This is the product of 826 Valencia’s Young Authors’ Book Project, in which we partner with a San Francisco high school to bring you a collection of wise and wonderful writing by students. Here, ninth graders from BURTON HIGH SCHOOL reflect on their beliefs and where they came from—the people who imparted them, the times when they were most necessary, and the ways in which the world has tested them. The collection is a testament to the power of personal conviction, and a powerful case for why young peoples’ voices should be heard—and believed.