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Student Blog & Journalism
A Platform for Young Voices in Art and Education
The NIF Student Blog & Journalism Program is a global youth initiative organized by the NextGen InterArts Foundation (NIF), an international nonprofit organization. The program invites students ages 10–17 to observe, reflect, and articulate their perspectives on art, school life, and personal growth through writing, images, and short-form video.
We believe that critical thinking begins with careful observation and thoughtful expression. This program creates space for students to engage with ideas across disciplines while developing their own voices within a supportive, international community.
Program Themes Include:
Cross - disciplinary thinking in art
Student life and well-being
Through participation, students have the opportunity to:
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Develop writing, critical thinking, and self-expression skills
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Contribute to a real international nonprofit journalism initiative
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Have selected work published on the official NIF Student Blog
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Earn official student volunteer service records (documentation available)
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Explore leadership opportunities through sustained participation
From Our Student Journalists
Stray animals deserve to be seen-a service learning story
This Thursday, while most students are in classrooms spending their regular day at school, a small group of volunteers from my school hopped on the van taking them to Barb’s cat rescue. This activity was among one out of more than 15 social services my school collaborates with for the annual tradition of service learning day. As a member of my school's Animal Rescue Club, I joined them for my fourth visit to the shelter. Our tasks were clear: clean the kitten room and help wi
Teen Signal
I was invited to attend NIF’s Teen Signal workshop last Thursday to write a blog about it, and it was an interesting experience. Overall, the main takeaway from it can relate to treating kids (and especially teenagers) as people. While it might seem simple in theory, I think that society has had a longstanding issue with viewing kids as property or with less rights ( Rome's Pater Familias laws, Howard Dully receiving a lobotomy at 12, Why Children Believe They Are Owned - PM
Attending the Teen Signal workshop-My takeaways about adolescence and communication
After attending the Teen signal workshop led by NIF’s guest speaker Minyue Zhai, who has had more than 20 years of experience in mental health counseling, I’ve gained a nuanced understanding about the stage of adolescence and the reasons behind patterns of teenagers’ behaviors. Through discussing various topics including signs of adolescence and how it shapes emotional changes along with advice for parents when communicating with their kids, Zhai uncovers the biological, psyc
A quick sip or bite - how small but thoughtful resources impact student life and well-being
Nowadays, the pressure on students is increasing rapidly. In between classes, tests, and extracurricular commitments, a whole school day can feel like a tiring marathon with few breaks that allow a relieving breath. However, hidden in a corner of the student center, our school's snack bar recently had a noticeable update with a menu of smoothies and boba drinks after spring break. This is another innovation alongside previous options like pizzas, bagels, and all kinds of othe
From Digital to Mixed Media
I’ve been working on turning one of my artworks that I made in Photoshop into a mixed media piece. In this process, I used a myriad of materials and media, including paint, acrylic markers, cardboard, and wire. I turned the digital artwork into 3D by redrawing and formatting the drawing in Photoshop so I could print the image on a piece of paper, which I then cut the image that was then glued onto a piece of cardboard. In addition, I constructed a phone by cutting cardboard i
What Lies Beneath the Surface
I started this piece not really knowing what I was trying to make. I just knew I wanted to capture something I had been feeling but couldn't quite say out loud, that strange experience of looking fine on the outside while something completely different is happening inside. The sculpture ended up being a silver head rising out of a sea of waves, with a flat mirror balanced on top and a tiny flame-colored figure standing on it, arms wide open, mid-run. The waves are chaotic and
The Eccentric Coalescence of Science and Art
A while back, this post came up on my Instagram feed, amidst the usual flood of STEM related (getting force fed calculus, computer science, or other STEM things is very effective against doomscrolling) accounts I typically follow. It was interesting, but I didn’t think much of it, simply sending it to a friend and then taking it as a sign to get back to studying. It is an interesting piece, and now just because it merges something people may be tempted to call "soulless," ro
Where Art and Modern Discipline Intersects - A Visit to the Art Institute of Chicago
During my recent visit to the Chicago Art Institute, a certain perspective caught my attention outside of the traditional exhibitions of fabulous artworks. I noticed the presence of multiple forms of digital tools used for the display of works and visitors around me frequently looking down at their phone screens to check the app of the museum for further information, background, and introduction to the art pieces they were appreciating. The emergence of modern technology in a
A Spin on the Classic Formula
“The Fable (Which is Composed of Wonders, Moves, and More)” by Raúl de Nieves is an excellent example of a spin on the classic formula of an animal sculpture using unexpected materials. Here, this is a statue of a horse rearing up, but the part that gives it surprising beauty is that it’s made of mixed media-recycled plastic pieces, small beads, and more, making it look like a horse sculpture rolled in jewelry shards. But the materials also impart many different textures to i
The Girl in the Bathroom Stall
Today I saw a girl sleeping in the bathroom stall. Her phone screen lit up with a notification as papers lay scattered around her. She was curled up on the cold, unwelcoming floor while the shuffling of students between classes somehow didn’t wake her. I didn’t know her. I didn’t recognize her backpack or her shoes. But I understood her exhaustion. March is a long month. There are no breaks, just a steady stretch of assignments and “almost there”s. February was short in numbe
Beyond the Canvas
When people first see the needles on my painting, their reaction is usually shock before curiosity. I decided to combine acrylic painting with 3D materials like needles and yarn to push my artwork beyond the flat surface of traditional painting. Mixed media has become an increasingly popular approach in contemporary art because it adds more texture, lighting, and dimension to the original artwork. The way I see mixed media is a way for artists to use their materials to transl
Annual Celebration of religious holiday as an international student-reflections of identity and belonging
For many international students attending school in a foreign country, identity unfolds between two different calendars—that of their own and the new environment they are being put in. Outside of academic quarters and social lives with people from different cultures, the cultures of their own country take up equal importance. As the Chinese New Year strikes the calendar, my school’s annual celebration once again reflects on belonging, warmth, and cultural confidence. My schoo
The Art of Fear
Fear is a human emotion that paints itself across the mind. It’s interesting how fear can control our actions, much like a person painting on paper every stroke drawn for a reason. People often believe fear is something they can control, but fear is more like ink. Once a drop hits the paper, it spreads. I stared at my math quiz, the quiz I had convinced myself I understood the day before. I flipped through the pages one by one. Every problem felt like a battle. I skipped ques
The Dehumanization of Common Themes in Subway No.24
Upon a glance at this surrealist painting, viewers will often feel extremely disoriented and uneasy at the dehumanization of a typical city scene. The frozen atmosphere almost has a hypnotic sensation to it, causing you to get so disoriented that your face gets closer and closer to it until you are on the verge of getting sucked in. Here, in this painting titled Subway No.24 (1978) , Masaaki Sato merges urban life with traditional Japanese art techniques to create themes of e
How I Ended Up With a Robotics Project for Art
Recently I decided to take on the challenge of creating something more interdisciplinary than what I usually create. Fashion design has a lot of different aspects—robotics is typically not one of them. This is how I ended up with my current art project, which has taken on a life of its own. It seems to get more complex every time I work. By taking inspiration from other designs online, such as this , I am in the process of creating a set of articulated wings, which will even
What I Noticed About Emotions in Contemporary Art
During my visit to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, I noticed that many artworks no longer focus on beauty or storytelling in the traditional way. Instead, the artists used structures, materials, and repetition to reflect how people think, observe and respond to the world around them. From what I observed, and the images attached, these works experimented with different materials such as fabric, objects, and installation instead of paint and flat images. But beyond visua
The Florida Highwaymen
At my school, there's an art museum open to both students as well as the public. I've been there for a few of my classes, and during one of these visits, an art curator explained the story about the latest exhibition recently added to the gallery , showcasing various paintings of Florida , specifically the beach and coastline. Our class started by observing the many paintings hung on walls spanning multiple rooms before we were asked to spot differences in the painting style.
Man-made LandAt ICA Boston
I visited Man-made Land by Caroline Monnet, an exhibition that combines art, architecture, and cultural history. Instead of traditional materials, Monnet uses industrial building materials such as plastic, insulation foil, and Tyvek—materials normally used to construct cities. Through cutting and repeating these materials into geometric, flower-like forms, the artist transforms construction elements into visual symbols of land and human intervention. The patterns are inspired
Student Reporter Coverage | Through Dialogue and Creation, Art Moves Further
As a high school student reporter, I had the opportunity to attend the 2025 XC Creative Art Contest award ceremony and exhibition. The event not only showcased outstanding student works, but also created space for dialogue and reflection—allowing me to see new possibilities for art in both the present and the future. With the support of Massachusetts State Representative Richard M. Haggerty and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), awards were presented to the Top 6 stude
Our 2026 journalists
Sophia Zhang
Age 15
Based in MA, USA
Jingyue Yang
Age 17
Based in MA, USA
Edmond Zhuo
Age 13
Based in MA, USA
Student Leader
Xueying Ding
Age 17
Based in MA, USA
Emily Chen
Age 17
Based in MA, USA
Yufang Guo
Age 14
Based in MA, USA
Student Leader
Kwun Yee Eva Cen
Age 16
Based in IL, USA
Chenning Zhang
Age 15
Based in MA, USA
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