Opinion & Commentary

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that."

According to a recent national survey, almost half of Gen Z wishes social media platforms like X and TikTok didn’t exist. What's your opinion?

Check out The New York Times' Headway Election Challenge for Teens – with questions like this: How much do you think the presidential election will affect you and your family’s life?

With Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in where President Joe Biden left off, how do you see the presidential race now? 

Floods, hurricanes, punishing heat. Have you experienced extreme weather this summer? Write about it.

Democracy is being tested. Can it hold?

Follow the lead of poet and essayist Ross Gay, and write an essayette about something that delighted you today!

[Challenge created by Over the Rainbow, YWP; Hummingbird photo by laurenm, YWP]

We know, we know! It's summer and we love it! Why think about fall? Well, here's a challenge from Vermont newspaper Seven Days: Describe fall in beautiful detail or explore the "back-to-school" experience – for publication in an upcoming issue.

Should President Joe Biden stay the course or leave the race for president? A poor debate performance has Americans wondering. What do you think?

The U.S. surgeon general says social media platforms need warning labels because they are contributing to a mental health crisis among young people. What do you think?

Vermont has become the nation’s first state to require fossil fuel companies and other big emitters to pay for climate-related damage. How do you perceive the fight to protect the planet from climate change? Do you see hints of hope? 

The 2024 World Happiness report lists Finland as the world's happiest country, with the U.S. dropping out of the top 20, and young people in North America showing a decline in happiness. Read the report. What is your experience?