Writers Workshop Portfolio

Teenager Problems & Solutions

"Teenagers are bad.", "Teenagers are trouble.", "Teenagers are bad influence to younger kids." People think the worst of teenagers but yet, they don't know the story behind every teenager. Being a teenager is one of the hardest things in life. When kids become teens, their minds start to mature, they notice things more, and they take situations differently unlike adults. Some possible problems that teenagers can phase are death, parents divorcing, relationships, losing friendships, school, and parents not giving them enough attention. Some teens cut themselves, use alcohol and drugs, or commit suicide to forget things and make the pain go away.

Kids in eighth grade from Heritage Middle School were asked about what kind of problems teenagers go through and one kid named Dante said, "I think teenagers phase a lot of depression, relationships, getting exposed, nudity, and just making bad decisions in life problems." About 25 percent kids get bullying by sending mean texts, threats, or exposing other kids. When teens get exposed, they start to think about committing suicide which is not the answer. An eighth grader named Samantha Ray was asked about what she thought of people exposing teens and she said, "It's nasty. The person who is getting exposed might feel horrible, disappointed, scared, and nervous. Their feelings might get to the point where they want to commit a suicide!" Samantha's opinion was right, teens do get to the point where they want to commit a suicide. 

Mr. Miley, who is a professional was asked about the students he works with and what he does to solve their problems. "What kind of problems have you worked on?" Nayeli said. "Well, teens come up to me with their relationship problems, depression problems, family problems, and anger problems." "What have you done to solve or help their problems, Mr. Miley?" "Ok, we give them classes or therapy if they have family problems. Like in Heritage Middle School, we have a program called Crossroads, where professionals help you succeed." Teenagers don't have to think that committing suicides is always the solution, getting help is the right answer! 

By: Nayeli Galaviz 

Personal Narrative

     

I was living in Chicago with my mom, sister and grandparents while my dad was in Tennessee "working". My dad said he was going to come live with us when he had enough money to come, but I knew that was a lie. Years passed and my dad was nowhere to be found. I was always asking my mom when was my dad coming or where was he but she will always tell me that he was still working in Tennessee when we both knew that was a lie. Every day and every night I would cry myself to sleep because my dad wasn't there to ask me how was my day or to be there supporting me on my decisions.

 It was 12 years since I haven't seen my dad or hear about my dad until one day my dad called me on my 12th birthday to say happy birthday and how sorry he was that he couldn't make it but I knew he wasn't sorry, I just had a feeling telling me he wasn't sorry. When my dad finished talking to me he asked me if  I can pass the phone to my mom and I did. I was curious why he wanted to talk to my mom, but when my dad got off the phone my mom started crying. I felt bad because I never seen my mom cry, so I asked her why she was crying and she starts to tell me how much she loved me. I was getting scared so I screamed at my mom saying to tell me what was going on. My mom called my sister so she can know too. Once my sister came my mom told us that my dad and her were going to break because my dad cheated on my mom and the women was pregnant! When I heard those words coming out of my mom's mouth, I was speechless. I didn't know how to react, so I started to burst into tears. I was furious, I felt like not talking to my dad at all. I hated him. 

My mom needed to tell our family, so she started with my grandparents. When my grandpa found out, he tried to explain things to me and try to support me through the situation but I was so furious that I pushed him away. I didn't want to talk to anyone at all and I lasted about a year feeling like this. I was so rude to my grandpa but I was acting like that because I felt so embarrassed and disappointed about the situation. It was a year later and I still felt horrible from the inside. I didn't had anyone because I pushed everyone away. 

It was on November when I get a call from my grandma saying that my grandpa died. I felt so horrible because I pushed him away when he was only trying to help move on from the situation about my dad leaving us! I didn't appreciate my grandpa at all and I regret it so much everyday. Hearing that someone special to you died hurts a lot and the last thing you did to that person was be rude to them was even worst. If God gave me a chance to see someone from heaven, I would pick my grandpa. He means the world to me and everything I do now is to make my grandpa happy. My grandpa just wanted to support me and make feel better. I didn't appreciate him at all and that was a big mistake I made and ever since. Now, I been appreciating everyone that I have in my life because sometimes you never know when it can be their last day or your last day. 

 Heritage Middle School Shocking Day

It was in May when Heritage Middle School had their terrifying moment since years. It was a normal school day, kids were learning and teachers were teaching. Until, the principal announces that the whole school is having a hard lockdown. Everyone rushed to their place laughing and the teachers locked the doors, no one knew what was happening or if it was real but, mostly all the kids thought it was a fake hard lockdown. The students got to their position calmly until one teacher told their class that this was real, that a kid had brought a gun to school ! Then, everyone knew somehow.

Students started to panic! Some students called their parents to let them know what was happening and that they needed to get picked up when the drill was over. Parents received emails too about the situation. It took about and hour for the drill to be over! When it was, all students were dismissed from school.

When students and staff members got out of school, there was police cars, helicopters flying around, news reporters, and parents. It was so loud because parents were yelling their children's  name.  "It's so packed!" a kid said. Students and parents were happy to see each other and staff members were glad that the students were safe and they were too. The next day, the students found that the drill was a false alarm. When students found out that it was a false alarm, they were so annoyed but relief that nothing happened also. The kid who brought the gun was expelled, no shooting happened.