When Jamaica Pannell was in 6th grade, she had been cut on the back of her neck from a boy who had made a claw from paper. The claw that was wrapped around his finger was sharp and thick, so it became the weapon to continue to pick on her for his own amusement.
"Stop Stop," Pannell said. The tone of her voice was threatening. She reached her boiling point and became furious.
People picked on her all the time which had made her insecure about herself and also gave her low self esteem.
Writing is something that helps her get rid of her stress. She became so passionate for writing because of her rough times and also her upbringing.
“People are so quick these days to judge other people by the way they look or where they are from,“ she said.
Writing has become her way of expressing herself to other people when they won’t listen to what she has to say in person.
Pannell refuses to be immature, and treat other people badly, she said. She knows it won't do her any good and that it feels bad to be picked on for no apparent reason, she said. She wants to inform other people that she is a caring and smart person.
As a 16 year old, it's easy to be mean to other people, Pannell said.
“I want people to take the time to try to understand me rather than go by what they see,” Pannell said.
“I like to be creative in everything,” she said. She also has a passion for music and also playing the piano and saxophone.
Her creativity will most likely make her an artist of some sort when she graduates from Lord Botetourt High School.
She has learned so much about being creative at a young age, she said. Pannell recalls that she wants her voice to be heard, because she has felt misunderstood for a long time.
She has a great personality that she is ready to show the world but has never had the chance to do what her heart most desires. Pannell feels one day her voice will be heard, she said.
