How do we work?

Once every few weeks a new topic will be displayed on the blog. Young people, ages 5 - 96, will submit their responses. Student writing will be posted as it is received. Know someone that would love to contribute? Pass the word.

Blog #14 Topic Choices:
Write about a place or an aspect of New Orleans that has influenced you OR use the words "Escaping the heat/to get out of the heat..." of New Orleans.

Submission Logistics: Submissions should be in response to the blog topic. Poetry and prose, up to 500 words in length, should be emailed as a Microsoft Word attachment. Emails should include author’s first name, age, and School.

Submissions can be sent to: youngneworleanswritingtogether@gmail.com
Submission due date: May 31st, 2012 @ 5pm

Friday, February 4, 2011

Alli - I am New Orleans

"WEST SIDEEE"- normally when people think of this term, they think of the west coast. But we are not talking about the Californians. We are talking about the West Bank.  The West Bank, also known as the Best Bank, is an area on the outskirts of the Greater New Orleans area. Although I was born on the East Bank, when I was about 3 my parents moved to the Best Bank because of my Dad’s job. The West Bank has had a special place in my heart because of its unique qualities and contradicting stereotypes. Whenever people in New Orleans or Metairie hear the mention of the West Bank, they automatically assume guys that mimic Lil Wayne, and girls that wear bump-its and still take cheesy Myspace pictures. While this is pretty accurate, not everyone is like this. The people that are mainly like this grew up on the West Bank and go to school there. I, for example, only went to school on the West Bank up until middle school. Going to school on the East Bank is what probably saved me from becoming a bump-it booty short wearing type of girl.

“The West Bank scares me…” is one of the responses I got from someone when I told them that I live there. Sure the West Bank is known for a lot of crime and some parts of it can seem sketchy, but really there is nothing to be afraid of. Many people don’t go to the West Bank because they consider it to be too “far away.” Without traffic, it takes me about 25 minutes to get to school in the morning. I just guess 25 minutes to some people seems like 5 hours. I like to flaunt my West Bank pride to everyone who is not from here. The West Bank is the Best Bank. I am West Bank and I am New Orleans.

- Alli, age 16
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