Contest Question Tell us about a time when you were tempted to seek revenge on someone.

Tips for Teachers Activities to use with select stories from this issue (PDF)

JUVENILE JUSTICE:
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

We Fought the Law and—We Won!

Crazy Kids?
My immature brain almost landed me in jail

Time for Change
Head of New York juvenile prisons is listening to teens

To Snitch or Not to Snitch?

Stories From the Inside
Three teens share their stories about life in lockup

Scenes From Teen Lockup

A Victim’s Story
The girl who attacked me should be locked up

My Peers in Prison
A story of injustice shocked me into action

'Dignity and Respect'
America’s model youth justice system is built on empathy

Teens Challenge Police in Schools

Who Gets a Second Chance?
This judge wants kinder courts

Prevention, Not Detention
New York City's change of attitude toward dealing with kids who break the law

BOOK REVIEW

Children of Disappointment
A review of I Don't Wish Nobody to Have a Life Like Mine

SEX ED

You’re Doing What With That Fish Bladder?
A visit to the Museum of Sex's exhibit "Rubbers: The Life History, and
Struggle of the Condom"

Be Prepared This Summer
The Summer Condom Program in New York City

THE 2010 CENSUS

In the Census We (Should) Trust
Where does our lack of confidence in the government come from?

WHAT I LEARNED FROM PLAYING SPORTS...

Score One for Team Spirit
To win, we had to look past our individual differences

I Got Served
Handball taught me to deal with defeat

Contest Question If money was not an issue, what would your dream job be? What would your title be? Describe your average work day.

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RICH OR POOR: DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE?

The Rags to Riches Myth

Welcome to the Great Recession
A Comic

Don't Get Played
A guide to drama-free banking

Monsters. Inc.
How big bad business caused the housing crisis

In Dire Need
We should mend the holes in our safety net

WANTED: JOB, DECENT LIVING & AFFORDABLE EDUCATION

Spread the Wealth
We can have a living wage and teen jobs, too

Fortune-Telling
We looked into our future and saw squeezed budgets

U. of Owe
Shop around to get a deal on college

THE RECESSION IN NEW YORK

One City, Three Worlds
There's more than one recession going on in New York City

Hands Off Our MetroCards!
Protect NYC's students from this bad economy

Where's My Summer Job?
New York City's Summer Youth Employment Program faces big cuts

THE 2010 CENSUS

'The Dog Ate My Census.' Yeah, Right

Joe V. Jose: A Census Cartoon

Take It From Us: Completing the census will help your family

MOVIE REVIEW

Capitalism, A (Dysfunctional) Love Story

SEX ED

The Talk: Embarrassing Questions Answered

Contest Question Write a letter to your parents telling them what’s going on in your life that they should know about—but don’t. Note: The best “Letters to Parents” will be published without the authors’ names. Prize winners will be selected at random.

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Tips for Teachers Activities to use with select stories from this issue (PDF)

ALONE IN THE CROWD

Intro: Where Do You Fit In?

Alone in This World
Rejected by my mother, I learned to stand on my own

Not the Loneliest Number
Solitude suits my personality

Always the Outcast
With friends like these, I’d rather be lonely

Independence Day
Being self-sufficient is everything I imagined

Books: Friends Forever

A Place at the Table
I learned the difference between good and bad friends

Connections that Matter

THE 2010 CENSUS

$4 Trillion? Count Me In!

All Up in Your Business: The Census Explained

SEX ED

The Talk: Don't Believe the Rumors About Free NYC Condoms

BONUS: HAITIAN TEEN WRITERS ON HAITI

Stories of Haiti Through the Years

Contest Question Have you ever cheated in a relationship? If so, what happened? Would you do it again? If not, what keeps you faithful?

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WAR TORN

Brother at War, Worry at Home

Invisible Injuries
How can we help vets with psychological scars?

Don't Dis the Soldiers

'They're Still Kids'
Charles London found child soldiers were not what he expected

Fighting La Guerrilla
My brother's war stories changed the way I see him

Friendly Fire
A civil war divided my crew

RECRUITERS AND REALITIES

Crip to Corporal?
The military seems like my best route out of the hood

Resisting the Recruiters

Joining the Military?
Know what you're getting into

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST: UNDERSTAND THE FACTS

Two Wars, Too Many Lives

Al Jazeera: On My Wavelength

Special Graphic:
Iraq War and Afghanistan War Timelines

Military Speak Decoded

FLEEING A WAR-TORN HOMELAND

Refugees Among Us
I questioned my classmates about escaping to safety

Safe from War—Now What?

BOOK REVIEW

My Story: Blogs By Four Military Teens
Adult authors need to get real

PARENTS: WITH OR WITHOUT THEM

Left in the Dark
After reuniting with my dad, I had one burning question

Rookie Mistake
In my bid for freedom, I overlooked my mother's love

SEX ED

The "Talk": Is Your School Doing It Right?

Contest Question Describe a time in your life when you were on top of the world—everything was going well and your life seemed wonderful. What made you feel that way? How did that good feeling affect you?

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I HEART TECH

Off the Grid: Teens Give Up Their Gadgets
Teen writers go without their Ipods, cell phones, Facebook and internet

Books Byte the Dust?
A school library gets rid of its books

Pirate or Pioneer?
My daily downloads are illegal—for now

Virtually Addicted
Xbox was all fun and games till it took over my life

Gaming by the Numbers
Do video games encourage violence?

Hacker High
Computer pranks made school fun—then I got caught

My Parents Need an Upgrade
I became my parents' tech support

Dream Tech Jobs
A tech-driven hobby could become your full-time job

Is Sexting Sassy or Stupid?

Her Last Gift to Me
My Ipod holds more than music

SPECIAL: DROPOUT REPORT

Is Your School Pushing You Out?
Some schools are forcing underperforming students out of the classroom

Kick Them Out!
I say banish the bad kids from the classroom

Get Me Out
I was duped into choosing a failing high school

Are Dropout Numbers Real?

FAMILY CONNECTIONS

Love Is Thicker Than Blood
My grandmother taught me the real meaning of family

Time Out
My dad and I built a relationship watching soccer

Contest Question How do you think technology will change in the next 30 years? How will it affect our lives and behavior? Describe the typical day of a New York City teen in 2039.

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Tips for Teachers Activities to use with select stories from this issue (PDF)

ALL NATURAL?
KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR FOOD

Grilling Chef Jorge
An interview with Jorge Collazo, the man behind New York City's public school food

The Farm Next Door
Blocks from my doorstep, I found an urban cornucopia

Dear Food Diary
What we learned from recording every bite

State Lines, Waistlines
Obesity is a nationwide problem

The Would-Be Vegetarian
Trying to go meatless in a house of carnivores

Gluttony Getaway
All the junk food we wanted made us crave the food we need

Why Is Bad Food so Good?

Dreading the Lunch Line
School cafeterias need a makeover

Healthy Bodega Bargains
Shopping for healthy food at the local bodega
Plus:A View From Behind the Counter

Fresh Veggies on Every Corner?
Interview with Donya Williams of the Healthy Bodegas Initiative

MOVIE REVIEW

King Corn: The Secret Ingredient

Food, Inc.: An Unappetizing Truth

PLUS

The Right Choice for Me
My family assumed I'd head to college, but I wasn't so sure

FACING MORAL CHOICES

What Would You Do?
Teens debate what it means to do the right thing

Atheists Can Go to Heaven, Too

The Last to Know
I felt betrayed when my boyfriend joined a gang

LESSONS FROM THE STAGE

The Cambria
Inspired by Frederick Douglass's powerful mind

Zooman and the Sign
Mourning for a murderer

Artistic Freedom
When I leave the theater, I'm soaring inside

Ask the Artist
Backstage with a Fuerza Bruta performer

PLUS

Flying Solo
At 13, I realized my dream of traveling alone

Losing Mom
I'm learning to live without my biggest supporter

Patience? Fuggedaboutit
New York is no lazy paradise

The Persistent Politician
Instead of running from defeat, I just ran again

The Talk
A review of sexual health sites for teens

RELATIVE DRAMA: HOW OUR FAMILY IMPACTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH

Anxious and Alone
Teasing drove me to desperation—and away from my family
Plus:Statistics on Bullying

Alone With My Abuser
I thought speaking up would destroy my perfect family

In This Together
I can’t imagine facing grief without family support

My Sister’s Keeper
Seeing my twin get bullied ignited a protective love

Myspace: Fake Teens, Real Problems

HOW TO SUCCEED IN A RECESSION

Comic: What is a Recession?

Find a Job Online
A Guide for Teens

Obama Brings Jobs to NYC Teens

Swap and Save
How to get clothes for free

Secondhand, First Rate
Scoring thrift store threads

Thrifty Guide to Chelsea
Reviews by NYC’s teen writers

BOOK REVIEW

It’s Kind of a Funny Story
An interview with author Ned Vizzimi

Brother I’m Dying
A powerful memoir of adversity and hope

FILM REVIEW

Documentaries Profile New Orleans Survivors
Not as Seen on TV and Talkin’ Water

Behind the Scenes
An Interview with PRO-TV’s Teen Filmmakers

PLUS:

Too Nice for My Own Good?
No one sees behind my automatic smile

Not Ready for the Rat Race
My first adult job left me disillusioned

IS THIS ME? THINKING ABOUT IDENTITY

Penguin in the Sahara
Private school helped me rediscover my Latin roots

University of Kitchen
My dad's decision will determine the future of my education

Wearing My True Colors
I’ll never mask my gay identity again

Finding My Haitian Pride

The Things That Make Us Who We Are

MAKE GOVERNMENT WORK FOR YOU

Making Sense of Government Benefits

Programs for New York City Residents

What Help Can I Get?
Access NYC can aid families in need

MOVIE REVIEW

Milk: Story of a Gay Rights Hero

Prop 8: The Struggle Continues

PLUS

Out of the Shadows
I learned my depression is nothing to hide

What Is Depression?

Letters to Parents
What readers wish they could tell their parents

Do Ask, Do Tell
Polling for Justice gets personal for a good cause

GENERATION AT RISK: TEEN HIV ON THE RISE

Keeping Quiet
Should I tell my friend his boyfriend’s secret?

Intro: HIV is Hitting Youth Hardest

Too Big a Risk
He was HIV-positive. I wasn't.

Twenty Years Living HIV-Positive
An interview with former NYC teen writer Dave Nisbett

The ABCs of STDs
Know your Sexually Transmitted Diseases

What Should Teens Know about HIV?

HIV in Our Communities of Color
An interview with Suki Terada Ports of the Family Health Project

Acting Is My Activism
Teens educate their peers about STDs at THEO

All Too Real
Two young New Yorkers live with HIV

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About STDs?

Sexual Health Resources for Teens

HOOKED ON BOOKS

Memoirs Proved Me Wrong
The right books taught me to love reading—and accept my past

Stories from the Street
"Gangsta lit" is good reading

My Life Between the Pages
Books help me see the potential in myself

Contest Winners What do you think about the pregnancy of 17-year-old Bristol Palin (daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin)?

FAITH AND DOUBT: RELIGION AND OUR SEARCH FOR MEANING

Talking to the Ceiling
I've discovered a non-religious but beautiful way to accept death

Alone With the Mountain
Finding God in the desert helped me make peace with my Jewish faith

Wearing My Faith
My hijab makes me feel more connected to Islam

Facts About Religion

Rejecting My Religion
Shutting the door on religion has opened my mind to new ideas

My Search for a Church
The sense of community at my youth church was the answer to my prayers

Don’t Cramp My (Hair) Style
Will becoming a Rasta mess with my self expression?

The Beliefs We Keep
Teens write about how religion has shaped their lives.

BOOK REVIEW

Does My Head Look Big In This?
Teen Angst in a Hijab

MOVIE REVIEW

Religulous
Making Religion Ridiculous

AIMING TO PLEASE OUR PARENTS

As Much as the Universe
Struggling for independence, I still crave my mom's approval

My Family Across the Ocean
I've given up on trying to please my biological parents

Her Shining Star?
After my mom read my diary, I wasn't sure she'd ever forgive me

Rewriting My Dream
Journalism is my pathway to happiness

How Much Do Our Parents Really Expect?

THE COMPLICATED WORLD OF TEEN-PARENT RELATIONSHIPS

Far From the Mom I Love
We were broke in Kenya but at least I had my mother

Step-Family Ties
I like having the perspective of more than one "mom"

Seeing Through the Fog
My dad's support helped me accept myself—and his new family

Man of the House
My father's addiction left us struggling, and I feel powerless to help
Plus:Something You Can't Fix: What you should know if your parent has a substance abuse problem

ELECTION 2008

Awakening the Youth Vote
Over 18? Don't forget to cast your ballot on Nov 4

Teen Pregnancy
An Election Issue?

PLUS

TV Show Made for Teens
An interview with Red Hook High's David Etienne
Plus:My Onscreen Debut: Red Hook High

Picking Myself Up
In public school I learned that my academic success was
up to me

HOW TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE

I’m in College ...Now What?

Mishaps and Milestones
Students share the ups and downs of college life

Secrets of Success From Your Professors

Don’t Let Math Hold You Back
Get the help you need

WEIGHING YOUR OPTIONS

Beating the Odds
My aunt decided college wasn’t just for the lucky few

No More Hand-Holding
I'm relying on myself to prepare for college and the real world

Not Your Usual College Fair
"Tales From the Campus" offers the real deal on college life

Community College
A Second Chance

Dorm Sweet Dorm?
Students weigh in on whether to go away for college

Helpful College Resources for NY High School Students

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Battling the Bureaucracy
When I didn’t get answers, I kept asking

You’re Not in High School Anymore
Tips for surviving the first year of college

How to Manage Your Time at College

Notetaking 101
When you’re reading, don’t just highlight!

Advocate for Yourself
—In the financial aid office
—In class

Find Support
Students tell how they found help

College Grad at Last
It wasn’t the fast track, but I stuck it out

HOW WILL I PAY FOR COLLEGE?

College
A Smart Investment

Take Charge of Your College Bills

Financial Aid Resources

ELECTION 2008: WILL YOUR VOTE COUNT?

Oprah for President

A Trip to the Polls
I cast my first vote based on issues, not on race

Seeing Beyond Ourselves
Race and gender shouldn't be the focus of the presidential election

Young Voters: This Is Our Moment

Don’t Let the Rumors Win
Smart voters don't believe everything they read or hear

Barbershop Debates: A Rite of Passage

PLUS

American at Heart—But Not on Paper

Path to Citizenship
How can undocumented residents obtain legal stutus in the U.S.?

Dream Girl
Our childhood romance was more than puppy love

Habla Español o Francais ou Arabe?
Learning a foreign language is more important than you think

Caroline Kennedy: True to Her Family’s Legacy

MOVIE REVIEW

Does Under the Same Moon Paint Too Sunny a Picture?

LIFE AFTER LOSS

In An Octopus’s Garden
My father and I found a lasting bond in music

How to Cope With Life’s Losses

Becoming the Man My Dad Couldn’t Be

Boyfriend Behind Bars

The Home I Can’t Forget
I left my heart on the Lower East Side

Watching From the Sidelines
An injury put my running dreams on hold

A World Away From Her
I feel like I left my grandmother when she needed me most

PLUS

Teens Demand More Summer Jobs
93,000 teens apply—why can’t the City fund more than 42,000 jobs?

Imaginations Run Wild in Be Kind Rewind

Making Our Own Movie From Scratch

Contest Winners Write a letter to your parents telling them what’s going on in your life that they should know about—but don’t.

FINDING OUR CONFIDENCE

Clearing Up My Acne—and My Self-Esteem

From Tomboy to Boy Magnet
My sister taught me to be choosy about boys

Standing Up for the Jena 6
Rallying for justice sparked the activist in me

My Life as a Long Hair

Does Feeling Unpopular Make Girls Fat?

Breathing Easier
I won’t let my asthma anxiety rule my life anymore
Plus: What Is Asthma?

Skinniest Man in the Graveyard
My eating disorder put me at more risk than I realized

FAR FROM HOME: LIFE IN FOSTER CARE

Skyscraper of Trust
My foster mom and I built our relationship brick by brick

Rewriting the Script
I found a way to turn a bad foster care situation around

Finding Our Way Home
It was hard to reconnect with my mom

From Ashley to Angel
I like the person I've become since living away from my mom

What Is Foster Care?

PLUS

Breaking Down the Grade
NYC teens weigh in on school 'progress reports'

‘Move Along’
Has police security gotten too tough at high schools?

WASTED: UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS

Why Are Parents Clueless About Drugs?

Hooked on Heroin
I loved being high, but I couldn’t control it

A Fine Line
When does experimentation with legal drugs become addiction?

What Drugs Do To You

Where to Find Help for a Drug Problem

How to Help a Friend Who's Using

WHEN A PARENT IS ADDICTED

'I Think These Drugs Are Daddy's'
My father's an addict but I won't give up on him

Something You Can't Fix
What you should know if your parent has a substance abuse problem

PLUS:

Mixed and Proud
I love belonging to more than one culture

Almost One of the Gang
Most of my friends are Crips, but I've chosen not to join

Prisoners in Our Schools
Why are kids treated like criminals while trying to get an education?

Special Feature:

'Single and Lovin' It' Listen to Latrice read her story (abridged) 1:39 Read the full story

ARE WE DATING?

Get In, Get Money, Get Out
After hustling boyfriends for money, I never thought I’d get played

Ignoring the Stares
My boyfriend and I refuse to let race be an issue in our relationship

More Than Friends With Benefits
My girlfriend and I had to define what we wanted from our relationship

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
Where I finally met a boy who treats me right

Why Can't Boys and Girls Be Friends?

DATING ABUSE

My Abusive Boyfriend

What Is Dating Abuse?

TEENS AND MUSIC

Is MTV Harder on Hip-Hop Than Rock?

My Love Affair with Indie Music

SPECIAL REPORT

Someone to Talk To
Teens rally for more mental health services in schools

ADVERTISING, CONSUMERISM & TEENS

The 'truth' is Hard to Ignore
Teens like these anti-tobacco ads

Starbury
The new status symbol?

What's Wrong With Red Bull Ads?

All-Girl Ad Agency Knows What Sells

Buying Brand Names to Fit In

Hooked on Ralph...and Calvin...and...
A Designer Addiction

SPECIAL REPORT

Teens Criticize School Survey

CROSSING CULTURES

The Daily News Taught Me English

BOOK REVIEW

The Kite Runner
A story of love, guilt and betrayal

Contest Winners Write a letter to your parents telling them what’s going on in your life that they should know about—and don’t.

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

The N-Word: Not in My Vocabulary

Barack Is Black
...But Not African-American

Fire Does Not Discriminate
Going undercover, I found that the FDNY wants more women and minorities
Plus:Women on the Job

A Floor for Every Race
My school is a 10-story rainbow

Bill Clinton is Black
The former president represents in Harlem

The Hip-Hop Project
A movie that raps about reality

TEENS RESPOND TO THE DON IMUS SCANDAL

EXCLUSIVE: A Rutgers Player Speaks Up

Forced Off the Air
Teens Respond to the Don Imus Scandal

What About Racism on Hip-Hop Radio?

Words Can Hurt in Any Language

Contest Winners Imagine a side to you that no one knows about, a second personality that can do things you don’t usually do.

OUT INTO THE WORLD

A Black Woman in Mongolia
Looking for adventure after college

Fated to Die
I was told I wouldn't live to see my 9th birthday

Too Much Independence
Growing up, I needed a mother, not a friend

Staying Safe
I won't let boys or sex sidetrack me

Transported by Books

LEAVING OUR COMFORT ZONE

Letting Haiti Go
I fought hard to feel at home in the U.S.

A Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City
The famous exhibit by Doctors Without Borders

TAKING CONTROL OF OUR EDUCATION

My Escape from High School
I worked the system to spend a year outside the classroom

Homeschooling
Not an easy way out

Early College
An option for gifted students

WORK AND THE "REAL" WORLD

My Summer in Politics
A great internship

Back to Preschool
My young students teach me something new every day

Contest Winners What's your most important possession and why?

TEENS WRITE ABOUT PEER PRESSURE

Can't Afford to Follow My Friends
My family is too important to me

The Pressure to Fit In
Four teens tell how they handle peer pressure

Why I Speak My Mind
When the stakes are high, it's hard to hold myself back

Why Do Teens Take Risks?

Not Just About Sex
Communication is the key to our relationship

Taking On Too Much
I can't stop trying to prove myself

Keeping Me In Line
Without my school, I'd become a slacker

DEPRESSION AND THERAPY

Swimming to the Surface
I learned I can't cope with depression alone
Plus:What Is Depression?

Blacks and Therapy
Interview with Dr. Alvin Poussaint, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

REVIEWS

Borat: The Joke's On Us

The Overachievers
Being the Best Takes Its Toll on Teens
Plus:Interview with the Author

After the Wreck
A True-to-Life Teen Novel About Recovering From Loss

WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD

Why I Won't Go to Prom

Is Facebook a Modern Rite of Passage?

Sisters in Sisterhood Help Each Other Grow Up

What's a Rite of Passage?

A Student Bill of Rights
City teens take back the schools

Urban Youth Collaborative's Proposed Bill of Rights

The New Teen Novels-Mean Girls Win?

An Adult in the Eyes of God
My bat mitzvah made me feel closer to my faith

Contest Winners #178
Tell us about your best or worst holiday memory

QUINCEAÑERA: A SWEET 15 TRADITION
: No Poofy Dress for Me
: Dreaming of My Big Day

From Shy Guy to Smooth Talker
I finally found my own way to approach the ladies

Getting the Words Out
After years of stuttering, I’m taking control of my speech

Why People Stutter

DOING TIME

A Day in the Life at Riker's
Plus sidebar:The Facts About Youth in Prison

Fighting to Stop Fighting
I'm struggling to think before I beast
Plus sidebar:How to Handle Conflict

Girls in Lockdown
What's really going on behind the prison walls?
Plus sidebar:Gender Breakdown

Know Your Rights
Would you know what to do if you were stopped by the police?

Each One Teach One
Teens demand change in the juvenile justice system

Another Columbine?
Bullying pushes some teens over the edge

Protecting Myself Online

Contest Winners #177
How has war (the war in Iraq or any other war) affected you or a member of your family?

DEFINING DAD

A Mostly Absent Father
For years, I fought to get his attention

Discovering My Dad at the Movies

Out of Prison and Into My Life
After 16 years, my dad and I are making up for lost time

My Superman
Dad’s illness can’t break our bond

Feeling Different
I've always struggled to connect with other people

My Cups Are Half-Empty

NYC GOES WILD

Harlem's Hazards
A 'toxic tour' gave me an up-close look at environmental racism

Putting My Foot Down
After a life on the move, I wanted a place to call home

Bronx Teens Rock the Boat

Staten Island's Natural Treasures

BEYOND THE CONCRETE
: The Forest Fights Back
: Closer to Home

Half Nelson
Not Just Another Teen Movie

WE ARE AMERICA

A Different Kind of Education
It took more than smarts to succeed in school

Chew On This
How I Quit Fast Food... And Lived to Write About It
Plus sidebar:What's Wrong With Fast Food?

Immigrant Teens Get Organized

Contest Winners #175
What makes your best friend your best friend, and why?

New York City Gives Teens a Taste of the World

CLIMBING OUT

From Failure to College
It took more than smarts to succeed in school

Diploma Required
Today's job market is tough for dropouts

The GED
Many Ways to Graduate

Easy Way Out?
Find out what it really takes to get your GED

Many Ways to Graduate
Contact List

Contest Winners #174
What's one mistake you're glad you made, and why?

Intro: Bearing Witness
After hearing African refugees speak, we had to share their stories

Dying in Darfur

Fleeing Sierra Leone

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

Coloring Outside the Lines
I won't let anyone tell me how to be black

White Kid in the Ghetto

Brokeback Breaks Hearts—and Stereotypes

The Will & Grace in Me
A TV show gave me the courage to come out

Letters to Parents #173
Write a letter to your parents telling them what's going on in your life that they should know about—but don't

FAMILY MATTERS

My Grandmother's Love
Will I ever find that kind of bond again?

Walking Away From the Fight
Therapy is teaching me a new way to handle my dad's anger

Stupid Questions about Africa
There's more to my homeland than lions and poverty

Bodies on Display
An Unforgettable Science Lesson

Contest Winners #172
What's the biggest obstacle you've faced? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it?

WRESTLING WITH MONEY

Teens and Poverty

Money Can’t Buy Love
My parents gave me everything—except themselves

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Teens learn to fight for good food
Plus sidebar:Fresh From the Farm
Plus sidebar:Better Than Big Macs

How the Other Half Lives
What does race have to do with success?

Contest Winners #171
What does New Youth Connections (NYC) mean to you?

SEX

Player No More
I had to quit playing games to win at love

Sex With the Wrong Guy
I learned it takes love to make love

All About Birth Control, Right Here

TAKING ON THE WORLD

Why Are Girls So Mean?

Invasion of Privacy
When I stopped sharing, my mother started snooping

Unfair Advantage
On my school’s tennis courts, girls are second-class citizens

Worried Sick
Talking to a therapist helped me learn to deal with my anxiety

PARENTS: LIVING WITH THEM,
LIVING WITHOUT THEM

Meeting the Invisible Man
At 15, I asked my absent father for anwers

Do Teens Care About Free Speech
Plus sidebar: Rights Questioned in School Scandal

Long-Distance Mom
My illness kept her close—Now it keeps us apart

Exercising My Basketball Passion

WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?

Leaving ‘El Combito’
I lost my truest friends when I moved to the U.S.

Dirty Dancing

Stop Following Me
I’m young and black—and I’m no shoplifter

Seeds of Peace-Bunking With the Enemy

NYC TURNS 25

New Youth Connections Turns 25

Where Are They Now?—Lourdes Rosado

The ‘N’ Word
It just slips out

Where Are They Now?—Allen Francis

Tongue-Tied
I was teased until I learned English

Youth Communication Index

GOING PLACES

I Can Do It Myself
Being in a wheelchair shouldn’t put the brakes on my independence

Putting the Essay Into the SAT

Playing Video Games Won't
Make Me a Killer

Can I Even Afford To Apply?

FEED ME

Standing Up to the Styrofoam Tray
Rebellion

Dangerously in Love With a Danish

My Pizza Daze

Wake-Up Call in Another World
Poverty in Pakistan moved me to make a difference

FINDING MY OWN WAY

My Friend or My Church-How Do I Choose?

Sarah’s Choice
After her abortion, my friend became a birth control advocate.

He Speaks, He Scores!
Hopeless in gym, I found my competitive edge in debate

My Boyfriend’s Leaving for Iraq

SERVING OUR COUNTRY

The Hard Sell
My visit with an Army recruiter

Arrested!
I was a protest prisoner

Showing My Faith on the Outside
Plus sidebar: Why the Hijaab?

Should 16-Year-Olds Have the Right to Vote?

WORK IT: SUMMER JOB TIPS
FOR TEENS?

Don’t Give Up
Advice on the job hunt for teens

Forced to Marry Young
I worried that my friend's education was over
Plus sidebar: Arranged Marriages,
Part of My Tradition

Schools Under Pressure
Federal law demands higher test scores

Also: Stuck on Gum

WHY ARE WE STILL GETTING HIV?

My Best Friend Has an STD

‘This Can’t Be Happening to Me’
Niko was 19 when she learned she had HIV

HIV Rumors and Facts

License to Thrill
(Car not included)

Thinking Twice About Race

FALLING APART

On the Razor’s Edge
When I was lonely and depressed,
cutting releived my pain

Don’t Call Me Puerto Rican
I’m Ecuadorian

School of Misery
How I turned junior high torment into a whole new me

THAT'S NOT WHO I AM

I’m Not What You Expect Me to Be
Fighting the 'model minority' stereotype

What Should Teens Be Taught About Sex?
‘Just say no’ or ‘be prepared’?

Sex Ed in the City

Sharing the American DREAM
The DREAM act would help immigrant youth who are here illegally

Dashboard Confessional Helps Me Be Me

SEX

Virgin Under Pressure
My guy wants to have sex—but I’m not ready

The Draft Trap
I had to sign up for Selective Service, but women don’t

STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT

I Said Goodbye to My Father Forever
Do I want him back?

If Y’all Mess Up, Just Keep On Going

REGENTS: WHY ARE THEY FAILING US?

Why Are the Regents Failing Us?

When Great Isn’t Good Enough
Mom pushes me to get the education she couldn’t have

Our Loss
As I go into my senior year, I’m thinking of my classmates who died

Pierced!
My navel ring—a symbol of my independence

MAKE YOUR MOVE

Singled Out
Muslims live in fear over registration

Sorrows Among the Spirits
I suffered from hallucinations and depression
due to mental illness

Could I Be Gay

Fields of Glass
My team deserves better places to play

WANTED: A HOME

When Homelessness Hits Home
More than 9,000 New York City families use shelter as last resort

A Rough Night
Sleeping at a shelter convinced me to go home.

Fleeing Iraq
After the 1991 Gulf War, my family became refugees.

I’m a Black Girl Who Rocks
So What?

My Magical Connection
Discovering Wicca helped me feel whole

To Whom it May Concern
Letters on the War in Iraq

TEENS TAKE OVER

TORCH—
Teens Teaching Teens About Safer Sex

The Unlikely Candidate
Mr. Not-So-Popular runs for student council

On the Radio

Poetry Slam Central

Minding Their Own Business
These teens make time to work for themselves

THE PRESSURE

House of Stress

When Nappy Didn’t Make Me Happy

If You’re Gonna Play the Game,
You Gotta Be a Leader

GOING OUT—THE INSIDE STORIES

Analyze This—My Torturous First Date

Rush to Love

A Web of Lies

Papa Don't Preach

SUBWAY STORIES
Sexy Show on the

Rowdy Girls, Thieving Boys