music

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — Swifty navigates hip-hop classes, failed auditions, a new baby brother, and friendship drama while discovering drums and cutting her hair for charity.

Poetry·Nova Macknik-Conde, age 8 — A bilingual poem imagines a song the world needs — one that sounds like hope, teaches strength, and moves like water.

Story·Ariana Kralicek, age 12 — Swifty Appledoe, jealous of perfect classmate Stella, decides to become just like her by taking violin and ballet lessons, with disastrous but ultimately triumphant results.

Personal Narrative·Lily Shi, age 11 — At a national dance competition, a girl remembers her grandmother's sacrificed dream and her team's journey from regional defeat to championship victory.

Story·Anya Geist, age 13 — In a genetically engineered society where roles are predetermined, a young Director-in-training discovers her forbidden passion for music during a symphony rehearsal.

Personal Narrative·Beatriz Lindemann, age 12 — A 12-year-old defends her two-dad family through memories of ballet recitals, newspaper rituals, and playground confrontations, asserting that both men are her 'actual dads.'

Personal Narrative·Claire Jiang, age 12 — A young pianist reflects on the freedom of art and the journey from reluctant lessons to finding beauty in her own upright Kawai piano.

Poetry·Talia E. Moyo, age 10 — A young writer catalogs the places that shaped her — from African deserts to New Jersey beaches, Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls to French villages — weaving family, food, and a beloved...

Story·Elaina Heinitz, age 10 — A grumpy man captures the town's beloved wake-up bird, but when the whole town mourns its loss, he realizes his mistake and sets it free.

Poetry·Leila Lakhal, age 12 — A Muslim girl defends her faith and community against stereotypes, describing her culture as a warm blanket woven from love and tradition.