Day of the dead. 

It’s time...it’s time she dies.

It’s time for her to leave. Be gone. 

Not all of her though

Just the ugly parts 

The side of her that is angry and lost

The side of her that is consumed with hate 

It‘s time to pick herself up and leave.

Walk. Not run.

But walk, one step at a time.

So this day, she decides to celebrate the death of her other half.

The half that has been causing her pain 

It won’t be easy but she will try 

For herself, her future, and her loved ones.

She told herself that she must love them enough to leave no space for hate

She will admire them to leave no space for anger 

She will find the light in them to leave no darkness to get lost in

She needs hope.

She needs a hero.

She needs a sign that she is loved and deserving.

She needs a chance to be forgiven.

But today, today she dies

Today the bitterness fades 

Leaving the sweetness to fill her soul

May the dead rest in peace.

I've been talking a lot about how amazing falling in love with someone else is that I forgot to tell you about the wonders of falling in love with yourself. 

Please forgive me

But we tend to always compliment others around us without realizing our own beauty 

You were created with marvels of natural perfection 

So yes, you are beautiful* 

Despite your acne

Your crooked teeth

Your stretch marks 

Your white, pale, brown, black skin

Your skinny/thick thighs

Your frizzy hair 

Your brown eyes

Whatever it is that society has a tendency of hating 

You are beautiful 

The existence of another's beauty does not mean the absence of yours

I find a rose to be a beautiful plant and I find the stars to be as beautiful

They are nothing alike but both are still equally ravishing

And along with self-love comes the act of forgiving 

Yourself and others 

Let go of it 

The hurt 

The anger 

The pain

The doubt

Let go of the past and look ahead because you have a lifetime to go 

You should not live not knowing your worth 

So go, find yourself 

Find your new self 

Whoever that may be, believe me, you will love them 

It sounds scary yes, but you have lived through worse 

Find hope 

Keep going 

If anything I learned is that life has a way of working out in our favors

There is a light, even in absolute darkness

Dear Seana,

I’m going to be starting at a new private school next year, and I’m scared. I know that I am probably going to be one of the only black students in my entire grade. Do you have any tips to help me fit in?

From, 

Doubtful in Dedham

Dear Doubtful,

Build your confidence: immediately. You’re going to mostly be around white students no matter what, so you should find good things about yourself that you like—maybe you’re really smart, or you’re really athletic. Find confidence from within.  

Next, if anyone bullies you, make sure to stand up for yourself. If you don’t like what someone has to say, you should tell them in a polite and respectful way. If you get angry and upset, you’ll unfortunately reinforce the stereotypes that they already think of you. Don’t let them win—address them politely and maturely, but challenge their ignorance. 

You will also probably be asked to explain a lot of things about black culture that you’re used to and your classmates don’t understand. If you don’t want to do that, you don’t have to—you don’t have to answer for every black person in the world. You’re not the only black person in the world! 

Finally, find spaces that support you. Look for afterschool programs that have good representation. If they don’t have racial diversity, look for a program with diversity of mindsets or socioeconomic background. If you really want to connect with people of your own ethnicity, look around outside of school—in your neighborhood, online, or in an afterschool program. 

Sincerely,

Seana

Dear Seana,

I really want to be an actress one day. I have researched the best performing arts colleges to go to, and I’ve done all my school’s plays. The problem is, my parents think being an actress is stupid, and that I should be a doctor instead. How can I get them to understand my dream?

From,

Dr. Drama Queen

Dear Dr. Drama, 

 Try politely telling your parents that the things that interest you are important. Your parents are probably scared that things won’t go as planned, or maybe they’re even worried that you’ll become too successful and they’ll lose you. Parents never want to “lose” their children (even though we all know that’s just a part of growing up!). However, know that you can’t really convince other people about stuff like this. But you have high ambition for what you really love. If you can’t find support in your family, find other people who have the same goals. And don’t let whatever your mother, your father, or your grandparents have to say get stuck on your mind. They’re just trying to live vicariously through you, and you need to have your own ideas. Follow your dream. That may be an experience that you learn from. Don’t reject something that you really like and that you’ve had interest in forever. 

Sincerely,

Seana

Dear Seana,

Sometimes I just hate the way I look. I have very dark skin and my hair is really kinky. Sometimes people make fun of me for having such dark skin. How can I find a way to feel more comfortable with myself?

From, 

Where’s My Black Girl Magic?

Dear Magic, 

Put yourself first. Don’t compare or try to emulate someone else’s beauty before yours. Don’t focus on Eurocentric features that don’t look like you. From straight hair to curly 3 type hair, Afro-beauty is amazing! 

 You should also look up people who look like you on Instagram. Follow Instagram accounts that post pictures of dark-skinned women and save pictures on your phone of successful black women, to look at whenever you need validation. Also, try to find hairstyles that enhance your kinky hair—check out tutorials on YouTube for hair advice and tips on how to go natural.

 Finally, meditate. Listen to calm music or go outside for a little bit. Clean your mind. Travel if you have to. Look at beaches. When you leave your comfort zone, you might find that others see your beauty more than the people in your life do. 

Sincerely,

Seana

Did you know that most students in Boston Public Schools don’t eat the lunches they are provided during the school day? While BPS has made attempts to fix this issue, it’s still not fully fixed. Improving the quality of school lunches is a matter that should be taken seriously. 

In most school cafeterias, students often throw out their food. The 2015 New York Times article “Why Students Hate School Lunches” states “Food and nutrition directors at school districts nationwide say that their trash cans are overflowing while their cash register receipts are diminishing as children either toss out the healthier meals or opt to brown-bag it.’’According to the article, the food and nutrition directors saw that trash barrels in the cafeterias were full with the lunch that is served to their students. This is something that has to be fixed because in the long run, it will lead to bigger issues like some students going hungry.

A good step towards improving school lunches is to have students get involved in creating the menu that will be served each day. School lunches are made for students, not the staff; therefore, students should have a say in what is being served. This is also an opportunity for the students to put their cultural dishes on the menu, which will make it more diverse.

 “The people that make the school lunches, they don't really care about how they do it, or if the food has good flavor,’’ said 16-year-old Eddie Batista of Margarita Muñiz Academy.

The Times article also states, “There’s been a movement to relax a few of the guidelines as Congress considers whether to reauthorize the legislation, particularly mandates for 100 percent whole grains and extremely low sodium levels, so school meals will be a bit more palatable and reflective of culinary traditions.’’ The article also goes on to say, “other than mandating more fruits and vegetables, the new regulations haven’t really changed anything except force manufacturers to re-engineer products so they meet the guidelines but not children’s taste expectations.” This is saying that the healthy meals that students get aren’t enjoyed because they lack flavor. However, it is possible to make better lunches that still comply with these guidelines. 

Students should get more involved with aspects of school life that affect their overall education. The staff in the schools need to consider that their preferences don't matter because the rules and regulations they make is for the students to follow, not them. Students should be more involved, especially with school lunches because the food is served to the students, but we don't have a say in what it is. 

Many parents have concerns over how their children are educated. At the heart of these issues is class size. Numbers in classes have gradually risen over the last few decades, and now it seems we have reached a crisis point. Numbers need to be reduced because at their current levels, the quality of students’ education is being negatively affected. Schools need smaller class sizes to stop students from disrupting class, allow teachers to have more one-on-one conferencing and encourage students to be more productive.

Smaller classes enable students to individually conference with teachers for help. “In middle school, the classes were big and the students were talkative and the teacher had no control over the classroom,” said Christofer Luna, a junior at Edward M. Kennedy High. “If the class were smaller, it would be quiet and more controlled.” 

In an interview with NPR, Jeremy Finn, a professor of education at the State University of New York at Buffalo, stated that classes of under 20 students are best. “In small classes, students' behavior changes even more than does teacher behavior,” he said. He added that students are better behaved, pay more attention and support each other in learning more. Furthermore, Finn pointed out that children who were in small classes for three or four years were more likely to graduate high school and take college entrance exams. So these early grades of small classes have long-lasting effects. 

 Research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information has shown that student-teacher relationships are “protective factors in school adjustment.” Also, a study conducted by the University of Turin found that positive and effective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. 

“Small classes are less hectic because with less students asking questions and needing help, the teacher can get to each student in one class,” said Eddy Batista, a junior at Margarita Muñiz Academy.

 Having the opportunity to ask questions and engage encourages students to be productive and get more work done. According to an article posted by international education company Education First, small classes allow students to learn more and learn faster. “This means the class progresses through the course material more quickly. Their learning is enhanced by the confidence students develop to share their opinions and ask and answer questions, which also benefits their peers,” it says. 

According to the Student Teacher Achievement Ratio, or STAR, study conducted in the 1980s, when class sizes are reduced, student achievement increases about three additional months of schooling four years later. In other words, when student-teacher ratios decrease, student achievement increases.

 It’s clear that class sizes have a major effect on student learning. Smaller classrooms help students to not disturb the class, enable students to have one-on-one conferences with teachers for help, and motivate students to get more work done. 

Imagine you’re in a noisy class, with kids yelling and talking too loud. You can’t focus, you get distracted, you can’t ask questions, and the teacher won’t pay attention to you. Then imagine being in a small class—it’s proactive, you have more opportunities, you’re engaged. The teachers can learn about you so they can better teach you. Which one interests you more?