My Teenage Life
What does being a teenager mean to you? This is the question students sought to answer through their multimedia project. Inspired by New York Times’ multimedia winners, Atrisco Heritage Academy journalism students put their creativity to the test, answering the prompt with honest vulnerability. Through varied visual communication media and written text, they showcased their generation’s unique perspective.
Project by Amya Lonjose
“In 2024, I feel like I just don’t belong in being either Hispanic or Native American because I’m mixed…Being mixed feels like having to pick a side, but I still don’t feel like I belong in either one.” Amya’s Dad is Native and her mom is Hispanic, but she feels like “I take more of the Native culture.” She visits family in Zuni, and generally feels closer to her dad’s side of the family. Still, “I’ll never be able to just pick one side.” Right now, “I feel like I”m too Native for my Hispanic side or I’m too Hispanic for my Native side.” No teen should have to feel like they must justify part of their identity for others. She is both Native and Hispanic and should feel whole and accepted in every space.
Projects (left to right) by Stephanie Segura, Izabella Mendoza, and Dominic Martinez
1. Stephanie Segura's project shows the comfort music offers to teens, through artwork and a playlist. Showing a girl relaxed inside a vinyl, she wanted to show that music makes her feel at home. 2. Izabella Mendoza reminisced on her favorite memories of freshman year. These included planning her quince, having a sleepover with her best friend, and playing on the school’s softball team. 3. Dominic Martinez (proejct left) took a hard look at the state of teens’ mental health today. He found that teen death from suicide has risen 35% over the last 25 years.
Albuquerque crime impacts teenagers today
Aryehlle Martinez
I was born and raised in Albuquerque, where I am currently a teenager about to wrap up my sophomore year. Crime has a significant impact on our generation, which is a major concern today -- not only locally, but nationally too.
With 125 homicides, Albuquerque's 2022 crime rate of 641 was 2.6 times higher than the national average. According to City Data, a data analysis group, during the previous five years, violent crime has increased while property crime has decreased. It concerns many of us teenagers who are the next generation. We are the ones who are going to have to live in this community, or some of us will leave to find somewhere better and safer to potentially raise a healthier family.
Juvenile offenders have learned from repeated failures in the criminal justice system, leading them to believe they can repeat the same mistakes and escape consequences, literally because they can and they are. Many of my peers' deaths were caused because of crimes and even then, the offenders had gotten away with it because they were underage. Last year, two old friends were victims of terrible incidents: one was shot and the other was killed in a hit and run. Both did not survive.
This school year at our school’s parking lot during a basketball game, a student was shot. I was there at cheer practice only two hours before it happened. This made me feel like I couldn’t even feel safe at school anymore.
Living here makes me feel so unsafe that I start worrying about the worst things that might occur when I'm out in public, like witnessing a shooting or becoming a victim of assault. After being attacked earlier this year, it really puts me on edge everywhere I go. Many of the most popular citizen locations are in immediate contact to high-risk areas, but there is always a chance that something unfortunate can occur, given that Albuquerque is placed 17th out of 70 of the country's largest cities when it comes to high crime rates.
The Santa Fe Movers, a moving and storage company that operates throughout the state, reports that there is a 1 in 16 chance of becoming a victim of crime in Albuquerque. There is still a lack of certainty about the exact time and place of potential crimes, but that unknown makes it even scarier.
Despite the fact that I was raised here and still call this place home, the crime and violence have only gotten worse. As I get older, I start to worry about my safety and want to leave this place as soon as possible.
Amber de Jesus designed a page (left) showing the worrisome crime rates, specifically related to gun violence, in the state of New Mexico. Amber’s research shows that firearm-related deaths increased 87 percent between 2010 and 2021 in the state.
Project Camila Fehr
Camila says she chose movies that explore mental health and romantic relationships during the teen years. She also included an illustration from Junie B. Jones and Alice in Wonderland, both books that she felt explore childhood and growing into a person who is finding their place in life.
Project by Izabella Mendoza
Izabells wrote about her first year of high school. With this she included her “Top 3’s” and numerous tips for incoming freshmen. Her favorite classes were history, journalism, and biology. One piece of advice to girls is to not let others make you feel like you should or shouldn’t wear make up. In other words, do what feels right to you!
Project by Brooklyn Burke
Teens Have Many Opportunities Today
By Nathaniel Lewis
Teens have the opportunity to be anything they want when they're young. Whether they want something to do with heavy lifting or something more creative. If someone insists on an engineering job with cars or robotics, then they can do that. The new generation is supplied with much knowledge from the past generations, both learning from their mistakes and successes.
The best part about all of this is the amount of freedom we have to choose what we want to do; no one can tell us it's impossible. Teens have the ability to easily understand information if they actually try. One of the best things about high school is that we can learn about anything, from cooking to sports. Because of the creativity, hard work, and mistakes of former generations, we know what works and what doesn't work when pursuing our own dreams.
The biggest achievements have sometimes been made by some young people who you would never imagine would find success . While you're young your capabilities are endless; you can do anything.
Here’s the problem: Teens are more interested in other things, such as video games, social media, or hanging out with friends. And in a world with so many different paths in front of us, we sometimes feel overwhelmed. The options and opportunities can be both blessings and curses. They make us feel like we don’t know what to do next.
Project by Nathaniel Lewis
“What does it means to me to be a “teen” in 2024? Being a teen to me has never been easy. I feel I was at the bottom of the ladder in anything I did, and the more I kept climbing, the higher the top of the ladder got. I’ve learned this is not a bad thing, though,” Horacio writes. Throughout high school, he’s worked hard both in school and in his job, helping him become an independent and driven individual. “…This pushed me towards a path I didn’t used to think I could ever be on. Although I haven’t had a true weekend since my sophomore year of a high school, I am grateful for being forced into a job. I’ve learned from people of all ages, some with good advice, others not. However, even the bad advice is helpful, because life is a learning experience every day.” - Horacio Gallegos
Project by Anamaria Benally
“Make the Most of Every Day”
Project by Hailey Astorga
Teenagers right now are growing up between two separate worlds. The first consists of our inner child and the memories carried with it. The second is all about growing up, maturing, and learning. These worlds are constantly at war within our minds. Fighting consciously day and night, we lack balance between the two.
Soon I’ll be 17, then 18, then I'm on my own. Eventually I’ll have to grow up, learn how to survive by myself, and carry out all sorts of new responsibilities. Soon I won’t be supported the way I am right now. I’m just a kid, but I am also on the verge of adulthood.
Every day is a new adventure, which is both scary and exciting. Every opportunity that life gives is a blessing. Every day is worth smiling about and shouldn’t be taken for granted. After all, one day you'll look back and see your life flash before your eyes the same way mine has.
Project by Vicente Marrufo
Music greatly impacts teens today. When I listen to music, it helps me cope with different emotions. Music helps me get through things and it can work as a distraction from chaotic events going on in my life. I feel like I can express myself through music and put my emotions into it. The type of music I listen to depends on how I'm feeling. I feel like for some teens, music can help them escape, can lift their mood, and even help them get through things they're going through. Frank Ocean and Sza are probably my favorite artists because they have music that can change my mood from sad to happy. If I'm upset, I listen to their music because it helps me calm down.
-Playlist and words by Kristyn Gurule
Teenage Feelings
By Tiffany Torrez
For me, being a teenager in today’s generation means never being able to understand. It means always being upset, never understanding, and being scared of what will come next.
Parents never understand. They didn’t have social media, they don’t know that our “attitude” comes from the endless judgement and comparison to others. Swipe left if you like it, swipe right if you don’t. Judging someone before you even get to know them…How would that make you feel? Not good, right?
Being a teenager is stressful. Some days you want to yell at the world, yell at the sky, stomp on the ground, just go to bed to distract yourself from all the madness in your head.
Other days you never want your teenage years to end. On the other days, everything is perfect: the sky, butterflies, and sun all align to create the perfect day. Days like these you never want to end.
But other days you just scream. SCREAM at the world, your parents, the dog, your sister. Just because you want to be heard.
Being a teenager is draining — a never ending spiral of emotions, when some days you feel like drowning from the waves of cycling emotions, but other days you’re on a relaxing cruise watching the birds fly by as you tan on the dock.
Being a teenager is trying to find yoruself while not giving up. Being a teenager is not how it was before. Being a teenager has become so much more…
My Best Friend
By Ianna Isidoro
Being a teenager gets so difficult at times. With heart breaks, exhaustion from school, mental health, family problems, etc. And sometimes it feels like you have no one to talk to about it, or have someone to relate to and connect with.
Getting into high school was a big change. Most friends I was close with before drifted apart. We all found new groups and different people we connected with.
So much change was going on around me that it was hard to process at that moment. All of my closest friends from middle school were now just acquaintances.As a teenager so many friends come and go.
But that’s why I’m grateful for my best friend, Elena, who I met in 7th grade]. As said before, sometimes as a teen you feel alone. But my best friend is always there for me. We’ve spent so much time together it feels like she knows everything about me. She notices things about me I don’t even notice about myself. She’s like the sister I’ve never had.
Cars and Four-Wheelers Serve as Outlet for Teens
By Damian Farias
Damian Farias works on a four-wheeler with his dad. Four-wheeling is a huge part of teen culture here in the South Valley. For Farias, it's also a way to stay out of trouble and become a more self-sufficient individual.
Alexander Cabrera Castillo shares a blueprint for a Go-Cart he built in 2021. The idea for this started at the start of the pandemic.
I feel like being a teen in 2024 means experiencing a lot of more pressure. You can fall down at school, and someone will record you on their phone. Next thing you know, you’re internationally famous for something as dumb as falling. Sometimes it feels like you’re constantly being watched, like someone is just waiting for you to screw up.
Being a teen nowadays is definitely different than it was for earlier generations. I know that 10 years ago we didn't have the same problems that’re going on now. For example, people didn't have to be worried about their car getting robbed just because it is a Dodge. People used to complain about gas being $2 per gallon, and now it can double that sometimes. Many kids worry about whether they’ll be able to even afford filling their tank.
I also worry about how I can make enough money is this cruel world to support my parents and maybe one day my own family. Part of being an independent and resourceful person means being handy. I try to learn from the useful resources my parents teach me, especially car maintenance, like how to change the brakes and oil. Things will only get more and more expensive, and it’s important I can rely on myself rather than spend money on things I am capable of doing. Some teens might not find these tasks interesting, but I think it will help me out later on.
There are so many teens today who commit crimes, especially here in Albuquerque. Even if you just dress “the wrong way” people will accuse you of doing terrible things. The video (top left) shows me helping my dad because I would rather do that than getting into doing drugs and running from police. I would rather learn valuable skills than to be in the streets drinking. I try to have fun, but nowadays people will shoot you for just telling them to calm down. There’s a lot of fear and stress, so I try to make decisions and stay away from those types of things. This is what a teen in 2024 feels like to me.
“There are so many teens today who commit crimes, especially here in Albuquerque....I would rather [help my dad on cars] than getting into doing drugs and running from police. I would rather learn valuable skills than to be in the streets drinking.”
Teens in 2024 Face Unique Pressures
By: Alexander Cabrera
How has the average teen changed through the years?
Being a teen in 2024 has a lot of ups and downs because of different trends and issues that most teens are exposed to these days. Most teens are smoking vapes, getting drunk at parties, or maybe even committing crimes. With so many shootings and wars going on around the world, it’s not surprising that teens are tempted to also act violently.
I find that there isn't much to do without money or a car. My friends and I have been playing video games a lot since the pandemic, so we don't find the need to go out. However, recently I haven’t been as attracted to video games as I used to be. I’ve started going outside more often, but that’s usually by myself. I sometimes ask my friends to join me, but they insist on staying inside since they are playing video games. I think video games can really affect someone mentally and physically, so it's nice to take a break from them from time to time and pursue other hobbies.
As a teen I was pressured multiple times to vape, but I never did it. I felt like the one that was being left out until I was a freshman. The first day as a freshman I made 8 new friends. At the end of this school year, I have gained 24 friends, which I am really proud of.
Friendships and new experiences are good parts of high school. Every day presents new highs and lows, but I guess that’s just part of being a teen.