The 8th grade students wrote opinion columns for a school-wide audience, so “Ursus” is presenting one column from each pod. The finalists represented on these pages—4, 5 and 8— were chosen by eighth graders voting on them.

Don’t be Spooked by the Ghost in Your Head

Social Media’s Unavoidable Dark Side

Donald Trump: Behind the Criticism

Hyperbole or Truth: When is it More Than Just a Joke?

Adults’ Thick Skulls and Kids’ Thin Skin Makes Generation of Snowflakes