Luca Teopaco
I’m from isolation and identity,
From the loneliness of being misunderstood.
I’m from Lightning Mcqueen backpacks that struck criticism from girls my age.
The laughter and whispers that surrounded me when I was too young to comprehend their cruelty.
I’m from poor eyesight that never got treated until I was 8 years old.
From being unable to see from far distances and writing slowly
And from the impatience of my private Catholic school teacher who hurt me with her words and hands.
I’m from my deceased grandmother whom I’ve never met but looks after me in the form of butterflies.
I’m from being an only child,
From the feeling of uselessness of not having someone to look after or being looked after
And the feeling of envy of not having a “built in” best friend.
I’m from emotionality,
Cursed with feeling too intensely and loving too hard.
From heartbreaks and hopelessness
To healing and hopefulness.
I’m from being a boy born in a girl’s body,
Being unable to understand why I never felt like myself until I was old enough to start being true to myself.
From my family’s support and my grandfather’s unhesitant efforts to start calling me his grandson.
Though their unintentional disrespect hurts sometimes, I just have to remind myself that they don’t know any better.
I’m from the carelessness of my father and the carefulness of my mother
That explains the recklessness of my actions but the fragility of my emotions.
From feelings of prolonged sadness, continued worry, and constant flow of tears
Later diagnosed as depression and severe anxiety, something I might have gotten from my aunt.
Intensifying my fear of abandonment and losing myself.
I’m from always offering to listen so no one ever has to feel unheard as I once did.
From “You’re a good listener, you know that?”
From jumping to solve someone else’s problems because I’ve always had a hard time sympathizing with myself.
I’m from found family
From being the only junior in a group of seniors
And finding somewhere I finally belonged.
I’m from music
To listen to, to sing, to hum to, to create.
From choral music, keeping my soft palette raised to losing my breath when belting in musical theatre.
I have my older cousin to thank, who started singing with me before I could even count.
I’m from picking up a camera my freshman year and never being able to put it down, creating a passion for cinematography and photography.
From being the one person who always wants to capture so he can remember.
I’m from handwritten letters
From having the thoughts of a person written out for only you to see and keep.
I’m from seeking tranquility at the beach,
Always with the two girls that grew to be my nonbiological sisters.
From watching a meteor shower at midnight while the waves audibly crash onto the shore.
From seeing shooting star after shooting star, making wishes along the lines of having more moments like this.
Did you know that seeing a shooting star at the same time as someone you love means a “celestial blessing?”
A connection destined to endure.
I’m from love
From never regretting to love someone, for free falling into it.
From choosing to love in a world that seems to lack it.
To love and be loved,
To let love persevere and to let love consume,
To love a girl and hear her glorious laughter after I’ve said something ridiculous.
If I am from anything, let it be known,
That I am from love.
I Am From
By Hayden D
I am from my PS5
From Call Of Duty and Minecraft
I am from the big house beside
the quiet church with the black car
in the driveway
I am from St.Catharines
with big malls and stores
I am from having Christmas dinner and
home cooking from Pisquali and Armida
I am from having espresso and cappuccino’s
From my parents telling me it’s illegal to
turn the car light on and never steal
I am from no religion without restriction
I am from St.Catharines and Italian grandparents
I am from the time I watched my little brother break his wrist
I am from being the older sibling
From the old pictures in my grandparent’s house
Pictures of how they used to look
I am from stressing about big assignments
From being annoyed about boring ones(this one)
I am from my new pizza job and its repetitive tasks
I am from baking sweet dishes
I am from riding my nice bike every day
I am from using the weights in my garage
I am from spending time with my dad
Where I’m Going
Maxwell Sullivan
I’m from the passed down couch of generations
Where I watch teletubbies
I’m from the potholes in the uncared-for streets
I’m from the area everyone takes U-turns
I’m from the trails of Blue Mountain
I’m from worrisome parents
That worry about me going to school some days
I’m from the hamburgers grilled and the mac n cheese cooked
I am apart of the diverse school of people
I am the generation that stares down at a shining block all day
Which we couldn’t live without
I am the class of 2027
I’m going to be an uncle one day
I’m going to work one day
Just to pay for expenses of living
I’m going to be in love
I’m going to buy my own things
I’m going to be a father
And have my own kids
I’m going to be old
And have grandchildren of my own
I’m going to lay down
And be at eternal peace
What made me, me?
Khairi Johnson
What made me was fighting over who got top bunk
what made me was fighting for first pick of a room in a new house
what made me was fighting for control over the tv
what made me was arguing over who got to ride shotgun
what made me was sticky floors with popcorn filled seats ever Friday
what made me was bright lights and loud noises
what made me was preaching, singing and praying
what made me was a plate full of food and a glass full of juice every Sunday
what made me was running up a hill ever morning
what made me was popping in disk every time I got bored
what made me was waking up early looking for the remote
what made me was waking up to the sound of sizzling and frying
what made me was long road trips during the holidays
what made me was staying up late writing on paper
what made me was running outside for hours
what made me was climbing trees and playing in fields
what made me was swatting Gnats from my face
what made me was long walks up tails
what made me was pouring milk in my bowl and looking for my remote
what made me was going through the freezer on hot days
what made me was bubbles in my bath
what made me was running down the street every time I heard an ice cream truck
what made me was the sounds of birds in the morning
that’s what made me, me
I Am From
Nakia Jones-Halty
In with the new out with the old
Suddenly in with new life
Bright lights and sighs of relief
In with the new emotion out with the old emotion
Learning my first steps and first words
In with the new development out with the old development
Making ambitions and new wishes
In with the new achievements out with the old possibilities
Having new challenges and new likes
In with the new traits out with the old mistakes
More worries and more changes to who I was
In with the new problems out with the old flaws
New responsibilities and new love
In with the new emotions out with the old me
New hair and new clothes
In with the new me out with who I use to be
Piercings and my favorite band
In with new favorites out with old likes
New happiness and more wants
In with the new feelings out with the old thoughts of who I thought I would be
New personality and a uncertain future
In with the new fears out with the old comfort
New events and new sunny days
In with the new smile out with the old frown
New memories and experiences
In with the new life out with the old forgotten memories
I Am From
Nakia Jones-Halty
In with the new out with the old
Suddenly in with new life
Bright lights and sighs of relief
In with the new emotion out with the old emotion
Learning my first steps and first words
In with the new development out with the old development
Making ambitions and new wishes
In with the new achievements out with the old possibilities
Having new challenges and new likes
In with the new traits out with the old mistakes
More worries and more changes to who I was
In with the new problems out with the old flaws
New responsibilities and new love
In with the new emotions out with the old me
New hair and new clothes
In with the new me out with who I use to be
Piercings and my favorite band
In with new favorites out with old likes
New happiness and more wants
In with the new feelings out with the old thoughts of who I thought I would be
New personality and a uncertain future
In with the new fears out with the old comfort
New events and new sunny days
In with the new smile out with the old frown
New memories and experiences
In with the new life out with the old forgotten memories
I Am From Project 