, so we resolved to explore when I got back. Finally, two weeks later I was back from my trip and we were all prepared to explore, we met up outside the door and looked over the supplies we had brought; flashlights to see incase the lights were out, food for if we got hungry, disposable cameras to capture pictures to document what we find, big bolt cutters to get rid of any locks in our way. We were prepared to go in. We cut the lock… When we opened the door it was obvious no one had been down there in a long time, it was pitch black dark except the wooden rickety stairs leading down, of which we could only see the first few steps leading down. What we could sense however, was this smell that seemed to come up from this basement, it shocked our noses with the smell of stale air. We decided to wait a few minutes before going down to let new air circulate and to be safe to breathe again. When we decided it had been enough time (around 10 minutes later), we turned on our flashlights and headed down the stairs, staying close together and holding the shoulder of the person in front of us. Our flashlights cut like knives into the pitch black, illuminating small circles of light that expanded out. From what we could see from the dim light of our flashlights the stairs lead into a massive room that didn't contain much of anything, it looked like it was just left abandoned and empty. At the bottom of the stairs I could see a small box with a switch that I hoped would control the lights so we could save flashlight batteries, it worked! As our eyes adjusted, my friend spotted a door that was slightly ajar on the far side of the room, opposite the stairs. We all decided we would check it out together, to keep us all safe as a group. When we got to the door we quickly pulled it wide open and peeked our heads through. What we saw gave me and all of my friends an uneasy feeling. It looked like someone lives down here, or did. We saw a sleeping bag, along with cans of food and water bottles, thrown askew without care. Me and my friends looked at each other and decided without saying a word we were going to leave quickly and quietly. Before we did though, I snapped a few quick pictures to send to the police so they could investigate what we found. We all ran out and slammed the door behind us, bolting it shut from the outside. We left the school and went home, we were all shocked and freaked out by what we had seen. Marisol, 10th - Oakland, CA
About the Author: Marisol is a 16 year old girl. She attends Oakland high school. She is known as a person who is always smiling and laughing. She has a big goal to become a pediatric nurse. Me and my family were getting ready to go to my cousins house. Once we got there, I went into the room where my cousins were at and we started hanging out, talking about chisme, boys, and we made tiktoks. On this one day, my cousin told me: “Dude, ask your parents if you can go to La Palma with us.” “You ask them because then that way they would be like oh she wants her to go,” I replied. We walked outside the room and the parents were already talking about it. How they wanted us to go to La Palma to visit our grandparents. La Palma Michoacan, is a place in Mexico where my parents grew up, It's a small village you could say, everyone knows eachother, its safe, there are many parties, its a very happy place. I guess my aunt and uncle told my parents that they could take me and my sister to La Palma, that a few days later they made an appointment in Alameda to get our passports. Later on in the month we went to the great mall so we could get clothes, we also went to Ross and we got our suitcases, which was starting to make it feel so real. I was so excited but so scared. My aunt called my dad and said: “Ya nos vamos para México el viernes” (“We're gonna leave for Mexico on Friday”). After they finished their conversation, Me and my sister (Jennifer) had our conversation. “Lets go start packing our stuff, so we dont have to later.” I stated “Okay lets go, what should we pack.” She replied while looking at her closet. “I dont know, lets check the temperature” I said… “Im done packing are you almost done?” I stated “Yes im almost done, what did you pack?” She replied… It was during the summer when we left so we just waited patiently for two days. The day of, we all got up at around 5:30 to drive to San Francisco airport for our flight. My parents were able to accompany us for a bit but later had to leave. I had mixed emotions. I was sad, happy, excited, nervous, and scared because I'm scared of heights and roller coasters. We went through security, and soon enough entered this big shiny plane. My cousin Jaqueline sat in the seat next to the window. I sat in the middle and my aunt sat in the last seat. My sister sat with my other cousins and my uncle. Approximately an hour after we boarded the plane the flight attendant came to us and said: “Would you guys like anything to eat?” “Yes please, can we have two maruchanes?” we replied. She came back and we ate the food and we were soon arriving at La Palma, Michoacan. Once we landed we got our bags and we got on a bus. After the bus we saw two of my uncles who were there to pick us up and take us to mi Teresa’s house. I remember sleeping in the car and waking up to tearing eyes. I was sleeping but I was crying and the reason was because I was sad that I had left my parents. First thing I noticed when we were driving was the trees they looked so bright and beautiful like summer at its finest. When we got to my grandma's house I noticed her house and I noticed another house that had Christmas lights on the window. My grandma had a little table for La Virgen Maria. The first day that I arrived I also got a migraine so I wasn't able to enjoy the first day. I will say it was very windy that day at night. A few days passed and I had now explored more of la palma. I visited la plaza. It was so nice and so spacious. It had its days where it was loud and it was quiet, the temperature was just right. The day came where they took us to meet my other grandparents which are my moms, dad and mom. I was so excited to meet them, we got there, My grandpa hugged me tight and said.. “Hola princesa” We said hi to my grandma. And after a while we left back to my other grandparents. I would go back and forth a lot so I could see my moms side too. One day I went with my cousins and my sister. My uncle had a motorcycle and he said. “Se quieren subir a la moto ( do yall wanna get on the motorcycle)” “Si pero no vaya rápido porque me da miedo ( y es but don't go fast cause I get scared)” I said. While I was there I also got on a horse for the first time. “Les voy a traer el caballo para que se suban ( i'ma bring all the horse so you guys can get on it)” dijo mi tío José. That was my first going to Mexico. Maia, 10th - Oakland, CA
The sound of water relaxing my body Feeling each bone and tendon Becoming less tense Hearing the wave go back and forth from the sand And washing back into the ocean Like a slinky Going up And Down So clear that you can see yourself flawlessly Looking head on into a mirror At your reflection The water Smelling so fresh and clean With just the right amount of saltiness The breeze just right My curls flowing with the wind Enough to cool me off The warm sun beaming on my skin Like the sun giving me a passionate hug Warming up the water just a little bit Making it just right for the perfect summer dip Closing my eyes seeing a dark orange light through my eyelids Creating peace of mind I ask myself Why I love the sound of water Why am I so relaxed Why is my attraction to this place so deep? But the ocean puts my mind in a place Where no one can reach Sometimes you need a break A peace of mind Khloe, 10th - Oakland, CA
My father takes on multiple roles: a loving husband, dad, son, uncle, and a dedicated city worker putting in significant effort no matter the task. Deciphering him? It's a fine task. Born and raised in Vietnam, he made the decision to move here with his family, parents, and eight siblings, likely to escape the war. In my earlier years, I lacked insight into our roots and his personal history. Our narrative consisted only of us, devoid of stories about dogs, chilly nights, damp soil, or covert maneuvers in the bushes. I never heard about the beams from flashlights or the swift journey to the boat. He never shared that he left it all behind, including his favorite coat. "Gong do di Jungman, I don’t want you to lose it.” That's his motto. Speaking from a wealth of experience, akin to when he lost his command over Vietnamese. He endeavors to instill in me the importance of speaking Cantonese, urging me to embrace my mother tongue. I grasped it during my youth—listening and understanding. But now? It’s like conversing in code—challenging to articulate, comprehend, respond to, or even think clearly. Everything I once excelled at vanished. I'm attempting to relearn, to regain that fluency. All I wish for is to absorb it once more. His recurring, signature, go-to line. His mantra. “I told you so.” Anticipating events is his forte. He'd always anticipate the worst; expect even. But, more often than not, it played out. "I told you so," he'd say. Over time, it may seem like a nag, but fundamentally, it has always served as a warning. He's known me for all my life. He knows the mistakes I’ll make. He senses an impending storm, though it's not just some parental cliche. I know it’s just him worrying and looking out for me. Though sometimes I wish he’d just let me be free. "There's no point in buying it when we can make it at home." or "I can make it better." He's always worried about money. Times were tough when he was younger. New to the country, but most importantly, there wasn’t much money. Even though we’re financially stable now, the echoes of tougher times persist. When I was younger, I always thought it was unfair that my dad was stricter than all the others. He’d unleash these long outbursts and never-ending lectures that always seemed to repeat themselves. Though these lectures were always meant as a lesson, I never knew his constant nagging and demand for my attention was always to teach me something. As I grew, I caught on. In his previous directions, he never meant them as a suggestion. Be more thankful. Ask, listen, cooperate. To look at the roof over my head and feel full as I’m being fed. Realizing that my father traded his youth for my future, even when faced with adversity - an unwavering pillar supporting my journey. StudentC, 10th - Oakland, CA
Peaking my small head through the crack in the door I see my mom. Bright blue top, frills surrounding the bottom, legs tightly crossed as she stares at the page beneath her. My mother came from silent whispers and quiet homes, with a mother that passed away while bringing her into this world and a father who did the same soon after. Of foster homes and family members who made her feel less, who shut doors in her face and pushed her away. And yet you would never know that by looking at my mom, she speaks with words of kindness and love, full of nurture. She stays late nights staring at books trying to learn them for others, and though she doesn't quite understand them all, language barrier and all, she still learns them for others. “You have to go to school” signs my mother. And even though annoyance creeps up my neck, and I want to tell her no, I don't. Because I know why she wants me to go. I needed to go because she couldn't. I need to go for her. When I ask my mother what she wants, she stumbles on her words, confusion plastered on her face. Because when has she been asked that, when has her feelings been considered. How could they be considered when my mom feeds others before she eats, she lays down others before she can find rest, she puts the mask on other people before herself. She gives. I stumble closely out of the door, hands by my side quiet as a mouse. Trying not to make a sound while I was walking slowly down the hall towards my mom, “Dihan di ki?” (Are you okay?) My mom sighs. I trott up to her leg and looked up at her. Stress plastered across her face as she looked back down at me. Then I turn my head down to her paper and see questions upon questions. Presidents, dates, I didn't understand it then but I now know it was for her citizenship so she could stay here with me. I understood these questions! I knew what they meant, I could help her. My mom. I tilt my head and I tell her the answer. She smiles at me in the softest way. I think back to this moment often, sunlight through the blinds and her smiles. I remember how it felt, to help her, this strong woman, my role model. This woman who led me to be me. Who created and raised me the best way she could, even though she didn't have anyone to teach her how. Her essence is euphoric, to be around her, my mother saved me. In every way someone could be saved. Randeria, 10th - Cypress, TX
You ramp up the throttle as far as it goes and your sleek, shiny spacecraft gains speed. The speedometer becomes a blur of numbers as your ship accelerates. You're pressed into your seat as the g-forces increase exponentially. A special dial switches on that indicates the percent speed of light you are traveling. It climbs from 1% to 20%, then to 50% as your warp engines start warming up. Your craft, "Faster Than Light" (aka FTL), is a state-beyond-the-art spaceship designed to travel faster than light (hence its name). With a roar that you feel in your bones, the warp engines reach full power and the planets, stars, and suns blur by you as you reach and pass the speed of light. Wait a minute, is this really possible? Isaac Newton was the first to mathematically define gravity as a force between two objects in the empty backdrop of space, which goes on to infinity. A patent office secretary in Germany thought otherwise, and came up with another theory of the universe: General Relativity. General relativity, along with revolutionizing science and redefining our world, is a theory of gravity, created by the famous physicist Albert Einstein (yes, the one with the crazy hair). In his theory, he concluded two things: - Time is not constant; it is a dimension, along with height, length, and width, and therefore subject to manipulation. This is called space-time, and makes up the universe. - Mass is directly proportional to velocity. Meaning, the faster you go, the heavier (denser) you get, and vice versa. This is a MASSIVE idea. With these in mind, we can start to simplify General Relativity. Imagine a large blanket, and drop a bowling ball on it. The bowling ball causes a dip in the blanket, and anything that is lighter than the bowling ball will make a smaller dip and roll towards the bowling ball, where it will make a bigger dip. This is analogous to the real world, where the blanket is space-time and the bowling ball is a massive star. The dent (which would be 3D) is gravity, which Einstein argues is just a warping of space-time. Since gravity can bend space-time, and space-time is made up of three spacial dimensions and a fourth dimension time, gravity can bend time. Wait, what? How can that be possible? If gravity can bend time, does that mean that time goes slower near a large object? Yes. It does. In fact, it has actually been proven! Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) today use this effect to pinpoint your location accurately (otherwise they'd be miles off track and you might find yourself very lost). Einstein has proven that time is relative. Meaning, not only can it bend, but different people experience it differently! In fact, there is another analogy to illustrate this. Say you and your friend are on rockets, and you are traveling faster than your friend. You will find that your watch actually goes slower than your friend's, and that the time difference depends on how fast you are traveling relative to the same object. Yes, relative to the same object. Depending on what you are measuring against, your speed can change. There's another analogy for this. Say that you are on a train, and you are tossing a ball up and down. To you, that ball would go up and down, while to someone outside the train, the tossing of the ball would trace a wave-like shape. To a person in the train, the world outside is moving, whereas to an observer, the train would be moving. Going back to our rocket analogy, there's one more thing to be made clear. Why is time slower for the faster one? This is where Einstein's second conclusion, that mass is directly proportional to velocity, comes in. As you go faster, your mass increases, and you bend space-time a little bit more. You would have to be traveling extremely fast, near the speed of light to see this effect, though. While we're on the topic of light, let me explain one of the most famous things general relativity disproved; faster than light travel (FTL). It is known that FTL is not possible, but why is it so? We saw that as you go faster, your mass increases. Let's assume that you carry energy (fuel) with you. Since you need more energy to propel more mass, your starting mass increases. Since your starting mass increases, your final mass increases too. This will never end. Even if you were externally powered, meaning that you get energy without changing your mass, there is not enough energy in the universe to propel you, and you would end up having infinite mass. Say you had no mass in the first place, though? Could you achieve FTL travel? Well, then you would be light. Light has no mass, and since it can only go at a finite speed, that speed will be the speed limit of the universe; the speed of light in a vacuum, (approximately 3.00 * 10^8 meters per second) more commonly called . Therefore, a scientifically accurate FTL story would end differently. With a roar that you feel in your bones, the warp engines tune to full power, and you feel a burst of acceleration - that quickly goes away. Confused, you look at the speedometer, see it stop, and then reverse! As you slow down to less than 0.005% the speed of light, you feel like you get lighter. You look at the fuel levels, and see that you have no fuel. Panicked, you look around you, and see nothing. You must have gone beyond the edge of the Milky Way, and, with no fuel, have no hopes of going back. You knew this would happen, because of general relativity, but you decided it was a risk to take. Now here you are. Floating through space-time, sitting in your seat, all alone, doomed to stay till you grow old and die, with no hope left to see any life again, and the vast inky blacker than black darkness of space stretching out in front of you. Ruby, 10th - Sebastopol, CA
They think they know. They watch us interact. They think we are inanimate objects. They don't realize we have lives and souls, and hearts. They just can't comprehend we are beings with families, hopes, and dreams. We were born in Petri dishes, held up by acrid fluid. Our families brought us here because they wanted us, more than anything. They didn’t know what would happen. They didn't know the small-well-meaning remarks that would flow towards us at all moments of everyday. They didn't know that every moment would be a constant repetition, explaining our normal to those who don’t understand. I can only smile and nod for so long, I can only stretch my answers to sound kind for so long, I can only take so much well-meaning curiosity, till my head burns and I want to scream, shout, cry, and lie. I want to lie that no, my family is not this new thing nobody can understand. No, my family isn’t for you to study. No, my family isn’t yours to lock away in a sea of your well-meaning questions. My family isn’t yours for the taking. You can think I am rude, you can think I am mean, but I am done caring if you don’t know basic human biology. I am done caring if you are so spineless, you blindly listen to your higher power’s every word until his lies seep into your weak-willed skin. I understand humans are pulled towards questions, but in what world do people not understand how their questions affect the person? How do they not see our vapid stares back when we have to answer the same ignorant questions over and over, just because we decided not to hide for a single beautiful moment? Then I remember us, the way our bones were made from the same walnut tree, and carved from the same spear or how our blood was gathered from the same metallic river. I remember how we held our fragile skins together, whispering affirmations through the holes where our ears should be. We roam the earth, and at moments we catch glimpses of each other, seeing a flash of curly hair, or the sound of a flighty laugh. We all roam the earth, waiting for the moment where we all reunite, and show the world that alone we are like insects, stepped on without a second thought, but together. Together, we can construct flamboyant murals everywhere to remind the world that alone we are brilliant, unique, and extraordinary, but together we are a force, and someday, our cries will be heard. Someday you will understand, your comments don’t just pick away at bits of our hearts, someday we will stop laughing at your ignorance, someday we will shed our skins and you will see the thousands of little gashes that resulted from your unenlightenment. Then maybe our pain will push you out of your world and you will see the scope of the harm you cause. J.Tran 12th - Oakland, CA
With every person I get to know, No matter if I’m still in close contact with them or not, they will always be a part of me in some capacity Whether that be the way I write my A’s or even the way my name is written cause I like how you wrote it better, With the way how I like my coffee, Enjoying the music playlists you sent me, The books I read cause of how enthusiastic you were when giving me the summary to them, Cherishing these memories of everyone I’ve gotten the honor to know, In all different ways. Though I may not have any photos of you and I, You will always be remembered Day by day As I continue to write Over and over again. Emma, 12th - Putney, VT
Under the great, lolling tongue of the ocean; she keeps her pills: white, shiny and undissolved like metallic, tiny fish eyes. Sweet, wilting daisies slip in and out of my dimension as I wake up again and again but never somatically. Flashing and mapping and sacrificial capping. I hold out my arms to grasp all there is and all there is tumbles past my hands and into my heart like a hard, glittering stone. In the spacious, floral air I pick out specks of light like freckles and leave kisses, love letters to a temporary home that is no longer physical. In my body a garden of painful dearness grows with every passing layer of ocean between the beloved and the present. Whilst dancing I mistook a large, bright butterfly for the sun and I could never quite unsee it. |
AuthorsStudents 6th-12th Grades month
April 2024
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