This masterpiece, by Hershey (PA) High School junior Alex Shapiro, so moved me that I wanted to share it with the DKos community. It needs to go viral.
The full article with background is here on PennLive.com Excerpts and video below the orange cloud.
From the article:
Shapiro sent a message on Facebook looking for teens, ages 15-19, to anonymously share their private thoughts. About 75 local students showed up at her home for sessions in June and August. Some had more than one secret to share.
In her own words:
“There’s so much stereotyping in high school,” Shapiro said. “We judge too quickly and don’t think about what our fellow classmates are going through.
“My personal feeling is that I live in a sheltered community, ‘the sweetest place on earth.’ But the reality is that no matter where kids live, they go through hard things. They struggle. I thought this would be a good way to open people’s eyes — parents, teachers and students.”
The idea would have been brilliant in any small rural town, but the backdrop of Chocolate Town, USA, with its Hershey Kiss streetlamps and quaint feel, makes it even more poignant.
“I wanted to give the kids a unique opportunity to get things off their chest without facing any consequences. I promised I would not judge them. I was a little surprised they trusted me that much. I wasn’t expecting that,” Shapiro said.
Thank you, Alex Shapiro. You are mature beyond your years and have a bright future ahead of you. Embedded video at
http://www.youtube.com/...