by L. L., Los Altos Andrew Whitworth, a successful NFL athlete, once said, “If you’re a true warrior, competition doesn’t scare you. It makes you better.” But what is competition, at its core? Is it pitting students against each other and encouraging them to put...
Student Essays
Weaving Through Traffic
by David L., Palo Alto Today, when you go to work, most of the roads you travel on are very congested and filled with cars. Even on the widest of highways, each lane is filled with hundreds of automobiles. With everyone trying to get to their destination safely,...
Pledge of Allegiance
by Niveda A., Milpitas When I was in sixth grade, I was an incredibly nationalistic young person. I used to think that the United States was a flawless nation, including a perfect legal system, government, and society. Also when I was in sixth grade, every student was...
Clothing in Anne of Green Gables
by Alice L., Cupertino In the book Anne of Green Gables, Anne undergoes many developments and changes as she grows up. Anne starts the story as an unloved orphan, but she ultimately grows into a young school teacher who can take care of others. From an ugly wincey...
Chips
by N. W., Los Gatos The following essay was written as part of IYE’s biannual timed writing assessment. We’ve left in a few minor errors because the essay is well written. It’s impressive work, and even more impressive in that it was written in 45 minutes. Chips...
Summer Should Be Fun
by Nidhi S., Pleasanton The following essay was written as part of IYE’s biannual timed writing assessment. We’ve left in a few minor errors because the essay is well written. It’s impressive work, and even more impressive in that it was written in 45 minutes. Summer...
No Ordinary Medicine
by A. Zhang, Cupertino Cancer exists as one of today’s most deadly illnesses. Millions die each year around the world with no solution, and many of them cannot afford the treatment. However, the cure to cancer would solve all those problems. When this illness finally...
Chess
by Benjamin Wu, Palo Alto Of the many games that exist currently, one of my favorites is chess. It is a game that has been around for thousands of years. Currently, it is played by millions of people, with some even devoting their careers to it in hopes that they will...
Keep Access to Streaming Video Platforms at School
by Cayden Gu, Palo Alto Following the global spread of TikTok, videos have become the most important form of content. From copy cats like Instagram Reels to Youtube Shorts, videos have become a necessity for living and learning in a 21st century world. However, the...