YouthAwareIssue6

Credit: Storyblocks

EDITOR’S NOTE
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the back to school edition
of Youth Aware! I hope your school year is off to a great start. As you may
have noticed, we have revised and redesigned our magazine in these past
few weeks to include more interesting and diverse content! This issue I wanted
to cover different experiences and perspectives on the new 2020-2021
school year. See our feature on Youth Changemakers in the community who
are finding creative ways to help this school year. Learn about new Lego
blocks that will be available to districts this school year to help students who
are blind. And hear from kids around the world on whether school should remain
online in future years. This issue we are also introducing a Youth Aware
community service initiative. Read on to find out more!
Mehr Grewal,
CO-FOUNDER
VISIT US AT sites.google.com/view/youthaware to learn
more about our magazine.
SEND feedback, comments, and suggestions to
youthaware2020@gmail.com to possibly be featured in
our next issue.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MAILBOX……………………………………………………….4
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE…………………………………….5
IN YOUR BACKYARD………………………………………...6
YOUTH LEADERS…………………………………………….8
ART THERAPY……………………………………………….12
STEM…………………………………………………………..14
WORLD………………………………………………………..17
HAPPINESS TIP #1………………………………………….18
CRAFT CORNER…………………………………………….19
ANIMALS………………………………………………………20
TRAVEL………………………………………………………..22
VIRTUAL SCHOOL…………………………………………..23
CASTLES……………………………………………………...24
AKON CITY……………………………………………………25
HISTORY………………………………………………………26
MEDICINE……………………………………………………..28
BOOKSHELF………………………………………………….29
MONTHLY QUESTION………………………………………30
ENVIRONMENT………………………………………………31

Mailbox
“Thank you so much for starting this magazine! I always look forward
to the next issue. I love reading stories by my fellow young
writers. I especially enjoyed Connections through Writing by Eesha
Jain that was published in the previous issue.”
—Sadie Uhlman, Florida
“I love your magazine! I didn’t know that there was a magazine
out there that would publish writing by kids, so I was pleasantly
surprised when I found out about Youth Aware.”
—Sophie Detweiler, Oregon
“My teacher first recommended this magazine to me. At first, I
wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it, but from every issue, I learned something
new. Every issue of Youth Aware always intrigues me, from
the current events to U. S history.”
—Madeleine Chen, Wisconsin

During this pandemic, we want to help the community at Youth Aware. With the
school year starting virtually this fall, many students do not have access to the
school supplies they need to achieve success.
This September, we are launching a school supplies drive to help students in need
this year. We are receiving donations of backpacks filled with the following school
supplies:
• 1-2 notebooks
• 2 pens
• A pen
• An eraser
• A mask
• A small bottle of
hand sanitizer
Imagine the impact we could all make if every family contributed one backpack towards
this drive. If you would like to participate and help students excel in online
school, please email us at youthaware2020@gmail.com or fill out the form on our
website:
https://sites.google.com/view/youthaware/holiday-helpers/school-supplies-drive
Photo credit: Storyblocks

IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Although we are all in
lockdown amid this pandemic,
there are still
plenty of interesting
things to see, even in
your own backyard! What
will you discover?

—By Simar Grewal

FEATURE
YOUTH LEADERS
Kids are finding creative ways to
help during the COVID-19 pandemic
SUMMER CODING FOR KIDS
A free summer coding camp to
introduce kids to STEM
Eesha Jain, a middle school student in
Washington State, is very passionate about
STEM and teaching. This summer, she decided
to combine her two passions to help the community.
“I enjoy teaching,” Eesha told Youth
Aware. “I am very inspired by how teachers can
influence their students and how students can
grow from their teachers. I want to continue
teaching because of that amazing connection.”
Eesha ran a coding camp this summer where she
introduced elementary and middle school students
to Java, which is a programming language.
Students learned the basics of Java and learned
about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math.) By the end of the camp, Eesha received
an excellent response from students. She describes
that students enjoyed learning and were inspired
by how STEM can be very impactful in multiple
fields. Why is it important for youth to have exposure
to coding? “I think that it’s important for
youth to gain experience at a young age,” says Eesha.
“Coding can do so much! You can even apply it on a
small scale. For example, if you want to see how
many of your friends are attending a birthday party,
you can write a program to send an invite to your
friends. It can solve many real-world problems, and an
increasing number of jobs require some coding
knowledge.” In her free time, Eesha enjoys writing
basic programs. In the past, she has written code to
EMPOWERING YOUTH
With an increasing number
of jobs involving
STEM, especially coding, it
is imperative that youth
gain some exposure.
Learning coding works to
not only empower youth
but to give children more
choices for future careers
when they grow up.
see whether words are palindromes, to answer questions
such as “how many times does a vowel appear in
this word,” or “how many people responded yes to a
question.” Eesha’s message to youth about coding? “I
want to show youth that coding isn’t something to be
afraid of. I know that coding can seem intimidating
sometimes or useless at first, but when you really start
to apply coding, it becomes very fun and interesting!
Coding can solve so many problems and it can help
people in so many different ways.”
Link to Eesha’s interview:
https://youtu.be/bDuv8GfaBSI

THE COVID NINETEEN PROJECT
An online tutoring platform for kids, by
kids
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused schools
across the world to abruptly shut down, affecting the
learning of thousands of students globally. When Skye
Loventhal and Sarah Shapiro, both high school students
in California, saw how so many children were struggling
with academics, they knew they had to do something.
“Sarah and I both have a background in advocacy,”
Skye told Youth Aware. “We are the copresidents
of Girl Up at our school. We also both have
a background in education. Both of our parents are
educators, so we already had a lot of experience working
in the classroom setting and working with children.”
Together, Skye and Sarah stepped up in their
community and launched the COVID NineTEEN
Project, a youth-led initiative that provides free activities
and one-on-one tutoring sessions for elementary
school students. Now, the COVID NineTEEN Project
has impacted over 800 students in 12 different
countries with 250 teen mentors leading activities and
providing tutoring to children. Tutoring is available in
over 15 different languages, including ASL. Sessions are
offered daily with over 100 different activities for kids,
ranging from language learning to musical instruments
to calligraphy. For more information, you can visit
their website: covidnineteenproject.com. “Being able
to teach kids every day definitely keeps us motivated,”
Sarah explained. “I actually have my door in my room
filled with all these different crafts and activities that
I’ve been teaching the kids how to make. I also have a
collage that one of our volunteers made, so when I see
that every day it reminds me why I’m doing this in the
first place. It keeps me going despite all the obstacles.”
What advice would Skye and Sarah give to kids around
the world who would like to volunteer but don’t have
opportunities or inspiration? “I think the most important
thing is to pick something that you’re truly
passionate about,” says Skye, “Whether that’s getting
involved in something that already exists or creating
your own initiative
in the community.
That’s the only way
you’re going to stick
to it and believe in
the message. That’s
really where you’re
going to find success.
People should be able
to see your passion.”
“It’s not about trying
to find a super huge
project,” Sarah adds.
“It’s about identifying your passions in life and finding
and issue that exists in
society that you can
make even a small difference
towards. You
don’t have to think too
big but don’t ever be
discouraged and feel
like you have to think
small. Just be on the
lookout for those avenues.
Sometimes, those
avenues don’t exist yet
and you’ll pave the way
to make them possible.”
Link to Skye and Sarah’s interview:
https://youtu.be/i2r7tfO0BcM

LETTERS TO ELDERS
Building intergenerational connections
through a traditional pen-pal program
During this pandemic, Ishita and Ishan Bansal
(both students in Washington State) noticed that seniors
were facing isolation and confinement in quarantine.
That’s why they started Letters to Elders, a program
connecting youth with seniors in their community
through a traditional pen-pal program. “During
these difficult times, there are many seniors who don’t
have family nearby,” Ishita told Youth Aware. “They
are facing isolation in quarantine. My grandparents live
far away and we can’t visit them. We noticed how just
talking to them made them feel better—and it made us
feel better by being able to communicate with them.
We thought that seniors around here should also be
able to talk with youth.” Members of Letters to Elders
are able to write letters to a senior in their community
while exchanging ideas and advice. This program provides
a valuable experience for youth to be able to
build connections with and learn from members of
their community. Why is it important for youth to
have connections with seniors in their community?
“It’s a different sort of skill set,” explained Ishan.
“We’re working with physical letters rather than email.
In these times, you’ll find that the skill of writing a
physical letter is something that most of the younger
generation does not have.” Writing letters also helps
youth to gain different perspectives that they might not
otherwise hear, which is an imperative skill during the
COVID-19 pandemic. What is it like being a part of
Letters to Elders? Ishita and Ishan describe the experience
as gratifying. “You are helping a senior out of isolation,”
says Ishan. Additionally, the program allows
students to interact and meet someone new, opportunities
that are hard to find in this time. Organizing the
program did not come
without challenges, however.
A main challenge along
the way was finding people
who were eager to take part
as a member. Ishita and
Ishan spread the word in
their community, and gradually,
more members
joined. “Now, many kids
are a part of this,” says
Ishita. Safety was another
concern in establishing the
project. The program could
not share the addresses of
the seniors for safety reasons.
Ishita and Ishan persevered
despite the obstacles,
and rose to the challenge.
Letters to Elders is now impacting many seniors in the
community. “Look at every opportunity even if it
doesn’t seem like an opportunity,” Ishita advises to kids
around the world at Youth Aware. “If you have a
chance, take it. Find inspiration! Look around at other
organizations and what work they are doing.”
Link to Ishita and Ishan’s interview:
https://youtu.be/Ie48K4Qx3MY

CHECK IT OUT See our virtual
interviews at:
https://sites.google.com/view/youthaware/youth-engagement-forum
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT FORUM is a Youth Aware initiative
to connect youth with members of their community.
Youth Changemakers is a series that emphasizes
the work of young community leaders. Check out our
Youth Engagement Forum page on our website linked
above.
Contact us at: youthengagementforum@gmail.com

NEUROSCIENCE
ART THERAPIES FOR VETERANS
How art can help heal the human brain
Upon returning from war, approximately half of veterans
report problems participating in society- which includes
developing relationships, discovering and purpose,
and finding work. With the mental and physical
issues that commonly affect the lives of veterans, it is
crucial to find effective forms of treatment. However,
as many veterans suffer from some form of acquired
brain injury or disease- TBI, PTSD, etc- it can be difficult
to treat these injuries. Not only are these fields of
neurology vastly unique to the individual patient, but
they are also newer, less researched fields. More research
needs to be done into effective treatments for
brain disorders. One potential source of therapy to rehabilitate
veterans suffering from brain disorders and
social isolation is art therapy.
There are various art therapies that show promise.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs to
offer cost-effective ceramics classes to veterans
(“Creative Forces”). Working with clay can improve
hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills, leading to
a potential increase in employability and social
assimilation. VETART, an organization that provides
mainly bronze casting art therapies for veterans, claims
85 percent of participants found art therapy helpful for
healing, claiming they have, “enabled veterans to
connect with others and discover an outlet for
expressing their emotions and
experiences” (“VETART Mission”). Showing veterans
how to safely express their emotions through art, can
help them to heal from emotional barriers incurred
from their service.
One study concluded that art therapy helped
participants regain lost memories and reduced any depression
and combat-related PTSD (Campbell, et al).
The NEA similarly asserts that veterans “reported significant
improvements with regards to their... psychological,
physical, and economic inabilities,... emotions,
greater communication and relational skills, improved
impulse control, and reduced depression” (“Creative
Forces”).
GETTING CREATIVE Allowing
veterans to sculpt with
clay can improve hand-eye
coordination
Picture credit: Creative Commons

In a study that looks at the effects of guitar therapy for
veterans from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,
it is noted that out of forty veterans, “21% improvement
in PTSD symptoms and a 27% decrease in related
depression symptoms” (Dillingham and Clement).
This significant decrease in reported depression was
similarly noted in a Frontiers in Psychology article as it
states “if classical music was used as intervention... four
studies out of eight [indicated] depression score improvements...
that were above the average of
39.98%” (Luebner and Hinterberger). Social
interaction is inherent to collective art activities,
allowing group art communities to develop stronger
communication skills. With less mental illnesses
veteran employability could increase, allowing them to
become more socially independent and more wholly
integrated into society.
Art therapies proven to reduce physical and
mental disabilities, as well as building meaningful and
supportive communities, should ] be promoted as a
possible avenue for treatment for veterans suffering
from these post-war injuries. This could also help accelerate
their independence and successful assimilation
back into civilian society. Art therapy is less expensive
and less invasive with the potential for less side effects,
than most current forms of treatment. These art therapies
could also be beneficial for those suffering from
brain injuries at large, but more research needs to be
done due to the greater lack of homogeny of symptoms.
Sofia Melnychuck
National Program Co-Director, ThinkSTEAM
Volunteer Research Intern at the Center for Innovation
in Brain Sciences
Author of Brain Power: Neurology for Kids!
Campbell, Melissa, et al. “Art Therapy and Cognitive
Processing Therapy for Combat-Related
PTSD: A Randomized Controlled Trial.”
Journal of the American Art Therapy Association,
Vol. 33, 2016,
doi:10.1080/07421656.2016.1226643.
“Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network.”
National Endowment for the Arts,
www.arts.gov/nationalinitiatives/creative-forces.
Dillingham, Timothy R and Clement J. Zablocki.
“Guitars for Vets: Evaluating psychological
outcome of a novel music therapy.”
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Sept. 2011,
www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/
abstracts.cfm?Project_ID=2141700403.
Luebner, Daniel and Thilo Hinterberger. “Reviewing
the Effectiveness of Music Interventions in
Treating Depression.” Frontiers
in Psychology, 7 July 2017, doi: 10.3389/
fpsyg.2017.01109.
“VETART Mission.” VETART, www.vetart.org/
about.html.
©Sofia Melnychuck 2020
—By Sofia Melnychuck,
Arizona

S.T.E.M
Remember that thing I was talking about last
week? What was it? SAM. STOVE. Wait, it was
STEM. Yep, STEM. STEM stands for Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math. Today, I will be talking
about the Science aspect. Science is “the intellectual
and practical activity encompassing the systematic
study of the structure and behavior of the physical and
natural world through observation and experiment.”
No, I didn’t make that up. I copied Google’s long and
complex definition. I would say science is observing
the world and asking questions that dive you to try to
understand why something works. Science is the foundation
of how the things around us work. Let’s take an
example. I’m going to bring up Eesha 2 for this example.
In this scenario, Eesha 2 had a question about what
would happen if something were to occur. Then, she
made a hypothesis and tested it out, getting a result at
the end! This type of experimentation and analysis is
what scientists work on! They work on exploring their
questions and trying to run experiments to understand
why things happen as the way they do! Scientists build
on their peers past experimentations to continue to
grow our understanding of the world. For example,
right now, you might be learning about how gravity
works. In the past, we didn’t know gravity existed until
Isaac Newton wanted to understand what forces were
keeping us on the ground. Anyone want to play a
round of imagination? I do.
Eesha: Think of a question that you’re curious about….
Eesha 2: What happens when I mix water and salt?
Eesha: Good question! Want to test it out?
[Pause: This is the first step, thinking of a question that you want to solve]
Eesha 2: Yes! I think that it will turn really salty
[Pause: This is the second step, a hypothesis. What do you think will happen?]
Eesha: That is a nice hypothesis. Now, to have accurate data, you have to run the experiment multiple times
with different amounts of salt. For example, you do three tests with 1 teaspoon of salt, three tests with 2 teaspoons
of salt, and three tests with 3 teaspoons of salt.
Eesha 2: Why can’t I just do it once?
Eesha: Well, there is a chance that you might get an outlier. The more tests that you run, the more accurate
responses you can get! With multiple tests, you will be able to make an accurate conclusion
Eesha 2: Let’s test it out…. (Let’s pretend that Eesha 2 did the testing and such)
Eesha: What did you observe?
Eesha 2: Well, the water did get a little bit more salty.
Eesha: Do you notice anything else?
Eesha 2: Well, the density of the water increased and the water became colder!
Eesha: Was your hypothesis correct?
Eesha 2: Partly correct!

Think of the future. Let’s say...the year 2060. The
world has advanced beyond your dreams but in the
process, the world has started to slowly decay. Global
warming has caused temperatures to go up to 150 degrees
in some locations and down to 20 degrees in others.
Pollution fills all the seas, and it's hard to find an
ocean that isn’t polluted. You believe that if they got
another chance, maybe something like this wouldn’t
happen again. They look back to their studies of Mars
and analyze it a little bit further. Studies shown from
the “Curiosity Rover,” launched in 2011, has shown
that there was organic material on Mars. This shows
that there was once life on Mars and if there was life
before, why can’t there be life now? With more analysis,
you can find that there was evidence of water, life,
and many scientists say that with protection from the
radiation and proper oxygen support, humans can live
on Mars! You bring upon your idea to the rest of the
great leaders and they all agree that this is an excellent
plan to sustain the human population and get a fresh
start.
Sigh, I think that we have to stop imagining now. It
was a great story though! If you noticed, the science of
Mars saved the human population! And science can do
so much more! Scientists are important in almost every
field! For example, we need scientists to analyze the
corona virus and produce a vaccine to help American
citizens. Creating a vaccine uses a lot of testing and experimenting,
improving every single time. These scientists
can also be used to understand planets and their
correlation to one another. Science isn’t something
that is staying fixed; it is growing and you can be a part
of that change.
EXPERIMENT The scientific process
involves experimenting, over and
over again.
—By Eesha Jain
Picture credit: Creative Commons

LATEST IN THE SCIENTIFIC WORLD
TEEN SCIENTISTS MAKE UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY
A program in the country Israel allows teens to work
alongside archaeologists at various dig sites across the
country. The program was created to allow kids to experience
the science of archaeology and to feel a connection
with Israel’s history. What the directors of the program
didn’t foresee was that 2 teenagers in Yavneh would literally
“strike gold” during the dig! “I dug in the ground,
and, when I excavated the soil, I saw what looked like
very thin leaves,” says Oz Cohen, one of the teenagers
involved. “When I looked again, I saw these were gold
coins. It was really exciting to find such a special
and ancient treasure.” When scientists examined the coins further, they were found to be from the 9th century, dating
back to the Abbasid Caliphate, a dynasty that ruled over Persia.
FIXING GLITCHES FROM AFAR
The Voyager 2 probe was sent out by NASA scientists to
explore the far realms of our solar system. Currently, the
spacecraft is approximately 11.5 billion miles away from
Earth, in a region of our solar system called the heliosphere.
The heliosphere is described by scientists as a bubble-like
space that surrounds the solar system. In early 2020, scientists
received the first indication that there was a glitch in Voyager
2’s system, when the spacecraft was not able to rotate 360
degrees in order to calibrate its magnetic field instruments.
This caused Voyager 2’s instruments to shut down. However,
scientists in Pasadena, California, were still able to maintain contact with the craft. Once the glitch was identified,
scientists began the process of fixing it. The process can often be tedious and requires skillful concentration. Just a
month later, Voyager 2 was functioning again.
THINK ABOUT IT
HOW can having reliable information
about the past help us
understand the present? And
predict the future?
—By Eesha Jain

WORLD
We’ve all played with Legos, the popular, colorful
bricks your preschool teacher likely made you
play with. But they’re not just for young children!
Building Legos is a hobby that everyone can enjoy!
The company, based in Denmark, has now launched a
series of Legos dedicated to helping kids who are blind
learn Braille. It can be hard for younger students to
grasp the language, which is learned through touch. As
a result, many parents and teachers aren’t teaching their
students Braille, simply because it’s challenging to
learn! The Lego company decided to step in to make
Braille more easy, fun, and interactive for teachers to
teach and for students to learn. How did the company
achieve this? Through the famous Lego Bricks, of
course, but with a little twist! The bricks include
Braille dots, allowing kids to play together while learning
the language. The Lego sets also include bricks for
children to play word and math games with. The bricks
will soon make their debut in 20 countries, including
the United States, and will be free for school districts.
Through this invention, the Lego company hopes to
encourage kids to learn Braille and have fun at the
same time, at the same time encouraging and empowering
kids to be successful as we move into the future.
During this pandemic, with programs shifting online,
school districts plan to send out the kits to students and
then instruct the students virtually.
Credit: LEGO
—By Angelika Jones, 12,
Texas

HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND HAPPINESS
We are all looking for ways to be happier these
days. This series of articles on Happiness Tips is meant
to encourage new habits, ones that will help you enjoy
and appreciate the positives in your life. Happiness tip
#1: SAVOR. Definition: to enjoy something completely.
One way to increase your sense of happiness
is to recognize and enjoy various parts of your day. In
other words, “to be in the moment” or to SA-
VOR. Most people think of food or drink when they
hear the word savor. But I encourage you to savor
other parts of your life like waking up to a sunny day,
or better yet, waking up to a snowy day! Living
in Seattle, I love the melodic sound of
raindrops hitting the roof during those first wakeful
moments when I lay there listening, snuggled up
safe and warm in my bed. Sometimes I savor the ending
of a great book, one that I has taken my imagination
to exotic, faraway places. As a mother, I savor
the joyful sound of my kids laughing together. As a
teacher I savor the look of satisfaction and success on
the faces of my students after they have completed
ENJOY Appreciating little
moments in life can help us
to stay happy.
a difficult challenge. Now
it’s your turn to practice
savoring. Use all your
senses to savor sights,
sounds, touches, smells, and of course tastes. You can
also savor special memories. Try to make savoring a
habit, make a goal of savoring one new moment each
day. Double the happiness! Your savoring can also
bring happiness to others! When you share what you
are savoring, others are reminded to enjoy the moment
as well.
Assignment #1: Over the next few weeks, find at least
one thing to savor each day. Send us a picture or a few
words about the positives in your world.
Extra Credit: Share your savored experiences with
others to spread the happiness.
Make it a habit! SAVOR!
—By Ms. Katie Rempe

CRAFT CORNER
Hello, I am Anushka and I
have a twin sister Avantika.
Since the lockdown started,
we go out wearing masks.
Our parents took us to the
zoo and we had a great
time! We are spending most
of our time doing artwork,
attending online classes, and
playing in the backyard
with Legos. We painted
stones this weekend and we wanted to share our experience
with you.
START A ROCK GARDEN
Starting a rock garden in your neighborhood is a great
way to connect with community during this pandemic!
It’s a perfect craft project for kids of all ages. You can
paint your rocks any way you want, whether it’s to
communicate a message, build community, or just
have fun! See some examples below for inspiration:
Credit for pictures above:
Creative Commons
Anushka and Avantika, age 5, painted rocks this
weekend
—By Anushka & Avantika
Kamat, 5, Washington

ANIMAL ADVOCATES

THINK ABOUT IT
WHAT are some ways you can
raise awareness about helping
animals in your school, neighborhood,
or community?
—By Ivanka Varshney

TRAVEL: THE JOURNAL
ITALIAN VILLAGE PANICALE
Have you ever visited Italy? While the
country may be most famously known for its iconic
landmark: The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy has lots
more to offer! Rural towns in Europe, such as Panicale
in Italy, have recently seen many people move
away to larger cities. (Panicale is a small town on a
hill in Umbria, Italy.) However, the rich culture of
the city is still being kept alive! What are some
highlights of Panicale? Read on to find out!
THE PIAZZA
“Piazza,” is the Italian word for the main center, or
town square, of the city. The neighborhood around
the piazza in Panicale was built in the 1500s, while
the piazza itself dates back to the 10th century!
THEATER CAPORALI
This theater was built in 1786. The construction
was actually a collaborative effort by 12 different
families from the city! Theater Caporali has stood
the test of time: many traveling actors still perform
there.
THE TULLE MUSEUM
Panicale is famous for the fine embroidery people
make there. The people dedicated a whole museum
to celebrating this embroidery: The Tulle Museum.
In the center of the museum is a grand piano owned
by an artist named Dalia Lazar.
THE STREETS
The streets in the city are unique and likely unlike
the ones you have in your neighborhood or city!
The buildings are all shaped to the landscape; the
roads actually conform to the hills! This gives the
city an interesting look. As part of local culture, you
will often see people placing flowers in their windows
as decoration.
Photo credits: NY Times

THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUTH
Hear from kids all around the country on how virtual learning is
working out for them!
Do you want to share any opinions,
thoughts, or experiences with us?
Youth Aware is a safe place for kids to
express themselves freely. Send to
youthaware2020@gmail.com.
Sofya R., Bellevue, Washington
I really appreciate the time and energy our teachers put in to
prepare everything. We’re still struggling with some schedule
issues, but I think all the problems will be fixed in time. After all,
it’s a new experience for all of us, including our teachers and
staff. Sometimes it’s hard for me to be behind a screen all the
time, but I’m so grateful for all this technology we have!
Rebecca-Anne W., Worcester, Massachusetts
I know this might sound a little odd to hear, but, I’m actually really
enjoying it! School is going great, I’m ready to learn every
morning. This may be a new experience but it’s still fun! I love
being able to learn from the comfort of my house, and I honestly
hope this continues in future years. We heard people say
online school would be “the way of the future,” but we never
dreamt that it would come so soon! Let’s show COVID-19 that
we are flexible and we can adapt and adjust to whatever challenge
it throws our way! WE ARE A STRONG COMMUNITY and
we can get through anything. Let’s always remember that. Life
is a maze, and sometimes there might be hurdles, but you only
come out stronger at the end.
Ted C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
School has been great for me, but at this point I feel pretty discouraged
because this pandemic has brought one challenge
after another. But I love how our teachers have found ways to
keep us engaged online. Every Friday we have a school “game
night” where we play virtual games. I didn’t know it was possible
to play games like chess online! We’ve even played many
“board games.” One of my friends is super talented at coding
and he got together with a bunch of friends to create his own
game. We all took turns trying it out. I don’t know how to code
at all so I was just blown away when I saw it!
Anushka D., Los Angeles, California
It feels very frustrating being behind a
screen all the time. I wish that we could go
back in person and see all our friends
again. It also feels a little odd—everyone is
so close yet so far. It’s also a lot harder for
my friends and I to focus in class and feel
motivated to actually COMPLETE the assignments.
I hope this pandemic ends
soon and we can resume normal school.
To all my friends and teachers: See you
soon!
Sophie S., Princeton, New Jersey
School has been okay for me. All my teachers
are really nice, but I don’t have any
classes with my friends. But we don’t really
get time to interact like in normal school,
and I really miss seeing my friends and
teachers. However, we still do lots of fun
activities. We have a whole-school quiz
session every Tuesday. It’s kind of like a
trivia day where we take turns answering
questions about different subjects. I
learned a lot about art history through
those, they were surprisingly informative!
Naomi M., Sewickley, Pennsylvania
It’s going great, I’m taking some really cool
electives and other classes. I’m learning
Python and computer science. It’s very intense
at times, but it’s going great for me
overall.

CASTLES
Most castles were built in the Middle Ages. Kings,
queens, and nobles used to live in castles. Some castles
have moats and drawbridges. Some castles have arrow
slits. Some castles are up on hills.
—By Yohan George Tharappel,
6, Washington

FROM COMICS TO CITIES
Welcome to the real-life Wakanda
We’ve all probably imagined ourselves at one
point or another living in a superhero world. Walking
around Metropolis casually seeing Superman fly
around. Grabbing coffee in Asgard while watching
Thor fight someone with his hammer. But of course,
these are just daydreams, right? Wrong. With the help
of the Senegalese government, soon enough we will be
able to live life in a real world Wakanda, home to the
INTO THE FUTURE A projected
view of Akon City
superhero Black Panther. So where did all this come
from? How did we go from reading about Black Panther
in comics to building cities around his home? The
answer is one man, R&B singer Akon, or Aliaune
Damala Badara Akon Thiam. The Senegalese American
artist headed the idea of the project to build a new
Wakanda near the city of Mbodième, Senegal. For
those us that are new to the world of Marvel Superheroes,
Wakanda is the hi-tech city that is hidden from
the rest of the world in the movie Black Panther. In
the movies it is shown as having futuristic buildings
and extremely advanced technology. However, our
Wakanda today might be a little different. For starters,
this new Wakanda is actually going to be named Akon
City, after the man who came up with the ideas for it.
Photo credit: thelatch.com .au
Additionally, the leaders on this project want the city
to be anything but hidden. The vision right now is for
the city to be the new “beacon of innovation and human
development” and for it to “position itself as one
of the leading countries”. Although all this may seem
new and crazy, singer Akon says he wants it to act as a
home away from home for all black people. He states
“The system back home treats them so unfairly that
you could never imagine.
And they only go through it
because they feel that there is
no other way.” In his eyes,
Akon City could act as the
welcoming city that people of
color deserve but are denied
globally. It’s no secret that
taking on something of this
caliber will be tough for
Akon and the Senegalese
government to come through
on, especially as expectations
rise from people all over the
world. A plan like this would
take about $6 billion to create,
as well as the funds to keep the city up and running
after it is completed. Where do you start when
you’re trying to build a city like this one? Well we
don’t know yet, and doubt that Akon has all the kinks
worked out too. However, we’re about to find out as
construction is expected to start early 2021. And who
knows, maybe one day in the not to far future we’ll
start building a real life Asgard too. Click here to access
Akon City’s website and to stay tuned on all further
updates.
—By Sunehri Nog, 12,
Washington

HISTORY
Reflecting on the life an
U.S Secretary of State, lawyer, and Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court.
The U.S government as we know
it consists of 3 branches, each with
equal power, upheld by the Constitutional
principle of checks and
balances. However, our government
looked very different in
1790, just a year after the Constitution
was ratified.
THE EARLY SUPREME COURT
In 1790, the Supreme Court, the
highest judicial authority in the
United States, was little more than
an unpopular traveling group of
judges who lacked prestige and
authority. The Court had no official
location. Justices had to travel
around the country to where a
case was being held, and had little
power to enforce their decisions.
MARSHALL STEPS IN
At the time, John Marshall was a
powerful figure in Virginia. He
had studied law at the College of
William and Mary. He then
served in the U.S House of Representatives
for a year, and later
was appointed Secretary of State
under President John Adams. Towards
the end of Adams’ term,
Marshall was nominated by John
Adams to the position of Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court.
When Marshall assumed leadership
of the Court, he was shocked
by what he saw. How could the
highest court in the land, a symbol
for justice across the nation, have
such little power and authority?
Chief Justice Marshall didn’t like
what he was seeing, and from that
day onward, he resolved to change
it.
John Marshall swiftly rose to
“The peculiar circumstances of the moment
may render a measure more or less wise, but
cannot render it more or less Constitutional.”

d legacy of John Marshall
action and at once began bringing his vision for a fairer,
stronger, and more powerful Court to life. The Constitution
doesn’t say much about the Supreme Court, so John Marshall
had to bravely defend his ideas and viewpoints! Marshall chose
to distinguish himself from the other justices. He didn’t care
what his colleagues thought of him; he always acted in the
way he felt was right. He believed that Justices didn’t need to
dress up in order to perform their duties well. While other
justices wore decorated scarlet robes, Marshall wore a simple
black robe.
Before Marshall was appointed Chief Justice, the Supreme
Court’s decisions were based upon a series of rulings from
each Justice, as was the custom in England. However, Marshall
realized that this practice created an impression of tentativeness
and hesitancy, which detracted from the court’s authority.
Instead, Marshall implemented a system providing for
a single majority opinion. This created a feeling of unanimity
and showed that the justices were able to come to a consensus
in agreement. Even today, if you search online for a Supreme
Court decision, you will find that one justice writes for the
majority. Similarly, Marshall’s term as Chief Justice was
marked by stability and agreement in the Supreme Court.
MARBURY VS. MADISON
Marshall’s most famous ruling was in the case Marbury vs. Madison,
which placed a stamp on the Supreme Court’s power and authority.
The case established what is perhaps Marshall’s most enduring legacy:
the concept of Judicial Review. Judicial review is the power
of the Court to invalidate any legislation that is found to be in conflict
with the Constitution.
John Adams’ presidential term was almost over, and the clock was
ticking to announce the arrival of the new president, who belonged
to the opposing political party. In one of his last acts as President,
Adams and the Senate collaborated to fill in many open spots in the
Supreme Court. These orders are called commissions. All of the
commissions were signed with the seal of the United States, but
some of them, including one of a man named William Marbury, remained
undelivered. The next president, Thomas Jefferson (who
was, ironically, Marshall’s cousin), ordered James Madison, secretary
of state, to not deliver them. Indignant, Marbury decided to
take Madison to court. He was given clearance to take his case to the
Supreme Court immediately. Now, Chief Justice John Marshall was
faced with a dilemma. He could either vote in favor of Madison,
which would anger his cousin (who might revoke the Supreme
Court’s newfound authority), or he could side with Jefferson, whose
position was difficult to defend. However, Marshall had a solution.
He ruled that the Court did not have the power to hear the case, as
the Constitution states that citizens cannot receive original jurisdiction
from the Supreme Court, but that he would have
sided with Jefferson had he had the authority to do so.
John Marshall’s legacy lasts to this day in many of the ideals at
the center of our government. His historic decisions defending
the Constitution have set a precedent for many similar
decisions today, and likely in future years to come.
“It is emphatically the province and duty of the
judicial department to say what the law is.”
—John Marshall, 1803, Marbury v. Madison
THINK ABOUT IT
TAKE A LOOK at the Constitution. Why
do you think the framers chose not to
include strict guidelines for the Supreme
Court like they did for the other
2 branches? What impact did this have?

MEDICINE
PORTABLE MEDICINE
Amazing advancements in biotechnology
The world we live in today is a world of technology.
Technology has brought us into a new era,
and has led to healthier and more comfortable lives.
Most importantly, it has allowed us to advance in the
field of medicine, through biotechnology and other
healthcare machines. I have always had an interest in
this field, and I find new things every day that I hadn’t
known before, which is constantly sparking curiosity in
me. Today, I want to share with you my knowledge of
one of the most interesting biotech you may not have
heard of - the XCR-6 Dialysis Platform.
This machine plays a deep part in biotechnology. It has
great benefits, and the process is easy. Using this machine
could be a step in improving hemodialysis treatments,
and less chances of kidney failures happening
again. To me, this machine is a step closer to improving
dialysis treatments around the world, and could
maybe even lead to no more kidney failures after the
dialysis.
ADVANCING New advancements
in medicine can help
make care accessible to anyone,
anywhere
The XCR-6 is a machine that is used on failing kidneys.
Its sole purpose is to perform hemodialysis,
which is a treatment for filtering water or blood. The
machine performs hemodialysis by injecting only 6 liters
of dyalsite (a special fluid) to your body. The machine
has membranes that filter the blood, and passes
this into the special fluid. Then the used fluid is
pumped out of the machine, and the filtered blood
goes back in your body. To XCorporeal, the company
that has created this, it provides an opportunity for billions
in the future if this becomes a success.
This machine also has many benefits. First of all, it has
a compact size, meaning it can even fit in airlines. Also,
it uses much less tap water, with no plumbing or water
plants. It even runs on standard household electricity,
so it’s easy to maintain. The size is also small, and the
machine overall is lightweight - it's the weight of a
small household object, which means it’s easy to carry.
This machine ran testing from about 2008 and was released
a few years later, being one of its kind.
OTHER RESEARCH Technology has also allowed
us to further understand how the brain works,
paving the way for new technology in this field
—By Shravya Kotha, 13,
Washington

BOOKSHELF
BOOK REVIEW:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
By Grace Lin
Minli’s father tells
her amazing stories
every night. He tells
her about the Old
Man of the Moon, a
legendary character
who will grant any
wish at his home on
Never-Ending
Mountain. Then
there is the story of
Fruitless Mountain,
the tall, jagged peak
that looms over their
village, supposedly
the heart of Jade, a
mythological rain
dragon. These rich
stories bring the
family comfort every night around the dinner table.
However, their lives are far from comfortable. Minli
and her family live in a poor village in a house so small
that it gives the impression of “a bunch of matches tied
with a piece of twine,” as the author, Grace Lin, describes
it. Every morning, Minli and her family have to
wake up early to work in the rice fields till sundown,
and even then they still have close to nothing. They
can barely harvest enough to feed themselves, and the
only money in their house is 2 old copper coins. While
the rest of the village remains dull and brown, Minli
always remains hopeful because of the stories her father
tells her every night. One day, a traveling merchant
comes to their village to sell goldfish. He claims that
the fish will bring fortune to anyone that buys them.
Minli, desperate to help her family, decides to spend
one of the copper coins. However, Minli feels guilty
when she sees that her father and mother have to feed
the goldfish with the rice they barely have enough to
eat. That night, she goes to the river and decides to let
the fish go, leading her on an extraordinary journey to
find the Old Man of the Moon and (possibly) change
her family’s fortune. Along the way, she meets many
people including a talking fish, a powerful king, and a
dragon who can’t fly. Throughout the course of this
story, I could feel the vivid Chinese culture come to
life through the eloquent words and detailed illustrations.
That was something I particularly enjoyed about
this book. In fact, I was inspired to continue learning
about Chinese culture, traditions, and history after
reading. Grace Lin skillfully weaves these details in,
creating a rich backdrop of legends and mythology.
Minli was a great choice for the protagonist because
she is bold, daring, and confident. You can’t help admiring
her as a courageous role model! The most important
things I learned from this book are the valuable
morals it has to teach. From patience to kindness, this
book taught me a lot. However, the most important
lesson I learned from Where the Mountain Meets the
Moon is to be thankful for what I do have, instead of
wishing for what I do not. Minli taught me to always
be grateful and to never forget that love and happiness
are the most important things a family should have in
their lives. During this COVID-19 pandemic, when
the whole world has been turned upside down, we
have so many things we could be complaining about.
However, there is so much we can be grateful for!
While many of us are frustrated that we are not able to
go to school and see our friends in person, I realized
that Minli isn’t able to go to school at all because she
has to work all day. Instead of complaining, we can
look to the real-life superheroes in our world, from
our brave leaders navigating through these unprecedented
times to our teachers who are all working hard
to allow us to receive an education. I would highly
recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn
more about Chinese culture, to anyone bored at home,
or anyone who just
wants a good story to
read!
—By Maria Sanders, 15,
Vermont

QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Should schools continue to have classes
online in future years?
In recent years, new technologies have emerged with astounding capabilities. This has been especially
important during the COVID-19 pandemic, with millions of students able to attend classes online.
Should this virtual trend continue? Hear our friends at Youth Aware weigh in!
Sasha M.,10, California
Yes! It’s a lot easier for students and teachers
to attend classes online. All students have to
do is log on to a computer and they can
learn. Online school makes it easier, faster,
and more efficient to receive an education—
and I think that’s a goal we can all appreciate.
Anisha M., 11, South Carolina
Jacob C., 12, Washington
No, I don’t think that students should continue
to learn online. I agree that right now, during
COVID-19, online learning is absolutely
necessary! However, it isn’t healthy for students
to spend all day on a computer on a
regular basis. Also, it’s important to have inperson
interaction as well.
Jade Z., 13, Illinois
I think we shouldn’t transition to school
online. When the lockdown started, and even
now, my friends and I have been very frustrated
at not being able to see each other in person.
It’s just not the same staring through a
computer screen at someone than actually
talking to someone in person and interacting.
Learning online is not only beneficial for students,
it’s good for the planet too! Imagine
how easy it would be if schools didn’t have to
put so much time, money, and effort into
managing and operating a building. I think if
we transition to online, we can achieve our
goal of reducing pollution worldwide.
Emily D., 12, Massachusetts
Aran G., 10, England
Both! While it’s safest right now to have class
online, there are some classes that we just
can’t do virtually. Imagine doing gym class or
science online—in that case we need an instructor
to physically be there.
No, I think that students should return back
to school as soon as it’s safe. I never looked
forward to getting out of bed in the morning
to get ready for school, but COVID-19 as
shown us the value of school and in-person
interactions. I think it’s important to preserve
those interactions.
NEW TOPIC: The topic for next issue is “Are zoos beneficial to animals?” Tell us
what you think at youthaware2020@gmail.com, with the subject “Question of the
Month.”

ENVIRONMENT
DROUGHTS IN COLORADO
Wildfires begin to hit the United States. Can we stop climate
change in its tracks?
Weather and climate are important in our daily life as
they shape the course of many things. Knowing about
changes in climate around the world is important -
which is why today I will provide the information about
devastating wildfires around the world.
In the US, this year has brought an uptick of
droughts and wildfires. In Colorado, over the last few
months, there have been four large wildfires, which
have burned over 170,000 acres, and the biggest wildfire
has been the second largest in state history. In California,
there have been many wildfires this summer, searing
over 350,000 acres, and destroying more than 900 structures.
Though California and other states have experienced
wildfires before, no one knows why exactly this is
happening. Overall, wildfires have increased tremendously,
becoming an even bigger problem lately. No
one knows the cause, but if we continue to ignore these
problems, there could be huge consequences in the future.
While these problems may seem to large for us
to deal with, we can take small steps to spread the word
about climate change.
TEAM UP!
Join a group on social media dedicated to raising awareness
on climate change. Can’t find one? Start a group
with your friends at school. Set small goals for yourself
and check in once a week on how you are doing toward
meeting those goals. Start small! For example, you
can walk to your friend’s house or take a bike instead of
driving, or choose to buy products made of recycled
materials.
RAISE AWARENESS
If you live in a state prone to wildfires (if you live in a
Western state), raise awareness in your community.
YOU can help educate others about staying safe. Make
a resolution with other members of your community to
each plant five trees a year. Imagine how much of an
impact that could make if more people join.
YOU ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG
It might feel frustrating now to see all these problems
around you that you don’t have much control over!
However, remember that soon in the future, we will use
our experiences as kids to help lead the world. Soon,
you may be in control of important decisions made, so
never be afraid to brainstorm ideas and share them with
members of your community.
BUILDING COMMUNITY Share
your ideas with members of
your community!
—By Shravya Kotha

We would
love to hear
from you!
Send your opinions, thoughts, and submissions to
youthaware2020@gmail.com
Or on our website:
sites.google.com/view/youthaware for possible
publication in the next issue of our magazine.
We would love to hear your thoughts!
Credit: Creative Commons