November – December 2011 Issue

I’ve always supported the federal DREAM Act, a bill that would give undocumented students financial aid for college and a

Our teen staff says to check out The Strokes, Britney Spears and Owl City.

As an undocumented immigrant, it’s unfair that all my hard work might not lead to college.

I think it’s really unfair that I can’t get the same opportunities as a citizen. I grew up here like any other student. Some people say that undocumented immigrants are criminals because they came here illegally. But I don’t consider myself a criminal because it wasn’t my choice to come here. My parents brought me here because they believed they could provide a better education and a better life for me and my sister.

To show you what colleges are looking for, here are essays former L.A. Youth writers wrote when they applied.

Nicholas, 16, and Jazmine, 16, saw lots of teachers but not many teens at the Occupy LAUSD march.

Our essay contest winners wrote about gang life, shopping and soft serve ice cream.

These are letters we received about stories that appeared in the October 2011 issue of L.A. Youth.