About a year ago, I wrote this article reflecting on what community service meant as a high school student. Particularly, I wrote from the perspective of an individual who did not feel like a true member of their local community after having lived there for only three non-consecutive years. Finding an online community of military-connected teens through Bloom was huge for me – and also how I met my service hours requirement for civics. I’m now in my second year of college, wh

Seven years ago, a fourth-grade girl standing alone in a library curiously picked up a volume titled Global Warming. As she flipped...

I’m no stranger to changing neighborhoods and schools, having nine of each under my belt. The transition is always tough, but as an...

This summer, I had the opportunity to attend an American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program in Missouri. The program consisted of...

One of the most common words I’ve heard during my time writing with Bloom is the "Itch.” For the uninitiated, the "Itch” is the feeling...

A new school year begins today, With corridors both old and strange, New faces fill the crowded hall, As schedules shift and friendships...

This article was sent to us by Rory K., an 11th grader stationed at Charleston, North Carolina. Do you have a story to share with your...

It was 3 a.m., and I was dragging my two suitcases through Vicenza , Italy's hotel lobby, hoping silently that the items tightly packed...

For high school seniors moving on to higher education, now is the time to apply for scholarships. Thousands of grants and endowments are...

The first three books of many for book club Military life involves a lot of time away from those you love – parents who are deployed, or who simply work such long hours that you only see them headed out or in the door; friends made and then lost when one or both of you moves on; extended family members nearby for a few years and then distant with the next move. Military life feels at times like being stretched thin, spread across state lines and time zones. Adding in the many

When most civilians see the camouflage uniform of the military, the words “thank you for your service” come to their mind. At many...

According to both an article from Johns Hopkins Medicine and data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 10 children/teens experience anxiety. I'm in that 10%, and you may be too. I don’t know about you all, but my anxiety has affected almost every aspect of my life, including moving. The packing, the strangers in my home, the leaving people I care about and moving to a new place. For me, I get anxiety when things in my life change, even just

Quilting has been a major part of my life. Growing up with a grandmother who loves sewing, I was used to the hustle and bustle of the...

The following essay is the second place winner of our 2024 Month of the Military Child Writing Contest. The theme was to write a letter...

The following essay is the third place winner of our 2024 Month of the Military Child Writing Contest. The theme was to write a letter to...

When people imagine Japan, I think many people would picture beautiful scenery, anime, bustling cities, and really good food. What some...

Connection. Belonging. Stability. These are the buzzwords used to explain the educational childhood of a military brat. We've all heard...

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to vote for the first time in my state’s primary. While this is a significant event in many...

There are countless things to do in Japan - tasty things to eat, fun places to go, and amazing things to see. Here are my top four. #1 Mount Fuji: Mount Fuji is one of the biggest mountains in the world and one of the most popular tourist traps of Japan. The mountain is 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) and takes about 11.5 hours to climb. If you aren't an avid adventurer and just want to view Mount Fuji's beauty, the Fuji Five Lakes is a great spot. Hakone, a hot springs resort nea

A drawing to one is a reminder of the chores one must do later. The drawing looked like a pile of laundry on a teenage boy’s floor,...