Eli is 12 and loves video games. He plays every day—sometimes for hours. It started out as fun, but lately, he’s been skipping homework, ignoring messages from friends, and staying up way too late. His parents are worried. His grades are slipping. Even Eli knows he feels tired and irritable all the time—but when he tries to take a break, he just ends up back at the screen. It’s the one place where he feels in control. Where he’s good at something. But at what cost?
From Gaming to Learning
Jordan is 13 and loves playing strategy and simulation games. Games like Civilization and Assassin’s Creed have sparked his interest in history more than any textbook ever has. He even started researching real events and cultures after playing. But when Jordan tells his teacher he learned something from a game, she frowns. "Games aren’t real education,” she says. “You need to focus on more reliable sources.” Jordan’s confused. He knows games aren’t always 100% accurate—but they made him care about learning in a way school never did. He starts to wonder: Is it wrong to trust what he learns from a game? Should he stop relying on them, even if they inspire him?
Alyssa's Online Friend
Alyssa, 14, has been talking to an online friend named Kai for months. They met in an art community, share the same interests, and even video chat sometimes. With all they have in common, Alyssa feels closer to Kai than anyone at school. One day, Kai messages:“I’m visiting your city next weekend—want to meet at the mall? My mom can be there too.” Alyssa is excited… but nervous. She trusts Kai, but she’s also heard warnings about meeting online friends in real life. Telling her parents might mean they say no—or worse, make her stop talking to Kai altogether. She could go and not say anything. It might be fine. But what if it’s not?
Ava's Injury
Ava is a senior soccer player with college scouts coming to watch her playoff game. But her knee has been hurting for weeks, and it’s only getting worse. Her coach says they need her, and she doesn’t want to let the team—or her future—down. But if she keeps playing, she might make the injury worse, possibly permanently.
Tyler's Balancing Act
Tyler is a 15-year-old sophomore who’s always kept a good balance—decent grades, time with friends, and casual football at the park. When his gym teacher suggests trying out for the school team, he’s excited. He’s dreamed of playing on a real team, wearing the jersey, hearing the crowd cheer. But then he learns the commitment: daily practices, weekend games, early morning workouts. It sounds amazing—but exhausting. Tyler already struggles to keep up with schoolwork. His grades could drop, and his parents might not be happy. Plus, his free time with friends would shrink fast. The tryout form is due tomorrow. He wants to play—but at what cost?
The Cost of the Game
Fourteen-year-old Emmett Jackson has always admired his father, the longtime coach of Riverview’s football team, and finally feels ready to try out himself. But after reading online discussions about football and brain injuries, he begins to question whether playing is worth the risk. While some argue that football is dangerous and not worth the long-term health consequences, others acknowledge the risks but still love and defend the sport. Now Emmett faces a difficult decision: should he follow in his father’s footsteps and join the team, or walk away from a sport that could carry serious consequences?
Maya's Many-Meter Mystery
Maya is a 16-year-old junior and a standout track athlete. She loves running the 400-meter sprint—it’s where she feels most alive. But her coach insists she focus on the 800-meter instead, where she’s also strong and could help the team win more meets. Her college advisor, meanwhile, has a different angle: “You should concentrate on academics if you want a shot at Ivy League schools. Sports are great, but you need to take AP Chem next semester, not double up on training blocks.” Maya feels pulled in three directions. She wants to sprint. Her coach wants her to train for distance. Her advisor wants her in the classroom. Everyone means well, but they each have their own definition of what’s “best” for her future. The sign-up form for next season’s events and courses is due tomorrow. Maya’s holding the pen—and the pressure.
Jayden's Passing Puzzle
Jayden is a 17-year-old senior and the star of his high school basketball team. Tonight’s game is huge—not just because it’s against a rival school, but because two college scouts are in the stands. For Jayden, this could be the game that lands him a scholarship. As the game goes on, Jayden starts taking more shots than usual. His teammate Malik is open several times, but Jayden keeps the ball, hoping to impress the scouts with big plays. Malik notices. So does the coach, who warns during a timeout, “Don’t forget—we win as a team.” With the score tied and seconds left on the clock, Jayden has the ball again. Malik is wide open under the hoop. Jayden can take the tough shot himself—or pass and trust his teammate.
The Leap from Tech to Doggy Daycare
As Jenny Campbell approached her 30th birthday, she found herself questioning her career in Silicon Valley, which, while financially rewarding, left her feeling unfulfilled. A lifelong animal lover, Jenny recently rekindled her passion when she took in her family’s aging dog, Bubba, a few years earlier, only to feel a profound void after his recent passing. A conversation with her childhood friend Paola prompted her to reflect on the disconnect between her tech career and her love for animals. Motivated by this realization, Jenny enrolled in an animal behavior certification program and began considering opening her own doggy daycare. While the idea of leaving the stability of tech was daunting, Jenny felt a growing desire to align her work with her values and passion.
Ms. Rodriguez’s Dilemma: The Unexpected Assignment
Ms. Rodriguez, a dedicated math teacher at Horizon International School, is reassigned to teach "Readings in History," a subject far outside her expertise, during the upcoming semester. Despite her success in previously teaching unfamiliar subjects like ethics and science, she feels increasingly inadequate and frustrated, unsure if she can provide the depth of knowledge her students deserve. Guided by her faith and strong commitment to her students, she adapts, but the stress grows as she struggles to stay ahead of the material. When she requests a return to teaching math, her department head praises her versatility and denies her request, leaving Ms. Rodriguez to wrestle with the tension between serving her students and staying true to her professional strengths.
Deep Sea Dilemma
Adam, the CEO of a deep-sea mining company, is faced with a difficult dilemma. He has been granted a license to mine in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a region of the Pacific Ocean rich in minerals essential for clean energy technologies. However, the CCZ is also a fragile ecosystem, and mining is expected to have negative environmental impacts (release of carbon, damage to the seabed ecosystem, etc.). Adam is committed to mitigating these risks, but he is aware that there is no guarantee that his mining operation will have no negative impact on the environment. Adam is also under pressure from investors to deliver profits, and knows that he needs to start mining soon in order to generate revenue. Adam has brought together a team to discuss his options. How would you advise Adam to proceed?
Sarah’s Struggle with Peer Pressure
Sarah, a 15-year-old high school student known for being responsible, finds herself at a party with her best friend Lila and a new group of friends who pressure her to vape. Lila, who has started experimenting with vaping and marijuana, urges Sarah to join in, calling her a “buzzkill” for hesitating. Surrounded by peers and feeling the weight of their judgment, Sarah is torn between wanting to fit in and her own values, including her parents' trust in her to make smart decisions. As the group waits for her to act, Sarah holds the vape in her hand, unsure of what to do.
Luis’s Expectations (*Sensitive)
Luis, a 16-year-old first-generation immigrant, is under immense pressure from his parents, who sacrificed everything for him to succeed in the U.S. They expect him to excel in school, maintain straight A's, and be a role model for his siblings, while also juggling varsity soccer and a part-time job to help with family expenses. When he gets a D on a history exam, his parents are disappointed, grounding him and reminding him of their sacrifices. Luis is exhausted, anxious, and struggling to balance everything, feeling torn between meeting his parents' high expectations and protecting his own mental health. Should he continue pushing himself to meet their standards, or confront them about how overwhelmed he feels, risking their disappointment?
Liam's Balancing Act
Liam, a 17-year-old high school junior, is torn between his academic goals, basketball commitments, part-time job, and social life. With a major history paper due, extra basketball practices for the state semifinals, and pressure to join his friends on a weekend camping trip, he’s struggling to balance it all. His parents push him to prioritize academics and sports, but Liam is feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure if he's sacrificing too much. He must decide whether to focus on schoolwork, support his team, or take a break and enjoy time with his friends, knowing each choice has significant consequences.
The Pressure of Choosing a Major
Emily, a high school senior, feels overwhelmed by the pressure to choose a college major while most of her friends seem certain about their futures. She enjoys various activities but lacks a passion for any specific subject, leaving her unsure of what career path to pursue. Her parents encourage her to pick a practical major like business or computer science, while her counselor suggests a gap year, an idea her parents oppose. Emily feels torn between choosing a "safe" major, taking a risk on something she might enjoy, or delaying her decision altogether, fearing that making the wrong choice could impact her future.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Maria, a 19-year-old sophomore and the first in her family to attend college, feels overwhelmed by academic pressure, financial strain, and uncertainty about her future. She’s considering dropping out or taking a year off to work and explore career options but fears disappointing her family, especially her proud mom. Though she’s seen others online benefit from taking time off, Maria worries about never returning to school or falling behind her peers. Caught between staying in school and risking burnout or taking a break and facing uncertainty, Maria feels torn about her next step. Should she stay in college or take a year off?
Deciding Between Colleges
Sophia, a high school senior, is torn between two very different college options: Ridgeview University, a large, prestigious school her parents favor for its career opportunities, and Greenfield College, a smaller liberal arts school where she feels she would thrive in a close-knit, supportive environment. While Sophia’s parents push her toward Ridgeview and even threaten to withhold financial support if she chooses otherwise, she’s drawn to Greenfield’s scholarship offer and the chance for a more personalized education. As decision day approaches, Sophia faces a difficult choice between following her parents' wishes for stability and prestige or pursuing her own vision of a fulfilling college experience at Greenfield.
Training Trouble
Aaron works at a publishing company, where he was recently promoted from a coordinator to a client management role. As part of his promotion, he was tasked with training his replacement, a new hire named Rachel. While Aaron worked with Rachel and explained to her all of the office’s procedures and systems, Rachel found herself having difficulty, and she expressed to Aaron that the job was more complicated than he had explained. Rachel started going to others in the office for help rather than Aaron, but she continuously made mistakes. Aaron shared with his boss Yolanda that he had trained Rachel and showed her the records, prompting Yolanda to put Rachel on a performance improvement plan. Rachel then quit. When Rachel’s replacement Oliver was hired, Aaron was again supposed to train him and put together a binder of all the information about the job, certain that the binder would be better than how he had trained Rachel. However, Oliver has the same difficulties and ultimately becomes very behind on work, causing Yolanda to again ask Aaron how he had trained Oliver. Aaron feels defeated and wonders if the problem is his training style or if both Rachel and Oliver were just not able to do the job well.
The Miserable Manager
Michelle has worked in sales at a department store for five years, where she initially was supervised by a supportive manager named Amy. Michelle likes her job, which gives her the flexibility to be in school at the same time, and she also likes her co-workers. However, when Amy leaves the store, a new manager named Will is hired. Will quickly develops a reputation for being difficult and providing harsh feedback. During her performance check-in, Will berates Michelle for an email she sent about her schedule for not following a new process and also questions her priorities. Other co-workers have begun leaving the store due to Will’s management style. Michelle wonders if she should stay in her job and, if so, how she should move forward with Will as her boss.
Low Expectations
Sandra is an engineer at a technology company, where she collaborates with the research and development team. Despite her feelings that she is meeting and even exceeding expectations, her colleague Mark has repeatedly made comments during team meetings that Sandra requires extra support. Sandra has confronted Mark about these comments, and he responded that he was concerned she would eventually be overwhelmed by the work. Sandra assured Mark that she felt her workload was manageable. However, on their next project, Mark again made comments about Sandra possibly needing assistance. Sandra is frustrated and wonders what to do next. She also feels that Mark’s comments may be motivated by a bias towards her as a woman.