facing fear

Story·Veronica Engler, age 15 — A young woman becomes the first female bull rider to attempt the Championships, facing down Widow Maker, a bull unridden for seven years.

Story·Preston Craig, age 10 — A girl who believes she's bad at everything discovers kayaking, overcomes her fear after tipping over, and places second in a race.

Poetry·Hudson Jetton, age 12 — In overtime's golden goal moment, a young soccer player faces a penalty kick, feeling the pressure mount before making the winning shot.

Story·Anastasia M. Apostoleris, age 12 — A ten-year-old boy experiences November 22, 1963, through the lens of his baby brother named after President Kennedy, capturing the moment childhood innocence meets national tragedy.

Story·Olivia Grugan, age 13 — A teenage girl recounts the day her family's beloved pond became the site of tragedy when a six-year-old Amish boy drowned during a gathering.

Story·Marian Homans-Turnbull, age 13 — A girl's last morning on a Nova Scotia island turns into a fog-bound adventure when their boat gets lost, leading to an unexpected sail on a schooner.

Poetry·Nicole Guenther, age 12 — A young poet confronts mortality by imagining flight beyond Earth's gravity, transforming the fear of nothingness into an invitation to soar through unnamed universes.

Story·Julia Duchesne, age 13 — A boy discovers his natural rock-climbing talent during a family vacation, then faces his first real test when his sister's life hangs in the balance on a Greek cliff.

Poetry·Mira Bernstein Kaufman, age 11 — A child swimming with her father discovers strength in diving under waves instead of fighting them, finding joy in the ocean's power.

Story·Zaki Moustafa, age 13 — A fourteen-year-old Confederate soldier marches through dawn fog to ambush a Union camp, then confronts the horror of killing boys his own age.