In this first volume of Stories by Teenagers, we invited students to send us stories that relate to the question, "What has been your most memorable experience of good coming out of a bad situation, of kindness in the midst of ugliness, or growth in the midst of difficulty?" In these stories, young people show the extraordinary strength and vision required to draw good out of bad situations. "My experiences as a child were not always pleasant. I have seen things that no child should ever have to see. I was a little girl who grew up too fast for her own good. But the suffering has made me the person I am today. I value life and people. I am more sensitive to the needs of others, and I think I am more understanding of other people's suffering. My life experiences have proven that through the dark shadows of life we can grow emotionally and learn to love." (Neha Lall) I Know Things Now was a finalist in the category Young Adult Non-Fiction for the Small Press Book Award in 1997.