Let Me Tell You How The World Got Like This

Design: Loris Lora

In celebration of our 20th Anniversary, 826LA dedicates this publication to all of those who have helped make our community what it is, what it was, and what it will become.

Thank you to the students, volunteers, educators, donors, staff, community partners, and time-travelers who have filled the last 20 years with such creativity, joy, and hope.

We look forward to another 20 years in partnership!

This book was written by the students of 826LA’s Tuesday and Thursday Night tutoring program.

The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of 826LA. We support student publishing and are thrilled you picked up this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Este libro fue escrito por los alumnos del programa

Tuesday and Thursday Night tutoring de 826LA.

Las opiniones expresadas en este libro son las de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente las de 826LA.

Apoyamos la publicación de jóvenes autores y estamos felices que hayan recogido este libro.

Todos los derechos reservados. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de este libro sin autorización escrita del editor.

Editor(s):

Adrianna Diaz

Pedro R. Estrada

Berenice Limeta

Julia Malinow

Lizeth Palacios Sanchez

Kimberly Quezada

Rejoice Umo

Cover Artwork:

Suzanne Yada

Book Design:

Suzanne Yada

Echo Park 1714 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

Mar Vista 12515 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066

Advice and Predictions For The Future

Written by the students of 826LA’s Tuesday and Thursday Night tutoring program, TNT, in Echo Park and Mar Vista

Table ofContents

Introduction

by Pedro R. Estrada & Julia Manilow

In 2025, 826LA celebrates its twentieth anniversary. As 826LA reflects on twenty years of serving and supporting students in Los Angeles, we asked students in our evening tutoring program, TNT, to suggest advice and make predictions about the next twenty years We were inspired by 826LA’s own growth and transformation in the last twenty years. As the organization and the community changed, we thought this year would be the perfect time to think of advice and visions for the following twenty years.

What is advice, but wanting to change? Students came back with stories of the future, advice for others, and even horoscopes. They explored both real and imagined futures in their writing, while others shared advice on something they are passionate about. All these stories share a common theme, the future, either how to use advice to shape it or using their imagination to share a version of the future for you

Our TNT students provide advice on learning how to play a musical instrument, learning a new sport, as well as how to be a leader for your community. They share advice while sharing their struggles and perseverance as they learn something new. In writing these stories they also share their passion for what they love. For example, one student, Meggan, wrote about becoming a student athlete and reminding the reader that when you face challenges to remember why you are doing it and how much you’ve already accomplished. Another student, Jamileth, writes about dancing and how it requires not only physical strength, but a mental one. You can get advice from Edna on how to create chaos or get tips on how to start skateboarding by Damian

Each of these pieces is an opportunity to learn from our students and discover what they see the future holds. You can also finish reading the book by checking your horoscope. Twenty years is a long time to change, learn, and grow. Just like 826LA and our students have grown, we hope that this will inspire you to grow as well.

Twenty Yrs in the Future

Twenty Years In The Future

Rachel M.

What I would like to see in the next 20 years, is a future where equality is no longer just an ideal, but a reality. One of the most important aspects of this future would be true gender equality. This includes equal opportunities for men and women, particularly in the workplace where I envision wages that are fair and equal across the board.

For too long, women have been paid less than their male counterparts for the same work and I believe it’s time to break down these barriers and create an equitable environment for everyone, regardless of gender. Achieving this would not only empower women but also benefit society as a whole, unlocking the full potential of individuals without discrimination.

Equally important is the fight for political equality particularly for people of color. In the past, the struggle for political rights had been long and challenging, and while we have made strides, there is still much work to be done. A striking example of this is the finding from the Century of American progress, which revealed that in 2016, 9.5 million American adults, mostly people of color, were denied full voting rights. This statistic highlights a glaring disparity that still exists with our democracy today. It’s clear that political inequality remains a significant hurdle.

In the future, I hope to see full voting rights restored and protected for all citizens, regardless of their race, ethnicity or background. The ability to participate in the political process is a fundamental right, and everyone deserves an equal voice in decisions that shape their future.

Along with political and gender equality, I also envision a society where access to essential resources like healthcare, housing and education is not determined by one's race, gender or economic status. These resources are vital for people to live healthy, fulfilling lives, yet they have historically been unequal and inaccessible for many communities.

Over the next 20 years, I hope to see a healthcare system that provides quality care to everyone, regardless of their background, a housing market that is inclusive and affordable, and an education system that gives all children, regardless of their zip code, the opportunity to succeed. These are not just basic rights, they are the building blocks of a strong, equitable society. If we can achieve these goals, the next two decades could mark a period of unprecedented progress.

A future where gender equality, political equality, and equal access to resources become the norm would not only be monumental achievements, but would also inspire a sense of pride and hope in people, especially those from marginalized communities. For people of color, the opportunity to have a true voice in governmental decisions would represent a fundamental shift in the way they are represented and treated in society. It would mark the end of systemic barriers that have held back generations and the beginning of a new era, where everyone, no matter their background, has the same opportunities to thrive. As someone who has always believed in fairness, this vision is deeply personal to me. It’s important that we ensure everyone regardless of gender, race, or background has access to the opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to receive.

A future where fairness and justice, and opportunity are not privileges for the few, but rights for all, would be a triumph for society as a whole. It would be a future where fairness, justice, and opportunity are not privileges for the few, but rights for all. And as we look forward to that future, it would fill many of us with a deep sense of enthusiasm and optimism, knowing that progress is being made every day. The work isn’t easy, but the vision of a truly equal society is one with fighting for.

Rachel enjoys drawing and writing. What inspires her is expressing her ideas to others.

The Mind Of A Student Athlete

Meggan M.

My name is Meggan, and I go to Bravo Medical Magnet High School, where I play basketball and softball. Every day in high school is incredibly challenging, requiring a delicate balance between academics, athletics, and personal well-being Lack of sleep becomes a regular struggle, with late-night assignments and early-morning practices leaving little room for rest. Homework and studying can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already exhausted from practice and games. Time management becomes a constant puzzle, juggling tight schedules and feeling stretched thin. There can be moments of self-doubt, frustration, and uncertainty about whether to keep playing the sport you love. You may be asking, is this all worth it? The reason I do it is because every game, every practice, and every challenge I face pushes me to grow not just as an athlete, but as a person.

Many athletes face the temptation of quitting, known as a “sports burnout,” but the pressure to stay committed can be emotionally challenging. One experience I have is being a freshman on varsity, which is the best team you can get on in high school. The competition is way harder than junior varsity, because you compete against older, more experienced athletes who have already played with the team and developed their skills and understanding of the game. You're expected to keep up with players who have been at it for years, and it can be tough to stand out. There's the pressure of proving yourself not only to your coaches, but also to your teammates, and even your parents It’s a journey of constant self-doubt, yet it’s also one of growth and resilience as you push through and adapt to a higher level of competition. But there are going to be times you cry, or even feel like quitting a sport you really love. My advice would be to take a step back and remember why you started in the first place. Think about where you started and see how much you’ve improved.

The constant push to perform well, day in and day out, begins to take over both your body and mind. The love for the game might still be there, but the schedules, the physical strain, and the emotions leave little room for recovery. Burnout doesn’t make you not love the sport anymore—it only reveals your commitment. Still, coaches may push you to your limits or make you feel like you shouldn’t even be playing the sport, and the expectation to perform well in both sports and school can sometimes feel like too much. My second piece of advice would be to take advantage of whatever time you get to yourself, even if it’s on the road between games. Feeling well-rested can help you perform your best and relieve stress.

While you’re managing the stress of practice and competition, you might be wondering, what about school? Practices often go until 8 or 9 p.m. It can be difficult to balance English, math assignments, and biology reports to keep your grades up My final piece of advice would be to keep track of your homework due dates on your phone. That way, you don’t miss many assignments. If you do miss an assignment, I’d suggest talking to your teacher about getting a few credit marks. They’re often more understanding than you might think.

Being a student-athlete isn’t for everyone, but in my opinion, it’s worth it. You get to bond with a team, play a sport that you love, and it looks good on a college resume. Prioritizing school and sports now will help you stay grounded and set yourself up for success both academically and in any future career you choose to pursue.

Meggan is a freshman at Bravo Medical Magnet High School. She plays basketball, softball, and volleyball. She is a hard worker and a very competitive person.

Save Earth

Jackelyn A.

A giant spaceship landed on a grassy field. A group of aliens called Gloopas had been invited to Earth.

“Gloop Gloop” said one of the Gloopas The flying machine landed in front of the Gloopas. It was the humans from Earth.

“Welcome to Earth!” said Yucare, the leader.

“Gloopa Gloop” A Gloopa responded.

Yucare then brought the Gloopas to the capital of Earth, showing off their perfect planet. As the Gloopas explored the Earth on their own, they discovered that half the planet was destroyed. Before, humans didn't do anything about the health of the Earth. They carelessly threw their trash everywhere, destroyed millions of forests, and polluted the ocean When scientists found out, they tried forming a group to clean the Earth. Unfortunately, it was too late and Yucare came into power.

Yucare banished anyone who tried to save the Earth and instead he hid the ugliness from visitors.

“Gloopa Gloop Gloop!?” One of the Gloopa members said. The Gloopas then confronted the leader, Yucare. Yucare was upset when they discovered this secret. “Gloop Gloopa?”

“You want to know how this happened?” The leader Yucare asked. “It’s none of your business!”

The Gloopas decided they’ll go to war, if Earthlings don’t change their ways. Yucare turned redder than a tomato. The ground started to shake as Yucare turned into a giant monster.

“Gloop Gloop!?” The Gloopas formed an army to fight back.

Meanwhile, the citizens of Earth tried to escape. Yucare was quick to notice this and used his large hands to capture them, locking them away in his castle. The Gloopas tried to form a plan to save the human race.

“Gloopa Gloop Gloop!” The Gloopas leader cried out.

A group of Gloopas then drove Yucare’s spaceship into his mouth. This allowed one of the Gloopas to head where the humans were trapped. When the captured Earthlings were released, they all cheered.

“We're all so sorry!” They apologized to the Gloopas. The humans of Earth promised to respect Earth and fix their mistakes.

After the Gloopas left, the people on Earth quickly got to work and split up the tasks to bring their planet back to its former glory. Some used the leftover fragments of buildings to restore them, and others cleaned up the trash before sending it all to the sun. This didn’t end until Earth looked brand new. Some hundreds of years later, the Gloopas revisited the Earth. As the Gloopas entered Earth’s atmosphere, one of the Gloopas looked out the window. They admired how green and colorful everything looked now.

A fun fact about Jackie is that they can play the piano! She loves listening to music and she'd describe herself as kind and interesting. She hopes you like her story!

Twenty Years Later…

Bryan H.

What I would see the world in twenty years is that all homeless people have a house to live in. There will also be flying cars. The city will also be filled with water which means we are going to live underwater There will be no phones in twenty years There will also be no markets and schools, which means that robots will have everything for you.

Everything will change in the future with computers and technology and social media. People won't use social media meaning people and kids won't be on social media anymore. People and pets that have died will come back from the dead. Movie theaters and shopping malls will be gone. Robots the whole day and what you do for the whole day and what you eat and what your desert is going to be. They can also choose how you're going to dress up. I also see the world in twenty years that police officers don’t have to stop you when you run a red light because people don't like it and people from behind get mad Also that cars drive you wherever you want to go and that you don't have to drive anymore.

Also instead of you paying for your food and market stuff the robots will pay for it. The robots will also run the government. They can also help people who are sick. The robots live in a robot mansion where only they can live. In this mansion there are three robot friends who came from Nowhere Star. Their names are Mike, Cheetos, and Rico.

Bryan’s favorite thing to do is read books and spend time with family. A fun fact about him is that he likes to read anime and loves to take care of dogs. What inspired him to write is when he joined 826 and in school, and his family inspired him to write. He would describe himself as a nice person and a loving person.

Leading with Grace: Redefining The Meaning of a Leader

Jimena M.

Have you ever wondered how do I become a leader?

It’s a hard question because there is no straightforward answer; but I can tell you something I am sure of– you don’t need fame or popularity to do so.

In fact, I think it’s better that you start with no fame, no popularity, no social circle because it allows you to grow and discover who you are as a person and what type of leader you can be without the influence of those around you.

People become leaders because they are compelled to lead or change something that needs to be fixed. Whether that be a political issue, leading a group project to get a good grade, being the team lead in Capture the Flag to win, or simply speaking up for what you see wrong.

That is the key to a successful leader: the objective. Like I said, leading a group project to get a good grade, or being the team lead in Capture the Flag to win, if you stick to your goal, to your focus, to what you want to change, people will see your dedication to your objective and will even be compelled to support you.

That is why you don’t need to be popular or be famous to become a leader.

As a freshman in high school, I was a shy person. I never talked in class, and I often walked around the hallways pretending that I had somewhere to go when in reality, I didn’t

have anyone to talk to. I felt this way due to culture shock. In my film class, I was the only hispanic student which made me feel excluded from the artistic experience. My classmates talked about their parents' professions and artistic career paths, meanwhile, my family doesn’t yet grasp the idea of a filmmaking career. Experiencing such a different environment made me lose touch with myself. I tried fitting in and tried relating to the environment around me, but I simply couldn’t, because I wasn’t like them at all.

I slowly realized that this wasn’t right. I wasn’t supposed to change, the environment around me was. I then craved a change within the environment I showed up to everyday, or at least to create an outlet to speak about what I was seeing, because I was 100 percent sure I was not the only one feeling excluded due to ethnicity and race.

When the position of becoming the first Student Board Member on the Los Angeles County Board of Education opened, I decided to apply with this objective in mind. I wanted to speak on this issue to adults who had the power to change it.

I was chosen thankfully by my peers to take on such a position. As I do so, I realized I had to get out of this “shy” bubble I had been living in all my life in order to accurately represent the voices of students from all over Los Angeles County. The more I went to these meetings, I practiced my commentary and expressed my opinion (that I voiced to a room full of adults) on a variety of items: the Local Control Accountability Plan, budgeting for each school year, approval of charter schools, and so much more.

Doing this for three years straight made me realize that you do not need to be a “loud” person to become a leader, it is the drive that you have to see change around you is what matters because people will see that and decide to uplift you.

This mindset has gotten me far and given me opportunities that I would have never imagined I would have gotten. I took on

roles that I felt empowered to do like run for Student Body President at my own school or, for example, even speak at the National Urban League about the importance of student voice in adult-dominated spaces that deal with education and politics.

As you read this, I hope you understand that becoming a leader is the act of changing the environment around you, for the better. It’s about wanting to see change, about trying to become a better person for your community. So, if you currently feel voiceless, take this into account, go out there, question what is wrong and speak out on what you believe needs to be made right, doesn’t matter if you have a group of support or not, because your passion will help the rest to fall into place.

Jimena is a high school senior attending L.A. County High School for the Arts and 826LA’s Teen Tutoring Nights. She enjoys writing, particularly screenwriting; her goal being to inspire others with her words.

The Future Kid

Miles G.

Joney wakes up in his bed with his headset still on.

“Where am I?” he thinks

“Take that headset off and eat your breakfast,” his mom says.

Joney devours his vegan breakfast. As soon as he’s finisheds, he goes to school in his mom’s self-driving car. When he arrives at school, he sits down at his desk; which happens to be a large iPad. This isn’t like normal school, he thought. And why is everything vegan? He turns to a classmate and asks.

“What year is this and why is everything vegan?”

“It’s the year 2090, duh,” his classmate says. “And you should know why It was the great beef crisis of 2050 The beef became contaminated and killed a lot of people, so they switched to vegan from then on.” Joney groans.

“Oh, man. You can’t get a hamburger.”

“Well you can, but instead of meat, it’s a meat simulation. It’ll look and taste like a juicy patty, but instead, it’s just juicy vegetables.”

“Students, please turn to page nine on your iPad desk,” the teacher says.

Joney listens and turns to page nine on his iPad desk He reads the instructions before completing the assignment. He raises his hand.

“You should have raised your hand with the emoji”, the teacher says.

Joney sighs and goes back to his work. He uses the hand emoji to say that he is finished.

When class finishes and the students go to the cafeteria for lunch, they are served a vegan meal with asparagus – of course – instead of the usual “mystery meat ” Joney is happy to eat a vegan meal instead of the mystery meat.

Then Arnold the cafeteria robot comes and scans under the tables for gum.

“Table 5 pick up all that gum now,” it intones. “If you don’t, you will get detention.”

The kids groan and pick up the gum off the table.

“Who programmed this robot?,” Joney asks. “Why is he obsessed with cleanliness?”

“It was probably Mr Knowles He was born in a time when schools weren’t very clean, so now he’s obsessed with cleanliness. He’s especially obsessed with gum under chairs. Although, the bathrooms still smell like old Taco Bell.”

While the students are picking at the gum, an announcement comes over the PA speaker, “Fire”! The alarm goes off. Joney immediately realizes it’s a fire drill.

“This is bogus because there is no fire and this is pointless” says Joney. “The fire isn’t going to wait for you to walk in a straight line. You’ll just get burned up.”

Joney walks to the intercom and imitates the principal, putting on a deep voice.

“This is the principal speaking, just run out of the building like a normal person.”

The class bursts into laughter as the principal storms into the lunch room.

“You sir, are going to detention,” he says to Joney.

Totally worth it, Joney thinks.A few hours later, Joney is sitting in detention and complains to the detention robot.

“This is so boring. This is the future, isn’t there anything better to do than put us in detention? This is so old school. It’s torture.”

The detention robot picks up the phone and calls his mom.

“Joney, how dare you say that to the principal,” she yelled at Joney.

“Oh, god. In the future, I guess there are still angry moms,” Joney says to himself.

After school, Joney writes in his notebook “The lessons I’ve learned today is that there’s still detention in the future and there always will be. More importantly, don’t get your mom angry.

The thing that inspired me to write this story was that this was my vision of the future that I am very excited to see. I am a very creative person and I have things in my head but I need inspiration to go for it.

My World In Twenty Years

Sophia M.

My world in twenty years is pretty hard to imagine because it's almost impossible to predict the future. What you can do is hope. In twenty years, I hope that I’m still healthy. That I will be successful enough to make my mom proud I hope that I've completed my big goals like getting into a good college, getting my dream job, and my small ones too like continuing learning to play an instrument. I have been learning to play since I was six years old and have always promised to myself that I would keep going no matter how much more difficult it got. Maybe I could even learn another instrument.

My dream job, a doctor, is one of my goals because to me they are superheroes without capes. As a doctor you get to take care of others just like how my family always has and they inspire me to be just as caring and loving toward others, what a doctor does. Speaking of family in twenty years, I hope that I still talk to my family everyday and tell them how grateful and thankful I am and have always been. I would like to show and prove to my mom how everything she did and has sacrificed for me all paid off in the end.

Not only can I vision myself in twenty years, I can also vision the rest of the world. In twenty years, I hope the world looks cleaner, has nicer people, and feels more safe. In my mind, I hope that the world in twenty years will be much better than it is now. In twenty years, I hope that I’m the person that I will work hard to become.

Something that inspires me to write is other people. When I read books the words help me write. And when I listen to other’s' thoughts they give me ideas.

Twenty Years in the Future

Daniela A.

One afternoon, I was in my bedroom reading my book. The book was getting to a really good part till my Dad called me. I went to the backyard where he was and told me to go to the garage only to find a big machine with a red button. When I had the audacity to be curious and pressed the button. The machine scanned me and I went to a city place with so many electronics and robots I realized that I had my phone and it was 2044! I was like “WOAH” I began exploring shops and buildings The building looks like metalish walls on the outside There were so many robots, flying cars, and flying motorcycles. But all of a sudden a person in a projector said” Oh, Hello! My name is Robo's rob. There is a person that came 20 years ago, so destroy her! Muahahaha…” The robots turned to me and started chasing me.

I had an idea, I needed to find my house to go back to my garage to go back home. The robots kept chasing me till I was cornered. The robots were chanting “Must destroy her”. I had an Idea! There was water near me, so I spilled water on the robots and they started to malfunction. The robots don’t didn’t function anymore now how do I get out. THE LADDER! There was a ladder near me, so I climbed it. I was jumping on some roofs till I got hungry, but I saw a 7/11 near me. There was a problem and the problem was that there were robots surrounding the 7/11. I jumped off the roof and sneakily got to 7/11. As I was getting my food and was going to the cashier I saw that the cashier was a ROBOT! The robot didn’t seem to recognize me, so I was going along with it. As I was going along I forgot that I didn't have any money, so I did the unthinkable. I stole the food. I was running away because the robots were chasing me and I found an abandoned place that was getting constructed and went there.

I went inside and I saw a blanket and pillows, it looked like someone was in here I used the blanket and pillows as shelter and went to sleep The next morning I got out of the building and

sneakily went to find my house. I finally saw my house, went to the garage to press the red button, and spawned in my bedroom. I felt so relieved that I was home that I took a nap.

Daniela’s favorite thing to do is to play volleyball and go out with her sisters and cousins. A fun fact about her is that she eats sushi.

Apathetic

Emily R.

“You care too much.” Why do you continue to categorize another person's issues above your own? It's a simple fix, stop caring. Stop caring for the well-being of others that never pay attention to your endeavors. Why are you so afraid to be mislabeled as a “bad guy” for having prominent boundaries? You’re really allowing people to cross the line you should’ve instilled using permanent marker?

Oh my you still “ care too much”, about those whose morals are so unleveled in comparison to yours, it makes you physically ill to allow them to take part in any action that you can execute. Why? For the sake of maintaining the peace?? The peace of mind they maintain while you endure the headaches caused by their incompetence.

She never understood that did she? Or perhaps she does? Oh how I’ve wished for my sentiments to be shared and validated by her. To be able to express my own heartbreak in the climax of our seeming perpendicular lines.

As she covers her teardrop face, I exempt myself from being a source of comfort Standing across the room my eyes gravitate towards the emotional force that waives over me My contradicting thoughts obstruct me from locking arms, as if we were once again walking on linoleum tiles.

Yet there she is, going off about problems curated to gain sympathy. I’m done caring for preposterous narratives, though I seem obsessive; it is my name they whispered.

So here I say, put yourself first, let bridges burn. Their annoyance simmers down until a new contingency of

hypocrisy has emerged. Hence, stop caring so much. Let the noises fade with their presence.

Emily is a senior in high school, interested in pursuing a career in filmmaking. She is inspired by coming of age films like 10 Things I Hate About You and The Year My Voice Broke. When she is not writing, she is either working on collages or exploring places around Los Angeles.

From Sixteen to Thirty-Six

Samantha B.

Dear people of 2045,

I know whoever is reading this is enjoying a story. I hope whoever got the time capsule is also enjoying it. Knowing me I probably forgot it existed (horrible memory). But if I randomly remember, I hope I tell the future gen.

I am sixteen years old right now, in 2045 I will be thirty-six which is wow. I’m writing this to see how my thinking changes after my frontal lobe is all grown (that’s a joke). I’m really writing this because I want future gens to see how the thinking was in 2025. I by no means think people should take my words with great value after all I’m only 16 and have so much to learn. Plus my way of thinking isn’t speaking for everyone.

If you’re reading this though I would also like to know what you think of me so far. This time capsule was made by me and a group of my closest friends. We hoped to dig it up in the future to giggle at how silly we once were. But a piece of advice I have for you that might sound like a lecture is always study, please. School matters and your future matters. I’ve heard that saying many times but never took it into great account until now. I started to realize that grades do reflect the kind of hard working and dedicated person you can be. My friends and I have put things into the capsule and wrote personal letters to ourselves we think we would like or enjoy. We put these items in secret so no one could guess what the other was putting in. And as you can tell this is the letter I put in the capsule. I'm trying to be meaningful and sensitive. Something to show my English teacher I learned something in her boring class.

Anyways, focus on school. I swear it might suck but you need those years No matter how much I diss it, I realize I need these years.

Samantha writes about a young girl and her personal opinions through a letter for the future maybe to herself and others She herself writes the story in the mind of a teenage girl who faced many ups and downs in school and in life.

A Future Nightmare

Roxana G.C.

Dear world,

I write from 2045 to those living in 2025 The future is ruined, and we are all involved in its collapse The worst part is we tried really hard. We were unaware until it was too late. In twenty years, the world will become dystopian. Slowly, very slowly… but then all too fast.

I remember the fires. They were enormous and after that prices skyrocketed, then inflation. It was horrible. I was afraid of the fires but now I realize they were nothing compared to what happened in the future. The sadness, the lost hope, and the desperation is all there is left. But there are few who actually want to survive.

Before this global pandemic, global warming was a big deal Every year it got worse until it became normal. It went from being winter, spring, summer, and fall, but they eventually all blurred together. It was nothing big until one day everyone woke up too cold. It snowed in LA. I remember it, the soft, heavy snow flakes falling over the city. I remember the quiet that followed, the stillness that settled over everyone. We had no idea what it meant, but I did. It was a sign of a world on the verge of collapse. It was like a dream, but a dream can also be a nightmare.

Now in 2045 food is scarce and costs over $5,000 just for one fruit. People don’t have enough money, so now they sell these pills instead of food They provide most of the nutrients food provides combined together, and you eat one a day Although it doesn’t give you enough energy, it's the best you're gonna get unless you know how to cook or you're rich. Now nobody knows how to cook, everything got lost in the storm. And everyone who knew how to cook died. Now they are rebuilding the cities. Few still have hope they might survive this.

The natural resources were running out so people went to collect them outside of earth, but they kept using them without realising the detrimental effects it could have on the environment. I had hope but now the weight of survival is too much I'm too tired I write to you not out of anger but with deep regret.

People have told you to act, to care, to help the world. But what difference does it make now? If you wanna help… don't. It's already too late even twenty years back the damage is already done. Even after everything, the world is doomed. So, I want to tell you to just live genuinely, but with awareness. The world you know will change around you and by the time it becomes clear it might already be too late.

In 2045 we are in what remains of the world. We are in the repetitive cycle of people doing something about it when it gets really bad What we haven’t done has left our lives nothing but a shadow of what they once were. But, as I am writing this I realize that hope exists only in those who dream even when the world seems lost. I hope you hold onto your dreams so they can become a reality because they may be the last chance for a future worth fighting for.

Hopefully, against everything, you can create a path towards the future we could not save. It will be only a matter of days until your life just flashes before your eyes.

From a survivor of 2045.

Roxana is an amazing person. She likes to rest, loves to read and is very smart and creative. Roxana has big dreams. She hopes to excel in life and she dreams of being the richest person to have ever lived.

Left Alone with Our Sunflowers

Guadalupe V.

Dear whomever finds this letter,

My name is Katie I once lived with my mom and younger sister, Lilly at an apartment complex where my mom was never around. She’d be out living her life, leaving us in the dust with no parent figure. I quickly learned how to be on my own and how to care for Lilly because at the end of the day, I would be the one she’d look up to while growing up. Me and her were six years apart. I always tried my best to take advantage of any opportunities that I could in school for money or to just learn new things that could help me finish school early and get a degree in law so I could fight for the rights of children with parents like mine. I never hated my parents for treating us badly, nor do I hold any resentment towards them. I miss them dearly and wish that they could have been here for me when I needed them the most, to save me and my little sister from all of this disaster and danger. Lilly and I loved to care for plants, especially flowers like sunflowers which were our favorite flower to exist.

I'm currently writing this sitting far away, hidden. I'm in my biodome, under a hill that was once an apartment, the apartment that I once lived in with my family that was demolished. No workers built it up again so I snuck in and made myself a hideout, knowing that one day the world would end and I would have to save myself from disaster. The biodome was built off of pieces of bricks and wood that were left behind. I made sure to bring in some plants, and sunflowers so that I could grow more. Now I live among all my sunflowers It's not that big considering that it's just me There is just one small window that lets me see if someone is coming. It is located near the door that was just built off one piece of wood. You have to push the piece of wood to the side to enter. From the outside it looks like a big pie of leftover material that was left when the building was demolished. I had to make sure it would blend in because the

government wanted everything to be gone. No hideouts, no anything left behind.

In the years following 2024, the economy collapsed in a terrible way Homelessness rose drastically from starvation and executions. My dad, although he was with us at the start, dove into a deep gambling addiction and lost all of the savings we had. My mom took action at the start until she gave up and left it all up to me. I worked the jobs I would get at school, which would be picking up cans, cleaning the school sites, helping out children get from school to home. The costs of our daily needs kept rising by the minute. I worked overtime to keep my sister fed and alive with a roof over our head.

In 2025, when the new president came into office, all of the hope there was to save our economy was taken away. Climate change messed us up All the ignorant people led us to live our lives this way Every piece of land near the ocean started going underwater and the wars against other countries deprived us of peace. The population drastically declined. Now I'm left as the last human on Earth. When the president came into office everyone had their natural born rights but then in a couple weeks rights were being ripped from people left and right, no matter how bad things got.

Keeping to yourself was the best option. You'd survive that way because you wouldn't be on the government's radar and getting into trouble was not the best idea because you would be punished harshly for the smallest thing you could have done, even if you didn't think it was bad One day Lilly threw a piece of trash at a bin but missed and left it on the ground. Even though before then everyone did it, the police showed up putting her roughly in handcuffs, throwing her into the back of a cop car, and zooming off. I never got to say goodbye to her.

All throughout the world the economic system got worse and worse. People lost their jobs, homes, education, and money. Everything we once knew was disappearing, including how there weren't any vehicles available. The earth got overpopulated,

which was another main reason for increased deaths. There wasn't a return or reset button to change the way we did things on Earth. Everyone thought every time we messed up that it wouldn't affect us as much as it truly did now.

Whoever finds this letter, please remember to water our sunflowers and care for them.

Gudalupe is a fifteen-year-old girl who attends Animo Venice as a 10th grader. She is from Mar Vista and has her own business selling eternal roses. During her free time she loves to draw or paint, also making her roses for fun or for orders she has.

Technology of the Future

Camilo G.

“Hello, everybody. As the year 2085 approaches us, you are in need of a new companion! For just one hundred thousand dollars, you can get yourself a new robot! This robot can do everything for you, such as driving you places, cleaning your whole house, and just anything you tell it. It listens!”

I stood there watching my TV in disbelief I didn't think that my old ten-year-old self would be seeing what I am seeing today This commercial made me remember the first time society got flying cars just ten years ago when I had turned fifty-five. However, this new technological lifestyle was not attainable for all. I was making only fifty dollars an hour at the time. Sixty years ago, fifty dollars an hour would have put you in the top five percent of earners. However, in this society, it'll make you in the bottom five percent of earners. Everyone was rich, except for the working class, including me.

The middle through top gainers today are making somewhere between five thousand to ten thousand dollars an hour. Today, I am sixty-five years old and currently working as a janitor at my local high school. It was one of the few jobs available in the whole town. The unemployment crisis in the nation is at an all-time high. Around twenty-five percent of the entire U.S. population is unemployed. It took me six months to find a new job after getting fired from my previous one. Because of the new technological advancements in the world, specifically in robots, jobs have been scarce. Robots have taken over all the available jobs in the nation. Why pay someone to do a job when you could have a robot do everything for free without taking any breaks or needing time off?

After watching the infomercial, I thought to myself, how has the world come to be like this? Who knows what the future will hold for this nation?

Even though these new technological advancements have their advantages, they have ultimately shattered the lives and hopes of many hard-working Americans seeing a prosperous life.

Camilo Garcia is a junior at New West Charter High School. He has a passion for sports, as seen in his involvement in basketball, cross country, and track and field. In the future, he hopes to attend either UCLA or UC Santa Barbara.

Xoxo Gossip Robots

Brianna B.

Hello leftover humans,

What has our world gotten to, from humans walking the streets of New York to robots now ruling the streets of the Upper East Side? Emma Dior was spotted leaving her penthouse alongside her robot dog named Channel. Miss Emma is the first robot to become CEO of (name of a brand). Although she is the most popular robot ruling the streets of the Upper East Side, she has been struggling lately with humans trying to take over again. On the north side of town, you can see piles of trash all over the place and it seems that all the damage that humans have done in the last twenty years are still affecting us no matter all the new technology.

We, as robots, were built together with no help from humans. We have built flying cars, underwater trains, and overall have just modernized our world. Good thing now our president is a robot and thinks the same way as us! Mr. President Musk actually took over for his owner, Elon Musk, since we robots got tired of all the bullshit that humans were doing to us! They were using us to help them through struggles without us getting paid. Like forty years ago, Zach and Brad came up with this idea to make a robot car called Coco and use it to deliver humans food across the street of LA without paying it! Ever since Mr. President Musk became president, life has just been ten times better for us robots. We have been treated with more respect and now we are the rich ones. Now humans need to listen to us as their boss. Humans would have never expected this to happen, nor did us robots

Looking back to twenty years ago, letters written by human truly show they really did not believe we would take over:

July 15th, 2024

This was the best summer ever! Singing and dancing ‘till the sun comes up, the birds singing every morning.

Well, I guess our world has not been the best to everyone this year due to the increase of wars and the increase of everything. You got to be kidding, right? Why is a smoothie like thirty dollars? It’s common in this world… Anyway, this year we have the election, and people seem to be very scared of who is going to win. Some people who are going to vote for the first time said they are not going to vote due to not liking the candidates this year. I still think it is very important to vote. I mean in my opinion, one is better than the other. Our world is working on adding new technology, like they have added Teslas, which are electric cars, and self-driving cars A lot of people are worried about what our future could look like, but why be worried? We humans made this world a better place with no need for robots.

Well, looking back at the humans' letters now in 4024, all they really cared about were material things. They never cared about the future or never imagined we would have taken over them. Which just shows some humans were not it… For right now, that’s all I have to say about them. Maybe in the future they will come back…or maybe not

Xoxo, Gossip Robots.

Brianna Valderrama is a junior in high school. Her sport is waterpolo, she loves her team and puts in the effort to get better everyday. Brianna also loves to watch true crime, romance movies, and loves traveling. Brianna hopes to go out of state for university and become more independent, getting to meet new people. Brianna loves to join new clubs from school and is also in a waterpolo club, she is very quiet with people she doesn’t know but she is very kind.

Advice f Beginrs

Confrontation

Santiago O.

Asker :

Hello Lucinda, I’m in this weird place right now, where a really close friend of mine did something to hurt me. I don't think they meant to, but it did. I don't know how to confront them about it, I still really care about them, and I want to still be their friend, but it's hard because they really hurt me I hope you know what to do, because I’m not sure, and I really need outside help

Lucinda Amato :

Hey Asker! I’m really sorry to hear about you and your friend. I can tell they mean a lot to you since their actions are affecting you so much. Every time someone close to us does anything, it influences our emotions heavily, both in positive and negative ways, —that's why they're close to us!

The way I respond to friends who hurt me, is by being honest to them, and telling them what they did harmed me. Like this one time, one of my friends in middle school, Jeremy, told our whole class about my obsession with anime. Back then, it was seen as weird to watch anime, or really any cartoons. Jeremy didn't mean to tell them to put me down, but I still felt really sad and hurt nonetheless. For a few days after, I didn't talk with him and tried to avoid him. One day he came up to me and asked me what was the matter. I told him about what he did and how it made me upset. He apologized and told me what happened through his prospective. He told me that he didn't mean for it to be spread around, and actually said it in passing to someone else. Someone overheard him and started to spread it. Even though I still felt embarrassed about everything, I felt better knowing the full story, and it felt good hearing Jeremy apologize to me. We became friends again and were able to rebuild our relationship because of it..

So my biggest advice is to talk to them. If they are a good friend, they will apologize and try to get things to go back to how they were. It feels awkward to approach them at first, but I promise you, it’ll be the best thing you can do!

Tito O. is a Junior in high school. He studies film/television wanting to pursue it in the future. He likes spending his time writing, video editing, and photography.

Fortnite

Jacob D.S.

To begin, start by going into a map, where you can practice how to aim, edit, build, and how to get better. Next, mostly practice on your aims, and your belts, and once you start getting better you can start playing better Once you start getting good on your edits, you should start getting your friends to play with you. With your aiming, there are different weapons with different ways on how to aim and hit the shots you’re shooting. Shooting with a sniper is not the same as most guns because you have to angle the scope to get an accurate shot on the other person you’re shooting at most of the time you will never know if the mark is in the middle of the person you’re shooting, but it's a little more complicated than that because with the lines in the scope if there top of you would have do line them up with the line to try and hit your shot.

Hide the same as most guns you have to angle the scope to get an accurate Fire on the person you’re shooting, because most of the time you will never know if it will hit or not just based on how the scope looks. Most people will think of the mark in the middle on the person you’re shooting, but it’s a little more complicated than that because with the lines in the scope if they’re on top of you would have to line them up with the line to try and hit your shot.

Some of Jacob’s favorite things to do are biking and gaming. He enjoys biking because it's fun to go with his family, and he loves going fast downhill and pushing himself uphill. Regarding his gaming experience, he finds it's always fun to play alone or with friends or even random people online. He usually finds the games he plays make the experience fun, whether he's with friends, randoms, or by himself.

Cooking With Anayze

Anayze M.

I have advice for beginners that are into cooking, first I would like to say it's super fun and a really interesting way to express myself Cooking is the best form of creativity because you can make anything and everything that comes to mind For example, I was eleven when I cooked with my grandma, my favorite Nicaraguan dish fritanga. Cana Bravu is one of my favorites. Like people don't like to cook because they overthink it and are intimidated, but I think your mind is a cookbook and in control of the steps.

For me, when I'm hungry and don’t have a lot of ingredients, for example, I didn't have any sour dough so I used bagel bread and that's how I make a peanut butter jelly sandwich. I didn’t have a lot, but I still manage to please my stomach with what I have. There is not just one solution and you shouldn’t be so quick to give up One time me and my grandma made this Nicaraguan dessert called bunuelos and they are basically fried cheese that is fried and dipped in a honey/agave sauce. But one memory I have with my grandma is her letting me try her favorite childhood dessert which is rosquillas and they were amazing and delicious.

Anayze likes to go to the gym. She enjoys listening to music and loves photography A fun fact about her is that she hates mayonnaise. She gets inspired to write because of the silly things that happen in her life. She would describe herself as a funny and energetic person.

The Art Of Dancing

Jamileth M.

Being a dancer is more than just an art form; it's a way of life that influences both the body and the mind. Dance encourages physical discipline, helps build strength, flexibility, and endurance Through consistent practice everyday, I learned the importance of perseverance and dedication, as perfecting techniques takes time and effort. The art of dance transforms those of commitment into an instrument of expression, allowing dancers to communicate their emotions and life in a unique and powerful way.

I’ve been dancing since I was four, attending classes every week for the past eleven years. Each day was filled with sweat and soreness, but every moment was worth it. Dance requires both strength and bravery. Strength is needed when pushing through the complex steps, even when they don’t come easily. It’s important to not give up even when progress feels slow Like many dancers, I’ve felt the urge to quit when I can't master a movement, especially when my teammates pick it up right away. But true strength in dance is continuing to try until you get it right and trusting yourself in a hobby you love. Bravery is needed when you’re about to step onto the stage and in order to turn your nerves into energy. Whether it’s an audition or a performance, judges are looking for technique, coordination, and confidence. When you’re nervous, it’s easy to freeze, but showing bravery is crucial to standing out and leaving a lasting impression on the judges and the audience.

Beyond physicality, dance has the ability to positively impact mental well-being For me, it provides an outlet for creativity and self-expression, helping me process my emotions and experiences. Engaging in dance acts as a form of therapy, releasing stress and boosting my self-esteem. Through choreography and performance, I gain confidence in the ability to express myself. This emotional outlet fosters a sense of

freedom and joy, helping dancers navigate through life with a more positive outlook of life.

Without dance, my life would feel incomplete. It’s the one thing that gives me purpose and makes me feel connected to the world. The moment I touch the ballet barre, prepare for a show, or hear my teacher tell me, “You’re an incredible dancer,” I feel like I’m truly alive. Dance is the reason I keep going. Every day in the studio, I strive to push myself and improve, always aiming to be better than I was the day before. My teachers and friends make this possible, offering their support and trust. They help me grow by providing valuable corrections that challenge me to become a better dancer.

The dance community fosters a sense of belonging and support, as I work with my friends together in groups or performances We create lasting bonds and friendships, while also teaching valuable lessons in teamwork and communication The shared experience of being a dancer opens doors to new opportunities, cultures, and experiences. Through dance, we gain perspectives on life, becoming more empathetic, adaptable, and connected to the world around us.

How To Play The Piano And Believe In Yourself

Alexander D.S.

I believe that anyone who wants to play the piano can learn how. They can even learn it and play hard songs if they practice. I first became curious about the piano as a six year old, but I didn’t start playing until I was nine years old. I enjoy playing piano because it’s fun to learn new songs, and it feels great to impress people by playing those songs It can be difficult to learn at first, but it’s worth it to hear yourself improve

If you want to start to play piano, you need to learn how to play the keys. Then, how to play the Scales. First start with your left hand over the keys C, D and E. Play each key, then put your thumb over the F key, and move your hand over to play the G, A and B keys. Next, practice the scales with your right hand. Keep practicing until you can play them fast with both hands.

Once you learn how to play with your right and left hands, Then learn to play with both hands at the same time. While you learn to play with both hands, It could be easy to mess up. If you make a lot of mistakes then you should practice more with your right and left hand separately. Once you are able to play with both hands at the same time, then you can start to play songs. When you start to play songs, it’s important to learn simple songs that are easy to play. You should also look for a song that you want to play. The first song I learned was “Happy Birthday,” so I could play it for my Tia’s birthday, She was very impressed, which was great to feel.

Some songs can be difficult to learn especially when they get faster each time. The black notes are the same as the white keys, but don’t have all the letters. You could get mad because you can’t play a song or you don't know the keys. Even when it’s hard, you just have to keep practicing

Now, I’m trying to learn the song Rush E. It’s really complicated to learn because it’s fast and has a lot of notes. It’s a famous song because you spell out rush E in the song while playing.

When a song is difficult to play, you may want to give up after trying to play it. But you should always keep playing, so don't give up. There are lots of reasons to play the piano. You can play old, hard songs to impress people you play around You can play in a band or in public You can also play to impress your friends and family In my opinion, the best reason to keep playing piano isn’t to play in a band or for other people. It’s so you can impress yourself with how much you’ve learned.

I think everyone should believe in themselves and never give up on playing their own instruments. So, if you really love playing instruments, don't give up.

Alex's favorite things to do are play games, play his piano, and drums. A fun fact about him is that he plays a lot of games. He doesn’t get inspired to write, he just has to. Alex would say that he is fun He likes music and cats

Music To My Ears

Emma D.

I would tell myself to learn to read music notes! (as a Jr. In Marshall)

When I first transferred to a new school I was automatically assigned to a Jazz band Jazz was not my first choice of music nor was I interested in it until this class I’ve always loved music and the idea of learning an instrument but never fell through with it. I always thought it was too time consuming and it's not something you learn overnight. Although I fell in love with the saxophone. I did not put my all into it. I struggled and this heavily affected my new found skill. My teacher briefly explained to the class how to read notes, but never completely understood.

After a few months of learning the saxophone I still couldn’t read notes and when I was asked about the instrument I couldn’t confidently say I knew how to play. Yes I knew the music notes, but they don't have letters, they have “symbols” that define. It’s been a year since I picked up the saxophone and I still can’t sight read. So advice I’d give to my 2023 self is PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!

The Adventures of Football

Aaron M.

After the day had passed, we got some food and went home. I told my mom and she was proud of me. I kept on going to play soccer and got better and better.

I feel good because I am having fun with my family and having a good time I was ten when my sister, dad, and I were on the soccer field It was my turn to shoot the ball and when I kicked the ball, it curved and made a goal. I was happy that I made it. It was the best day of my life, and I was proud that I did a corner kick.

Also a memory I had from the park was when I took my dog there for the first time to play soccer. My dog's name is Simba. We got him as a puppy. He is light brown mixed with white and he has blue eyes. I think he is a mix of a husky and a golden retriever. He likes to greet people when they come to the door with his wagging tail and his smiling face. He sticks his paw out. He is a beautiful dog. That day after soccer, I went to go get my dog and I found a 100 dollars on the ground. I showed my dad and he said “spend it wisely”.

The perfect age to play soccer in my opinion is five years old because they will stay fit and well trained when they grow up. My reasoning to play soccer at a young age is because they will learn and learn the more they grow up. Always teach your kids to be athletic and flexible when they play. My recommended thing to say to them is always work on your kicks and tricks because the more you give up, the less potential of you becoming great at soccer. All tricks stem from three places on your body: your head, your chest and your feet. In order to learn new tricks, you have to practice control and power from those body parts.

The best day as a soccer player was at a young age when my team was passing, kicking, and trying to make goals. In the last ten minutes, it was 0-0. One of our teammates got fouled when he shot the ball. The goalie blocked it, it bounced back, and I used my chest to keep it in the air. While it was in the air, I karate kicked the ball in the goal and made it. When you karate kick the ball, you stand on one leg at a 90 degree angle and power kick it. It was the best goal I have ever made.

Playing video games and sports are fun. One fact about Aaron is that he can drive a car. Cars inspire him to write because they go vroom vroom. Chill as a rock is how he describes himself.

Football Journey

Adan H.

My first memory of football is playing flag football for my elementary school. I was ten years old when I went to Hollenbeck middle school for the flag football championship. I was very excited to play in the championship, but also nervous. The first game went by quickly and easily, my jersey was light blue My teammates and I won most of the games, but lost in the final one I continued to play little league throughout middle school. This inspired me to continue playing football.

I started playing football my freshman year of high school. I was mostly self taught, but my coach taught me the basics. A good o line stance is legs a bit more than shoulder width apart and have your hand on the ground waiting to strike. I played starting left guard and right guard and I was starting at long snapper.

It's important to have good equipment like cleats and knee braces. Your fingers are also very important. I tape my fingers before every game so they don't break. When I was a freshman I played against Sotomayor and I didnt tape my finger. This led to my finger getting caught in the helmet and getting jammed.

Adan likes to play video games and lift weights. He thinks he's a pretty chill guy He has two pet dogs

The New Car

Jesus D.S.

This is a story about the future and a one-of-one car company. Fresh out of school and looking to start a business, this young man works two jobs and is trying to get the money to bring his idea to life One day he hopes to have his own electric car business. He goes to a presentation about an electric car that is about to come out. And that's where he finds an investor. Two weeks later, he goes to another presentation.

While he's there, he becomes friends with someone who has a similar idea. They happen to meet while getting food from the tables. They become business partners and close friends, and talk to each other about how the car could be better. They want to design a car that could predict crashes with AI, fly, and self-drive. They decide the car should be made of aluminum and steel. They came up with the money to have their first prototype because the investor gave them money after they promised him that he would get his money back after 10 years.

While they have the prototype, they have multiple people try the car out and see what the flaws are. They find the flaws and improve the car. After that, they have their first production car, and their company goes public. Their car blows up around the world and people love it, but as the car gets more popular, other people try to replicate the car to stay ahead. The two founders keep improving their cars, adding solar charging, voice control, and emergency landing systems. They also launch a global marketing campaign to boost awareness. Years later, the company becomes the biggest and most popular car brand, and a story about two friends turns into a worldwide phenomenon

He likes to go out a lot

He likes to go hiking

He likes writing because it's a good way to work on your writing skills He would describe himself as hot sauce

Purple Minions

Edna G.C.

Every day except for Saturday and Sunday, for reasons you shouldn’t know, I get to walk on this bridge from this place to this other place. Every time I walk past, I always look down at the people being people, I guess. They all look so small and tiny and sad. Like little sheep. Or minions. Or peasants.

Every day I think, “Wow I’m so glad that I get to be on top of the bridge ”

One day, I had to go downstairs for reasons you don’t need to know about either. It was horrible. Worst day of my life.

I feel bad for the little minion people. I feel like their lives could be improved with chaos, or at least my life. Watching chaos is fun. Therefore, I have decided to bless this world with this discombobulated collection of thoughts that I have.

Guide to Creating Chaos:

● Do not create chaos in non-chaos-friendly atmospheres. For example, if your neighbor dies, don’t knock on their door with a joke (read the room).

● Do not target one person too much. If you target one person too much, they start to expect the chaos. If you spread it around, people are more surprised. Also, that’s mean.

● Be happy. Don’t create chaos when you’re sad.

● One simple way to create chaos is to trip someone up for no reason. But only if you know nothing really bad will happen. Like not on a staircase or something.

● There’s one guy at school who is so annoying, I don’t like him. But I really admire his chaos-creating skills. In 9th grade, he convinced a teacher he was an exchange student from Poland, and the teacher believed him. He did not look Polish.

● Chaos is best planned from 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM. You just deal with the sleep deprivation or you drink a can of Monster. And of course, you have to complain to all of your friends even though it’s your fault

● You must occasionally drop a concerning fact about something you did or something you learned and not give any background at all. During 6th period is when I do my chaos dropping. What’s an example of 6th period chaos? I don’t think that’s chapbook-friendly.

● Show don’t tell. Sometimes you just have to do stuff and not tell anyone. Stuff that will mildly inconvenience them like pulling the strap of their backpack too high and leaving the other one as it is.

Sometimes, chaos is not the answer. When chaos is tiring, I turn to my dearest friend, Miranda. Miranda is the least chaotic person I know. She’s so amazing. I love her. She’s been my best friend since third grade. She is my balance, honestly. It’s like we balance each other out. I make sure she gets at least some chaos and she makes sure I don’t have too much chaos. Purple minions.

Edna is a junior in high school. She likes candy, reading and the Purple Monster energy drink. She was born and raised in LA and has been going to 826LA for nine years.

i. Kevin M.

It’s wild, right? Looking back, you can see all the little things you’d want to change, or all the moments where you could’ve made different choices. It’s like, if you could just go back and warn yourself, you might’ve saved yourself from some heartache or wasted time. I think a lot of people feel the same way because we’re all constantly learning and growing.

I can’t claim that one should have no regrets or make no mistakes; that’s part of personal growth—making mistakes is how you learn. Regardless of how young a person is, their experiences are significant. I always remind people that their current problems seem large because they are happening now. We shouldn’t look to the future while reflecting on our past and asking ourselves why. What was the reason for my worries about this? Realize how no one is ever going to truly be there for you, besides yourself, I wish I knew that sooner.

If I could go back to 11th grade and tell myself to just slow down and breathe. I worked Monday through Sunday, closing every day, thinking it was all I had to focus on. I thought I had to work constantly to stay ahead or prove something to myself and others. But looking back, I see how much I missed out on by not allowing myself to just be—to relax, have fun, and enjoy the simple moments. I would tell myself, 'It’s okay to take a break, to hang out with friends, to not have everything figured out yet. You don’t need to prove you’re always on top of things. Life is more than just getting through the days it’s about living them. Don't trade away the moments that matter now for things that can wait. Trust that everything will fall into place, but don’t miss out on enjoying where you are, right here and now.

If I could offer one piece of advice to my younger self, what would it be? For me, I think I'd remind my younger self not to rush everything take the time to enjoy the journey and still have a long time goal of always trying to get to the next thing. Also, not

to be so hard on myself when things don’t go as planned, because in the end, those detours can lead to something better.

Time never asked for my permission to take away my childhood. They always said I’d understand as I grew older, but no one ever warned me that I’d grow up so fast without even realizing it. I always felt like the man of the house. My mom was always working, trying to balance life the best she could. My dad? He wasn’t around, at most I would see him here and there but I never had a relationship with him. It wasn’t like I had a choice, life just had a way of pulling me in.

By the time I was sixteen, I bought my first car. It wasn’t a hand-me-down or a gift from my parents, it was something I earned. I worked every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday closing everyday from 4 PM to 12 PM. I wasn’t making a fortune, but it was enough. I felt proud when I drove that car to school, the engine roaring like it was mine, all mine.

Then, at seventeen, I started paying rent. My mom’s health had gotten worse, and I could see the weight of everything on her. Even though she tried, it wasn’t enough. I just stepped in because that’s what I had to do. Rent, groceries, utilities—I covered the best I could. It felt like a heavy burden to carry at times, but I never asked for help. I think I was too proud, maybe, or maybe I didn’t know how to admit that I wasn’t ready for it all.

I didn’t have time for myself. My childhood seemed to slip away without me even noticing. I didn’t go to high school dances or hang out with friends after school. No lazy summer afternoons. It all just felt... gone. Sometimes, though, when I saw other kids laughing or being carefree, I’d wonder what it would’ve been like if I had those moments. Would I have been different? Would I have smiled more, laughed more, had more fun?

Time never really asked for my opinion on when I’d grow up But, honestly, I’ve found peace in that Life isn’t perfect, and even when you’re forced to grow up too quickly, there’s still room to

enjoy the ride. Lately, though, time feels like it’s slowing down. I’ve reached a point where I’ve finally found balance managing work, bills, all the adult responsibilities but I’m also carving out space for myself. Whether it’s hitting the gym or just getting outside, I’m starting to truly breathe and live. Adults think differently, and my mom still believes I’m in a phase where I think I know everything. Maybe she’s right, or maybe it’s just that I don’t like being wrong. Either way, there’s still so much for me to grow, to learn, and to make mistakes along the way

Hearing of this author named Kevin, it just feels repetitive. He keeps repeating the same things over and over again. He’s talking about his childhood, and how different he and his sister grew up. As a kid he was forced to play sports such as soccer and swimming, and play instruments. As he was growing up, he hated them. He hated when his dad would ask him to get off the game to go to the gym, or try boxing. Now looking back, he's told me how much he regrets not listening to his dad, or going out his way to be better for himself, physically and mentally

Skinny Jeans

Nathalie C.

How to style an outfit? I'm not a professional at styling, but I can try and help. It started when I was in 5th grade, the week after Halloween. My dad and I went to the mall, and he gave me $200 to spend on clothes. 2021 was my biggest K-pop fan year, and I was deeply inspired by the stars' clothes and outfits Specifically, Jang Wonyoung and Sunoo, two K-pop singers I went to this one store and they had all of the clothes I wanted and I went crazy. I really wanted to buy skirts, leg warmers, cute shirts, and other accessories. So I did! I was really into these things at the time because it was trendy. This was the start of my obsession with fashion.

Okay, here is how I personally make outfits. I start with picking my jeans and I color code from there. So, if the jeans are light, I'll use light colors and light colored shoes. If the jeans are dark I'll use darker colors to pair it together. If the pants are baggy, wear a tight shirt. And if you're wearing skinny jeans (which I hope you aren’t but if you are that's okay, I guess) you can wear a loose top, something that will be opposite to the jeans’ tightness. Now, to add to the outfit, you can add stuff like vests, belts, and jackets.

For outfit inspo, Pinterest is your #1 best friend. Pinterest is useful because the images you see on there can inspire you to make outfits. People there have amazing outfits you can use as inspiration! What you see in Pinterest will stick to you, and then making outfits will be very easy because you will now have it in you! For example, after many times using Pinterest, you stumble upon a piece of clothing like black sweater vest and think of an outfit almost immediately.

Now for places to shop clothes My number one favorite place is Holister I love Holister It's a little pricey but they have

really nice pieces that are basic and really cute. The jeans there are so cute and come in many different styles. Another place to shop is H&M. I love the vibe in that store. It's very modern and classy, at least that's how I see it. The outfits on the mannequins are so cute. I like the style on them, I would wear it. Just makes me want to buy everything! Lastly, the last store I would recommend that I love very much is Q. Everything in there is kinda cheap but you can get a lot for a low price.

That's all my advice! And one last question: you're not actually wearing skinny jeans, are you?

Nathalie is very stylish outside of school. She likes to go shopping and hang out with friends. She also likes to play video games often. She enjoys taking her cat on walks.

Learning to Play Guitar

Pedro S.

One day, I heard a song a song like no other. It sounded different. I asked my cousin what it was, and she said it was by a guitarist called Eddie Van Halen. The song was called “Eruption.” From that day on, I begged my parents to sign me up for classes, and finally, they gave in and bought me a used guitar

My favorite guitarists are Eddie Van Halen and Slash. I liked their solos and their unique style of playing. They both play with different types of guitars which produce different distortions. Eddie Van Halen plays with Frankie and Slash plays with mostly Gibson Les Pauls.

Recently, I have been trying to play some Mexican music like some songs by Los Tigres Del Norte, Chalino Sanchez, and some Roman Ayala sometimes. I feel that those songs are harder than some of the top rated songs of all time since they sound simple but are very complicated to play You have to stretch your fingers in ways you have never done before. If you are up for a challenge, you should try some of those songs but they might sound better with a different guitar called a requinto or a bajo quinto.

So, here are the steps to playing guitar.

Step 1: Grab a guitar.

Step 2: Grab a pick.

Step 3: Hold the guitar. Finally, and the most important one, step 4: Learn how to play from a teacher or online.

Step 5: Start with tabs, which are essentially numbers, because they are more simple than notes Notes get confusing

Pedro is fourteen years old and he likes to play guitar. His favorite sport to play is soccer and he plays for his school’s team and a recreation league. He likes to hang out with his friends or just spend some time alone. He likes to play his guitar alone, but also plays in the school band and a diffraction band.

Música Es para Compartir

Rosaisela L.

As a person that plays an instrument, it can be very difficult, especially if you don’t know how to play, and sometimes people need advice As a person who plays the accordion, I would like to give advice to beginners because I was once in their position, knowing nothing.

At first it’s going to be challenging. There will be moments where you want to give up. It was difficult for me when I started playing the accordion because I had nobody teaching me what was wrong or right. I had no teacher. I started off by myself. I wanted to give up especially when I kept having to redo and redo certain songs that I would get wrong. I decided to keep going for me, because I liked it and was willing to give it my all.

To get better, I took advice from my sister, since she had already experienced what I was going through playing the guitar She told me to go on YouTube and search for a video for beginners. It continued like that for a couple weeks, practicing off YouTube not knowing what buttons I was pressing. I needed advice from someone else, someone who had experienced years off playing an instrument. Then came in a family friend that even now helps me and gives me advice.

I can now give advice to others who want to learn. I would say first start off with the basics. Learn about how to posture your hands, and learn the skills. Those are primary things you need to play the accordion in order to get better at it. Another important thing is to have patience Why patience? Well, not everything comes easy when learning, even professionals once had to struggle, but everything is worth it in the end. I still struggle with patience, but I remember that, for example, if I’m messing up from going too fast, I need to slow down, and it’ll come to me better.

I would also recommend going on YouTube like I did when I began. It is very helpful especially since there are other people who explain much better and who have more years into music. YouTube is where I learned a lot of things and still do, even if I have a long time playing the instrument

With more practice and consistency you get much better with focus and discipline. Playing an instrument also includes enjoying it. For example, what drove me into being interested in the accordion was coming from a Mexican family and going to fifteenth birthday parties or family events where I would see what’s called a Grupo Norteńo. I was interested in how all the instruments in the group combined to make music which would make people alegre (happy) and want to dance all night.

Music doesn't end, so there is always something to learn.

Rosie is an 8th grader who is from LA, but her family is from Mexico. An 8th grader who enjoys music a lot and can't go a day without it, you will always see her with airpods in her ear. She is a very quiet person that likes their life to be private. She enjoys going to Mexico every chance she gets.

The Ultima Diamond Painting Handbook

Rubi G.

“What is diamond painting?” you might be asking yourself. It is hard to explain, but I will try and sum it up without being boring because diamond painting, in general, shouldn't be boring. Using small, colorful beads known as "diamonds," diamond painting is a popular craft that involves decorating a canvas. Like a paint-by-numbers exercise, you position each bead according to a color code on a canvas with a sticky surface design As you fill in the design with the shiny beads, the image slowly comes together, making a sparkling and textured piece of art. It’s really rewarding once you see the finished product, and the sense of accomplishment makes it all worth it. In my opinion, though, this hobby can be challenging and very time-consuming, so I’d recommend starting with something small. A 4x4 painting is a great way to begin.

My first painting was a simple, kid-friendly design of a narwhal, which was fun and easy to do. I finished it in just a couple of hours, and the process was so enjoyable that I decided to try more. Each time, I challenged myself by working on bigger and more detailed paintings, gradually pushing my skills and patience.

This Is How I Diamond Paint!

First, I get my space ready, then grab a cup of cold water. Next, I turn on any show (Gilmore Girls). Then, I bring out the tools needed. After that, I get out the actual painting. I have options, depending on which one I want to work on that day. Pretty simple! Plus it keeps me busy for hours. The one I am working on now is of Stitch sitting on a moon. I think it is super adorable. It's taking me a while to finish. I usually work on my paintings during my free time, which is during my summer vacation. When I have more time on my hands, I tend to buy larger paintings to keep myself occupied

Where to Buy Them

My favorite place to buy diamond paintings is on Amazon. Paint with Diamonds is another good one. They both have super nice ones and affordable prices at $20 to $70.

Conclusion

Diamond painting has helped me relax when life feels hectic. It has become a peaceful summer hobby by offering me a creative escape and helping me connect with myself The slow, focused process brings a sense of accomplishment and peace, making it something I truly cherish.

Rubi was born and raised in Mar Vista. She is fourteen years old. Her hobbies include reading and swimming. Some of her interests are visiting England, Greece, and Paris. She enjoys watching romance movies and sitcoms which are New Girl, HIMYM, Flipped, 13 going on 30 and a classic The Notebook.

How to Find You, in 2025

Oscar C.

Seniors all over the country: do you remember a time where you mindlessly wandered on the campus of your high school during lunch or nutrition? Well, obviously, you did it yesterday How many days did you live in the same absence not knowing that it takes an hour and 10 minutes out of your day to truly find yourself? Students who stay in class during lunch and nutrition are missing out on the activities that your district has funded to allow you to explore your interest. Of course your school also plays a part in approving such extra curricular activities to be established.

Now picture this: you are forced to attend 6 classes in your educational institution by law, the first class starts at 8:30 AM, the last ends at 3:37 PM. We as students are given exactly eight hours to potentially rot in class, but if you can use the little time given from lunch and nutrition to find yourself, I'd say start at what you like doing. Got any hobbies? Any talents? Gifts? Ideas? These are all great starters to finding yourself. You must need some good friends who think on the same page. It was only one for me, but the more the better.

In my case, I wanted to expand my network and myself since high school started. To expand my network I had to detach myself from friends I typically surround myself with, temporarily. The purpose of this was to work with people who had the same interest as I did in designing the school’s merchandise. We wanted to create an outlet for myself and others where upcoming fashion designers would presumably have some form of credible background to reach the attention of bigger organizations that we may want to work with in the future.

Early on, we recognized a problem: none of the Venice High School staff, teachers or even students would wear existing school merchandise due to poor design and repetitive color patterns. We reached out to the principal to form a fashion club

named “Des youth” and resolve this issue. This club would contribute to Venice High School's website by featuring more fashion choices with the school’s merchandise. An extension to the colors you don’t see, and designers that are more modern and resonate with high schoolers A group of trend setters, we would form and influence other younger audiences. I knew this type of promotion would be sustainable. Seniors from your school are the brains behind Gondo’s pride…

Unfortunately, it turned more into a money scheme which led the principal to not approve of the club. However, that never discouraged me to work independently and come up with a more street design aesthetic for our school’s merchandise, and to become closer to my peers.

Seniors: we are not given this time in high school to just dwell and wait We are given a chance to make something out of ourselves If we think of it in time, it’s almost like a full time job, so treat it like one. Simply having an all-or-nothing mindset can change your attitude about the curriculum we follow. Yes, school can be boring but that's only because you don’t take the time to make it interesting. Explore yourself. How do you feel being praised for completing your math homework? How accomplished do you feel when you are praised for your artistic values? How connected do you feel when you meet others who like the same music genre as you? Do not get stuck and confused on what you'll do in five to ten years. You live now in the present. Start simple, and get off your damn phone! You can create content instead of consuming all the time. But have something to show for it

Class of 2025, you are the future, and I can't wait to see what you become. And if that future is a haze, and you find yourself chasing your tail, don’t get stuck on the goal, focus on the steps to achieving it.

Skateboarding

Damian M.

If you want to learn to skateboard try these steps:

First: get on the board, try balancing

Second: find your stance regular or goofy. Regular footed means your left foot is in front and your right foot is in back; goofy footed means that your right foot is in front and your left foot is in back.

Third: try to pedal, keep the board going at the pace you feel like you can go comfortably.

Fourth: try going fast when you kind of get the hang of it.

Fifth: practice tricks (I’m at this part, still learning an Ollie).

Sixth: skate like Ryan Sheckler (a good skater).

If you do these steps correctly you can skate like a pro (hopefully).

When I first started, I couldn't balance on the board, but after lots of practice, I was able to cruise around. Even though I am not that good at skateboarding, I got similar advice like this from an instructor. I started skating when I saw people skating in public, and I wanted to give it a shot. When I heard about a skateboarding program at school, I immediately asked for permission from my parents I really wanted to join I took skateboarding for three years in middle school, but still, never got the jist of it. I still tried. I still like cruising around in my apartment, but I don’t practice as much as in 6th grade, where I really wanted to train everyday.

Another thing to consider is that not all boards may feel the same. The usual boards you’ll see, the ones with small wheels,

may be a bit harder to cruise around if the floor is not that flat but are better for tricks and a bit more balanced. Cruiser boards, the ones with big wheels, are better for cruising and not really good for tricks. In my experience, they’re also a bit harder to balance since the board seems to curve a bit more depending on what direction you're going which is why I fell once.

So, if you want to start, you should practice at your own pace and slowly get better. Don’t do it like me, who tried to be a good skater in one week.

Damian is a kid who lives in LA but feels more Mexican. He likes drawing, sleeping, and going outside by himself or with his friends He choses skateboarding because it’s something he tried that he thought he would never try.

Transitions Miranda A.

High School Musical, Mean Girls, Gossip Girl; you might wonder what these films have in common Well, for one they are pretty well known. Some are musicals, but they’re all set in high school. No, outside of movies people don’t randomly break out into a song in the middle of the school cafeteria or do dance breaks, but I’m sure we would’ve all loved for that to happen. Now, I won’t say that the transition from middle school to high school is easy, but it’s also not something that you shouldn’t be looking forward to. From what I’ve noticed through my own personal experience, everyone has gone and goes through various emotions regarding the first day of high school. Not everyone goes through the same experience as you do. You can have the most enjoyable first day at school, seeing your friends, meeting new classmates from different middle schools than from where you came from, and new teachers! But maybe you can have the worst first day of your life not being able to find your classes, not having any periods with any of your friends, your locker getting jammed, an icebreaker at the beginning of the class on the first day… Yeah, that probably seems like a complete nightmare. But just know this, no matter how you take the first day, it’s going to be rough, but know that you’ll be able to push past this.

I can’t say that there’s a set blueprint to help navigate your high school transition. In reality, you have to take a leap and go for it.

It doesn’t mean that high school is some haunted castle in which you’re pushed to just walk blindly into, a push right into the deep end. Luckily, there are also those fun upsides of high school. Miranda is a Junior from Venice High School in Los Angeles. She is on her school's Winterguard team and ever since upgrading to a Junior she’s been limited from doing her favorite hobbies such as reading, drawing and sleeping.

It’s OK to Take Risks

Monserrat L.

Looking back at my childhood, I put too much time and energy into the idea of being a teenager. So much so that I didn’t cherish the only moments I had as a kid, and I wouldn’t know until later. At eight, I thought being a teenager meant having a huge friend group, going out after school; I just thought life would be so fun and simple But I was wrong Being an eighteen year old comes with so much stress and realizations of life that you wouldn’t see at the age of eight.

I should’ve listened to my mom when she would tell me, “No tengas prisa por crecer, porque cuando seas grande vas a querer ser niña otra vez.” She was right. I’m an eighteen year old wishing she was a little girl again.

I wanted to be a teenager so bad that I wanted to act like one at such a young age. At eleven, I believed I was too old to still be playing tag or any “childish” games when I was literally still a child. I was so eager to grow up that I tried so hard to act “mature.” But now that I’m eighteen, I wish I would’ve cherished my childhood and enjoyed every second of it because life is not the way I imagined it to be. I don’t mean to say any of this to scare any young person reading this but don’t fully romanticize the idea of getting older, expecting it to be like a movie. My advice is, enjoy every second of your life, the good and the bad. Don’t make the same mistake I made of wanting to grow up so fast that I didn’t enjoy my childhood the way I should have.

I used to live my life with fear. Fear of being judged, fear of failing, fear of not being good enough, etc. Consumed by fear, I suffocated myself and held back from taking any risks in my life. I was too afraid to do the things I wanted to, making me live in regret And I didn’t like living in regret I wanted to stop being afraid and so I began taking risks

Over the past ten years, I’ve been through a lot of stages and experiences that made me learn an important life lesson: you only have one life. Live it to the fullest, and take risks. It’s okay to take risks. You’ll never know the outcome of something if you don’t take risks. If it doesn’t go as you wanted, take it as a lesson and learn from it. Everything in life is a lesson.

Monse is an eighteen year old girl who loves to listen to music and go out all the time with her friends. She plays basketball and draws in her free time.

Drawing Marlene T.

So, how I started drawing was when I would watch a lot of animated stories and I wanted to do the same thing. The ability to make our drawings come to life seemed like a dream come true To clarify, I was already drawing before but you could say I started to take it more seriously. I did not know how to start. I’ve just been drawing for the past half of my childhood. I’ve been drawing for a while and feel like I’m not improving enough like other creators that are younger than I am and still better than me. Just remind yourself that others develop faster than others and bring yourself to believe it cause I can’t bring myself to accept that fact.

Now, why do I like it? I’m going to be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with drawing. I like to draw but I don’t do it as much anymore due to constant art block and low self-esteem issues that stop me but I also hate art cause most things I try to draw don’t end up the way I want it so I get frustrated and give up. It’s like I have control on what I can draw but I don’t at the same time. Speaking of control, because I am an artist I can draw whatever I want once I have developed the skills for it of course.

I mostly have tips rather than actual advice, so first don’t worry about “stealing someone’s art style” because that doesn’t exist, no one “owns” an art style. If you really like the way a person draws then go ahead and replicate it just don’t steal their art/characters. Second, listen to constructive criticism, it helps. Figure out what you can improve on your art to make it better. Third, improve at your own place; don’t try to rush it I ran out of tips since I’m not a professional myself

Marlene is a sixteen year old teenager who is obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog, and is constantly in their own world for whatever reason.

Valuing Ribbon

Jasmine B.

How to make a ribbon bouquet:

Step One: Purchase 1 ½ inch ribbon of your choice

Step Two: Cut ribbon the size of a credit card

Step Three: Count 16 pieces of ribbon and begin the assembling process

Step Four: Face the shiny side on the table

Step Five: Place a dot of hot glue on the top two vertical corners.

Ribbon bouquets are a fond memory of mine. Trying to imagine pieces of ribbon gluing together to create a bouquet of eternal roses is bizarre. However, I was forced to learn for a raffle I was hosting at my high school. Ramo Raffle is what I called it; making sure it rolled off the tongue was my main priority. Selling tickets in the beginning was hard, but I made it work by highlighting every single detail it would have. Fifty pink roses made entirely from ribbon with perfectly folded floral wrapping paper with diamonds in the middle of each rose, a swarm of silver butterflies on the left side flying away for eternity, a silver tiara on the right side to display how grand our bouquet was, and to tie it all together, a big pink bow. To make sure I sold, I targeted people in relationships since, at the end of the day, wouldn’t they say their love is forever? Just like my bouquet, it was eternal and to show that to their partner, they should buy a countless amount of tickets to win. Even then, some people just wanted it for themselves, which I admired more.

You have to love yourself before you love anyone else and that is exactly what those people did. I had two helpers throughout the entire process, making it frustrating because the money would fund my Class of 2025. Yet, I was the only one who seemed to care, to this day, that energy continues on but I know I want a memorable prom and if I have to sell my butt off, I don’t care. In a world full of consumers, I am a creator which is something I’ve learned to understand. Beyond this, I make sure to value what my hands can create

Art Tips for Beginners

Galilea F.

Have you ever been so passionate about art that you create multiple stories, drafts, and sketches for a character nobody’s ever even going to see? No? Well, I have. Today I will be talking about a hobby of mine, how it started, and how it's going.

Ever since I was young, I’ve had a passion for art. I started genuinely trying and improving in late 5th grade. Everyday I would draw and look at tutorials At the time, I would even draw and proudly present my crappy ten-year-old drawings to my siblings describing my inspiration and they always talked positively about them. Now, I can't help but look back and cringe.

While I'm not going to bore you with my life story, I will give you tips and advice on art One advice that is important is that art is opinion-based. You can love someone's art but someone else can not like it. For example, my cousin is a very talented artist (and way better than me). She specializes in realism while her friend focuses more on design and her own cartoonish style. I personally think my cousin's art is way better than her friend’s, but my cousin strongly disagrees

Another tip is that it's okay to go through art blocks. Honesty, it’s weird if you don't, but if you don’t, I mean, good for you. There have been times when I take monthly breaks or I just feel so uninspired that I think of just quitting art altogether. But then all of a sudden, one random day, I’ll just miss drawing and art So, take your break, don't feel pressured to draw, because if you do, it will show in your art.

My last and favorite tip, one that has personally helped me and still helps me today when it comes to drawing is breaking down things into simple shapes and then adding all the details once you understand. For example, there are three joints in my fingers which means that each should get split into three different shapes or boxes. So, make sure to remember how bones work!

Well, thank you for hearing my story and I hope this was helpful to you.

A Beginners Guide to Wordle & Others

Bernardo G.

Do you play games? Do you know words in general? Do you often need stimulation while watching a movie? Well, if your answer is yes to any of these questions, play the New York Times games! Today on the checklist is Wordle, Mini, and Connections

First, Wordle Here are the rules: you have six guesses, each of which can only be five letter words. Once you guess a word it'll show the color for each letter. Grey means that the letter is not found in the answer. Yellow means that the letter is in the answer but not in the right place. Green means that the letter is in the right place and correct. In Wordle you can get the same two letters in the answer. When using two of the same letters in a word, if both of the letters are yellow/green, they both appear in the word, but if only one of them is yellow/green, only one of that letter appears in the word. This also applies to triple letters which are in the word three times. This can be risky because you either waste or can gain three letters instantly. These instances aren’t common, but it's good to know when the New York Times games people use one of those words. I personally hate this so much because getting two letters on your first to second guess is an alright start. However you guess again and again and still nothing, you only have two more guesses! If you're like me, you still don't even know that there's three letters in a row, and you don’t keep those words in mind because there's so many five letter words that surely they won't put it this time. I know there's still a chance but really, out of all the five letter words in the English dictionary, you don't expect words with double/triple letters, but there's still a chance.

Now that we got all the rules and possibilities out of the way, let's get started with some advice For your first guess I recommend getting a lot of vowels Vowels fill half the word so

it's best to get them checked. I start by guessing the word adieu because it contains most of the vowels. Next, you should get some consonants. Consonants fill the rest and really narrow it down. I use the word thorn because it gets the O and gives a lot of consonants. It’s not that good, but it does the job. The last four guesses depend on your hand. Maybe you got a bad hand and need more letters in order to win. It all depends on your hand and how you respond. I mean I love playing Wordle, but if I sweat at the game, it gets boring

Now, we're on Mini & Connections These two can't be explained that well because there is no clean way of doing it. Mini is a tiny crossword and if you don't know what crossword is (I doubt it), it's a game where you have to put the answer according to a certain number and make sure it fills up that entire line. A prompt can be four letters long, number six down, and say, “what egg ends with boiled.” The Mini is just a tinier version of that but with cheats. You can reveal or check the words that you put. Iff it's really hard and you just want to know what the answer is, then go for it! But for me, I try not to use cheats at all.

Connections is more abstract. There are sixteen words layed out in a square and your objective is to get all of them to match their individual themes. There are four total themes in a connection and four words to match with each theme. The themes get harder based on the color that they are. Yellow equals easy, green equals medium, blue equals hard, and purple equals expert. You only have four lives in each game, so if you guess wrong, you lose a life. When you guess, you can only pick four words and it'll show a text if you're close. If you get one right, it’ll show nothing. But if you get ¾ correct it'll show one missing (and if you get all four, you finish the theme, obviously). The goal of the game, if you hadn't guessed by now, is to get all the words with each theme before you lose all your lives For Connections, you want to find the tying theme for your four words and each time it can get easier since you have less

options to choose from. In other words, this game is exactly the same as Wordle. I'm probably just bad at finding themes of words but then the purple ones say things like, “words that if you reverse and remove the first and last letters reveal random crypto companies you've never heard of,” or something like that. It’s just like, why do I even bother?

These games challenge me to use my existing knowledge to beat them They also teach me by showing me new words and ways to think outside the box in order to win Even though it may not be as addicting as shooter or tycoon games, it feels good to play, at least for me. It gives me a nice feeling because I can actively use my brain and learn instead of just playing something like Fortnite.

I forgot how I was even introduced to these games. Either by my dad or looking up games when I finished my homework. I've been playing since middle school and since it's technically not that really a game, I have an excuse at school. It's like my own way of procrastinating but better than cool math games. These games also help me get mad at the New York Times game creators which is fun.

Bernardo Garcia is a Mexican-American person who hates his math teacher He plays Pokemon Showdown to beat his friend really badly during his classes. He plays the trumpet and beats kids on pokemon showdown. He knows that pokemon showdown kind of clashes with the New York Times games he plays, but when he finishes the New York Times games, he does what he gotta do. He likes the New York Times games and is broke.

Every Artist Was First an Amateur Grace T.

Have you ever thought about doing art? You could be a person interested in getting a new hobby, an artist who has taken a break and doesn’t know how to start, or an artist who just has art block Nonetheless, this is a text on how to start doing art, a drawing.

First, you need a surface to start on. It can be paper, a wall, a mug, whatever (it usually is a sheet of paper). The thing about art–that I love –is that it can be anything. It’s your piece, your ideas, and your thoughts. There is no one who can judge unless you show someone and give them permission to.

Then, you should start with a reference or an idea. It can be anything: a prompt, a scene, a feeling, a drawing you saw, or a painting you have been inspired by. If you don’t have anything just start with some lines and basic shapes After starting, you should have at least something on your paper so it isn’t just a blank space.

You can keep adding until you're done or you get tired, you can take a break or call it quits, but just know your piece is never truly finished. You can always add more to it (if you like to), but you shouldn't overdo it though. You will be able to tell when you're satisfied with your own work.

For me, what made me pick up drawing (and my instrument) was the Scott Pilgrim series. At first the Netflix anime was alright, I didn't really think much of it until I kept on seeing this art trend with Ramona Flowers and Scott Pilgrim The art community on TikTok would draw themselves and their partners,or two characters that they like, together as them. The more of those drawings I would like on TikTok, the more of the Scott Pilgrim art style I saw, and the more it made me realize how much I admired it. The song they would play along with the drawings was also addicting, which drew me to look more into

the movie and the show. All of that gave me the motivation to draw. Now, I plan on drawing some of those characters in my own style. The characters and art style of Scott Pilgrim worked as my inspiration and reference to draw. Now I just needed to put those ideas to paper, which trust me, did happen!

5 Art Tips From Grace

Tip 1: Draw whatever you want, especially your interests.

Tip 2: If you don’t know what to draw, your answer is objects (drawing still life is a good way to practice and learn).

Tip 3: Simplify the human body/poses to simple shapes.

Tip 4: If you plan to post art, just know some people on the internet tend to put down new artists

Tip 5: HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!

Grace is a fourteen year old girl who can be easily fascinated about stuff in her interest. What are those interests you may ask? She likes drawing, music, paintings (mostly any form of art), observing people, and somehow –and surprisingly– math.

Braided Traditions

Alejandra L.

Every summer, I visit my grandparents in Oaxaca, Mexico. Every June 24th, my grandma and I wake up early for church.

“¡Nabé sicarú ca trenza stiʼ Mija!” (What beautiful braids!) says my grandma in Zapotec, delicately braiding my hair with red ribbon, wearing her colorful rebozo (shawl) around her shoulders These traditions connect me to my Zapotec and Catholic heritage The town gathers to honor the town's patron saint. I peacefully hear my grandma echoing her prayers during mass. Sitting quietly and joining the prayer in Zapotec brings me a sense of belonging, connecting me to my family and the Catholic community. After church, we celebrate in my grandparent's house. The patio, decorated with beautiful flowers, represents our faith. Live music fills the air with joy. I enjoy serving our guests eat my grandma's famous barbacoa while listening to their distinct laughter and chatter in Zapotec, realizing that we all have pride in our Catholic tradition.

Growing up, it was challenging speaking Zapotec. My parents, native Zapotec speakers, feared the language would disappear, so they taught me how to speak it at home. Mispronouncing words led me to feel detached from my heritage. I practiced Zapotec in the same way I attended church to strengthen my Catholic faith through dedication and repetition. Just as prayer deepened my beliefs, consistently practicing my pronunciation helped me gain the confidence to communicate with the elders each summer I visited Mexico. Their faces lit up with amazement as they heard me speak their native language, a rare gift for someone from the U.S. The ability to speak comfortably in a new language allows me to understand the true power of language in bridging cultures and connecting generations.

If you want to honor your heritage, consider passing down traditions in your own way Whether it's braiding a loved one's

hair with colorful ribbons or sharing your language with others. Embrace the opportunity to preserve both your cultural and Catholic heritage within your own community or anywhere! Take the initiative to create a diverse space where everyone can engage, learn, and celebrate their roots together. By doing so, you'll strengthen your own identity and inspire others to do the same.

The Art of Legos

Jadellyn G.

You might be wondering why I choose to write about legos, and I don’t know I just enjoy building them. So I don’t really give advice and I don’t really know how to give advice but I do know legos that’s for sure. Even though they might be expensive I still love legos, but some are on the more affordable side.

Beginner Level

Okay, so let’s get into this, if you are a beginner and you are interested in building legos. You can get small legos like a flower set but that only includes three flowers. If you are a beginner that means you can build small set’s and it won’t make you want to stop building if you understand. Sometimes for me I can’t really focus that well so I either put a show on or music in the background. For me it makes it way easier to build faster and it makes it way more enjoyable.

Medium Level

Now that you have started to build an interest in Lego building, let’s really get into this! Personally, I am also at this level; I build Lego sets but not so intense Lego sets for example the Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle that probably takes up a lot of time. Anyways, the medium level is probably where most of us are. This level isn’t too difficult but also not too easy. The Lego set that I would give this level is probably the record player Lego set or the hei-hei set (the chicken from the Disney movie, Moana). They are super cutesy and if you have built these sets you know. The instructions are pretty short and simple! I just recently built a three-in-on Lego set with my friend, and I chose to build the typewriter with flowers. This Lego set would fit under the medium set, it was a fun set to build. Same piece of advice I gave before is to play a tv-show (I said this already but it’s really good advice!)

The Elite Level

The last level I believe is the elite level … If you're at this level wow just wow. You can build legos that have four thousand, five hundred Lego pieces which is so impressive. Some legos you can build if you haven’t already, the Hogwarts castle and grounds set and the Avengers tower Lego set. Which has 5201 Lego pieces, that's a lot of Lego pieces (if you think about it). By the way these legos are expensive but if you are on a budget another Lego set you can get are the pretty pink flower bouquet It is $59 99 dollars which is not that affordable but if you compare it to others it is believe me I can’t really write much on this level It is pretty difficult to say anything to an elite Lego builder!

My Final Message to You!

To conclude this piece of advice, I really hope you are fully convinced to start your own little Lego set collection. If you would like to know more about me and how I enjoy building Legos continue reading if not goodbye and thank you for reading. Okay, so I mostly have built all my Lego sets with my best friend, and every time we hang out we always end up going to a Lego store and buying more Legos. I don’t really know how my collection started but I can say that I truly love building Legos. I hope I didn’t take up most of your time. I guess you can say this is goodbye and thank you so much for taking the time to read this piece of advice. Hope to see you again! <3

Jadellyn was raised in Mar Vista. She is thirteen-years-old. Her hobbies are building legos and swimming. She enjoys watching tv-shows and playing video games. Her interests include traveling, painting, and concerts.

Beginner’s Advice!

Fatima G.

This is advice about art although I’m not gonna pretend that I am a god at it, but I like to think I am pretty good. I started drawing when I was in kindergarten because I grew up admiring other people’s art and having a passion to produce my own. Innately, I knew art was my passion; it’s seen in the doodles that fill my worksheets, my workbooks, and my sketchbook. I find that art grounds me. My intense focus and dedication to my art curates the only thing that matches perfection to me. My passion to create beautiful pieces brings me joy and contentment, and I adore the time and commitment to such beauty.

The key is to start simple. You don’t need a fancy pencil like they promote on social media; all you need is a pen or pencil and your imagination I recommend starting with a reference picture, and if you don’t want to, you can maximize your creativity. As you progress in your art, invest in a good sketchbook with thick or thin paper, according to your preference.

If you are just starting to draw, it is natural to experience moments of self-doubt, but when you feel yourself getting frustrated with your art, it’s time to take a break. I would advise against drawing or creating art when in a sour mood because as an artist, you do not want to associate negative emotions with art. This feeling of defeat will extinguish your passion and sooner or later you will dread your sketchbook. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect Have patience with yourself; you started drawing for a reason, try to remember that. Do not be discouraged or give up, just keep going even when it feels like quitting is the better move.

My last piece of advice is to find a medium to keep your brain stimulated while you draw. When I draw digitally, I like to have a video playing in the background while I draw, and if it’s traditional art I would listen to music to calm myself. Artists are notorious for listening to music or having a show playing in the background. Feel free to experiment with your art. Have fun, it is what you make it.

Be the Accountant, and Not Permanently

Antonio M.

They’d said you wouldn’t qualify for the credit card, you say. Might I warn you, they’d be damned This is my third credit card I’m keeping in the wallet. Fifteen minutes later they proved the low expectation. I’m no longer a modest person. That I no longer control these drowsy clouds. And it's always raining in green. Like a theory I should soon be withered on the streets the moment my living space and my town is overflown against how I suffer badly against my own thinking.

The worst idea is thinking your brain is the vault. Like the accountant is fully embraced beyond you. And you thought you could survive the barge of intrusive hooligans, crowbars, and biceps staggered to take sharp fractures of your little supervision. Truly it outweighed your expectations when last night they stole your heart out, and you're not now the superintendent. You’ve been demoted, and your feelings can steal your spot. The rise can’t brace as you stagger down from a slippery slope.

I remember I couldn’t contain my excitement. One day, I bought a product at a store. One day, I bought an accessory at a store. One day, I’d ask my mom if she could delight me once more. Next, she became sour, now showing me her statements that I tampered her vault evermore. Things you wanted ecstatic so sulk, the disheartening trade is you questioning, “why’d I purchase once more, and are there ever alternatives to stay in a safe zone?”

Remember this: there is the small category of your brain shapeshifting, and you wanna say money is time. Especially when you’re still chained with the fact. The child won’t pay. Instead the child will pay alongside the parent. Because it still needs guidance to even be considered an adult That, and I’m about to give the lessons right about now.

Common introductions can be you’re at a retail store buying your wants. Could be starting to question twice by saying, “do I really?”repeating the idea against cost, and honestly that's a

short and sweet hack for short and sweet payments. It will help with the small thoughts, embezzling you, and you just saved yourself in long-term advice

In a better advancement. Say you’d times that value, extraordinary way out your budget, and it's to cover a life investment, but it’ll prosper the rest of your years, so you’d die happy, go-lucky, and regret-free. Make the spreadsheet and the tracking, do the long division that can be composed as I’ll refrain myself from spending, say, more than twenty dollars, and multitasking the amount into a status of categories, need, want, and savings. Or even get the idea somewhere from other media that gives similar resources, not just me. I’m not your forever-provider, but us strangers shall give good wishes upon you If you do reach that fundamental goal and your budget, good for you.

Lastly, don’t overthink this draft once more. You think you’re fully dependent on that money, like the shore, you’ll carry your canoe always. You think you can fully be passive against the idea that money is your ride or die to commit to. Don’t. Even if you wanted to perceive yourself a life similar to Scrooge Mcduck, which obviously nobody asked for. Not even you should care. That can cancel an initiative you don’t want to everlast yourself in a severance against your boundaries for your will to live. And honestly you can rapture it, torture it, that’s a benefit. Bandage it, recover it, and that's still a benefit. Just know, be the accountant, and not permanently, because like a nine to five job you’d eventually consider, you can’t replay more than once. Say, “that's the middleman of my life right there, I love it.” Insist on it, say you don’t. You’d still have the sparsity to find something much brightside in your life. Isn’t that why most men or women break up? To still find something more meaningful somewhere else?

Antonio is a beserk fifteen-year-old. Not in personality… traits, just traits, come on! He likes art, creative writing, computer science, and baking. One dream: be a 3D animator. He may have dreads aroused in family legacy, but he continues along.

Hoscopes

Horoscopes by Luis Luis

J.

Jan - Seahorse: Day one procrastinator, a miracle if they get out of bed

Feb - Moth: look surprisingly identical sometimes but never the same.

March - Dung Beetle: hyper-focused individuals.

April - Scarab: A true adrenaline pursuer.

May - Aphids: A fiend across the lands scavenging for any surrounding foods.

June - Ants: Similar all across the lands have a similar thinking pattern.

July - Black Ox Beetle: Prefers alone time not a fan of other individuals.

August - Firefly: A truly brightening person to be around. Most of the time...

September - Decorator Crab: very detailed and picky person likes many things and a hoarder.

October - Ladybug: A true friend from place to place. As loyal of a friend as it gets

November - Wolf Spider: Getting better by the minute every shed is a stronger you.

December - Diving Bell Spider: The land ain't enough for you, you need more

Luis finds bugs to be interesting little creatures. A hobby he has is to write down any bug he finds and write a note of them or a photo. He just finds them to be really cool.

Tito's Horoscopes

Santiago Orellana

Aries - You will no longer have any flight delays while flying.

Taurus - Your pillow will be cold only on one side every day.

Gemini - You'll finally get that new smartphone you've been wanting.

Cancer - You'll find 25 bucks on a random day this year on the floor.

Leo - No more bad hair days, only on Tuesdays.

Virgo - Stop eating ketchup.

Libra - A super cool movie director casts you for the lead role in their film.

Scorpio - Everything good happens to you (side note, my birthday is November 10th).

Sagittarius - You get into horse riding.

Capricorn - Your favorite movie comes back into theatre this year!

Aquarius - You will always have a bottle of water on you whenever you're thirsty this year.

Pisces - You find a golden necklace.

Tito O. is a Junior in high school. He studies film/television wanting to pursue it in the future. He likes spending his time writing, video editing, and photography.

Echo Park Times

Abraham J.

Aries: All Saturn owners will break down on the highway.

Taurus: All Honda owners will not have to pump gas this month.

Gemini: All white shoe wearers will crash their dream cars this month.

Cancer: All coffee drinkers will have a heart attack this month.

Leo: All mall shoppers will not survive the upcoming earthquake.

Virgo: All BMW owners will not have to wash their car this month.

Libra: All cheeto eaters will have food poisoning this month

Scorpio: All tutors will have a great month

Sagittarius: All all car owners will have to get an oil change this month and get new tires

Capricorn: All skaters will get arrested this month

Aquarius: All glasses wearers will acquire their dream cars this month

Pisces: All people with curly hair will not be able to listen to music this month

About Abraham: He does not like cars and he hates skatergirls.

Acknowledgments:

826LA would like to thank to following for their support in making this chapbook possible:

Brian Nordli

Catalina Acevedo

Jack Diener

Janis Cohen-Milch

Jillian Merriweather

John Giarratana

JP Cavender

Matt Conway

Meredith Goldberg-Morse

Michael Falahee

Trevor Worthy

UCLA College Corps Fellows:

Adrianna Diaz

Berenice Limeta

Juan Reyes

Kimberly Quezada

Lizeth Palacios Sanchez

Rejoice Umo

Xitlali Navarro

About 826LA

VISION:

826LA envisions a Los Angeles where every child has access to quality writing education and is empowered to express themselves creatively through writing. We envision a Los Angeles where every teacher is supported in their writing-based educational objectives.

MISSION:

826LA is dedicated to unlocking and cultivating the creative power of writing for students ages 6 to 18, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

How we advance our mission: A nonprofit organization, our services are structured around our understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

With this in mind, we provide after-school tutoring in all subjects, evening and weekend workshops, in-school programs, field trips, college access, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications.

All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student’s ability to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in their own voice.

CORE VALUES:

826LA values joy in the service of achieving educational goals. Our community norms value diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. We therefore prioritize partnerships with Title 1 Schools, engagement with historically marginalized populations, and training and deploying community-based volunteers in support of our mission. As a teaching approach, we value creativity, authenticity, empathy, and lively, rigorous, and student-centered writing education. As an educational enrichment organization, we value supporting teachers, principals, and other school staff in the pursuit of excellence.

Programs

TUTORING

From Monday to Thursday, students attend 826LA for free individual tutoring in all subjects. Students receive homework help and write stories based on prompts. Students submit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes throughout the year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their volunteers, families, and peers.

WRITE ON! AFTER SCHOOL (WO!AS)

Monday through Thursday, we offer after-school tutoring to our younger students ages 5 to 11. Students work one-on-one with trained volunteers to receive homework and writing support

TNT TUTORING

On Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings, we offer after-school tutoring to our teen students. Students work with volunteers on homework, writing, and college preparedness.

IN-SCHOOLS AND WRITERS’ ROOMS

Because not all students can come to one of 826LA’s writing labs, 826LA brings specially trained volunteers into under-resourced public schools. The volunteers provide one-on-one assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft projects designed to engage students while targeting curricular issues. In addition to visiting many schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District each year, 826LA hosts Writers’ Rooms at Manual Arts High School, Roosevelt High School, and Venice High School.

WORKSHOPS

826LA’s Workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and professionals for creative collaboration and development. Whether the subject is flash fiction, playwriting, or preparing for the AI singularity, our workshops foster creativity while

strengthening writing skills. This includes our Summer Writers Workshop and monthly Sunday workshops at the Hammer Museum

WRITE ON! SUMMER CAMP

This is the summer writing camp for our elementary school students running for 2 weeks in the month of July. Each year, camp is creatively themed with a focus on writing.

FIELD TRIPS

During the week, 826LA invites public school teachers to bring their students to our writing labs to participate in a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether Storytelling & Bookmaking, Choose Your Own Adventure, Memoir, or Well-wishing and Poetry Writing, Field Trips at 826LA support teacher curriculum and student learning by offering a safe space for students to be their most imaginative and to work on their writing skills. In a few short hours, students brainstorm, write, edit their work, and leave with something tangible a bound book or a revised essay as well as a renewed confidence in their ability to tell their stories. For classrooms unable to come to one of our writing labs, we offer traveling field trips where we bring the magic to them.

COLLEGE AND CAREER ACCESS

Our College and Career Access Program is designed to support students in their journey toward higher education and career success The program culminates in two major events each year In the Fall, the emphasis shifts to college applications, where students receive one-on-one assistance from specially trained volunteers to enhance their application writing. In the Spring, the emphasis shifts to scholarship applications, where again students are paired with dedicated volunteers to craft compelling scholarship essays Additionally, our career access initiative offers robust internship programs, providing valuable work experience for many high school students. This comprehensive support system ensures our students are well-prepared for both academic and professional achievements.

Jaime Balboa

Executive Director

Diego Quevedo

Chief of Staff

Shani Foster

Director of Education

Christie Thomas

Director of Development

Pedro Estrada

Programs & Operations

Manager, Echo Park

Mike Dunbar

Programs & Operations

Manager, Mar Vista

Mateo Acosta

Associate Director of Community Engagement

Carinne Mangold

Store and General

Operations Manager

Time Travel Marts in Echo

Park & Mar Vista

Alma Carrillo

Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Communications

Trevor Crown

Senior Manager of

Volunteer Innovation and Assessment

Ariadne Makridakis Arroyo

Senior Volunteer Coordinator

Katie Feige

Institutional Giving Manager

Maddie Silva

Manager of Special Initiatives

Arisdeysi Cruz

Tutoring Program Coordinator

Marco Beltran

Writers’ Room Program Coordinator

Manual Arts High School

Wendy Beltran

Senior Writers’ Room

Program Coordinator

Roosevelt High School

Cole Montgomery

Senior Development Coordinator

Ariana Ponce Olivares

Senior Civic Engagement

Coordinator

Wilson Swain

Creative Engagement

Specialist

Julia Malinow

In-Schools and Tutoring

Program Coordinator

Board

Karen Van Kirk

Board President

Customer Experience & Operations

Sarah Rosenwald Varet

Board Vice President

Governance Committee Chair

Attorney

David Ullendorff

Board Treasurer

Finance Committee Chair

Co-Founder, Mathnasium

Cisca Brouwer

Development Committee Chair

Attorney/Writer

Ben Au

Litigation Partner, Orrick

Jeff Boos

Brokerage Operations & Services, Side

Scott Boxenbaum

Comedian & Real Estate

Iman Farrior

Business Affairs Executive, Creative Artists Agency

Joe Ferencz

CEO/Founder, GameFam

Scott A. Ginsburg

Real Estate, Boulevard Partners

Susan Ko

Clinical Psychology & Executive Leadership

Hon. Holly A. Thomas

Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals

Ninth Circuit

Dave Eggers

Emeritus and 826 Founder

Advisory Board

J.J. Abrams

Judd Apatow

Miguel Arteta

Mac Barnett

Steve Barr

Joshuah Bearman

Father Gregory Boyle, S.J.

Amy Brooks

Stefan Bucher

Kathleen Caliento

Monique Demery

Mark Flanagan

Ben Goldhirsh

Rebecca Goldman

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein

DeAnna Gravillis

Terri Hernandez Rosales

Christine Jaroush

Spike Jonze

Miranda July

Catherine Keener

Keith Knight

Al Madrigal

R Scott Mitchell

Lani Monos

B.J. Novak

Miwa Okumura

Amber Paasch

Jane Patterson

Keri Putnam

Sylvie Rabineau

Sonja Rasula

Will Reiser

Luis Rodriguez

Tara Roth

Brad Simpson

J. Ryan Stradal

Natalie Tran

Sarah Vowell

Sally Willcox

Julie Wiskirchen

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Shop the Time Travel Mart!

Visit our Time Travel Mart storefronts in Echo Park and Mar Vista where you can shop for all your time traveling gears and gadgets. From Mammoth Chunks to Robot Milk to original student-authored books, we pride ourselves on being the only Los Angeles purveyor of quality goods from the past, present, and future. The proceeds from the store help to keep all programs free for our students. You can also visit the stores online at timetravelmart.com.