Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation.
This week on The Learning Network, one of our writing prompts asked teenagers if they had ever been surprised by an act of generosity. We also asked students to tell us about the things that disgust them and to share a story or memory inspired by an image taken at a candy store.
Thank you to all those who joined the conversation this week from around the world, including teenagers from Sarajevo, Dubai and New Mexico.
Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.
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Have You Ever Been Surprised by an Act of Generosity?
Earlier this month, the owner of the Iowa Cubs, a minor-league baseball team, made headlines for giving employees $2,000 for every year they had been with the team.
We wanted to know students’ reactions to this act of kindness: Did it remind them of anything they had witnessed? Did it inspire them to show generosity, financial or otherwise, to those they cared about? Here is what they had to say:
Small Gestures That Make a Big Difference
Just yesterday, a friend of mine surprised me with an action that may seem small to others but meant the world to me. She gave me cake. A big slice of chocolate cake that she had made herself. She didn’t forget to get me a fork either. I felt both shocked and loved. Shocked because this act of kindness was completely unexpected and no one really goes out of their way to just be kind anymore. And I felt loved because she had, she had gone out of her way to solely do something kind for me.
— Umaimah, Glenbard West High School
A small act of generosity that surprised me a little bit actually happened today! I was at the gym and had just gotten a yoga mat to do core workouts on. The gym was pretty full so I chose to put my mat between equipment. A girl saw me and offered her spot so I wasn’t in such a tight, cramped space. Though this was a small act of generosity, it was surprising because she was so willing to give up her place in a crowded gym just so a stranger would have a better spot.
— Bea, BLK 1 Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
Personally, I very much wish small acts were more noticed and less viewed as “trying too hard.” A high school environment is difficult to manage. I take smaller steps to at least allow others to feel good, even if for a moment. I’ve rarely received compliments back, but I enjoy giving them out. I’ll be passing people by in hallways, lunch, or going to the bus and slide a compliment or two their way. “You have nice hair,” “That’s a very cool jacket,” “Your eyeliner is so sharp,” or something similar. Smaller acts should be glorified the same as these bigger ones are. Maybe it’d lift someone’s spirits.
— Malak, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
Acts of Kindness Witnessed and Received
One time when I was in elementary school, my family’s car broke down and I couldn’t be picked up from school. The vice principal stayed with me in the office, hours after school had closed and everyone else had gone home. She arranged for me to be picked up by one of my friends and her mum. I think of that and feel grateful that she waited with me for so long and made sure I could get home safe.
My awesome mother had to take a flight back to South Africa after vacationing in India.The hardest part about this journey was her single-handedly having to handle all the luggage, including an almost 3 year old toddler and me, at nine months old at the time.Not only were there strict documentation and weight restrictions but also the pressure of both understanding and handling all interrogation with minimum English speaking experience at hand. As I recall from what my mom has told me, during this process, at a point in time when she stood helpless—with a stroller, me, my sister and the luggage—next to an elevator about to miss the flight, there appeared a very kind man who offered to carry my sister and help us efficiently pass through customs. In addition this gentleman continually assisted my mother all while the last call for his flight was being announced. I have takeaways from this. I hope now you do too. Be generous. Without expectations in return. Help whenever you can. Be human. Be kind.
The moment I was generally surprised was when a group of teachers contacted me after I didn’t show up to school for a month. And you may be thinking, why would you be happy? They told on me for not being here but it’s the fact that they cared enough about me to step in and try to make me better as a person. Most teachers wouldn’t even say anything, the less students the less trouble, but they cared enough to want me there and make myself better instead of running from my problems.
The last time I remember someone did something generous was on Christmas day. I worked this Christmas which I did not mind because I had already celebrated the twenty-fourth. My coworker was taking over the drive thru and I heard a man ask her, “How many people are working?” My coworker told him there were 5 of us working. After that the man handed her a hundred dollars in twenties as a tip, we all got twenty dollars from him. That was very sweet and thoughtful of him to do, he definitely did not have to do that. It meant a lot to my coworkers and me.
What I Would Do If I Had the Money …
If I had more resources to do what I want to do in order to give back to the people that have done so much for me, we would be here all day. I would give my mom and dad their dream car, new house, and money. I would also give my grandma some money as well and take my nana out on a nice expensive dinner (most likely a trip to Greece because she always wanted to go) to show how much I love her and how much she means to me.
If I had more money, I would definitely book my parents a holiday because they totally deserve that time off and have some time to themselves.
If I had more money right now I would like to buy my family a house on the beach, if I had the money I would buy one that leads out into the water. My family has always talked about wanting to live on the beach and buying a beach house for them is something I would do.
— Trey, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
If I had more money I would help pay for kids to play sports and do other activities. There are many people who I think would be different if they had a sport or activity outside of school to do.
Kindness Doesn’t Have to Cost a Thing
I wish I had the funds to do something as amazing as this for my family and friends. However, I still can spread generosity to those around me in much more simple and inexpensive ways. I can buy someone’s lunch, help someone with their homework, and clean the house to relieve my mom. At such a young age it’s hard to spread generosity financially but, I still try my best to do as much as I can for others on a daily basis.
— Quinn, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
Try my best to be kind and help others around me, whether it’s small acts such as carrying books to more serious needs.
Yes, if I had more resources — whether time, money or anything else of value — I would donate to others who possess a greater need for them. Further than materialistic items however, complimenting someone or expressing gratitude shows someone you care. I still remember to this day a compliment a girl my age said to me. A friend and I were at an apple picking farm and went into the farm’s store for apple juice and other related goods when a girl told me I was very pretty. Not only did this make my day, but I have thought of it every day since then.
— Katherine, Glenbard West High School
With the resources I do have, I love to call my grandfather weekly, or even write him letters when I have time. Being kind makes you feel better than anything else.
— Lucy, Hoggard High School, Wilmington NC
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What Disgusts You?
In “How Disgust Explains Everything,” Molly Young explains the science of revulsion. “Disgust shapes our behavior, our technology, our relationships,” she writes. It is “a piece of evolutionary hardware designed to protect our stomachs that expanded into a system for protecting our souls.”
We asked students to tell us what disgusts them — whether a smell, a taste, a texture or even an idea — using vivid and descriptive language to bring their revulsion to life. Their comments were, well, gross. Reader, you’ve been warned.
Ew.
Feet genuinely disgust me because of everything about them. I don’t understand how they balance our whole body when they’re so small compared to the rest of us. Most people’s smell no matter how much you clean them because they’re in socks or shoes. Some people have toes that are longer than the big toe which should be illegal because it’s called the big toe for a reason. Lastly, most people don’t take care of their feet so they’re dirty, with long yellow nails, and calluses. Don’t get me started on foot fungus which is awful. Feet are all around disgusting
— Elvie, Tec2775 Northern California
Bananas. I find every banana most utterly disgusting, but especially those with brown age spots swelling on the overripe flesh of the banana. Even the thought of the unsatisfying stringy bits when the thing is being peeled. Not to mention it’s mushy, goopy texture when a bite is attempted or the stench smothering the air. Can you tell I hate bananas?
— Katherine, Glenbard West High School
I personally feel disgusted when I touch cotton balls because of the texture and sounds it makes when it is used. It makes me anxious to touch one or even look at one so I avoid them at all costs. When removing my nail polish, I only used Q-tips, and when I open a fresh bottle of vitamins I have my family take the cotton ball used to preserve the freshness.
Something that really disgusts me is wet food. I cannot do the dishes most of the time due to how badly it disgusts me. The feeling of the mushy remnants of someone else’s meal and the way it gets on your hands even though you are using a sponge is absolutely revolting.
The thing that disgusts me the most is the little space between the floor and the wall. Years and years of dead skin cells and mold accumulates there, and no matter how much you sweep or mop the floor, it doesn’t go away. The little space barely visible to the eye houses soft rotting wood that spawns all sorts of crawlies into your house. Just the thought of touching the area makes me want to dip my hands in bleach.
What disgusts me most is the sounds when people eat. The worst thing in the world is when the person I’m sitting with at a restaurant orders a soup and slurps it. I hate slurping and it makes my skin itch. Not only do I hate the noise of someone slurping, what I hate even more is loud chewing. People who chew with their mouths open were never taught table manners and I can’t stand it. The sound makes me completely lose my appetite.
— ZZ, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
A sight that really disgusts me is when people chew with their mouths wide open. The image of all that food being mashed up in someone’s mouth in a vomit-like paste makes me want to throw up. Just watching the horrendous scene of all that gunk in someone’s mouth especially when they are talking is enough to make anyone instantly lose their appetite, and that is my humble opinion.
I feel a strong sense of disgust towards human secretions. Even the presence of these two words side by side sends a bone-trembling chill down my spine. The article mentions disgust being tied to either your senses or your mental association with the object. In my case, both my senses and mental state are revolted by the thought of the things that come out of our bodies. After all, our body disposes of them for a reason. The more you think about the various forms of human secretion the more disgusted you become of them. For example, when questioned on the topic, my former friend brought up the fact that human secretions are sometimes digested (they were not my friend anymore after that comment).
Actions and Ideas That Are Just as Disturbing
I find it disgusting and inhuman when someone wakes up in the morning and decides that they are going to harm someone that day. I find it disgusting how many school shootings have occurred in a country that is supposed to be free and safe and open for everyone. Disgust can be used in a variety of ways and it takes on a different connotation in regards to the thing or idea that it is disgusting. I don’t feel the same disgust in regards to moldy food that I do with horrific accidents or choices, but it IS still disgust.
What disgusts me is the idea and trend of high end fashion. Why it disgusts me is because people will wear clothes worth thousands of dollars, that are not even comfortable, just because of the brand or name on the tag. Many people will only wear certain clothes because they are trendy and think therefore, it will make them trendy. News flash, it does not.
A time when I felt disgusted was when my eldest sister finally got a boyfriend. They never stopped talking and it would happen every single day late at night and I would never get enough sleep because of it, and the part when I always get disgusted is when she randomly starts to talk in a babyish voice. I find it so weird and gross for example she once said “ pwease” and it was so weird and I had the goosebumps because of how disgusted I was…
Taking Culture Into Consideration
[T]he idea behind something that disgusts you and how/where you grew up matters A LOT. To most people in the U.S. eating cow brain wouldn’t be the most appetizing to them, but it is something that is very normal for people living in Indonesia and they really enjoy it. I would say that the thing that most people are disgusted by in the US is typical Asian food, just because it is so different from our customary food. The show with James Corden where they answer questions or eat “gross” food is a prime example. Most of the food on that show is from Asia but they call it gross just because they don’t eat it. Eating moldy food is gross because it won’t taste good and will most likely make you sick, but foods from other cultures aren’t just because you don’t like it and aren’t used to it.
— Nicole, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
When Disgust Gets in the Way of Daily Life
As an autistic person, I struggle a lot with sensory issues. They cause a lot of things I want to like (especially food and textures on clothes) make me feel disgusting. Like I need to get it off and escape whatever it is. Textures are extremely difficult. Some, like blankets, peaches, soda that feels like tv static, and thick paper are very nice. But some, such as avocado, scratchy sweaters, and cream cheese make me want to jump out of my skin. Just the sight of some textures make me shiver and twitch. What bothers me are often comfort foods or textures for people around me, which is fascinating to me. I do not understand how they can enjoy something that causes such a reaction in myself. I am often jealous, as my sensory issue causes me to miss out on stuff I want to enjoy.
— Bunny, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
If I see a filthy lunch table, the split second image on me eating on it is enough to put me off sitting at that table for the next few weeks. This may be just me about the imagery bit, but that’s probably influenced by my synesthesia, specifically chromasthesia, and it often means that I have extremely vivid imagery in my head, even when not related to colors. I think that my chromasthesia is also often why I feel that sounds can be just as disgusting as the sight of something , because my brain will translate a disgusting sound to a disgusting texture and color, or combination of colors.
Personally, I am super intrigued by this prompt because a lot of things disgust me. I suffer from a lot of the symptoms of ARFID. AFRID is a restrictive eating disorder that doesn’t have to do with body image issues like anorexia or bulimia. A lot of textures bother me, making fruits especially hard to eat. With foods where the texture changes based on the day or season it is almost impossible for me to implement them into my everyday food repertoire. In the article when Mrs.Young says “Disgust shapes our behavior, our technology, our relationships. It is the reason we wear deodorant, use the bathroom in private and wield forks instead of eating with our bare hands.” I deeply identify with this line, my disgust for certain foods is entirely mental and something I hope to get over, but it has shaped me as a person. It limits me.
— Sabine, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
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What Story Does This Image Inspire?
In the Picture Prompt “Candy Cornucopia,” we asked students to use their imaginations to write the opening of a short story or poem, or share a memory from their own lives, inspired by the photograph above. Below is a sweet sampling of their creativity.
Grocery Shopping in an Alternate Universe
“Time to go grocery shopping kids!” the mother called. The kids immediately began tumbling down the stairs, clearly excited to begin this week’s grocery run. They all climbed into the car, and set off towards the Supermarket.
Once there, they were immediately greeted with brightly colored posters. One read, “Say no to fruits!” Another said, “Fruits + Veggies = Cavities.” The headline on the newspapers at the door read, “Warning All Parents! FDA Finds Unknown Chemical in Broccoli.”
Through the doors, were rows and rows of huge shelves, stocked to the brim with candies of all kinds and flavors. Mothers and fathers were guiding their kids through each aisle, stuffing their carts with their next week of meals. The eldest child led his brothers and sisters down the aisles, while their mother followed. They grabbed huge loads of Fruit Sticks, Health Rolls, and Nutritious Chocolates, while the mom picked out the “old-school” Hershey’s, Snickers, and Milky Ways.
By the time everything was paid for, they drove home, stopping once just to fill up on gas. Once all the groceries were tucked away in the cupboards, the youngest daughter asked, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” “Hershey’s.”
Candy. Cigarettes. Was There a Difference?
Poppa left me alone at the checkout counter. I wandered a few feet away and was face to face with a row of candy. Twix. Skittles. Mallo Cups. Hershey’s. My hands couldn’t reach the dark chocolate Hershey’s bar that I wanted, so I stood on my tiptoes to snatch it. Two minutes passed while I looked around at the empty store. The top shelf, I decided, must be the most interesting because I’d never looked there before. My eyes ran past the boxes of green sour candy necklaces, blue wax lips, and yellow candy buttons. Poppa came back with a handful of vanilla Dunkaroos and mystery Twizzlers.
“Y’want that Hershey’s or not?” Poppa asked me. I looked back up. Wax lips. Candy buttons. Candy cigarettes.
The sign was mostly covered up, but I could read it even from where I was. I thought of Poppa’s Newport cigarettes that he left all around the house.
Candy. Cigarettes. Was there a difference? I put the Hershey’s back in its box and followed Poppa to the register.
— Meera, Moorestown High School
Beauty Doesn’t Mean Starving Yourself
The teenage beauty queen looked wistfully at the shop window. “Don’t even look,” her mother sternly reminded her. “You still need to drop ten pounds before that pageant.” She sighed, but said nothing as her mother lead her away.
As this was happening, the cashier watched the girl. She remembered the same thing happening to her, long before she realized beauty doesn’t mean starving yourself. Sneakily, she stepped out the door and tapped the girl on the shoulder. “Here,” she whispered, handing her a rainbow lollipop. The girl flashed a bright, dazzling smile, accepted the candy, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
— Paulina, Julia R. Masterman Middle School
That Little Speck of Happiness
There was once a small town, located deep in the Western Carpathian Mountains. It was separate to the outside world, only connected by the candy van that came from a nearby country. This van came every month, driven by a mysterious old man. It always arrived at twilight, and although no one knows why, a few children swore to have seen it disappear as it turned the corner of Main Street, where the local convenience store rested. The store was run by an old lady, who took on the job of every duty to be made, except for collecting the products, of course. To the young eye, this store was a magical place. Full to the brim with various different assortments of chocolates and candies and gummies and marshmallows and lolly pops and everything made entirely of pure goodness. Walking down the aisles was like walking through a thick, wet jungle. You were blinded by the bright lights that the candies emitted, and the path was never clear, as boxes of magical flavors stood in the way, waiting to be opened. Then, you would find that little speck of happiness and take it before anyone else… and make your way to the counter, where the old woman resided. She would speak in a kind, loving voice as you purchased the goodness. You wouldn’t ever want to leave, but you knew of your family…at your humble home, waiting patiently for you to arrive and spread your happiness with them. As the door to the shop closes, the old woman smiles and goes to rest, waiting for the next day.
I Saw All Kinds of Candy
I saw all kinds of candy
Floor to ceiling they did rise
From chocolate bars to velvet cakes
Even certain kinds of pies
This store is quite a treasure
Every kind of sweet is here
If you can’t find something that you need,
Ask if they’ve got it in the rear
At last, I finally found it
The perfect kind of treat
The ultimate sugary delight
That keeps you on your feet
As I checked out with a smile
And reached inside my pants
My expression turned to horror
As I felt empty space between my hands.
— Aiden, J.R. Masterman in Philadelphia PA
This Reminds Me of When …
When I look at this picture it reminds me of when I went to the Boardwalk in Myrtle Beach and I went to a store called “It’s Sugar” and I saw the most candy I had ever seen in my life. I looked around in the store for a good 30 minutes making sure I saw everything that I hadn’t seen before, all the chocolate and all the sour candy was making me want to eat the whole store. I decided what I wanted to get was sour candy and a gummy hamburger. Then I left the store extremely happy just waiting to eat my gummy hamburger.
— Andrew, Hoggard High School, Wilmington, NC
This image reminds me of when I travel to Europe and my mom tells me that I can only get one thing but I always try to sneak more. It never works out. My dad however always gets a lot of candy; he has quite a sweet-tooth.
Funny enough this does invoke memories…from when I was around 10 to 11 years old. This was around the time we were all virtual, so I had a lot of free time. So, me and my neighborhood friends would enter and just buy whatever we could afford. We’d usually do this while all of us were free, so it was usually on weekend afternoons… We would buy stuff just to buy it, then we would eat it while walking around the neighborhood, doing whatever we wanted (with a mask on of course). Looking back, I think very fondly of this time as life felt a lot more open back then. As if the whole world was open and ready for us…
This image reminds me of my childhood, but not for the typical reasons. I grew up in New York City, a city that can even make an adult feel like a kid in a candy store. Growing up with so much choice and opportunity overwhelmed me. I believe that there is such a thing as too much opportunity, because I had too much choice, I went from one thing to another and never got really good at anything in particular… To me this image represents surplus and it leaves me more anxious than anything.
— Sabine, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC
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