This book was written by the students of Helen Bernstein High School in Winter 2021.
The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826LA. We support student publishing and are thrilled you picked up this book.
Las opiniones expresadas en este libro son las de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente las de 826LA. Apoyamos la publicación de jóvenes autores y estamos felices que haya recogido este libro.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Editor: Mike Dunbar
Cover Artwork: Mimi Chao, mimochai.com
Book Design: Puicón-Pérez for 826LA
Echo Park 1714 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, Ca 90026
Mar Vista 12515 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, Ca 90066
Table of Contents
Introduction … 5
Self Improvement, Angel C. … 9
It Has Taught Me Much More, Angel G. … 11
Unexpected Opportunities, Brandon R. … 13
Rediscovered Melody, Crissna J. … 15
What a Brush Can Do, Emily S. … 17
Today’s Leaders, Gisel J. … 19
The Time of My Euphoria, Helen F. … 21
Quarantine’s Camaraderie, Hisham S. … 23
My Superpower, Isaac G. … 25
Two and a Half, Jackie P. … 27
Baseball Fever, Jeremy A. … 29
Making It Happen, Katterin G. … 31
Sweet Growth, Kellie G. … 33
I Could Be Anything I Want, Kimberly N. … 35
My Passion, Melody G. … 37
My American Point of View, Monica Q. … 39
Life Goes On, Mychelle C. … 41
A Harmonious Opportunity, Nahum C. … 43
Devotion, Nathalie B. … 45
An Artist’s Development, Rebeca R. … 47
Introduction
The stories you are about to read are in response to the prompt: “What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?”
In deciding the theme for this book, we chose to focus on preparing for the future. What this meant for the student authors of these stories was preparing to apply for college and enter the workforce. The prompt was chosen by the students from among the eight Personal Insight Questions from the University of California college application, whose themes also include “educational barriers” and “life challenges.”
Considering the context in which these stories were written—over the course of seven sessions between October 2020 and April 2021—it would have been understandable if the students chose one of those themes instead. As students worked with their mentors to write these stories over Zoom due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we didn’t know when, or if, colleges would open to in-person learning. We had already seen whole job sectors decimated. By the time we completed the manuscript for this book, students across the city had just started to return to school after more than a year of online learning.
Yet when given the choice, rather than dwell on what they had been prevented from doing, the students were eager to show off what they
were capable of. They wanted to let the world know that they had not been sitting idly by in their rooms. Instead, they had continued to develop themselves, making the most of this difficult time.
The students also chose the title of this book, Mirrorball, inspired by the Taylor Swift song of the same name whose lyrics go, “I’m a mirrorball / I’ll show you every version of yourself.” In these stories, their authors wanted to show you the different versions of themselves. The subtitle “A Look Inside” is an invitation to enter their worlds, which while perhaps physically confined by circumstance, are nevertheless expansive with their curiosity, passion, and perseverance. Within these pages, you will read about students discovering new facets of themselves, honing old or new skills, and reflecting on the opportunities they have been given or made for themselves. As Gisel puts it so succinctly: “I plan...to continue to use my voice to change the way young people are perceived. We are not naive. We are not tomorrow’s leaders. We are already leading today.”
It turns out, then, that despite the uncertainty we are surrounded by, these student authors are confident in their ability to navigate their futures, which gives me hope for all of ours.
—Mike Dunbar, April 2021
Self Improvement
Angel C.
What have I learned about myself during a pandemic? I learned that I am able to build new skills and better myself as a person. Now I am a person who is happy with himself and a person who knows his own potential. I am more consistent with my schoolwork and care about my grades and now have the best grades I have ever had. I am also healthier and in shape.
So what changed throughout the year during a pandemic? I got motivated and changed my habits for the better. What I did to change my grades during the new school year was stay focused in class and be consistent with my schoolwork. I also made a schedule to keep myself organized. By keeping myself organized I was able to make time to improve my health and improve myself.
Building my good habits did not come naturally; I had to work on it. The way I worked on my good habits was by improving myself step by step, improving my grades by maturing more and taking school and my future seriously. I thought to myself, “If I don’t take things seriously it can badly affect my future.” I was motivated by seeing others change themselves for the better as well. At first I wouldn’t take being healthy seriously until the doctor told me to lose a bit of weight and saw myself overweight. I built a schedule where I had a time specifically meant for school and a time for myself to better my health.
Junior year I told myself I would take school seriously and the pandemic in a way benefited me because I didn’t have any distractions like talking with friends during class. I started to exercise and lost 15 pounds. When I went to get a physical again, the doctor said I was very healthy. I
also started doing my own research on losing weight and building muscle. Then I started to plan my exercises and learn how to perform them well. I wasn’t motivated and consistent at first. I would eat things for pleasure and not look into the bad things they could do to my health. I improved myself by getting a 3.7 GPA in the first semester of school in an important year and by losing 15 pounds and being healthier than before.
This is meaningful to me because it shows that I can change as a person and not be someone who I don’t want to be or be seen as. It makes my life better by having a new skill that can benefit me in the future, and by using that skill, it has helped me build new ones. This has given me the opportunity to help others like my cousin, who is overweight and dealing with health problems, to work out and improve our health together. He started working out with me and a few others and now enjoys working out safely during a pandemic. My skill gave me the opportunity to help others and fitted perfectly into the schedule I planned.
It Has Taught Me Much More
Angel G.
Basketball has always been an important part of my life, ever since I was five. From the time I was little, all the way through Amateur Athletic Union, it wasn’t just something that I enjoyed playing, but it helped define who I am and who I hope to be as an adult. While it’s just a game from the outside looking in, it has taught me much more than how to develop a jump shot, play defense, or make the extra pass. I didn’t expect these things to happen when I first started playing, but I can say that what I’ve learned throughout my journey are lessons that I can apply to anything in life.
While the game itself came pretty natural to me, the one important lesson I learned was perseverance. When I was 15, I badly hurt my ankle playing football. I tore several ligaments and I was afraid I’d never play sports again. After surgery, I had a long path to recovery and at the beginning, it was really daunting. I remember my first physical therapy session. I thought I’d never get through it and never be myself again as an athlete. But during the next session, it clicked. I realized that it was up to me to put in this work and get back to where I was before the injury.
That is what I got the most out of playing basketball and other sports. It’s not that it made me popular or someone that my peers looked up to. It taught me that if you really want something in life, it’s not going to be handed to you. It’s up to you, as an individual, to put in the hard work to get to where you want to be. Sure, your coaches and teammates can help
and put you in the position to achieve your goals, but it’s up to you to ultimately attain them. I know that basketball and other sports are probably done for me going into college, but what they’ve taught me throughout my adolescence are lessons that I can take with me wherever I go in life.
Unexpected Opportunities
Brandon R.
When I first started running track and cross country two years ago, it was because I wanted to do a sport in order to look good for college. After doing some research, I determined that track was a sport that I wanted to do because of my previous enjoyment of running during middle school. I enjoyed pushing myself every week to lower my time, and seeing my improvement made me feel great because it showed me what I was capable of. I loved the sense of accomplishment that I would feel every time after a run, and that the more tired I felt meant the more effort I had actually put in. It was so difficult at first. I was not a natural, and the first race was a sign of it. The starting gun went off and everybody took off. I saw my own teammates ahead of me as well as those of the competing school. I felt the adrenaline rush pushing me to try and keep up and go even faster. After I had completed the mile, I was exhausted, and I checked my time and was met with a surprise. I had dropped my time from a 7:30 mile to 6:11. I thought to myself that if I was able to drop my time this much with little training, that I would be able to drop my time by even more if I became really committed.
Since then, I have been committed for about two years now and have been going to every single practice, eventually becoming the captain of the team. I was chosen to be captain of the team because of my commitment and leadership skills that I had demonstrated by trying to help everybody
get to practice, be cleared for competitions by the school, and better themselves in running.
Normally, I run in the afternoons around Griffith Park after my classes are over. I want to be prepared in case we have a cross country or track season, as well as wanting to keep myself in shape. It is a skill that did not come natural to me but rather I had to develop over time with hard work and commitment.
As a result of running, I got to meet all of these people such as my teammates, my coaches, and runners from other schools. Some are old friends who I knew before and went to other schools. It has given me an opportunity to see people again, but in a competitive spirit. I likely would have never met them or come to rely on them or them on me if I hadn’t started running.
Our coaches have taken us to many different places to train. Once, he took us to the Rose Bowl. Another time, to a random park. We developed a sense of running on different terrain. I got to see different places, especially during competitions. I know I would never have been able to go and see these places otherwise.
Running has allowed me to be more organized with my time and develop my leadership skills. I did not expect that joining track would give me so many opportunities, especially since I joined with a mindset of doing it just to have something on my college resume. As a result of it, I got blessed with a lifelong love for running, new skills that I can use in everyday life, companionship, and memories. I am thankful for this unexpected opportunity.
Rediscovered Melody
Crissna J.
Music has always been a big part of our family. It is this connection that led me to learn guitar on my own. It has served as an outlet for my stress, especially during quarantine where I can’t even go outside to clear my mind. Having this outlet has helped me get away from built-up tension but still be safe, and has been really important to my mental well-being. Just last week I was swamped with Advanced Placement classwork and felt tired of looking at essays and equations. I was falling behind but I put time aside and played music to help me get back into the rhythm of things and I am now caught up with everything.
The first time I played guitar was under my uncle’s teaching, but he didn’t have a lot of time to offer. I approached my middle school music teacher and he agreed to let me come after school to learn. He saw my enthusiasm and put me in his music class, which I stayed in for three years. I learned a lot but my passion for it started to dwindle; it started to become work rather than an enjoyable hobby. In high school, I decided to teach myself, which meant hours of practicing with little help other than from the internet. Before, it would take me months to play a simple song, but now I can learn a song in a week.
The main reason why guitar playing is so meaningful to me is that it was something fun our family would bond over. One such case was when I borrowed the pastor’s electric guitar and performed in front of the congregation. All of my family was there to support me and give me the
confidence to be up there. It’s a hobby with no sense of responsibility that also brings good memories of the past. Whenever I’m feeling drained or unmotivated to do any of my actual work, I can always count on music to help me relax so I can get to my responsibilities again. It gives me a sense of accomplishment different from school-related topics because it’s something I’m actually passionate about.
What a Brush Can Do
Emily S.
As a kid, I would look forward to using my art kit at school so I could doodle my favorite cartoon character or create some glitter masterpiece. By middle school, it progressed into two art classes where I would brainstorm with classmates to create posters for class dances. Now, I am considering a career in special effects makeup. Whether it’s painting or making polymerclay sculptures, dancing or makeup, art has always been something that has stuck with me throughout most of my life.
In art class or other environments I would use drawings or other art as a way to communicate with other students and practice social skills to overcome my shyness. It made me feel like I could connect with them on a different level and better understand my viewpoint. I have always had a passion for art and have some natural talent towards it, but I have had to work over the years to further develop my skills. I had to research tools, like shading pencils, needed to get the style and looks I wanted to convey. At first, I was more introverted and needed to push myself to speak up in a social setting. I decided to use my art to help me in this area. When I was in class, I would try to speak with other students to practice voicing my opinion.
By communicating more with my peers I discovered different forms of art besides painting and drawing which increased my skill set and made me appreciate other forms of art. It opened up paths to speak with others about other forms of art and therefore further developed my social skills.
I even became the leader in some group projects. Before I communicated with others, my art style was very cartoonish and limited. Through classes, I was introduced to more realistic art forms. By exploring them further, I found a passion for them. I improved by being able to better express myself in different art mediums. Communicating with others and receiving constructive criticism has allowed me to become more open.
I love anything that has to do with art. It has always been a passion of mine and an area where I feel comfortable. However, I feel it could be detrimental to my success if I was unable to freely communicate with people and therefore have used art to enhance my social skills. Making art or doing different forms of art relaxes me and gives me an outlet to express myself. Art has also presented opportunities to become more comfortable with speaking up and gaining confidence that I may not have been able to develop without it. The confidence I gained helped me to make new friends, new relationships and new mentorships that I feel will be invaluable to me in the future.I want to pursue art as a career. I am hoping the social skills I have developed will help me be financially successful. Art has been a big part of my life, and in many ways has made me more extroverted and outgoing. At first, I may seem shy, but once a person gets to know me they realize that I’m not so shy after all. Now, I’m able to communicate with people about my drawings and my makeup looks better.
Today’s Leaders
Gisel J.
Throughout my life, I have had the opportunity to express myself through public speaking. In high school, I was privileged to speak on the public announcement system and lead assembly teams on stage for pep rallies. Today, I am a high school junior speaking at LAUSD Board of Education meetings. Though I have four years of experience to support me, getting here wasn’t easy. It all started in class when no one stepped up to present a project and neither did I. But with time, I realized no one could explain my projects or tell my stories better than me.
When in the spotlight, I feel empowered. In the beginning, I was not very articulate. Over the years, I’ve learned to listen, stop, think, and respond. At 14 years old, I led my first assembly on stage. It was my first day in leadership class and I was a sophomore surrounded by seniors. They were looking for a vice president. The teacher was waiting for someone to step up, but no one would, so I said, “Okay, I’ll do it!” I immediately regretted it because I was already freaking out about the responsibility. I felt like I had to though, because no one else would.
With the vice president position, I had to give a speech at our school assembly. Not only that, but on just my second day in the role, I had to work with the assembly team to plan the entire assembly. For a first assembly, it went great, though I wasn’t paying much attention because I was nervous about my speech. I tried not to stutter, and went very slow, especially because I had to translate it into Spanish as well. I was so relieved when the audience didn’t boo me off stage. In fact, I got a round of applause. It felt good to walk off the stage knowing I did a good job.
On another day in leadership class, I was presented with the opportunity to give announcements on the public announcement system. I wasn’t sure at first, as I had to commit to making sure I got to school early, but I said yes anyway. After the first week of hearing me over the PA, my teachers would tell me that they loved my energy. Friends would tell me that they would make sure to get to class on time to hear my announcements. In class, they would say, “Everyone quiet down, Gisel is about to speak.” It made me feel good to know that I had made their day before it started. Eventually, my leadership teacher came to me about an opportunity to join the Youth Advisory Council. As part of the Council, I would meet with students from other schools about updates and projects to improve the School District. At one of the meetings, I presented on internet issues students were dealing with on school campuses. I was approached by a representative from the LAUSD School Board to present a student’s point of view about the problem. I prepared and gave a speech to the Board. Other students also shared their experiences, and I felt supported and empowered to be a part of a group of students trying to find solutions to a problem that affected all of us.
Public speaking has given me the opportunity to influence decisions, create connections with my community, and hold myself accountable. It has given me more confidence when speaking in front of crowds and speaking in general. It has given me more self-awareness and confidence to ask questions or speak my mind. I have had the opportunity to join organizations and groups at school and in my community that I would not have had access to without developing my public speaking skills. With these skills, I want to help the underrepresented and disadvantaged have a voice of their own by setting an example through leadership and community service. I plan to pursue an education in communication and a career in local government, and to continue to use my voice to change the way young people are perceived. We are not naive. We are not tomorrow’s leaders. We are already leading today.
The Time of My Euphoria
Helen F.
Writing is a way for me to escape reality. It provides me with a creative and emotional outlet that can be very therapeutic and a great stress reliever. My writing makes me happy as it can help me not feel alone or misunderstood. Writing can help you learn about someone else as well. For example, reading my friend’s poetry made me learn about her perspective on love and life. At first, I wasn’t good at writing. My grammar was bad and I didn’t know how to make events flow easily. However, as I grew up and started writing more in school I was able to develop this skill through the constant practice of journaling every school day. I learned the components of a good story and how to effectively convey my thoughts. I learned that writing is so much more than something you must do for school and in your everyday life. I realized that writing is fun and writing stories helps me become more creative. Reading books such as All the Bright Places, a young adult novel based on the author’s personal story, has helped me develop my own skills.
Writing is meaningful because I get to help other people through the characters and the stories I tell. I’m able to write about a variety of people’s perspective on love, friendship, life, and family in ways that helped me be open-minded. When writing, I research the topic by watching documentaries and reading or learning about other people’s experiences. I once wrote and published a story online about a girl who wore a mask
in front of others as a way to cover up her flaws and insecurities. This character demonstrated the life and feelings of one of my close friends. By having her share and make me feel her anxiety and insecurities, I was able to write about this character that actually helped others and my friend feel understood and healed by their own insecurities. In the future, I want to become a writer and publish inspirational stories about family, friendship, and more that can help people not feel alone.
Quarantine’s Camaraderie
Hisham S.
When quarantine started, I was certain that I was going to be locked away from the world in my room. Then I returned to an old passion of mine: building businesses. Getting an idea in my head, and bringing it to life. That led me to e-commerce, connecting people with something they are looking for, and finding the supplier who has the product. I hit the gas to get going.
Two months later, I was living like a mad scientist in a lab. I had 75 tabs open, 100 unanswered emails, and my desk was stacked with dirty dishes, a reminder of the many mornings and nights I had spent working. Meanwhile, I hadn’t made a single sale on the website. I was struggling to find products to sell, and I was struggling to reach interested customers. Then I realized I was trying to help people find things they were looking for, and I was working in a room where I couldn’t even find my own thoughts.
I had to become organized and structured in order to succeed. I got rid of the dishes, I closed the 75 tabs, and I answered my emails. Buried in my inbox, there was a supplier who was interested in working with my business. A gem inside the rubble. The supplier had adjustable dumbbells, something everyone was looking for during quarantine. I had the buyers, and this supplier had the product. With that email, I was in the e-commerce game. Getting into e-commerce has opened up many doors for me, but the biggest thing it has taught me is the importance of being organized. As of right now, I aspire to be an entrepreneur and attend a major business
school. I never would have been organized to write this piece needed to apply to school if I hadn’t learned some important lessons that came from starting a business in the first place.
My Superpower
Isaac G.
I have always been funny. I never really had to practice it because my jokes would come to me naturally over time. Over the years, when hanging out with older kids I would pick up on their humor. I found kids my own age would rarely get the joke and I would have to adjust it for them, such as when I would bring up stories from my past, which were usually funny.
I am always trying to improve my jokes and to get better at telling them, but it all depends on the person and their own sense of humor. I will not use the same joke on different people because each person is unique and has a distinct sense of humour. I could tell a joke to a man and they might get it, but if I try to tell the same joke to a woman they might be confused. For example, men’s restrooms have urinals and when we are using them we tend to leave an empty space between each other because we just feel more comfortable like that. I can make a joke based on this but a woman may not understand it because women’s bathrooms don’t have urinals.
Many people struggle with humour and jokes because they can’t read people. A person says a lot with their movement and body language. If a person is feeling down, they tend not to move as much. They will be slumped over and not talk to anyone. I will try to get the topic off their mind. I will make a joke on a completely different topic to sway their mind away, even if it’s just for a bit. This is what I have noticed from my experiences.
Some of the ways I have learned my humor and my jokes is by observation. When I watch people who are older or maybe a stand-up comic, I pick up on what makes a good joke that people my age can relate
to. Not all jokes are supposed to make people laugh and humor doesn’t even have to just be jokes. It can be a saying, a statement, and many other things. For example, when I was in fourth grade, I would look up to the fifth grade students and I would pick up on some of their humor and twist it to make it fit with the students my age. This is also what I do currently. I will watch some stand-ups and keep tabs on the stuff that makes me laugh. Then I will convert those stories or jokes, as well as use my own stories that have made me laugh, along with some of the tips I have heard.
This skill is really meaningful to me. I can use this whenever I feel like it needs to be used. If one of my family members is feeling down, I can cheer them up and get them in a better mood. This doesn’t always have to be with family members though. It can be with any person I know. This skill makes my life better because the people around me become happy, which makes me happy. Humor is also a really great way to heal from past experiences as well.
Two and a Half
Jackie P.
Before the music would start, I remember always telling myself, “This is it, this is what you’ve been training for for the past few months.” Two and a half minutes. As a dancer, all you get is two and a half minutes to deliver your best performance to the crowd, to the judges, and to yourself. I started dancing at the age of six, for fun at first. I fell in love with the sport from day one, and realized I was naturally good at it. I mostly trained for drill team and hip hop, but my favorite of all was contemporary. By May of 2012, I was on the dance floor of my very first competition. I never experienced stage fright. I like to think that’s because the passion and excitement of doing what I love in front of others was too big to be bothered by any feeling other than joy.
Although I am naturally good at dancing, just like in any other sport, there is and always will be room for improvement. Over the years it became easier to pick up the choreography more quickly, and I was always putting my new tricks and skills to the test. One big challenge I faced throughout my years of dancing was an extensive fracture to my left elbow. Due to the extent of the injury, my elbow has never completely healed. Transitioning back into dance after such an injury was difficult. It took months of restoring strength in my arm, and adjusting to a new normal of random arm cramps, but eventually I was able to do what I love once again. I know for most people dancing is just something they do for fun, to socialize, or as a pastime. I am one of the lucky handful of people who find passion in the art of dancing. This talent did not just make me a great dancer, but it also gifted me with the opportunity to grow as a person and
meet so many wonderful dancers and instructors who have become lifelong friends and mentors. Because dancing comes more easily to me than other things in my life, it makes me feel more confident. I would not be where and who I am today without dancing. A dance floor is my safe space, and although I no longer compete in dance, my thoughts and feelings towards it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Baseball Fever
Jeremy A.
The first baseball game I went to was a Dodger’s game with my dad. Even as a kid, I was a very passionate Dodger’s fan, and went to more than 15 games while I lived in LA. When I was eight years old, I moved to Washington with my mom and sister. I told my mom that I wanted to play baseball, and I joined a baseball league there. I wanted to keep playing the sport and meet new people.
When I first started all I knew how to do was hit the ball, but my coaches saw that I had potential so they pushed me harder than most kids. Over time I learned how to play a lot of different positions. In my first year I was in the outfield practicing and running drills. Around my second year of playing, I noticed I had made a huge improvement in my fielding. I became one of the best second basemen on the team. The following year I played in the outfield. That was one of the best places for me because I was fast and I could get to center field quickly. During the last year I played in Washington the most drastic improvement I made was with my pitching. Before, my pitches would be pretty wild, and I would walk a lot of people.
My love for the sport grew as I played, but it could be challenging. Sometimes when I hit the ball in the wrong place, it would ring the bat and cause my hands to shake. I had to overcome my fear. When I was around ten years old, my teammate threw the ball to me but it hit the tip of my glove and went straight into my eye. My eye was too swollen to play and I had to sit out for three weeks that season. But I went back as soon as my mom gave me the go-ahead, and we ended up winning that season. I was really proud of our win, and my coaches also gave me encouraging
feedback about my performance in the final game.
Baseball is an essential part of my life. I love the team aspect of the game. Every year I have had a new roster of teammates, and I have met new people that I otherwise wouldn’t have met. I have gotten to know them really well and they have become like another family. I definitely want to play again whenever the league is allowed to restart. My dream is to play baseball in college and hopefully become a professional baseball player in the MLB.
Making It Happen
Katterin G.
Growing up I always liked to be in charge and help people out in any way I could. Even in elementary school, I would give up my lunch to help the younger students by being a playleader. This led to an interest in leadership positions and eventually founding a leadership club at school. My high school was split into two academies, a magnet and the regular school. Since the magnet academy had just opened, we didn’t have many things of our own. I wanted to take things into my own hands and join the leadership team to help involve the magnet with the regular school. Unfortunately, the class didn’t fit into my class schedule, but I was not going to let that stop me from being able to use my leadership skills. I eventually created a leadership club specifically for our magnet program.
In the summer of 2019, I realized I could truly be a leader. Our school’s volleyball team was getting ready for this year’s season. Sadly our setter from the year before had quit, and our backup wasn’t showing up. I had played the setter position in middle school, so I stood up and decided to take on this role. The setter is very important in volleyball because they are in control of the game. I had a very big role and was responsible to my team to make sure we communicated and that I got the second ball.
Later on that school year when I was deciding to start our leadership club, I realized that if I could take on the position of a setter, I could most definitely start a club. I went and got the club papers, found a club advisor, and found people interested in joining. The club had a rough first year but my leadership skills were strengthened by it. I planned and managed our first three fundraisers, which helped us raise over 1,000 dollars for
our school. From starting a pancake sale at school at six in the morning to going to a Netflix show filming until nine at night, I planned and ran it all. The experience of having to control a bunch of teenage kids and being a teenager myself was overwhelming, but I got it under control somehow.
Sweet Growth
Kellie G.
Baking went from being a onetime boredom thing to a full-time passion. I’ve grown up around it for as long as I can remember. When I was younger my grandmother would bake the most delicious treats, such as chocolate chip cookies and flan. Thanks to quarantine, I finally had all this free time to dedicate to baking. I baked banana bread, cupcakes, cookies, and I even made my first cake. I may have gotten a little over my head with my first cake, which was a layered chocolate cake. I was so in the moment that I missed one simple-but-important step, which was to ice the layers of the cake separately. In the end it all worked out and it was a lesson to be learned. Baking has made me feel calm yet joyful. It has become my passion and comfort zone as I sometimes tend to bake when I feel stressed.
Due to quarantine, I have been able to use my free time to learn more of the basics of baking by watching Youtube videos, reading detailed recipe instructions, and watching a live baking tutorial, all of which have really benefited me. Each time I bake, I develop more and more by challenging myself to try a new recipe or add more to existing recipes. At this point I feel I have grown to be 75% better than when I first started. I now have detailed comprehension on specific techniques like making a crumb coat and cake stacking.
This skill has become meaningful to me because it’s an area where I have grown individually. It makes me feel happy and relieved. Baking has also given me the opportunity of being able to profit from it. For example, I was able to sell my cake pops for a dollar each at school. The first day I made eight and they sold out within hours. Due to high demand and great
word of mouth, the following day I doubled that quantity and again sold out within hours. In the future I plan to save the profit I make from my baking sales in order to start my own bakery.
I Could Be Anything I Want
Kimberly N.
My high concept and outside-the-box makeup skills are something I have worked very hard to develop and continue to improve. I started when I was bored in lockdown at home in March 2020, not knowing where it would get me. I had seen a lot of people with alternative fashions similar to mine have cool makeup and wanted to look as cool as them. I loved seeing decorastyle makeup in pictures taken in Japan from Fruits magazine and seeing people with faces painted unnatural colors on Tumblr because I loved the uniqueness of it.
I started training myself to do high concept looks beginning with basic eyeliner, finding my right foundation shade, and finding good starter products to invest in. I would do my face for about 2 hours everyday after finding my inspiration on Tumblr. After months of practice, I was confident in creating my own experimental looks. I went from drawing cow spots on my face to shaving off most of my eyebrows to have more space to create. I have expanded my passion by founding a cosmetology club at my school, where we share inspirations and future looks. Being able to do my makeup how I want makes me feel otherworldly. I like not looking like an average human. I am on Earth to create, have fun, and not take myself too seriously. I like to be able to physically transform into anything or anyone I want. It helps me express myself and sometimes offers an escape from my own life. I want to help give others the feeling of empowerment I get everytime I do my makeup. I have been very fortunate
to meet other creatives because of my skill and we often exchange concepts for more inspiration. I hope to one day become a professional makeup artist and go to cosmetology school in order to grow my skills more. Makeup has taught me that I can be anything if I put my mind to it.
My Passion
Melody G.
I first learned to use Photoshop for my Intro to Graphic Design class during my freshman year. This course was actually the reason I decided to go Helen Bernstein High School. In the beginning I could only use Photoshop during class in the computer lab, but because of the pandemic, I was able to get it at home by getting permission from the school to download it on my personal laptop.
Once I learned the basics, Photoshop came naturally to me. Over time I was able to learn more tricks and hacks to assist me in my projects. For example, one of my favorite modes to use is the blending option because it helps my creations be more cohesive. The coursework became more detailed and demanding as time went on, but one assignment I loved was designing a movie poster for a fake film called Heart of the City because it allowed me to be really innovative. Before creating the poster, I researched preexisting key art to draw inspiration for my project. I designed the movie title, as well as discovered images for the scenery, backgrounds, and textures on Google that would fit the overall theme and tone of the movie. After adding all of these different elements together on the canvas, the poster came to life. Through this project and more, I’ve developed my techniques by using Photoshop’s basic functions in other programs such as IbisPaint and Medibang. I use these two tools for personal designs in my free time. My mom used to do graphic design when she attended college and I appreciate being able to share a hobby with her that we are both passionate about. Photoshop provides me with a creative outlet where I can express my imagination and foster my originality. After I’m done creating a
piece, I’m able to share it with friends and family. I also post it online on Instagram to help grow my audience base and reach more people to share my love for art. I want to major in graphic design so I can hone my skills in college. I am hoping this will open doors to internships and job offers postcollege to continue my career in the graphic design industry.
My American Point of View
Monica Q.
When I was nine years old I made my first short film. It all started in elementary school, during a program called Young Storytellers where I worked with a mentor to write a short play. Of all the student projects created, mine was among a small group that was selected to continue writing their stories and film it at Sony Pictures.
I was so proud and very excited because I’m the first person in my family to have a chance like this, a chance to work with technology and film. My family came from Mexico from a low income area, where getting an education was difficult. I am first-generation American and that has given me the opportunity to access these resources. It felt so special to be able to write a story and film it with all the professional equipment and support.
I liked writing the story, but what this project really showed me was how much I love video production and editing. This is definitely something I could see me doing in the future. Now in high school, I have learned to develop my skills over time by doing projects for school. I started filming and editing for my video production class. It made me feel good because I was able to teach my classmates and get a head start on our class film.
I want to let people know that they should go and try new things because you never know. Maybe you’ll find a new skill that you may want to do for the rest of your life or career. I never thought I would like something like this until I joined the program.
Life Goes On
Mychelle C.
In middle school a poetry assignment connected me to my aunt and her words of wisdom in a way I didn’t expect. I was inspired to start writing on my own. When times are stressful, I write to get the stress out of my system. Now I have a book of poetry of my own on my phone.
When my grandma died, I started writing poems again to express my emotions. At first, writing poems was really hard to do, and my writing was complete nonsense. But I kept writing repeatedly until I felt a sense of home. Writing makes me feel relieved because I get to keep some personal feelings to myself. When I write, all the emotions come, and I don’t have to worry about what other people think or say. I forget about everything causing the emotions I’m trying to portray, and it helps me lift the heavy feelings and be at ease.
There are people like me that don’t like to talk about their feelings. I would tell them to try writing or poetry. Think of writing as if it was a person you fully trust. Write the words you’d say to them and don’t think about the mistakes you make in the process. Don’t be afraid to let it all out!
I don’t see myself as a writer but I will continue writing poetry because it plays a big role in my life.
Sample poem: The Truth Untold
“Smile for the camera,” as we breakdown helplessly
The old us is never coming back nor do we want it back.
Youth was the best time of my life but now I am just a disappointment in the eyes of many
Reminiscing about the days we used to be so carefree but now reality beat us to death
Unmotivated? Lack of Sleep? Overthinking? Anxiety? We have it all.
When did everything stop feeling alive? Where did things go wrong?
Questions left unanswered.
Problems never solved as we normalize not being okay.
We mask it all, hide the pain that society has inflicted like a scar, unforgettable.
Now we live to try reviving the broken dreams we made.
A Harmonious Opportunity
Nahum C.
A talent that has greatly impacted my life is music. My mom helped me find this talent when she first enrolled me into a music program called Harmony Project at the age of seven. I was very anxious at first. I didn’t know what to expect and seeing so many students made me think that I wouldn’t make it in and be left out. Thankfully, after a test I was accepted and started off my music journey on flute.
As the years went on, I realized that I was learning faster than my peers, since I was ascending the class ranks rapidly. After applying and receiving scholarships to schools such as Colburn and Silverlake Conservatory of Music, my knowledge kept expanding, and I learned other instruments, such as clarinet and saxophone. I got the chance to learn and play rare instruments, such as alto clarinet, alto flute, piccolo, standup bass, violin, and baritone saxophone, which gave me more perspectives through which to view music and a bigger overall understanding of the music world.
By the age of 13, I was in the highest classes in Harmony Project and was playing with juniors and seniors while I myself wasn’t even in high school. This made my teachers challenge me more and recommend me for multiple events. I accepted some offers such as playing at Levi’s private events and at formal donor events, where I got to play to large numbers of people and had a very fun time. At these events, I had the opportunity to meet many executives and important officials who gave me amazing feedback on my music and advice on life. I also got offered trips to
places such as the Sun Valley Music Festival that takes place in Idaho, and Centrum Jazz Workshop that takes place in Washington. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend these events because of scheduling conflicts, but the fact that I was nominated by my teachers meant a lot to me.
Throughout this journey, I have realized that music is not a career that I would like to pursue professionally, but it will always play an important role in my life. Whether it be future family cookouts or events, I will always use this skill to impress and pass my talent down to my family.
Devotion
Nathalie B.
I was inspired to start taking karate lessons because of my mother. When I was six years old, she enrolled my sister and I in our first karate class so that we could learn to protect ourselves. My mother had also studied the sport but had stopped once she earned her yellow belt. That is one of the many reasons why it was so meaningful to me to be able to continue her journey and, after six years of diligent study and devoted practice, ultimately earn a black belt in 2016, fulfilling not only my dream, but hers as well.
At the start of my journey I was excited to be able to express my competitive spirit. Even though I had a natural athletic ability, it was due to my strong work ethic that I was able to achieve each progressive belt level. As the years went by and my skill increased, I grew to love the sport more and more.
My practice schedule was rigorous. At first, I practiced with a group of other students at a local gym every afternoon after school for an hour for a total of five hours a week. As my belt rank increased, the number of other students decreased. By the time I achieved my blue belt, I was practicing up to two hours a day and participating in tournaments on weekends as well.
Participating in tournaments always gave me a huge sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. They allowed me to travel all over Southern California, meet new people, and be a part of a team representing my school. When I would win, I would really feel that my hard work was paying off. One tournament in particular stands out in my mind. When I was a purple belt, I was sparring against a group of competitors, and all of them were male. Their parents looked at me with eyes that seemed to mock
me, thinking I was going to be an easy win for their sons. I was determined to make them regret doing that. I ended up dropping a competitor three times on the floor and the look on their faces made that sparring match worthwhile. In the end, I was incredibly proud to win third place as the only female in the group.
Competing in tournaments fueled my drive to become a better athlete, but it was the years of dedicated practice that has given me such a deep appreciation for the sport. I have a lot more stamina now. I feel stronger, more confident, and most of all, a great sense of accomplishment knowing that the skill I worked so hard to develop will always be a part of me.
My six year old self would be proud.
An Artist’s Development
Rebeca R.
My passion is art. Drawing has always been challenging for me because I’m continuing to find my artistic voice. My older sister introduced me to art when I was young and helped influence my artistic development. As I started getting into art, I found myself getting frustrated at the smallest things, whether it be not getting the face right or not getting body proportions right. I always felt guilty about copying art from the internet because I knew it wasn’t mine. It never felt right but doing so actually helped me find my own artistic style.
To develop my art skill I would doodle in class or at home. I would always find myself doodling on important papers and then having to erase them. When I came home from school I would draw in my sketchbook and always take a good look at it after finishing. I would make small changes here and there but somehow would always end up with a huge mess with eraser shavings.
Some ways I developed my art style was having fun drawing competitions with my siblings. I would always try to make my art look better than my older sister’s work but of course hers looked better since she’s been doing this longer. I hadn’t noticed before but these fun challenges made major improvements in how I draw today. Looking back, I tried to do what was common, but anime helped introduce me to different art forms that influenced my further development.
Art has given me a platform where I feel comfortable and accepted. In
the future, I am going to be a psychiatric nurse, and plan to use my artistic skills to help others ease their pain so they can focus on what’s in front of them rather than what’s bothering them. Art has made me a much calmer and creative person and making art can do the same for others too.
Acknowledgements
826LA would like to thank to following for their support in making this project possible:
Aldo Puicon Design Manager, 826LA
Alejandro Ramirez Principal, Cinematic Arts and Creative Technologies Magnet
Andrew Jick
Areli Quirarte
Cathy Mayer Programs Coordinator, 826LA
Chris Petrikin
Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications & Global BrandingParamount Pictures
Cynthia Ramirez Counselor, Helen Bernstein High School
David Sartory
Diana Martinez Coordinator/Leadership Advisor, Helen Bernstein High School
Dominique Zamora Intern, 826LA
Durand Williams
Erin Jordan
Director Corporate Social Responsibility, Paramount Pictures
Hadley Kirkpatrick
Jack Cline Intern, 826LA
Jamal Salmon
Jennifer Lynch Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility & Internal Communications, Paramount Pictures
Jim Gianopulos Chairman & CEO, Paramount Pictures
Joan Filipini
Joel Arquillos Executive Director, 826LA
Jon Gonda
Juliet Conroy
Kevin Bryant
Lizabeth Pollack
Marco Lopez
Martin Mayr
Maya Marinoff
Michelle Rydberg
Mike Dunbar Programs & Operations Manager, 826LA
Mike Mcadam
Nikki Jee
Pamela Amaya Magnet Coordinator & Computer Science Teacher, Cinematic Arts and Creative Technologies Magnet
Rachel Kiner
Samantha Jacobs
Stacey Goldstein
Stephanie Aguilar Senior Coordinator of Social Responsibility, Paramount Pictures
Tiffany Osorio
Trudy Davies
Valerie Kan
Zack Pasquarelli
Zack Taylor Intern, 826LA
About 826LA
Tutoring
From Monday to Thursday, students attend 826LA for free individual tutoring in all subjects. Once homework is completed, students read books from 826LA’s library and write stories based on a monthly theme. Students submit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes throughout the year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their volunteers, families, and peers.
In-Schools
Because not all students can come to us, 826LA brings specially trained volunteer tutors into under-resourced public schools. There, volunteers provide one-on-one or small group assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft all projects, which are designed to engage students while targeting curricular issues. In addition to visiting twenty schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District each year, 826LA has additional sites within Manual Arts High School (South Los Angeles) and Roosevelt High School (Boyle Heights), called The 826LA Writers’ Rooms.
Workshops
826LA’s workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and professionals for creative collaboration. Whether the subject is journalism or preparing for the zombie apocalypse, our workshops foster creativity while strengthening writing skills. This includes two long running workshops, our reading development workshop Barnacle’s Bookworms, and our Journalism workshop.
Field Trips
During the week, 826LA invites public school teachers and their students to our writing labs to participate in a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether Storytelling & Bookmaking, Choose Your Own Adventure, Memoir, or Personal Statements, field trips at 826LA support teacher curriculum and student learning by offering a safe space for students to be their most imaginative and to work on their writing skills. In a few short hours, students brainstorm, write, edit their work, and leave with something tangible—a bound book or a revised essay—as well as a renewed confidence in their ability to tell their stories.
Joel Arquillos Executive Director
Beatriz Garæcia Director of Programs & Operations, Mar Vista
Shawn Silver Director of Advancement & Events
Lauren Humphrey Institutional Giving Manager
Cheryl Klein Senior Communications Manager
Mike Dunbar Senior Programs & Operations Coordinator, Field Trips in Mar Vista
Pedro Estrada Programs & Operations Coordinator, Tutoring & Workshops in Echo Park
Ashley Love-Smith Senior Manager of the Volunteer Program
Carinne Mangold Store Manager
Puicón-Pérez Design Manager
LaTesha Knighten In-Schools Program Manager
Jennie Najarro Senior Volunteer Coordinator, Mar Vista
Angelica ButiuCoronado Program Coordinator, Writers’ Room Roosevelt High School
Cecilia Gamiño Program Coordinator, Tutoring & Workshops in Mar Vista
Cathy Mayer Program Coordinator, Field Trips in Echo Park
Maricruz Pool-Chan Program Coordinator, Tutoring
Wendy Alvarado In-Schools Volunteer Retention and Management Coordinator
The book you hold in your hand is the result of the continued partnership among 826LA, Paramount Pictures, and students from schools on the Helen Bernstein High School campus. For a second year, 826LA was invited once again to partner with the Paramount Pictures Kindergarten to Cap & Gown mentorship program.
Through this program, employees from Paramount Pictures have provided more than 10,000 hours of mentoring to 500 students at Helen Bernstein High School, Le Conte Junior High School, and Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School and STEM Academy over the last 10 years.
By designing lesson plans and leading virtual sessions, 826LA supported Paramount mentors as they connected with their students through storytelling. The results of those sessions, the experiences shared, and the connections made, are the stories found in this book.
