Winter 2018: “Less Stuff, More Heart” University Winner Remy Stewart
Read Remy’s essay, “To Walk the World on Trembling Legs,” about traveling while disabled and disrupting the notion of "go as you please" that many take for granted.
YES! Article archive
Winter 2018: “Less Stuff, More Heart” Powerful Voice Winner Rhys Hardiman-Mostow
Read Rhys's essay, "A Break From Racism," about standing up to racism as a young Black woman with big dreams.
Winter 2018: “Less Stuff, More Heart” Powerful Voice Winner Jake Hill
Read Jake’s essay, “Kayla,” about the experience of unexpected loss and learning to trust the journey.
Winter 2018: “Less Stuff, More Heart” Powerful Voice Winner Heriberto Nava
Read Heriberto’s essay, “Same Dreams, Different President,” about using the power of his voice to stand up for immigrants and DACA recipients, especially those he holds close.
Winter 2018: “Less Stuff, More Heart” Literary Gems
We received many outstanding essays for the Winter 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we'd like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.
Christopher Zumski Finke’s Response to “Less Stuff, More Heart” Essay Winners
Christopher Zumski Finke responds to the winners of our Winter 2018 Student Writing Competition.
Let’s Talk About School Shootings
Uneasy about discussing school shootings—and its related issues like gun laws, student activism, and masculinity—with your students? Here are some resources to start the conversation.
Let’s Talk About DACA
Uneasy about discussing DACA—and its related issues like immigration, racism, and sanctuary—with your students? Here are some resources to start the conversation.
“Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Student Writing Lesson
Students will read and respond to Tracy Matsue Loeffelholz’s article, “What Japanese Internment Taught Us About Standing Up for Our Neighbors.” In this article, Tracy reflects on the meaning of
Let’s Talk About Natural Disasters—Who’s to Blame?
Uneasy about discussing natural disasters—and who's to blame for their death and destruction—with your students? Here are some resources to start the conversation.
Fall 2017 National Student Writing Competition: Standing Up for Our Neighbors
Want to inspire your students to write? Here's an opportunity to write about something meaningful and for an audience beyond the classroom.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Middle School Winner Ruby Rose Coney Wynne-Jones
Read Ruby's essay, "It Would Mean the World to Me," about not labeling students with dyslexia as stupid and instead getting them the help they need.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” High School Winner Adithi Ramakrishnan
Read Adithi's essay, "Escaping the 'Other' Side," about embracing both her Indian and American roots—and how to get beyond unfriendly stares in public.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” University Winner Amber Huff
Read Amber's essay, "To Know Her is to Love Her," about what she found beneath the hoodie and ink-stained knuckles of a new library visitor.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Powerful Voice Winner Alexandria Lutinski
Read Alexandria's essay, "An Unanswered Cry for Help," about living her own life after her snow globe world shatters.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Powerful Voice Winner Aly Terry
Read Aly's essay, "Highs and Lows," about how everyone can support people with bipolar disorder by helping them see not just the ups and downs, but all things beautiful in-between.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Powerful Voice Winner Logan Bailey Crews
Read Logan's essay, "Bringing a Voice Back to Life," about being pushed to the edge of the skyscraper in his head in the recent past, but focusing now on shattering the stigma of depression and mental illness at his school.
Fall 2017: “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Literary Gems
We are consumed by our own grief of childhood left behind and a future shrouded in a mist of endless responsibilities.—Lily Lashmet, grade 8, Odyssey Multiage Program, Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Tracy Matsue Loeffelholz’s Response to “Standing Up for Our Neighbors” Essay Winners
Tracy Matsue Loeffelholz, editorial and creative director at YES! Magazine, responds to the winners of our Fall 2017 National Student Writing Competition.
Let’s Talk About #MeToo
Uneasy about discussing the #MeToo movement—and its related issues like sexual harassment, gender stereotypes, and abuse of power—with your students? Here are some resources to start the conversation.
Let’s Talk About Charlottesville
Uneasy about discussing the Charlottesville protest—and its related issues like race, hate, and white supremacy—with your students? Here are some resources to start the conversation.
“Gender Pronouns” Student Writing Lesson
Is there anyone in your life—you included—who is not comfortable being referred to as “he” or “she”? Write a letter to Cole, founder of the Brown Boi Project, on how you feel about this expansion of gender pronoun language. How do you deal with this cultural change?
Spring 2017: “Gender Pronouns” Middle School Winner Alex Gerber
Read Alex's essay, "A New Design for Language," about the social and grammatical limits of gender-neutral pronouns—and how to get beyond them. Alex responded to the YES! article, "'They' and the Emotional Weight," by Cole, founder of the Brown Boi Project.
Spring 2017 National Student Writing Competition: Gender Pronouns
Want a motivator to take your students' writing to a higher level? Here's an opportunity to write about something meaningful and for a bigger audience beyond the classroom.
Spring 2017: “Gender Pronouns” High School Winner Ella Martinez
Read Ella's essay, "Language is a Many-Gendered Thing," about the challenges of using gender-neutral pronouns in a Puerto Rican American family. Ella responded to the YES! article, "'They' and the Emotional Weight," by Cole, founder of the Brown Boi Project.
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