Most of my school year is spent drowning in a pool of stress. Between homework, endless late-night practices, and countless sleepless evenings spent bent over a history textbook, school never seems to give me any sort of break. But there was always one light at the end of the tunnel: Summer vacation. Each May, I feverishly […] Learn More ›

It’s okay to cry on your birthday. My family loves birthdays and makes a party out of everything. They have an even better excuse to do so when it’s double digits, a permit, a license, or any other extra special birthday. But here’s the thing… I can promise that I cried on every one of […] Learn More ›

It’s been a hard time for Jewish teens across the Chicagoland area. Casey Luchs, a senior at Walter Payton High School and one of our JCC Chicago teens, shares her experience following a recent sit-in at school. Her powerful essay sheds a light on how she feels to be a Jewish teen today. JCC Chicago […] Learn More ›

After the first three weeks of being in high school I was despondent, my self-esteem was completely shot, and I felt like my reputation, which I had cultivated for years, was crumbling around me. Now, looking back upon it, I am astounded with how distorted my understanding was that quizzes, tests, and grades defined one’s […] Learn More ›

I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist. Actually, I’ve always been A LOT of a perfectionist. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I need things to be just right or I will not be able to focus on anything else. I remember the first time I cried in school was in second […] Learn More ›