For years, in schools across America, teenagers’ pockets have been buzzing. Text messages, social media notifications, the news, and dozens of other lines of communication are all held in the hands of the youth. That was until this past summer when a new mandate was passed in New Hampshire, joining our state with 26 others that have a “phone policy required”... Continue Reading →
“My name is Jahrie Houle, and I was nominated for the USC Speak Your Mind ice bucket challenge.” I found myself saying these words on camera last week moments before willingly being drenched in gallons of cold water. This was not on my 2025 bingo card. This challenge was started by the University of South... Continue Reading →
What’s the hardest word for you to say?” my new speech-language-pathologist (SLP) asks me. We’re walking down the clinic hallway, and my eight-year-old self knows exactly what my answer is. “Woh-wah,” I tell her. Both her and my mom scrunch their eyebrows together. “War?” the SLP asks. “No, woh-wah. Like the Katy Pewwy song. Or... Continue Reading →
It is a frigid Monday morning in October, and the cold seeps through the walls as I roll out of bed. The blaring alarm breaks my sleep—it’s six a.m. I stumble to the clock, hit the switch, and crawl back under the covers, desperate for more rest. Teenagers need eight to ten hours of sleep... Continue Reading →
*Name changed for anonymity Last spring, Rachael Blansett, the Diversity Equity Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Director for the Oyster Corporative River School District (ORCSD), created a group for the parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ students. The purpose of the space was to give parents the opportunity to ask questions and connect with others through shared... Continue Reading →
This is my third time writing this article. When I first sat down in front of my laptop at the end of my weeklong social media hiatus, I was stumped. I had been anticipating this moment all week - this was when I was supposed to return from my completely stress-free and productive week of... Continue Reading →
This article covers multiple sensitive topics, including eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide. If you feel reading about such topics won’t be conducive to your mental health, please put yourself first and refrain from reading it. Due to the nature of these stories, the names of student sources have been replaced with letters to indicate who’s... Continue Reading →
Trigger Warning: This article covers multiple sensitive topics, including eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide. If you feel reading this article will harm your mental health, please put yourself first and refrain from reading it. Due to the sensitive nature of these stories, the full names of current high schoolers have been changed for anonymity. It... Continue Reading →
It’s 9:00 pm on a Tuesday night. You have two tests and an essay due tomorrow and have no idea how you will get it all done. The stress starts creeping in; first the sweaty palms, then the racing heartbeat. You know you need to calm down or else you’ll never get anything done. So,... Continue Reading →
You do not owe anything to anyone. Ever. You do not owe them your time, your thoughts, your money, or your things. And you absolutely do not owe anybody mental health support. As high schoolers, we completely engulf ourselves in our social lives, our friendships. We value ourselves based on how many people like us... Continue Reading →
Mouth of the River 