{"id":577,"date":"2025-02-14T15:17:56","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T20:17:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?p=577"},"modified":"2025-11-19T14:46:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T19:46:12","slug":"youth-essay-conference-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth Essay Conference 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Written by Elsa Bermudez, Rita Feinstein, Tasnim Hussain, and Matthew Jellison<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"578\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_0982\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_0982\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"578\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=578\" class=\"wp-image-578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_0982.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"579\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_1132\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_1132\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"579\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=579\" class=\"wp-image-579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1132.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On Superbowl Sunday, Writopia Lab NYC and DC ran our 8th annual essay conference! Writers from grades 7th-12th participated in both our NYC and DC conference, and some writers even flew in from California and Toronto to participate in our NYC conference! Their excitement and dedication to critical thinking were already evident in their essay submissions, and they went above and beyond to be part of one of our favorite annual events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we opened our call for submissions in December, we asked writers to submit essays that take risks, either in content, format, or both. Young writers really took to the challenge and submitted surprising, interesting, empathetic, compassionate, philosophical, and risky essays, leading to discussions at our conference about culture, gender, love, philosophy, and how to protect humanity and the world we inhabit. We curated their essays into panels that tied their essays together and, after they presented the abstracts and excerpts, asked each essayist questions that led us into a discussion about their topics. Essayists also answered questions presented to their whole panel about their connected theme.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Writers spoke eloquently, with grace and respect for their fellow writers. They impressed us with how they rose up to the challenge of answering questions extemporaneously in front of a crowd of their peers, family, and friends. We opened up questions to the audience, which continued panel discussions further and allowed the essayists to share their knowledge and experience in the topics they researched, or even\u2014in the case of many of the personal essays\u2014lived.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to all the participants for such interesting, emotional, and timely discussions that we will be taking with us. For a glimpse at the panels and essays, take a look at the list of topics we covered below!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DC Panels and Panelists<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Personal Identity and Pop Culture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This panel will explore how film, literature, and fashion can help us better understand ourselves both as individuals and as part of a larger culture.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThe Snap-Back: Spy Kids and Self Improvement\u201d by Ruth Pournelle<\/li><li>\u201cTo Be a Lolita\u201d&nbsp; by Darcy Hoffpauir<\/li><li>\u201cOn Waiting\u201d by Zoe Becker<\/li><li>\u201cBurden\u201d by Camille Crawford Galvani<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Protecting Our Planet, Our People, and Our Past<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>These panelists look across oceans, into the atmosphere, and into deep cuts of history to explore how we can create a more informed, inclusive world and preserve knowledge thoughtfully and ethically.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThings we think are sustainable&#8230; that actually aren\u2019t\u201d by Viraaj Raofield<\/li><li>\u201cBritish Museum: Are They Thieves?\u201d by Nala Delgado<\/li><li>\u201cAngel from Bethesda\u201d by Eleanor Woodworth<\/li><li>\u201cAlchemy and Elemental Philosophy: The Scientific Origins of the Fantastical\u201d&nbsp; by Fenley Scurlock<\/li><li>\u201cRisking Peace: A Case Study of U.S.- Iran Relations\u201d by Christopher Park<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Faith, Doubt, and Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Growing up in a community with a strong religious or cultural identity, what happens when you start to question what you\u2019ve been taught? These panelists each present an empathetic and nuanced account of defining their own beliefs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cI Have Never Been to Israel\u201d by Zoe Becker<\/li><li>\u201cReligion\u201d by Gabriela Quesenberry<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Representation and Misrepresentation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>These panelists tackle issues of racism, sexism, and ableism in medical systems, the media, and microaggressions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cTerms and Conditions May Apply\u201d by Anya Nehra<\/li><li>\u201cAFRICA, MY FAVORITE COUNTRY: The problem with menacing misrepresentation\u201d by Amanda-Pearl OmoiguiGrenham<\/li><li>\u201cBridging the Gap: an Exploration of the Hidden Factors Behind Minority Health Inequalities\u201d by Abeni Smith<\/li><li>\u201cRedefining Worth: A Journey Through Neurodivergence\u201d by Kai Grenha<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>NYC Panels and Panelists&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Panel 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Impact of Culture On Individual Identity&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>How does culture affect and inform our identity? The following essays explore how relationships, food, language and physical spaces play a role in shaping our understanding of our values and character. During this panel, we\u2019ll discuss questions and have conversations around concepts of identity, belonging and upbringing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThe Weight of Translation\u201d by Ziyi Feng<\/li><li>\u201cExactly Like Your Mother\u201d by Liah Igel&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cAn Elaborate Home Cooked Meal\u201d by Juliette Moore&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cMy Culture\u201d by Dylan Macer<\/li><li>\u201cThe Effect of Music on the Mind\u201d by Hayden Chung<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Panel 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is Gender? An Exploration of Gender Expectations and Language<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>These essays about feminism, hypermasculinity, and what \u201cgender\u201d means discuss how gender is integrated into our society. Everyone benefits from conversations about gender. Gender norms and expectations permeate our politics, culture, and everyday lives, sometimes in the least expected ways.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cDefining a Word the Doesn\u2019t Exist\u201d by Tamsin Coulthard&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cThe Definition of Feminism\u201d by Araceli Flores&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cGreat Expectations: Gen Z and Hypermasculinity\u201d by Jonathan Zhang<\/li><li>\u201cDeconstructing Gender\u201d by Ronin Herrmann<\/li><li>\u201cShakespeare\u2019s Facade\u201d by Dylan Oh<\/li><li>\u201cWhat One Conversation in PE Revealed\u201d by Daniela Avrekh<\/li><li>\u201cSexual Violence Laws: Culture and Rationalizing Sexual Violence\u201d by Edward Lee<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Panel 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Protecting Our Planet, Our People, and Our Past<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Learning from past triumphs and mistakes, this panel will examine specific cultural and global moments and discuss best practices to benefit humanity and the world we inhabit.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThe Media\u2019s Oversimplification of Culture is a Threat to Everyone\u2019s History\u201d by Alice Campbell<\/li><li>\u201cIncense and Insights: Delving Into Maya Culture Through Archaeology\u201d by Olivia Campbell<\/li><li>\u201cMutterings with Montesquieu\u201d by Jack Aronian&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cTwo Sides of the Same Coin: Wildfire vs Forest Fire\u201d by William Zhang<\/li><li>\u201cClimate Change Effect Challenges\u201d by Ayun Roh<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Panel 4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Love, Family, and Community: How to Navigate Your Relationship with Yourself and Others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>These personal essays take a deep look at love and relationships. They explore loss, grief, working as a team, family dynamics, and how to love both those around you and yourself. During this panel we will discuss the ever-burning question \u201cwhat is love?\u201d and have a conversation about the ways we can use community, communication, and teamwork to help and heal each other.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThe Equinox of Love\u201d by Eleni Piniros&nbsp;<\/li><li>\u201cThe Flavor of Loss\u201d by Surya Das<\/li><li>\u201cUnspoken Rules: The Silence that Speaks Volumes\u201d by Nathan Lionetti<\/li><li>\u201cA Voice Stolen and Taken Back\u201d by Eliana Genitrini<\/li><li>\u201cAdolescence: Searching Past Murky Waters and Masked Faces\u201d by Stella Burns<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Panel 5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Philosophy, Art and Media: How Creating and Consuming Contributes to Self-Reflection and Growth&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Resistance, hope, power, perception: each of these essays use personal stories, stories from art, literature, and media, to analyze our existential experiences. How do we exist in a world where we are so similar, and sometimes so different, from each other? What do we need to remember, thrive for, and practice, to live a peaceful and meaningful life among 8 billion other unique minds?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cThe Defiant Weight Against Existence\u201d by Aiden Ashcraft<\/li><li>\u201cWho Gets to Be Seen: Power and Perception in Ralph Ellison\u2019s Invisible Man\u201d by Olivia Meyer<\/li><li>\u201cMy Personal Essay\u201d by Aidan Inwood\u00a0<\/li><li>\u201cThing That Disappear\u201d by Serena Lin<\/li><li>\u201cWhy the Curtains are Never Just Blue\u201d by Beatrix Gruver\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"580\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_1471\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_1471\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"580\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=580\" class=\"wp-image-580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1471.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"581\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_1587\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_1587\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"581\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=581\" class=\"wp-image-581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1587.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"582\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_1723\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1723.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_1723\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1723.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" 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data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=583\" class=\"wp-image-583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1064.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1064.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1064.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1064.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1064.jpg?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-attachment-id=\"584\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/youth-essay-conference-2025\/img_1017\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?fit=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,1536\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_1017\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017-1024x768.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"584\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/?attachment_id=584\" class=\"wp-image-584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/IMG_1017.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, 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Writers from grades 7th-12th participated in both our NYC and DC conference, and some writers even flew in from California and Toronto to participate in our NYC conference! Their excitement &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newsletter","entry entry-center"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9aRpX-9j","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":522,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/2024-news-and-announcements\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":0},"title":"2024 News and Announcements","author":"Rebecca Wallace-Segall","date":"June 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Welcome to the 2024 Annual Newsletter. First, congratulations to the thousands of Writopia writers, from young and teen writers to instructors and full-time staff, who set out and completed the writing of original pieces this year! A few hundred members of our community also bravely submitted writing to the 2024\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Newsletter&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Newsletter","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/newsletter\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mcusercontent.com\/4bbae34d2f35a71d5195e09a7\/images\/422d4720-aca6-d130-5d9d-ae64544de0e3.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":379,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/a-lucky-few-enjoyed-writing-their-college-essays-during-the-2020-2021-admissions-season-heres-why-by-rebecca-wallace-segall-executive-director\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":1},"title":"A Lucky Few Enjoyed Writing Their College Essays During the 2020-2021 Admissions Season. Here\u2019s Why. by Rebecca Wallace-Segall, Executive Director","author":"Rebecca Wallace-Segall","date":"April 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By April, the grueling 2020-2021 college admissions process will have to come to an end, with over five million high seniors finding out which colleges have accepted them during one of the most disheartening application years in decades. And just then, as the trees begin to blossom and the Covid-19\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Staff Voices&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Staff Voices","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/staff-voices\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cover-copy-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":653,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/march-submissions-opportunities\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":2},"title":"March Submissions Opportunities","author":"Matthew Jellison","date":"February 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Worldwide Plays Festival 2025: Light Up The Dark! Poetry Society of New York First Annual Youth Poetry Contest Deadline: March 1 for writers eighteen and younger who live in New York State Submit three to five pages of poetry for cash prizes. An exciting organization! Rawling Society Contest Deadline: March\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Newsletter&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Newsletter","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/newsletter\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":267,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/bridging-creative-and-essay-writing-for-literacy-by-milana-meytes\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":3},"title":"Bridging Creative and Essay Writing for Literacy by Milana Meytes, Essay Writing Curriculum Developer","author":"Writopia Lab","date":"April 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In the era of Trump\u2019s disdain for the humanities and Secretary of Education Betsy Devos\u2019s unnerving tenure, educators are forced to defend the efficacy of the humanities, while finding new spaces and educational models for the humanities to thrive. Literacy education in America has been compartmentalized into two categories: uniform\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;EduPolicy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"EduPolicy","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/edupolicy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_0010-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_0010-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_0010-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_0010-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_0010-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":165,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/writopia-response\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":4},"title":"In Response to The NYTimes","author":"Writopia Lab","date":"August 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"By Rebecca Wallace-Segall, Danielle Sheeler, and Yael Schick As literacy curriculum developers, we enjoyed the New York Times article \u201cWhy Kids Can\u2019t Write.\u201d But we were surprised by the limited view it provided into the cultural landscape of literacy education. While the writer acknowledged the importance of the synthesis of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;EduPolicy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"EduPolicy","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/edupolicy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/12_literacy.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/12_literacy.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/12_literacy.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":456,"url":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/fostering-expertise-confidence-and-passion-in-writing-education-how-a-common-sense-nonbinary-education-policy-may-serve-to-enrich-teachers-writing-lives-shrink-the-divide-between-literac\/","url_meta":{"origin":577,"position":5},"title":"The story and data behind Writopia&#8217;s 2023 professional development pilot, launched this winter with the NYCDOE Chancellor&#8217;s Office","author":"Rebecca Wallace-Segall","date":"February 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Rebecca Wallace-Segall Within this essay, I \u00a0examine the ongoing youth literacy crisis in New York City and, along with it, two long-standing, opposing education policies\u2014progressive and traditional\u2014that have sought to address it. I argue that resisting dogmatic adherence to one or the other of these approaches, coupled with teacher-centered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;EduPolicy&quot;","block_context":{"text":"EduPolicy","link":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/category\/edupolicy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/cuny.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=577"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":588,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/577\/revisions\/588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writopialab.org\/writopiaspeaks\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}