More Humans of Perry (From the classroom of Mr. Brice Hostutler)

Some days these kids in this school just get on my nerves so much. On these days, I like to put my head down and think about my future and what good things might happen when I’m on my own.

The way I carry myself screams fly, flawless, and flashy! I just love looking nice.

My phone shows me how far from the crib I am. That is important to me.

My hand is invisible to some people. I don’t like that. Some think I use my hands to disrespect people. I don’t really mean to do that. Most of the time I am just playing. I’m not a bully. On the inside I’m really a peaceful person. On the outside though, people sometimes see me as cold blooded.

I hide the real me because I don’t like to be judged. But the real me is not good. I hide my face in shame of my actions and the mistakes I have made.

"Humans of Perry"

                           

"I'm somebody who smiles constantly and laughs all the time, but I'm self conscious most of the time.  I don't like when people stare at me.  I'm an "A" student, but I don't see how, because I guess on everything. I feel like the stupidest person when I make one mistake, and I'm very sensitive.  I have so many clothes, but each day I put on my outfit, I feel ugly.  I love to make people happy and I wish they would do the same for me.  One thing that always puts a smile on my face is dancing.  My dream is to own a dance studio and dance all day.  But I have doubts about it actually coming true." 

"looking at my hair, I feel accomplished. No one contributed to how it looks but me.  The nappier it gets, the prouder I get.  People always ask why I don't get it re-twisted? Like they want me to look like everyone else with dreads. I just say because I am an African-American and that's not my style."

"I want to be a Navy Seal after high school.  I believe every man should fight for their country. I want to be a Seal because the are the best of the best.  You have to be physically and mentally tough.  I want that challenge.  Anyone can go to the Army, only a few can be a Marine, but it takes a really special person to be a Navy Seal." 

"It sucks being judged straight up for your appearance.  No one wants to understand.  Adults constantly tell me that I am so young, that I'm going to regret the tattoos.  Yet they never take the time to look at them and understand the hours spent getting these stories put on to my body." 

"I love to draw and I love to write stories.  The art of storytelling through both words and illustration is my passion and I hope to one day entertain people with my ideas." 

"i'm just a typical shy kid who doesn't really participate in class. It's like nobody really notices me. There's that one kid in every class nobody knows their name, and most of the time that's me."

One of my favorite things to do for fun is fish. I have been fishing since I was four years old. My family always fishes every year. It just puts me in a great mood to sit in silence, cast out the reel, waiting for any type of fish to Reel in."

"If my shoes could talk they would tell you a story so awesome it would be weird.  The whole fact is that these shoes have been through hell, heaven, and earth.  My shoes never get tired of walking, running, climbing, skipping, and stomping.  These shoes are gonna grow old with me." 

"I like it in the school and is populated enough. I keep a smile on my face most of the time to remind myself that I will be out soon. Sure, a lot of disturbances occur in the school, as if kids are fighting for a spot light that shows up every weekday.  It's a lot like a TV show. The shows are full of color, drama, comedy, and action. It's really just a long ride for me."

"I wake up every morning.  It's a struggle. A fight. Every morning even after nine hours of sleep I just want to go back to sleep. Depression. Not just being sad.  There's so much more to it than that. I don't just have depression. Anxiety. Social anxiety. I bite at my fingers until they bleed I can't stop. It's the only thing that calms me down."

"A lot of people wouldn't know I was in a car accident and was badly hurt because I smile and laugh everyday and never show the pain but when it happened the only person there for me was my mom she was my anchor still is my tattoos have meaning they are not just pictures Engraved in my skin they are stories of my life with words of their own" 

"cracked, dropped, broken, and shattered, my iPhone is just a disaster.  From the front to the back, to the bottom to the top.  It drops out of my hands so much because I have greasy hands, or butter hands, or because my hands get lazy and I don't feel like holding anything.  So I just drop it.  IPhone – I wonder why you still work? We have been through so much together. Don't die now." 

"if someone saw me walking down the street with shorts on and saw my anklet, they would probably think I'm a thug or a troubled kid. Some people look at me and already think I'm a drug dealer because of the way I dress and the way my hair is. I used to be a drug dealer before I got arrested, but it's crazy how people can look at me and I already know I am one and I don't like that. I wish people would just stop and get to know me before they judge me. This anklet on my leg does not mean that I am a monster or not to be trusted. I am a human being that made a mistake in my life and now it's all behind me."

My Street

By Terrance

Last house on the street

On a hill that is so steep

My street

dim like the night moon

cars parked on the side

kids everywhere

Abandoned house

Nobody sees them

HEAT

By Carl

It's kinda hot

Little boy down the street gets shot

He lays there breathless

Death in the neighborhood is endless

Shootings almost every day

No one knows just what to say

Think about how things are spoken

Now all of those mothers out there heartbroken. 

Untitled

By Shi

My street is a living caution sign

Keep focused at all times.

Cause people drop like unwanted dimes. 

Walking around is risking your life

Unless you got steel,

And I aint talking my city,

I'm talking the one that's risky

and you can't be picky

Drug deals left to right,

so that all the kids learn

you either going up or down

aint making no turns.

Make a decision: 

move out or fall.

Victim to the game,

but its not really a game,

its struggle and pain.

Be smart,

some do and get out,

some do it for clout.

Those same people are talking

and running it out.

Can't handle his own

so he points it at the man on the throne.

When you come from nothin'

you try to grind,

and make it to somethin'

But that turns back to nothin' 

when your boys start rushin' 

on the same street you runnin'

turn hot as an oven. 

Its baking now and

you faking now 

like you aint did nothing. 

It gets worse.

in an interview they label you fist.

as you walk in,

I'm really trying to be all in.

But they label me...

a dealer

a stealer

and a family killer.

There is really no option.

this state got me boxed in.

Tattoos on my skin

now i'm a disgrace

in their case.

I can't get hired.

What else is there to do? 

Sit and watch mama struggle

with our family of a few.

I just can't 

Imma hold my ground

cause I'm the man of the house.

So Imma go hard.

Do whatever it takes to make it out. 

My world aint equal

It will never be equal

Evil faces all around.

acting like I'm the evil. 

They judge a book by its cover

looking just like I'm see through.  

Addiction

By Liam

This addiction is a disease

Pills to ease the pain

Only to realize it's still gonna rain

Pills not enough,

more high to gain

move to heroin,

switching up the game,

mind is so blown,

can't be tamed,

It's not your fault,

but your still getting blamed

Take your steps

Day by day

And one day...

You'll be watching the sun rise over the bay.

Why Hate?

by Maurice 

Would you hate a tree? 

For having blue leaves instead of green? 

Would a dog be more dangerous? 

If it had black fur instead of white? 

Why would you hate a human?

For having dark skin instead of light? 

Would a person be more dangerous? 

If there skin is brown or dark as night? 

If they were from the Middle East? 

If they were from Mexico?

As if their appearance makes them dangerous.

or less than another...

Everyone has a potential to do good...

As well as evil..

Everyone...

So why would you hate?