Last fall, the New York Times posed the question: “What is school like in 2023?” Students and educators nationwide could use any medium to respond and nearly 4,000 of them did! Out of that enormous pool of submissions, Nashoba Regional High School’s senior, Jillian Kivi, was one of 17 students who received runner-up status with her short story, “Lunch on Tuesdays.” Through fictional characters in a cafeteria setting, Jillian explored the very real topic of fake friends and how young people compromise their personal integrity for fear of not fitting in.
In Jillian’s accompanying artist’s statement, she offered more insight on the topic: “If I could change one thing about school in 2023, it would be the judgments people project onto others. If we’re all less judgmental, and more open to peoples’ quirks and differences, the need to wear a mask will dissipate. We shouldn’t be constantly fretting that one little social miscue will cause our ‘status’ to plummet — it makes for a tense and unenjoyable environment. I believe that if we tone down the judgment and dial up the sympathy and inclusion, school will be much more bearable.”
Congratulations to Jillian!
