(click on photo to read story) 

Thanks to Eli Lyons for taking the photos .

 

Zak

 

Zakary is a talented young man who will surely grow up to be an older man. He loves school. He plans on going to college to continue going to school. He believes 

that you have to be real, read his story and you won't regret it.
 

Vannesa

 
Vannesa is a senior in Berkeley High (well not for long!!). She loves sushi and mexican food, especially cheese. She now really is going to UC Santa Cruz, and she still hopes to study Chemistry.
 

Hanna

 
Hanna has lived in Berkeley all her life. She believes that anything is possible, provided that it falls within the laws of gravity -- but she's still willing to try to disprove that! She would love to go to college somewhere that makes her happy, where she can eat as many baguettes as she wants to.
 

Morris

 

   

Morris came to Berkeley in the 7th grade from San Diego. He loves to watch movies so he decided to make is humor story about them Warning: if you don't watch many movies then you're better off going to the next story on the list.

 

 

 

Emily

 

 Emily is a gemini. She never takes life too seriously because time wasted on grudges and anger is stupid. She has no idea what life has in store for her but what would be the fun in it if she did? Emily misses being six, everything made much more sense back then. She will always tell you exactly how she feels, being fake is for cootermuffs.

Joaquin

Joaquin has lived in Berkeley all of his life. Coming from a middle class family who has had many struggles and obstacles for him to have a better future, Joaquin feels inspired to succeed. He hopes you'll enjoy his thrilling memoir. He hopes to study engineering at San Jose state next year along with playing for the D-1 soccer team.
 

Natalie

 

   

Natalie was born and raised in Berkeley but she spent the last summer in Oaxaca, Mexico. She loves to travel, hopes to live abroad someday, and has plans to return to Oaxaca soon. Besides traveling, Natalie enjoys dancing and spends much of her time rehearsing or taking classes. 
 
 

Joel G.

 

   
Joel was born in Berkeley, although at some times he tells people he is native to Detroit. He grew up in a family of four. The mother is a baker at the Cheese Board, father a professor of english. Joel projects philosophy into his writing by delving into his own thoughts about moments in his life and trying to thrust them into a greater scheme. Joel plans on attending California State University next fall.

 

Hana

 Hana is a Berkeley native who likes being politically correct, but not the politically correct. she enjoys working out, Lazy Sundays and cooking for her local soup kitchen. She is an experienced states woman (having worked as a junior statesman of America), and plans to be the youngest presidential candidate in 2012. She is also a pathological liar, and plans to attend UC Santa Cruz in the fall.
 

Emma

 
Originally from El Cerrito, California, Emma moved to Berkeley when she was 3. Emma has always loved traveling and listening to her step-grandmother's stories about living in Panama. She knows that it's not where you are, but who you're with that counts. She hopes to continue her passion for travel and learning languages wherever she ends up next year.
 

La Shay

 

   

  La Shay is a senior at Berkeley High School and dreams of being a model.  Shopping and writing are activities she enjoys. She plans on pursuing a career in child psychology or fashion. Being the oldest of five brothers and six sisters, she appreciates her quiet time and longs for not only physical freedom, but, mental freedom too.
 

Adriana

 Adriana was born and raised in Oakland. She lives with her mom and has three brothers who made her childhood a living hell. Her story is about a young twelve year old boy with a mental problem who murdered his family and teacher. Next year Adriana hopes to study math and science and in the future become a dentist.
 

Mia

 

 Mia was born and raised in Berkeley, California, with her mother,
father, and older brother. She thinks the reader may be able to
identify with her memoir about her idiosyncratic family. Mia believes
that laughter is always the bottom line. After weighing her options,
she plans to attend college somewhere in the United States.

 
 

Judy

 

Born in Oakland and raised in Berkeley, Judy has spent her whole life surrounded by the diversity of the Bay Area. In elementary school, she would borrow her favorite Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene from the library and just read them non-stop. She would spend countless hours watching crime investigating shows with her dad and then go on the next day being paranoid of every little thing. She hopes that you enjoy reading her first take at a mystery story called The Yellow Umbrella. Enjoy!
 

Isabella

 

    
Isabella Molatore is a senior at Berkeley High and has been writing since the sixth grade. She hopes you have as much fun reading this as she did writing it.
 

Binh

 

     Binh has lived in Berkeley all his life. Coming from a Vietnamese family, my parents coming straight from Vietnam from the war. He hopes you find his memoir quite sad but also a happy story. Binh believes that " you should live life to the fullest" because you only have one chance in life. he hopes to go to a four year college and jump right into law school.

 
 

Kevin

 

Kevin O'Neill, a Berkeley native, is an avid runner, though if

Berkeley High were smaller and less diverse, he would probably start

for the basketball team.  Kayvaughn, as his peers call him, is widely

known for his love of mathematics and dislike of anything political.

In the near future, he plans on pulling an all-nighter and proving the

Riemann Hypothesis.
 

Joel R.

 

    

 Joel has lived in Berkeley all of his life.  Having been to Mexico once, he rarely leaves California, let alone the Bay Area.  His family came from Mexico in the late 1980's and early 1990's.  They have always been supportive and strong.  His memoir is one of the last shenanigans he got himself into.  He hopes to go to San Jose State after community college.
 

Josh

 

Josh has lived in Berkeley and Oakland all of his life. He was raised in a loud family, but hasn't lived up to the tradition. In his spare time he likes playing sports and eating frosted flakes. Josh believes that in life, you should reach for the moon. Because even if you don't make it, you will be in the stars.He hopes to advance his education in college next school year.

 

Ivy
Ivy is rather bipolar and perhaps manic at times. She is a proudly recovered Little Mandarin addict who now enjoys a happy, roller-coaster of a life with her boyfriend and pet piglet.

 

Max S.

 

     Max St. Pierre is one word is awesome.
He spends his free time riding his bicycle and raging with local bros.  On the weekends he frequently attends social gatherings in which young local intellectuals bounce ideas off each other. 
Max is known most for his absolutely amazing sense of humor and his erratic behavior trends.  As a local author and part of the Finer Things club, Max frequently studies post war Europe and fine wines. 

 

Ben S.

 

     
Ben Steigmann was born in Edmonton, Alberta, and moved to California when his dad got a job as professor of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley. He hopes you like his analytical writing style. Ben perceives life as art, and hopes to live magically. He hopes to study at Reed College next year. 
 
 

Eline

 

Eline really hopes you’ll read her story about the alien, Bob, who comes to Earth to shop groceries at Safeway. It’s a very humorous story, so you’ll probably enjoy reading it.

 
 

Lauren

 
Lauren has lived in Albany ever since she was born. After having her mom and two little sisters Paige and Laisani move to Washington D.C. she now lives in her house with only her grandma.After reading her memoir she hopes people will finally see the drastic change that came upon her over a short period of time before the start of her senior year. She hopes to eventually find herself in the physical therapy field after she graduates.  

 

Ben W.

 

   This is Ben. He likes Mitch Hedberg and the harmonica. One day Ben will be dead, but until then he tries to find fulfillment in his life by trying spontaneous things. He is an avid kite flier, amateur poker player, and will someday move to New Zealand to achieve his dream of being a goat herder.   
 

Michael Y.

 

   Michael was born in Taipei, Taiwan and has lived in Japan, Singapore, and Berkeley.  His family is currently spread across the United States and has origins in China.  Michael has attended private schools his entire life until high school.  He believes in "Hakuna Matala" and that there are no worries in life.  Michael plans to study mechanical engineering at UC San Diego next year.
 

Rashod

 

Having called every section of Oakland home, Rashod has grown up in what is called a mixed family, where neither his older sister nor younger brother share both the same mother and father. With his, some might say, ambiguous approach and philosophy of life, one might find funny his relationship with the unresponsive that he gives personality to. He plans to study anthropology in college and be a productive “mind reliever” (whatever that means). He hopes from his writing one can receive more than just funny dialogue and cliché blabber.  

Aleksis

 A Berkeley resident, Aleksis has spent the last four years in the small school, Communications Arts and Sciences. He is a semi-pro road and mountain bike racer. Next year, Aleksis will attend UC Santa Cruz. He has had a great year in the short story class and is looking forward to doing more writing in college.
 

Lily

 

  

I am not as creepy as this story may lead you to believe. It is all fiction.

 
 

Max B.

 

    Max would like for everyone to know that he does not
take himself nearly as seriously as this piece may
lead you to believe. In reality he is already jaded,
cynical, and believes that nothing really matters.

 

Shaendl

 

    Shaendl lives in Berkeley with her parakeet Felipe in a house with flowers painted on it. Although she would like to attend college next year, she can't seem to find one that she is very enthusiastic about. She hopes that the future will hold interesting and exciting things, and expects changes to come that she never would have though possible.

 

Dandara

 

Dandara was born in Evanston, Illinois in December, 1990. She moved to Berkeley at the age of eight and has lived there ever since. She hopes to find a job that allows her to travel the world and plans to live in South Korea for an extended period of time. Some of her hobbies include enjoying good food, reading on cloudy days, and generally procrastinating on things that need to be done.

 
 

Taylor

 

     Taylor is from the Bay Area and lives in Berkeley, California with her mother. She likes to read and write and hopes to become a famous writer someday. Her life theme is "Fly by the seat of your pants."

 
 

Koji

 

   Koji has lived in Berkeley for most of his life. He spends most of his time on the mat wrestling. He comes from two very different parents and hopes you find the home of one of them amusing.He plans on going to college and hopes to pursuit a career in firefighting or sports medicine.

 
 

Will K.

 

  Hailing from Oakland California, Will Karn currently resides in Berkeley, and lives with his family, will lives by the immortal words of Nas " When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin shorty wop, Known for rocking microphones and twisting off a 40 top." Will is unsure what he wants to do., he plans on attending Oxford University. quad s.
 

Nathan

 

Nathan wrote a mock newspaper. The Onion-esque. It is right for you if you either despise the Collegeboard, appreciate the art of beatboxing, or dislike people who dislike spirit week. 

 

Simone

 

    Simone Kurland was born in Albuquerque New Mexico and moved to California when she was seven years old. She has always been one who needs to write their first draft with a pencil and paper, never a computer. She hopes to move far away for college.
 

Rachel

 

Rachel enjoys long walks in the wilderness. Her favorite animal is the Black Bear. This story is based on true events.

 

 

Rob

 

Don Roberto de Loblo was born in your sink, on July 23, 1832.
He currently resides in his own sink, where he merrily washes dishes, among other things. (Like writing stories)
Please bow your head and say a small blessing for the giraffes each time you read one of his works.
It is his wish, he asks only that you respect it.

PS. The government!

 
 

Tom

 

     

Tom Lee has been on point since age like age eleven. He lies about how on point he is and when he developed his on-pointedness. He dislikes large amounts of coinage. Especially change which includes pennies. He only knows three songs on the piano, and will play them at your house over and over. Don't let him play piano. He gets most life advice from A Tribe Called Quest. His favorite show is Superjail. 
 
 

Eli

 

     

Eli Lyons has been overachieving in Berkeley since he was born. He began his illustrious career as a junior member of the National Acronym Society (NAS) shortly after his birth. He has been successfully shortening multiple word phrases and proper nouns to their appropriate length since. A few years later, he and a group of ten other precocious junior members, displeased with the omission of prepositions in the acronyms, began a new organization; the National Acronym Society Association (NASA). This was a poor choice, as the group was later sued by a federal agency of the same name. Nonetheless, he has written this humorous story for your reading pleasure. He hopes you take pleasure in reading it. 

Geoff

    

Geoffrey Mahley has lived in the tough streets of North Central Berkeley his entire life.  His appetite for danger and excitement sometimes gets him in a little trouble.  Geoff enjoys long walks on the beach and playing baseball for the BHS Yellowjackets.  Geoff lives by the famous saying "You reap what you Sow,".  Geoff plans to attend college next year.
 

Sophie

 

    

Sophia (or Sophie) has lived in Berkeley all her life. She is a student in the Arts and Humanities Academy, and very much enjoys film, photography and reading.
 
 

Jeremy

 

 Jeremy has lived in Berkeley, CA his whole life.  Being the youngest of three older siblings, he was often the main target to pick on.  Jeremy believes that "Doing things your way does not always work....sometimes you just need to wait it out."  Jeremy hopes you find your way of doing things and make them work.
 

Will N.

 

OK...so...there have been some rumors going around school about me and I just think it's really awful. Just because a few kids say some stuff is true about me does not mean you have to believe them! Seriously...all this gossip is nasty and immature. "OOOOooo...did you hear Will Novey did Bla Bla Bla?" 
  Look...I just want people to hear my side of the story before they go off believing some ridiculous story spread by a few insidious students... 

  ...because the real story is so much better! 

 



Molly



 My name is Molly Parker, and I was born and raised in Berkeley, CA. When I grow up I want to manage my own business of some kind but I don't know what that is yet. I don't consider myself one of the best writers but I enjoy writing and hope you enjoy my story. 




Elana Joy

Elana Joy has lived in several houses around the Bay Area throughout her life. She enjoys photography and trying (key word trying) to play musical instruments. Elana plans to attend a 4-year university next year and will hopefully go on to be a photojournalist.
 

Autumn

 

 Autumn Rauscher is a senior at Berkeley High School. She highly dislikes typing in third person. She has always been interested in writing and story-telling, having grown up in a family where falling asleep with one's nose in a book, late at night, was commonplace.  She aims to take a year off when she graduates high school and travel, eventually taking a road trip across the U.S. Her story is one that simply revolves around the title of her piece, and she hopes you will enjoy.

 

Haley

 

Haley was born in Portland Oregon where she lived with her mother, father, and younger brother for six years. After he sister was born, her family moved to France for a year and a half and then to Berkeley where they have been living ever since. She plans to attend a four year college next year and major in sociology with a minor in art.  

 
 

Kate

 

Kate was adopted from Paraguay as an infant and came to the U.S. 17 years ago. She enjoys playing soccer and lacrosse. Before attending college, she plans to study abroad for a year in Spain and South America with the goal of becoming fluent in Spanish. She lives in Berkeley with her parents, who both work for State environmental agencies.

 
 

Lakshmi

 

       Lakshmi has lived in India for 16 years,  she then moved to U.S. Her parents and her little sister have lived in Berkeley. Lakshmi hopes that you won't have a hard time reading her story. She thinks that "Every minute in life is valuable, and you should learn to enjoy it." She hopes to study medicine in one of the UC'S.