US Common Core ELA

Story·Justin Le Veness, age 11 — An eight-year-old boy faces his fear when his father dares him to go outside during Hurricane Matthew, discovering both the storm's power and his father's protective nature.

Story·Evelyn Fitzpatrick, age 11 — When her best friend announces she's moving to Korea in two days, a girl's anger gives way to understanding that true friendship can survive any distance.

Poetry·Ashley Class, age 10 — A young writer reflects on how staring at an empty wall sparks imagination, claiming it as the source of stories known across the globe.

Poetry·Kate Choi, age 12 — A morning meditation in an oak tree by a brook, where the listener discovers that silence is filled with nature's whispered wisdom and calls to action.

Poetry·Nargi Golashi, age 13 — A young poet finds comfort in mathematical and scientific laws as unchanging truths that connect her to the universe and eternity.

Poetry·Deeba Kord, age 10 — A child runs barefoot along a muddy riverbank to a flower meadow, picks blooms, wades in the water, then wakes from what might be a dream.

Poetry·Katy Meta, age 13 — A young poet defends the beauty of a common weed against dismissive judgment, finding enchantment in its velveteen leaves and hidden indigo bud.

Poetry·Sabrina Guo, age 11 — A money tree in the living room becomes a meditation on luck, family traditions, and whether fortune is given or made.

Poetry·Zoe Lynch, age 10 — A 10-year-old observes her parents working at their desks and discovers that hard work and joy can coexist when you find what you love.

Poetry·Molly DellaValla, age 10 — A child observes a busy beach day filled with family chaos, snacks, sandcastles, and the ocean's constant presence, capturing summer's sensory overload.