Thursday, October 1, 2026
For Hewlett High School sophomore Gabriel Terraza, a classroom writing assignment became an opportunity to tell his story — one that has now earned national recognition.
Terraza, 16, an English as a New Language student whose native language is Spanish, recently placed third in the nation in Scholastic Action magazine’s annual Tell Us Your True Teen Story contest. The competition invites students across the country to share personal experiences about challenges they have overcome, passions they pursue, or moments that have shaped their lives.
Terraza’s story chronicled his journey from Guatemala to Woodmere and detailed two passions that have helped him build confidence and connection in his new home: streaming video games and cycling.
“I enjoy gaming streams in my free time, and my passion is cycling,” he said during his presentation. “Very few people are passionate about this sport, and to be successful you have to be daring.”
For his achievement, Terraza received a congratulatory letter from Scholastic Action and an American Express gift card. He was also honored during a special visit to Hewlett High on May 27 by two editors of the national magazine.
“I hope that other teens learn that you should be yourself, even if it might seem different to others,” he said. “You must always learn to trust in yourself.”
The award marked another success for Hewlett High School ENL teacher Caitlin Rubin, whose students have been recognized by the contest each time she has submitted entries in the past six years.
“Every other year in my ENL 9/10 class, I do a unit using Scholastic Action magazine and their True Teen Stories,” Rubin said, referring to her class, which enrolls freshmen and sophomores. “The students read stories, research them, present them to the class and then write their own true teen stories. Gabriel was one of our runners-up this year, and I’m so incredibly proud of all my students and their hard work.”
The project, Rubin said, gives students an opportunity to share experiences that often remain in the classroom.
“It’s a fun unit because I learn so much about them,” she said. “Even though I’m with them all the time, I learn things I never knew before — passions they have, challenges they’ve overcome and experiences from their lives before they came here.”
In Terraza’s case, the focus was cycling. Rubin said she first discovered his interest when he chose an article about a teenager who had started a bicycle-repair business.
“I didn’t know that was his thing until he picked that article,” she said. “Then he wrote about cycling in his own story, and I realized that’s why he chose it.”
Students in the ENL class come from a variety of countries and often speak multiple languages. Throughout the unit, they research and analyze stories before presenting their findings to classmates entirely in English, despite the fact that many are still learning the language.
Many of them, Rubin said, write about immigration journeys, family experiences and adapting to life in the United States. “Sometimes they tell stories about the challenges of coming here and what life was like before,” she said. “It gives me such an appreciation for everything they’ve been through.”
Terraza’s success caught the attention of Scholastic Action editors Anna Starecheski and Christy Damio, who came to Hewlett High to meet him and his classmates. The editors attended student presentations in which they discussed, in English, why they came to the U.S., where they are originally from and the interests that help define them.
Starecheski said the contest has become one of the publication’s favorite annual traditions. “Everybody loves these stories,” she said. “It’s definitely a highlight to read them every year. The contest gives us one of our rare opportunities to meet our readers and learn more about who’s reading the magazine.”
Students’ stories, she said, give editors a firsthand look at the lives of teenagers across the country. “We do all of this work making stories for readers that we don’t always get to see,” Starecheski said. “It’s such a pleasure to learn about them and then actually see their faces. It’s a full-circle moment for us.”
Damio said she was particularly impressed by the students’ confidence when they make a presentation in a language that is not their first.
“We admire them,” she said. “Speaking in public is hard enough, but doing it in your second, third or fourth language is incredible. It’s so brave, and it blows my mind. I hope they’re all really proud of what they’ve done, because they’re absolutely crushing it.”
For Rubin, Terraza’s recognition represents not only individual achievement but also a testament to the determination of her students.
“This is the third time I’ve submitted student work to the contest, and Gabriel is our third runner-up,” Rubin said. “I’m honored that Scholastic Action wanted to come meet the students whose stories they’ve been reading over the years. Their voices matter, and Gabriel’s story is proof of that.”
