fall 2024

The School Experience

Volume 17, Number 1

The word “school” conjures different meanings for all of us: learning, opportunity, boredom, anxiety, privilege. How does the school experience shape our growth? How does it differ from place to place? How does it prepare us for “the real world”? Join teen contributors across the globe to explore education from every angle.

summer 2024

AI and the Future of Knowledge

Volume 16, Number 4

In this issue, young KidSpirit contributors take us to the latest digital frontier: artificial intelligence. How will AI change our societies? Our everyday lives? Our very psyches? Teens ponder our future at the edge of the unknown.

spring 2024

Crisis & Change

Volume 16, Number 3

How do we navigate change? What does it mean to be resilient? Can a crisis help us grow? Young writers and artists around the world explore the ups and downs of living in turbulent times.

winter 2023

Finding Meaning

Volume 16, Number 2

KidSpirit writers and artists bravely take on questions that go to the heart of the human experience. What is the meaning of life? Do we each have a purpose? How can we self-reflect in a time of overstimulation?

fall 2023

Now and Then

Volume 16, Number 1

This season, KidSpirit contributors journey along the paths connecting past, present, and future. How does history influence our perspective today? What imprint does a fleeting experience leave? Amid constant change, does anything remain the same?

summer 2023

Courage

Volume 15, Number 4

What does it mean to have courage? Can we become courageous? Does being brave look the same for everyone? In this empowering issue of KidSpirit, young writers and artists explore these questions and share stories of courage in all its forms.

spring 2023

Violence and Healing

Volume 15, Number 3

In this powerful issue of KidSpirit, young writers and artists probe the roots of violence and ask how we can move forward after loss and destruction. Are humans inherently violent? How can we resolve our trauma? Does healing mean to forgive or to forget?

winter 2022

Dreams and Desires

Volume 15, Number 2

How does our subconscious impact our reality? Do our dreams and aspirations define us? How can we manifest our desires? Young writers and artists reach for the highest peaks of our imagination and potential.

fall 2022

Citizenship

Volume 15, Number 1

Ties that bind, boundaries that divide. In this issue, KidSpirit contributors around the world take a closer look at the meaning of citizenship. What are our responsibilities to each other? Are they defined by lines on a map or can we become a global society?

summer 2022

Who Am I?

Volume 14, Number 4

What does it mean to know who you are? Is identity constant or does it evolve over time? Do we each have a purpose? KidSpirit contributors dig deep to examine questions that may take a lifetime to answer.

spring 2022

Time and Space

Volume 14, Number 3

KidSpirit writers and artists traverse the universe in an issue that takes us to the farthest reaches of human understanding. Why are we compelled to journey beyond our planet? Is time travel possible? How does history shape our future?

winter 2021

Love

Volume 14, Number 2

How do we show love? Can we really love unconditionally? Why do we love in spite of pain? These questions and many more lie at the heart of KidSpirit’s winter issue.

fall 2021

The Media That Raised Us

Volume 14, Number 1

Omnipresent: that’s how many teenagers experience media today. From books and movies to Instagram and 24-hour news, a constant stream of information shapes our lives and societies. In this issue, KidSpirit writers and artists evaluate the benefits, dangers, and everything in between.

summer 2021

Connection and Isolation

Volume 13, Number 4

After a year that kept many of us apart, KidSpirit contributors unravel questions about the ties that bind us together. How does isolation affect our wellbeing? Can it be helpful? How do we create true connection?

spring 2021

Life and Death

Volume 13, Number 3

What defines a life well-lived? How do we make every moment count? Why do we fear death? In this brave issue, KidSpirit contributors face eternal questions of mortality head on.

winter 2020

Silence

Volume 13, Number 2

In an increasingly noisy world, KidSpirit writers and artists pause to reflect on the value of silence. When is it necessary? When is it harmful? How can we appreciate the beauty of a moment of stillness amid tumultuous times?

fall 2020

Strength and Influence

Volume 13, Number 1

Join KidSpirit writers and artists as they look into the ways in which power and perception, resilience and relationship are intertwined. Can peers shape our values? Is corruption inevitable? What makes a good leader?

summer 2020

Fun and Creativity

Volume 12, Number 4

What makes something fun? What sparks creativity? KidSpirit contributors play with these ideas and invite you to do the same.

spring 2020

Nature

Volume 12, Number 3

In this issue of KidSpirit, writers and artists take a deep dive into the natural world and how it impacts our lives today. What constitutes nature? How can it connect us to others? How have we affected it with our actions?

winter 2019

Fulfillment

Volume 12, Number 2

Fulfillment. Goals. Success. These words signify what so many of us strive for throughout our lives. As KidSpirit writers and artists set out on the path to adulthood, they weigh in on what it means to reach our full potential.

fall 2019

Education

Volume 12, Number 1

What is the purpose of education? Are academic or life skills more important? In this issue of KidSpirit, writers and artists around the world explore how we learn, grow, and thrive.

summer 2019

Fear and Anxiety

Volume 11, Number 4

Fear, one of our core emotions, is a basic part of being human. But in modern times, we often wonder if panic and anxiety are becoming more of a roadblock to thriving than an aid to surviving. In this issue, KidSpirit contributors explore the many ups and downs of being afraid.

spring 2019

Society and the Individual

Volume 11, Number 3

Does society shape individuals or do individuals shape society? Can one person impact a whole group? How do we balance independence and unity? Kids around the world delve into the questions that define our singular and collective identities.

winter 2018

Reality and Perception

Volume 11, Number 2

Writers and artists take up the very fabric of our experience in this issue of KidSpirit. Is our perception accurate? Is reality actually real? Join us to explore the world through different eyes.

fall 2018

The Adventurous Spirit

Volume 11, Number 1

What drives us to explore the unknown? How do new or challenging experiences transform our lives? Where is the border between comfort and adventure, and what happens when we cross it? Join young writers and artists on an expedition to understand the human impulse to break new ground.

summer 2018

Storytelling and Narrative

Volume 10, Number 4

In a breakout issue of KidSpirit, contributors venture into the land of stories both true and imaginary. Journey with them through fiction, drama, poetry, and personal reflection to explore how the tales we tell shape our inner and outer worlds.

spring 2018

The Speed of Now

Volume 10, Number 3

What does it mean to be alive at this moment? How is modern technology impacting our world and our experiences? Join KidSpirit contributors as they grapple with change, balance, and authenticity in their lives.

winter 2017

Creation and Destruction

Volume 10, Number 2

In this issue, KidSpirit writers and artists dive into the fundamental nature of life and loss. Journey with them from the beginnings of the universe to the demise of all we know, as they explore the infinite meanings of birth and death in our world and beyond.

fall 2017

Unity and Division

Volume 10, Number 1

What binds us together? What keeps us apart? How can we bridge divides to communicate across boundaries? KidSpirit contributors from all walks of life consider the lines that connect and separate our communities, families, and selves.

summer 2017

Resilience

Volume 9, Number 4

We all face challenges and change, falls and failure. Now more than ever, resilience is crucial to thriving in our world. In this issue of KidSpirit, young contributors plumb the depths of their experiences to explore the strength of the human spirit.

spring 2017

Simplicity and Complexity

Volume 9, Number 3

Do we live in an age of complexity? Why is it so difficult to appreciate the simple joys of life? Young writers and artists around the world grapple with balancing these concepts in the modern era.

winter 2016

Mysteries of the Universe

Volume 9, Number 2

In this issue, KidSpirit contributors delve into the mysteries beyond our grasp. From light years across the cosmos to the depths of our own minds, journey with them to the farthest reaches of the unknown as they embrace the questions that shape our lives.

fall 2016

Human Dignity

Volume 9, Number 1

What is our inherent worth as individuals? Can the labels placed on us by society predetermine the course of our lives? KidSpirit contributors consider their essential dignity and that of others as they reach for a deeper understanding.

summer 2016

Happiness

Volume 8, Number 4

Does happiness have a different meaning for each of us? How do we know when we’re truly happy? KidSpirit contributors take on these questions and more in this issue on the roots and fruits of well-being.

spring 2016

Myth and Magic

Volume 8, Number 3

What draws us to the realm of the fantastical? Why are we driven to explain the inexplicable? In this issue of KidSpirit, contributors investigate how things unknown, mysterious, and imagined have a very real impact on our lives.

winter 2015

Heritage

Volume 8, Number 2

Redolent with associations of home, family, and ancestry, this issue celebrates all that binds us to each other — from the quotidian experiences of food and tradition, to our larger sense of identity.

fall 2015

Power

Volume 8, Number 1

Documentarian and activist Valarie Kaur challenges us: "What would it mean to be brave in this world?" In this issue, young writers and artists draw from an immense range of backgrounds and traditions to bravely confront the topic of power.

summer 2015

The Stranger

Volume 7, Number 4

What makes someone a stranger? Are humans innately suspicious of others? Writers explore not only those who appear different or as outsiders — our traditional understanding — but also broader interpretations of the unknowable: memories of the past, lives of fictional characters, even parts of their innermost selves.

spring 2015

Climate Change

Volume 7, Number 3

“The power of hope is far more energizing than the power of fear.” With these words, John McIlwain, Director of the Climate, Mind, and Behavior symposium at the Garrison Institute, framed a critical issue of our time: climate change. Although the thought of climate change can be a frightening one, KidSpirit contributors sow seeds of hope.

winter 2014

The Word

Volume 7, Number 2

How does language evolve? What do the words we use say about the cultures we come from? In this issue, KidSpirit contributors examine prose and poetry, perception and power.

fall 2014

Discovery and Progress

Volume 7, Number 1

What drives us to explore new frontiers? Democracy, borders, leadership, innovation — these are just a few of the aspects of Discovery and Progress that KidSpirit writers and artists investigate in our fall issue.

summer 2014

Numbers & Symbols

Volume 6, Number 4

What significance do symbols have within a culture? What is the purpose of numbers? KidSpirit contributors interpret myriad signs in our summer issue — a rich alchemy of exploration and storytelling, artwork and poetry.

spring 2014

The Psyche

Volume 6, Number 3

KidSpirit writers engage in a rich exploration of the inner life, unmasking the creativity, boldness, and chaos of the human psyche while acknowledging our desire to understand ourselves.

winter 2013

The Nature of Truth

Volume 6, Number 2

Is truth absolute? How do we recognize what is true? How can we access our truest selves? These questions reappear at every stage of life and are the vortex of KidSpirit’s global community of truth-seekers in this issue.

fall 2013

Beauty and the Senses

Volume 6, Number 1

Beauty is most often associated with our sense of sight — but in our Beauty and the Senses issue, KidSpirit contributors venture far beyond the visual to explore beauty in travel and thought, in song and the sublime.

summer 2013

The Soul of Gender

Volume 5, Number 4

From a look at gender roles in society, religion, and media to inner inquiry, this issue reflects both the changing landscape of today’s culture and the eternal questions of our relationship to self and the other.

spring 2013

The Heroic Spirit

Volume 5, Number 3

Brave civilians. Firemen. Ai Weiwei. Ernest Shackleton. You. Which of these people is a hero? In this issue of KidSpirit, our increasingly global community of contributors examine the heroic in disparate times and places.

winter 2012

The God Issue

Volume 5, Number 2

In plunging into a theme about what we call the “Ultimate Reality,” the “Almighty,” or, somewhat more whimsically, the “Great Pumpkin,” KidSpirit’s undaunted contributors from all corners of the globe share their voices and their vision.

fall 2012

Money and Value

Volume 5, Number 1

Defying preconceptions about teens' attitudes toward money, KidSpirit contributors near and far grapple with a topic as enticing as it is polarizing.

summer 2012

Exploring Time

Volume 4, Number 4

The paradox of the eternal and the temporal is at the core of this issue of KidSpirit, showcasing a panoply of views from young thinkers and artists. From the experience of the “thin current” in our daily lives to explorations of eternity itself, this theme is both a reflection of the peculiarities of our era and of the mystery of the human condition.

spring 2012

A Lens on Learning

Volume 4, Number 3

Our educational experiences are critical in our daily lives as students and, not surprisingly, they continue to reverberate in our lives and our communities as adults. KidSpirit writers always seek to uncover new perspectives on weighty topics and their exploration of the learning process is no exception.

winter 2011

Ethics and Morality

Volume 4, Number 2

How do we live in accordance with our deepest beliefs and aspirations? Do we develop a moral sensibility as we grow or are we born with it? From start to finish, this issue takes us on a journey of inner exploration and asks us to consider where we stand in relation to humanity and the universe.

fall 2011

Creativity and Imagination

Volume 4, Number 1

What is the imagination? What is the source of our creativity and how do we nourish it? These questions and others are at the hub of this issue of KidSpirit.

summer 2011

Exploring Humor

Volume 3, Number 4

This issue explores the mystery of the funny bone. Really? You say. What was that bit in the KidSpirit tagline about tackling life’s big questions? Humor? You must be kidding…

spring 2011

Conflict and Peacemakers

Volume 3, Number 3

This issue of KidSpirit goes to one of the deepest yearnings of our existence: peace. Most people, if asked, would say that they want peace to prevail. KidSpirit writers and poets probe that assumption from many vantage points in this potent issue.

winter 2010

The Question of Meaning

Volume 3, Number 2

When the Editorial Board pressed for this theme, I balked: “Seriously, you guys, do you really want to go this big?” They insisted that we should devote an issue to the question of meaning, with all its grandiosity and ambiguity. What evolved is a multi-faceted exploration that may leave you agape from its boldness.

winter 2010

Finding Your Spirit in Art

Volume 3, Number 1

What is Art? Why does it move us? These eternal questions are at the core of this meaty issue of KidSpirit, challenging us to consider our assumptions anew. Is music without sound Art? Is mathematics a form of Art? Is Manga an Art? “Yes!” our passionate writers argue.

fall 2010

Competition and Achievement

Volume 2, Number 1/2

Are competition and achievement related? What does it mean to be a “healthy” competitor? Have we lost sight of the role that ancient values like honor play in our quest for success? These are some of the difficult questions that writers tackled in this issue of KidSpirit.

summer 2010

The Body in Balance

Volume 2, Number 4

How do we find balance in a fast-paced world? KidSpirit writers discuss stewardship of the planet, and how to be physically and psychologically healthy.

spring 2010

Rituals and Traditions

Volume 2, Number 3

KidSpirit writers explore the common elements among different cultures and their celebrations. Is it important to learn how others celebrate? What happens when our rituals change? Must we change, too?