School’s out. It’s midsummer. But a new school year is only weeks away for many young people. How are students feeling right now? Are they free and easy to enjoy their vacations or are they anxious about returning to school in the fall?

Their answers might surprise you. They touch on school shootings and what it means to walk into classrooms where safety is never guaranteed. Their common thread--what they share most of all--is their compelling plea to the adults in their lives to not to give up trying to make their schools and their lives safer.

Credits: Rick Barlis, Michael Finan, Gavin Ransom, Meher Talreja, Ayaan Moledina, Richard Weiss, Vijay Satyanarayana PMP, Jim Papoulis, Sara Shikowitz, Naarah Asamoa, Lee Baronian and the students at Halsey JHS 175 in Queens NY.

Summer Fears of Gun Violence

Thoughts and Prayers—An AI High Story

While Congress enjoys their August recess, we created this AI story to underline just how unserious if not outright hostile they are about enacting even the most modest safe gun laws. If you’re as tired of “Thoughts and Prayers” as we are, keep in mind that Midterm Elections are a year away and the next presidential election happens in 3 years. Earlier this month, a man walked into the CDC headquarters in Atlanta and killed a security guard before taking his own life. Sadly we now extend the same caution to doctors and scientists that we routinely share with students. Be safe out there. And continue to speak up, because “thoughts and prayers never solved anything.”

Credits go to Bennett Weiss at Loxodonta Media and the WYHMN team their advice and support.