See why this 7th grader's poetry project went viral -- Aleteia

This young student asked the question most middle schoolers ask: "Why am I not good enough?"

Being in middle school is perhaps the most difficult stage of growing up. Social awkwardness and insecurities run at an all-time high, as newly budding teenagers try to work out relationships, socializing, and, above all, identity. The insecurities we face in middle school can have long-term effects on our self-esteem and sense of security, and this is the common struggle that 7th grader Olivia Vella addresses in her poem.

For their final assignment of the year, Olivia’s class was asked to write on something they were passionate about. Olivia chose to take her classmates through her day and each of the questions and insecurities she faces throughout it, with the constantly echoing refrain, “Why am I not good enough?”

The video of her recitation went viral within a week and continues to attract attention. Articulate and heartfelt, her poetry gets straight to the heart of what so many of her peers struggle with every day. But you don’t have to be in middle school to appreciate this poem. Sometimes, we can all use a reminder of where our self-worth should stem from — and where it shouldn’t.

You can hear Olivia’s recitation in the video below.

Why a 7th grader’s poetry project went viral