It’s Thanksgiving week, so this edition of Extras comes out a day early! First up is an article that explores the reasons for the latest suicides at Gunn and Paly. Then comes a photo interview with a young man trying to make it in college. After the break, there’s an excellent piece about the effects of toxic stress, and finally, enjoy a profile of Evan Spiegel, who is 25 years old and worth $1.8 billion. Have a great week!

The Suicide Clusters at Palo Alto High Schools

Reporter Hanna Rosin attributes the latest wave of suicides at Gunn High School and Palo Alto High School to high-powered, largely-absent parenting. A “culture of affluence” — in which teenagers have universal access to opportunity but remain anxious about fulfilling their parents’ expectations — leaves many young people paralyzed to reach out for help.

"I'm Gonna Rise Above What I Was Doing"

Chicago taught Tavaris Sanders how to survive among gang members. Is there room for him to thrive at a mostly-white liberal-arts college in Connecticut? This photo interview lets Tavaris speak candidly about the challenges he faces, and it will remind teachers why they’re working so hard.

Reading is believing. Here’s Antoinette, a student at City Arts and Technology High School in San Francisco. Antoinette just received her Kindle last week and has already completed two books.

Exposure to toxic stress in childhood linked to risky behavior and adult disease

Many urban students of color have experienced toxic stress, or chronic exposure to adverse childhood experiences, like abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. This piece, by my friend Ziba Kashef, explores how toxic stress can negatively impact students’ readiness to learn and offers solutions, particularly for care providers, to combat toxic stress.

Inside Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel's Entertainment Empire

Evan Spiegel is the 25-year-old CEO of Snapchat. He’s worth $1.8 billion. You should read this article not just to get an appreciation of this man’s confidence (i.e., arrogance) but also to understand how Snapchat is changing the media landscape. In other words, next time you see a young person taking a photo or recording in portrait mode, you’ll get why.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and see you next Thursday. Thank you very much for subscribing to Iserotope Extras!