No More Hand-Holding
A college visit is a wake-up call for Edgar, who realizes that to succeed he will have to take more responsibility for his education. [more]

Princess Oreo Speaks Out
Dwan is teased by fellow blacks for “acting white” and wonders why people can’t be more open-minded. [more]

Womanhood Can Wait
Most girls are in a hurry to grow up, but Nicole wants to take it slow. [more]

Enjoy the Moment
Ngan-Fong wants to spend time enjoying herself in the present, instead of constantly worrying about the future. [more]

Why I Failed the 9th Grade
Why did the girl with the best reading score in her whole junior high get left back in 9th grade? [more]

Color Me Different
Jamal speaks standard English, can’t dance, and prefers baseball to basketball. Does this mean he’s less black than his peers? [more]

My School Is Like a Family
Transferring from a large, impersonal high school to a small, supportive one is the key to Troy’s success. [more]

She's Cool, She's Funny, She's Gay--and She’s My Sister
Sandra’s friends have lots of stereotypes about lesbians—but Sandra’s gay sister proves them wrong. [more]

My Korean Boyfriend: He Said I Was Too American
Sue’s boyfriend tells her that if she were a “real” Korean girl, she would listen to him when he told her what to do. [more]

A New World Full of Strangers
Edwidge describes the bewilderment, culture shock, and stereotypes she faces on arriving in the U.S. from Haiti at 12. She will later credit this essay with helping to inspire her novel "Breath, Eyes, Memory," which becomes a New York Times bestseller. [more]