Our Diverse Books Are Under Attack!
By Mikhail Razzak, age 13 and IndyKids staff
The number of book challenges in the United States rose from 156 in all of 2020 to 330 in just the fall of 2021, according to a new American Library Association report. Since January 2021, more than 30 states have introduced classroom censorship laws which regulate discussions and literature, according to PEN America.
“Don’t Say Gay” Bill Passes in Florida. What’s Next?
By Jessie Mitnick, age 14
The Parental Rights in Education bill, which aims to restrict teachers’ ability to discuss or teach anything related to sexual orientation and gender identity within classrooms, was signed into law at the end of March by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Supporters of the legislation say that it will improve parents’ ability to control the information that children receive regarding LGBTQ+ topics, therefore giving them increased parental control and authority. However, it has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics because it could effectively eliminate people’s right to even mention something related to the LGBTQ+ community within a school environment.
As Climate Disasters Worsen, Communities Mobilize Around Mutual Aid
By Ziggy Gleason, age 12 and IndyKids staff
Last year was one of the most catastrophic and costly years on record for climate disasters in the United States, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a recent report. During 2021 alone, there were 20 climate disasters which cost the U.S. economy $1 billion or more and killed 688 people.
Spring Issue Center Spread: Why Does the U.S. Unhoused Population Keep Growing?
By Zeke Sundstrom, Aya Bajwa, Ava Vidal, and Maia Cort, age 11
IndyKids reporters investigate how healthcare, climate change, a lack of affordable housing, and the coronavirus pandemic cumulatively worsen houselessness in the United States.
Someday You Could Be… A Producer Like Nat Geo’s Carla Wills
By Samir Iydroose, age 11
Formerly a senior news producer at Democracy Now!, Carla Wills is the manager of audio production at National Geographic and the executive editor of the Into the Depths podcast. Into the Depths follows a team of Black researchers and divers as they discover and explore many of the thousands of shipwrecks from the transatlantic slave trade.
Personal Report: Should America’s Teachers Have to Crawl on Ice for a Raise?
By Leah Matloff, age 12
During an intermission at a South Dakota hockey game in December last year, an event called “Dash for Cash” took place. Ten local teachers stood in the middle of the hockey rink, and $5,000 in one-dollar bills was dropped in front of them. The teachers quickly got on their knees and scrambled to pick up the money…
Getting Wild With… Tasmanian Devils
By Henry Russell, age 11
Tasmanian devils are rather cute black- or brown-furred mammals that look a little like baby bears. They are the world’s largest meat-eating marsupial, reaching 30 inches in length and weighing up to 26 pounds. They have very sharp teeth that can deliver one of the strongest bites of any mammal. These animals got the name “devil” after early Europeans witnessed their growling, lunging and teeth-bearing characteristics.
Are Passive Greenhouses the Future of Farming?
By Theo Bloom, age 11
Dong Jianyi, an agronomist originally from China, has introduced Alberta, Canada, to large-scale greenhouses that don’t use electricity. Passive greenhouses can allow you to produce vegetables even in freezing temperatures. Dong’s Freshpal Farms is thought to be the largest commercial passive solar greenhouse in Alberta.
Canada Pays Up for the Mistreatment of Indigenous Children
By Maia Pastor, age 12
This year, the Canadian government agreed to pay a $32 billion USD settlement, its largest ever, over the poor treatment of Indigenous children.
Pentagon Makes Moves to Prevent Extremism Within the Military
By Isha Seth, age 11
The Pentagon is now enforcing new rules targeting far-right extremism and white supremacy within the U.S. military following the Jan. 6 insurrection. NPR analysis found that nearly one out of every five rioters charged for their participation in the riot has a connection to the U.S. military.
Build Back Better Failure Pushes Nearly 4 Million Kids Back into Poverty By Nala Annes, Age 11 and IndyKids staff
By Nala Annes, Age 11 and IndyKids staff
The expiration of Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has pushed nearly 4 million children back into poverty. The act, which was introduced in March 2021, increased monthly payments low-income families received, and reportedly kept 6.3 million children out of poverty, reducing overall child poverty in the United States by 43%.
Uncertainty Continues for Many Unaccompanied Afghan Children Evacuated to the United States
By Madeleine Blank, age 12
The United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan is causing major problems for Afghans, including 1,450 children who were evacuated as unaccompanied minors fleeing the Taliban, a militant group that has regained control of the country.
Is Biden Keeping His Promises After COP26?
By Ananya Biederer, age 11
President Joe Biden pledged to address climate change at COP26, a global climate conference held in Scotland in November 2021. Days later, his administration oversaw one of the biggest gas and oil lease sales in U.S. history. The lease goes against Biden’s promises to reduce global pollution and could cause even more environmental harm.
Someday You Could Be… an Eco-Gardener Like Samuel Pressman
By Esteban Guerra, age 9
Samuel Pressman is an ecological systems designer, food growing educator and climate artist in New York City. He created Samuel’s Food Gardens during the pandemic to educate people about DIY-based home food growing.
“Liberation Through Literacy”: IndyKids Reporters Interview Nikole Hannah-Jones, Founder of the Newly Launched 1619 Freedom School
By Silin Razza-Baril, age 11 and Willa Krishnaswami, age 12
Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of the 1619 Project, has launched the 1619 Freedom School in Waterloo, Iowa, which opened earlier this year.
Kids Are Facing a Mental Health Crisis. Is Social Media to Blame?
By Haven Hamre-Myers, age 15 and IndyKids staff
The reckoning on how social media is impacting kids’ mental health has begun. Facebook, and Mark Zuckerberg personally, have been called out for knowing about the issues surrounding their platforms and for their failure to take action.
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