Hi, I’m Ali’Yana but most of you know me by Ali. I come from a strict household mostly because I was the only girl out of my cousins so throughout my childhood, I would be outside playing football, curb ball, and basketball just always getting my hands dirty. But I wouldn't trade a moment in the world to relive it again and because of them I picked up a talent of playing basketball.
​
I have been playing since I was eight, started off in a church league “CBL” (Church Basketball League) and that's when I grew the love for it, played AAU each summer, met a lot of coaches that helped me along the way, and met my best friend who through basketball. This summer was my last time playing AAU basketball which is a very real moment for me because all the memories I've made will always be unforgettable and I'll never relive those moments again. 
 
I'd like to highlight my summer in 2024. I believe I truly found myself and had time to reflect on my past and think what I can do so I can be the best version of myself. I started up new habits such as meditation and started off my mornings with jazz music and it's definitely a change in my mood. It's like a breath of fresh air and I enjoy the feeling it gives me. Since I'm entering my senior year and becoming a young adult there's going to be rough patches I come across so building this habit now is going to better me as a person along the way. In the future I would like to have a business and have my own sports facility since I'm not pursuing  basketball after high school I’ll still like to give my community the opportunity to live those dreams and workout in my facility to get their body and skill set the best it can be, I will always have the love for sports and my loving family gives me the confidence and motivation to turn my dreams into reality.

Hi, I am Jiasia Norris and I have been a scholar athlete at East High School for many years. I have been at east for six years and I am now in my senior year at East. Overall, my journey has been a rocky ride but throughout my six years at East I have always felt like I have a great support system and important adults in my life I could lean on if I ever needed anything. I truly am grateful for the support system I had from sixth grade up until now because they pushed me to be the person I am today and saw the potential I had in me while others doubted me or believed I was not going to get anywhere in life. This year for me is very bittersweet because I didn't believe that it was going to come so fast like all the adults told me in the past but here we are, I'm in the shoes that I thought was so far away 3 years ago as a freshman in high school. 
 
As the developing young woman I am today I would have never believed I would have made it as far as I did in this school but as I grew up I became more mature. Like many others I faced a lot of challenges and losses throughout my years here but the only thing that did was help with my character development overall. Everyone has trials and tribulations but it's up to you to make the best of what you got, and I learned that the hard way when I was a selfish little girl. Of course, some challenges are harder than others, but you have to learn how to persevere through certain situations and don't let them get the best of you. I’ve lost and gained many friends throughout the years, some people you stay close to and some people you eventually drift away from only because you've grown so much and sometimes all your peers do not align with your goals and plans in life. If I learned anything from my years of being at East, it is to always keep pushing and striving to be the best person or to do what you want to do in life regardless of what people think. Do not let anyone change your depiction of life or your goals. As I continue on my journey, I will always grow and make mistakes, but I will not let anyone in no way shape or form pull me down from the goals, achievements and aspirations I want to pursue in life.
​

My name is Tiayanna Leynice Rivera, and I am a seventeen-year-old student at East High School. I am the youngest in my household, living with my mother and two sisters. When the conversation leads to who we are, I come to the never-ending thought process of what the answer might be, our interest, beliefs, et cetera. However, the question constantly refers to our identity, what makes us the person we are today, tomorrow and so forth. So, who am I? Let's start with personality, I am multiplex, tangled with many emotions and identities. Some might say I am energetic, kind, lighthearted, quiet, loud but other perspectives do not define me. I am so much more than the simple words in a dictionary. 
​
Personality evolves due time, we constantly change, grow, mature such as life we constantly change without noticing. So, in a year or more I won't be the same person I once was but for now my interests, passions and goals are my main priority such as art, dancing, boxing and psychology. Art has always been in my life, as a little kid I used to draw on the walls getting in trouble with my crayon box in my hands and now I find passion within my drawings wanting to create more and inspire more. I love dancing, being free moving as I please, and expressing myself with unspoken words. Boxing has been an interest for a couple of months now, as a kid fighting with my brothers “training” with them as a silly little joke became the start of another interest of mine, as I've gotten older boxing has caught my attention, the strategies and techniques the boxers create as they learn to box having an unique touch to it. My main passion throughout my interests is Psychology.  Psychology has always been a subject that intrigued me, I've always sought out human emotion. I love to understand and listen to others' background issues because I don't fully understand myself, my emotions, actions, bad habits, trauma responses, I love helping others, having them rely on me, expressing themselves while I keep to myself. 

 So, when it comes to who am I? I don't know quite yet.  What I do know is that I'm constantly changing as a person and due to time, I'll mature, improve and expand my life and my identity as time passes by.

 Who am I? That question gets asked a lot from time to time. So let me introduce myself, for anyone who doesn't know me my name is Rochely Rivera. I am a student from East High School, I've been going here since I was in 7th grade…so it's been a while. I am 17 years old; I am a SENIOR!!! Woah! I’m so happy to know that I've finally made it this far. Some things about my personality are I am very nice but only if you are nice, I won't be nice if I’m receiving bad energy from you, I’m smart, I'm a hard worker, I have a creative mind, take things very seriously no matter what it is. Some hobbies I like to do are being out in nature, and walking, I like to be creative and make things, love to draw/sketch and play softball/volleyball/badminton in my free time but it has never been like playing for a team just with my dad has taught me a lot of things about sports growing up, I love spending time with my girlfriend, and I love to take trips even if it's once a year. Now about my family, I have 7 siblings including my baby Maxi (he is a dog), but I have 4 sisters and 3 brothers. My sister Arianly and Jyralis go here she just started 9th grade and Jyra just started 7th grade!! I’m so proud of them, I hope everything goes amazing with their experience with high school. My Favorite subjects in school were science and math. I’m not a math person whatsoever but that's a subject I've never really had a problem with.

 I also want to talk about the pressure of being perfect or on top all the time, I’m pretty sure you guys know what that's like if you have parents who want you to do your best at ALL TIMES then you know what I’m talking about. I always had that “I hope I pass this or I hope I get passing grades” but throughout the years I've been noticing that it has been putting a lot of stress on me about staying in school, focusing, not going to lie I used to skip so much before only because I thought the work was hard or I don't want to do it or anytime I hear the word “PRESENTATION” I would freak out and do anything to get out of class because I don’t want to put in the work and I was too nervous and anxious too but I got told last year that you got to take things one day at a time, because if you worry you honestly won't ever get nothing done. So, I've been keeping up with things and doing what I have to do to pass and to graduate this year. My advice for anyone who has trouble with school is don't give up, really put in the extra effort and always learn from your mistakes, and don't ever skip or try different things to avoid the work you should always focus on your grades, on your work and you make sure you come to school prepared to do work. School isn’t a playground it's not someplace to sit your butt all day... No, you have to do the work to do what you want in life.

I am a sister, daughter, best friend/friend, girlfriend, student. As a student, I want to get things done and over with and be ready to graduate and leave this school with high hopes for college. I want to major in cardiovascular sonography diagnostic medical sonography and forensic science. As a friend I think of myself as more introverted, but when I get to know you and when I get comfortable all my introversion goes away. I’m also very sensitive, and understanding, but to be honest I don't have many friends best believe that the ones I do have are always by my side and are always there for me, and that is something I will forever be grateful for.

Therefore, I can't wait to see what other things life challenges me with because I know I will get through whatever life decides to throw at me.

I am a person of many sides, but I mainly show the side where people can laugh and feel comfortable to be around. People say I'm hyperactive, outgoing, kind, helpful, loud, extra, funny, curious and that I don't care about how others see me. But I feel as if I'm the type of person that has deep thoughts about everything. If you were to have a deep conversation with me, you would see that I understand the other person very well. I take my time with things to have a better understanding of it. I don't try much at things because I expect failure and that's because when I do try at certain times it wouldn't make sense or I would get my hopes high about something I would be let down it would never work out for me so why even try to begin to just end with failure. I've also come to the conclusion that if I try, I get better than just failing. It gives me a chance to understand the things that I'm doing. It's better than just sitting there not doing anything and just feeling lost now I hate feeling like I'm a failure or just a person who gives up without even just trying a little bit. I've also realized that it's ok to ask for help for something I don't understand. I might ask a dumb question but that doesn't necessarily mean I can't learn from that either. Also, I tend to bring the true side of real emotions out of them such as a therapist in a way. I love helping people in situations that I used to be in because I don't want them to make the same mistakes I did when I was there. I tend to observe people's emotions or how they react to certain things because that tells me how they would react to a lot of things.
 
I have the type of mindset where it comes to certain things. I rather take everyone else's problems and make it my own and I try to give them advice so they can better themselves. I love cooking. It's a type of meditation for me. I get so focused on how to do certain meal preps and how to perfect it. In a way the food makes you feel happy so you can connect with one another and relax. Additionally, working out also makes me enjoy the process of life itself. It's all about the goal that I have for myself so I can be the best version of myself at all times. It helps me be in the moment so I can know I'm in the present, not the future, not the past only now. I tend to be so distracted sometimes to the point where I can forget that there are other people around me. I also tend to not care about how others perceive me because this outlook on life isn't so stressful.
​
I think like this because I used to care about how people saw me. It made life more difficult than it had to be. There will be people who judge and try to say things about you. The thing is that one day you will die, and no one will be there, but you so why live a life with so many restrictions stopping you from being who you really are.  That's who I am.
 

My name is Isaiah Joel Delgado and I'm 17 years of age. I like to write about my stories and get lost in the creative world that envelops me, which is a part of my mind that I’ve come to appreciate in my high school years. I like to think about as if I was observing falling leaves and seeing all the stories they tell reminds me of the times I got so into a shrinking hallway. It’s not the best feeling but I think sometimes that’s what I need in the moment to take a step back. I love games and like I said the stories that follow them world building is big for me like describing flora and fauna. I think the best world building in my opinion I’ve see is in my favorite movie avatar it came out in 2009, and I think the animals are one of the best parts about the movie. One of my hobbies are running and jump roping did you know 10 minutes of jump roping is equal to 30 minutes of cardio. When I leave high school, I want to get my RN and a degree in cannabis biology I love to garden. 
​
"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."  This is my most favorite quote because it speaks to me and my love for stories and mental challenges to overcome.

Hello everyone, my name is Emma, I’m a senior and an early graduate. I have been in two schools for the past 3 years, which was Franklin and it’s my second year in the East. Before that I was in Mauritius which is a beautiful Island in the Indian Ocean and like a dot in a map. I’m proud of what I achieved for those 3 years by getting my grade up, finding a job at Wegmans and finding my passion which is Graphic Design, I wish to have my own business just like my dad never thought I would want to be like him till now, when I was little I wish to be a lawyer and always fight for the people who couldn’t. By my family I would be the troublemaker or the witch or just the tornado because wherever I go I turn into mess, but for my sister I would her hero, the old lady, the pot or the nice sweet pompom because my hair just puff when it dry up and she like to annoy me on every little things I guess what sibling does or just her.
 
I always find a way to adapt to any place I go and whatever subject I was learning about because I felt like I had nothing to lose plus I just discovered that I was a quick learner and would be working so hard to turn work on time and have a good grade. As for the journey that I did I’m so grateful for people that I met and help me to become who I am today which is a successful person, and always having good grade, and I’m also thankful for the people who talk behind my back when I was only being nice because of them I became strong and could defeat any problem in my life which I know is not done yet, challengers happen for a reason that’s why it make your destination worthy it’s because of the journey. If someone would ask me what makes me happy it would be my dream room for real in pink with a big bed, a shelf for my books, a tv, big walking closet, for my shoes, coats and bunch of stuff I think about or come to mind. What makes me sad? That one day I might lose everything if I stop working hard and procrastinate for only one day. The fear of losing it all terrifies me that I can’t even sleep just because I’m overthinking about it. But I’m always looking forward to any trip and discovering new things. I feel like the unknown doesn't scare me anymore but only makes me know more, kind of discovering an adventurous side. 

By Camieka Amons
 
Since the mid-1940s, healthcare has become a major issue in impoverished communities. People think the most common problem with healthcare is implicit bias and healthcare avoidance and high healthcare costs. A study showed that, from 2008 to 2020, the percentage of Monroe County residents under 65 without health insurance declined by 4-9 percentage points in all the regional counties. The poorest areas in Rochester are 14605, 14608, 14611, 14613, and 14621 which are the regions with the worst health outcomes with cancer and heart disease being the leading causes of death in Monroe County. Many insurance companies don't always cover everything you need, and it leaves the patient to pay out-of-pocket costs including copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
 
 My grandma is 70 years old, and she has many health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. Her insurance doesn't cover the cost of certain medications like her blood pressure pills and some of her insulins. So, if she wants her medication, she will have to pay the remaining balance that her insurance didn't cover. Poverty blocks access to proper healthcare. Depending on what zip code you live in you can expect to live 3 more years or die 10 years sooner. If healthcare costs are reduced it would improve health outcomes with access to necessary medical services, people can receive timely treatment, and maintain better health outcomes. Health insurance is critical to families' and individuals’ access to care, financial security, and peace of mind. Those without insurance may delay getting needed care and forgo preventive care altogether, which can lead to medical problems that are more serious and expensive to treat. The 4 beneficial ways to fix and make healthcare more affordable would be cutting down the price of medications, expanding insurance to cover healthcare costs, extending telehealth services, and investing in mobile clinics. These changes could create lasting improvements for our most vulnerable communities.

By Alexis Beach
 
The Rochester City School District is considered one of the most underperforming districts in our state. A part of the reasoning behind that is the RCSD School Board. Our school board is one of the few PAID boards of education, the issue with it being paid is that there's an underlying reasoning to why those people are even on the school board. Are they doing what they really think is in the best interest of the students? Why is their main focus money? Do they even care about the actual problems going on? 
 
The Greece school board page says on their website “The Board of Education consists of nine members who are elected by district residents and serve unpaid, three-year terms.” I wonder why for our school board they have 4-year terms and it's paid. Paying people for bare minimum duties and to look out for residents' children?  For as long as I can remember as a student in the RCSD our needs have been consistently undermined and ignored by most of the school board. I remember the teachers being cut when I was in the 8th grade because of the budget cuts and deficit that we took on. There were kids protesting, many students crying about losing their favorite teachers that they had built amazing bonds with. East High School had the third highest amount of teacher cuts with the amount of 8. Then now about 4 years later they're taking our EPO away which has improved graduation rates tons over time and has a bunch of other benefits. Along with the graduation rates increasing, the suspensions have decreased. The EPO saved East High School from being on the direction of closing, no one notices the tremendous positives that have come out of the EPO with the University of Rochester because all the school board mentions is the money and cost of it. 

By Kerel Cooper

Youth being on drugs is something that affects many of our peers. As a student in the city, it’ll introduce you to a lot of things from Marijuana to shrooms. This doesn't just affect the older teens anymore but now you'll spot the kids in the city and sometimes the suburbs of Rochester ranging from around 9-18 are affected with the influence of drugs. This happens when kids are raised around drugs, so they think it's okay to do them or do it to be cool and look older. Drug use within the family can disrupt attachment bonds and interfere with the establishment of secure relationships. In an article I read it said that this will start affecting a child's ability to form healthy connections later in life. On top of that, exposure to drugs during critical periods of brain development can alter neural pathways. Drugs also have the chance to give you brain damage.

This happens both inside of our school walls with kids sneaking products in to use in the bathrooms and outside with our students buying these products from dealers of the streets, relatives, or even making it themselves with their parents’ and/or friends’ full support. In an article I read dating back to 2020,  “782,000 adults aged 18- to 25-years-old used drugs in the last month. 112,000 or 8.31% of 12- to 17-year-olds report using drugs in the last month.”. This is important because if the numbers were this high just 4 years ago imagine how much it has raised ever since the pandemic ended and a half a generation of kids went 2 years with no guidance or role models. We should care because our youth is our future and if our future has the chance to become a bunch of drug addicts that can't go a minute without picking up a weed pen or eating a mushroom, we won't have a future to depend on. Ways we can tackle this problem is by making it harder to obtain drugs and the materials to make them while also bettering the neighborhoods and giving our kids mentors, they can communicate with in and outside of school. Another way we can tackle this problem is by Giving upcoming and current Parents classes on drugs and why they should prevent drug use and convince their students to stay away from them.