The authors, youth leaders in Philadelphia and New York, believe that researchers can do a better job of listening to and including youth in their research. Since October 2021 they have been collecting essays from high school students (and some middle school and college students too) written during this time of community, national, and global crisis. They share this compilation at the close of the 2021-2022 school year to invite reflection on what has been learned. This framing piece shares themes seen across these youth essays. The authors then offer suggestions for researchers, educators, and policymakers interested in youth populations.