2017 Essays
- The Masks of Tragedy and Comity, Michael Tracy (1st Place Winner), Las Vegas, NV
- LGBT Homeless Youth, Zoe Lovelace (2nd Place Winner), Houston, TX
- Is It a Choice?, Isabella Zou (3rd Place Winner), Austin, TX
2016 Essays
- Move On! , Alexandra Flegle (Contest Winner), Dallas, TX
- Tiny Homes for the Homeless, Michelle Liu, Reno, NV
- How a Museum and its Homeless Neighbors Are Finding a Solution to a National Issue, Isabel Brown, Dallas, TX
The following stories were written by journalism students at Summit Rainier High School in San Jose, CA
Teen Uses Voice to Amend Legislation
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Youth Writes About the Ignored Side of the Homeless Population |
Contrary to the popular belief that teenagers are unmotivated to help people other than themselves, Michael Tracy is living proof that teens do care. Tracy, a senior at Advanced Technology Academy in Las Vegas, NV, has been developing strategies that will help positively impact the lives of a group targeted by violence.
Tracy is currently in the process of trying to pass legislation in Nevada that would officially classify the homeless population as a minority group. The new law would officially categorize crimes against the homeless community as hate crimes. read more ... |
Many of us are guilty of making assumptions about people before taking the time to get to know them; however, Isabella Zou, a senior at Westlake High School in Austin,TX, works to enlighten her community about the real people of the homeless community.
She described the overarching stereotype we all seem to buy into: “We often just lump homelessness into one category of people that are all just very similar, but I’ve learned that people are very diverse, and the one thing they do share is the status of homelessness.” The way that Zou battles this cliche is through her website, Austin Street Humans. This blog gives the homeless population a voice by sharing their stories and providing insight into a community that has been pushed to the side. read more ... |