Junior Emily Blacker shares a story reflecting on how they have always been perceived as “extra” by their teachers, peers and even their family. They describe their move from California to Oregon, their eagerness to fit in, and how they finally found a friend who didn’t think they were extra. “We all have insecurities, we’re all insecure about something and those things are so arbitrary, but now I feel like I’m beyond extra. I am truly whole,” Blacker said, as they close out their story. The theme of the Story Slam this year was “Extra” because it references the extra day in the month due to the leap year and how the city wide Story Slam will be held on Feb. 29.
Zay Conant (he/him/they/them) is a junior who loves medical science, is a realism and abstract artist and has two climate justice poems published in a youth anthology. He chose to become a photographer because he wants to explore different art styles and meet new people.
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