The Kids Issue

Posted on by Tracy Rose
Cover design by Anna Whitley; Art by Sand Hill-Venable Elementary School third-graders Sarah, Patricia and Cami

When Xpress asked local educators for ideas about the focus for our annual Kids Issue, two distinct and compelling ideas rose to the top: activism, and a kid’s view of the world.

And when the call went out for submissions, we were pleasantly bowled over by the response. It turns out that Asheville area children and teens are every bit as passionate about their causes and views as the adults are around here.

We received an overwhelming amount of art, photos, essays and poems from traditional public schools, charter schools and private schools as well as the home schooling community. The topics are wide-ranging ― including the environment, animal rights, social media, buying local and more. Along with the volume of entries, we were impressed by the quality and thoughtfulness of the submissions as well.

This week, we focus on activism and issues that are important to local youth. And be sure to check back in next week for more creative work from our local young people as we explore a kid’s view of the world. Enjoy!

Stay tuned as we release art, poems, essays and photos from the Kids Issue — starting with this cover image, which uses three colorful owls drawn by Sand Hill-Venable Elementary School third-graders Sarah, Patricia and Cami.

 

Essays

“Activism,” by Willamina K. Ingle, Vance Elementary School

“A Guide to Social Media,” by Toria Hicks, The Learning Community

“Bullying” by William Akrivos, Franklin School of Innovation

“Monarch Activism in Black Mountain,” by Sara Bassett and Camille Ryan, The Learning Community

“Preservation,” by Olivia Kennedy, The Learning Community

“Why It Matters? Student Voice for Animal Rights,” by Perrin Alaine-Sedano, Evergreen Community Charter School

Art

A Cornucopia of Art (a slideshow of art and photo submissions)

Also see our post on summer camp offerings.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “The Kids Issue”

  1. Mary-Catherine Pisano

    I was wondering if it was possible to get a few extra copies of your Kids Issue from March 18th, 2015? My daughter had some art work that was published and we didn’t get a chance to see it or read the article. Thanks so much!
    Mary-Catherine Pisano

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.