Kids R Us

Introduction
In your community today you can find members of the Flapper generation, Baby Boomers, those who lived through the Beatnik and Hippie eras and members of the Me generation as well as Xers. Many terms have been used to describe the current crop of American young people. One term used recently by the media and therefore likely to stick, is Millennium kids. They are distinguished as the first generation to grow up with computers. However, Challenge is the term which comes to my mind when I think of todays teens as a group. This identification has evolved naturally over the past three or four years as I poured over essays submitted to the Harry Singer Foundation concerning social security, health and child care policy, the national debt, individual liberty and the common good, school safety, responsibility and other subjects. Teens challenge the status quo as young people of all generations have done; some more, some less. But more than challenging others, they beg to be challenged. They have been given watered down sappy everything, including parenting and educationand thats when theyre not totally ignored. Some are given good grades just for showing upgiven awards and recognition for dialing 911 in an emergency or returning a lost wallet. They get a pat on the head, pre-packaged snacks and TV time if they will only leave adults alone to do the work that needs to be done. What the Harry Singer Foundation has heard, and what you will read in the pages that follow, is this generation telling adults they dont want their younger brothers and sisters and their future children to take it any more. They know they are better

than this; they know they can do great things if given the opportunity; they dont want to be warehoused, they want to be useful, they are eager to win your respectthey want to knock your socks off! They can see they are needed. Adults are overworked and frantic. Teens can help, but will anybody let them? Does anybody know or care that they are capable of so much more than they have been allowed to do? School curriculum has been dumbed-down. Jaimie Escalante made calculus a prestige subject and poor kids in East Los Angeles rose to the challenge. The beautiful writing of a 17 year old student posted on our web site brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. The writer may be an American student but he was nurtured in an ethnic culture where he assimilated two important lessons: that all life is sacred and actions have consequences. Make it worth their while and todays young people will surprise you. They are smart, they are capable, and they are creative and energetic. They know it, but do you? All they want is a chance to prove it. They want to be challenged, not patronized. In their essays teens speak with pride of grandparents who struggled and won wars and conquered personal poverty. They fear adults think they are less capable. They believe they are not, but how will they really know? They want opportunities to prove their mettle. They challenge you to raise the mark higher and higherto challenge them. Kids today want what adults want: to be better (Dont we want to reach our potential? Dont we want them to fulfill their potential?); to be better than their parents and grandparentsto make them proud (Dont we want our children to be better than we are?). Kids want to be accepted into the adult community; to have a respected place in society. Isnt this what adults want?

Kids want attention; to be loved and cared for; they want to connect with others; they want more time with their families. Isnt this what adults want? People have been washing clothes for centuries; first pounding the cloth with river stones, then scrubbing with bare knuckles on washboards and finally leaving the job to automatic washing machines. Humans first traveled on foot, later they enlisted the energy of animals and today engines allow us to roar down modern freeways and zoom through the skies in relative comfort and at speeds undreamed of just two or three generations earlier. The Foundations Another Way proposal offers a comparable leap forward in communal living. With an upgrade in coordination and communication and the adoption of a handful of simple strategies, the increase in the flow of goodwill and tangible resources already existing in your community will amaze you. Another Way is described in the latter part of this book and in portions of the Appendix. Schools are an integral part of this proposal, and specifically community-based living as defined by the Harry Singer Foundation. The Foundation advocates community-based learning in Chapter Nine, as a catalyst, not a substitute for core subjects. Grammar, such as declensions and tense, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, all become important when the goal is to communicate something important. Learning to enunciate, make proper introductions, use analogies, to be clear and concise, all takes on urgency when someone must be won over in order to achieve a desired goal. Math is learned naturally when used as a tool to determine how much and what kind of cloth to purchase for flags to decorate Main Street for a community celebration. Numerous calculations are necessary to ascertain the most cost-effective way to place advertisements on city vehicles in order to raise money for school supplies or scholarships. Analyzing tax returns of nonprofits to satisfy the curiosity of potential donors, is an academic discipline which leaves students with a tool they can use throughout their lives.

Structuring, administering, analyzing and presenting information derived from polls uses all the skills enumerated above, and as a side-benefit, is useful to the community. Polls are discussed on pages 195-196, 209-211 and 234-235. Problem Solvers, described on page 107, teaches kids to research and think logically and critically, as well as present and defend their conclusions. In his highly recommended 1996 book, To Hasten The Homecoming, author Jordan Braverman included three quotations. The first he attributed to Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers Minister of Propaganda. The ordinary man hates nothing more than two-sidedness, to be called upon to consider this as well as that. The masses think simply and primitively. In Mein Kempf, Hitler wrote: The intelligence of the masses is small; their forgetfulness is great. Effective propaganda must be confined to a few issues which can be easily assimilated. We believe Problem Solvers is the antidote to the Goebbels and Hitler quotes above. Please, give our young people the challenges they seek. Margaret Bohannon-Kaplan Director and Co-Founder, the Harry Singer Foundation Carmel, California Spring 2000

Chapter One
Kids Have No Place in Society, They Are Confused and Ignored
Most of our teens today are like roses with no water. We allow them to fall away from the stem of our community.
Adam Smeets, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

In my grandparents teenage years, they used to have to get up at the crack of dawn to do their daily chores and then head off to a full day of school. They didnt get to have a lot of fun after school either; [this] time was spent doing more chores or holding down a job. [As] teenagers [they] were [definitely] more family oriented. In my grandparents time period, teenagers were almost forced to grow up because their parents were relying on them to help with the family income. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa In the 1940s the work that was done by adolescents was a major contribution to [our] productivity. In the modern world, however, teens are [prohibited] from [assuming real] responsibility. Adolescents now lack a way of proving to the community that they are ready to move intoadult[hood]. Other than bar mitzvahs and confirmation, American culture has no way of telling its youth that they are ready for the real world. Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Many teenagers in America today are bored, desperate for some kind of responsibility. They say that adults are not giving it to them. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Others agree. They long for a challenge!

Teensarent given a role that puts them in a place of importance to their community. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois We need to know that the elders in the community respect us as young adults, and not ignorant children. With adulthood comes responsibility, the two go hand in hand. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma To become more like adults kids need to share in the responsibilities of adulthood. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Julie describes the significance of the problem: Adolescence is a time when teens need to find out what role they fill in todays society, whether it is a positive role or a negative role. But they also need to see what difference they can make. Teens are not [given real] responsibilities, and if they do try to act like an adult, they only get shot down. Adults need to recognize that adolescence is a time for teens to learn and see what society is really like. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

The Search for Respect

Respect for everyone else and responsibility for yourself is the key to having a good quality of life in our communities. Nikki Raudabaugh, Big Spring High, Newville, Pennsylvania Many teens have grown up in households in which they do not have much contact with their parents[These] parents often fail to realize that as their child grows the childs need for more responsibility and freedom increases, [and] so does the need for that child to be recognized by adults. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois All teens want to be known and respected as human beings and adults. Sometimes people put too much emphasis on being a grown-up. Its like our society wants us to go straight from being a kid to an adult, skipping the era in between that is the

most important aspect of a persons life. Yes, there is a time in everybodys life where they need to have fun and not worry about [responsibilities], but when people reach a certain agethey feel that they are growing up and maturing into an adult and would like to be respected as one, and not referred to as being a child or kid. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa As people begin to mature and become less dependent on their parents, they assume a lot of responsibility whether they want it or not. For example, they are responsible for maintaining good grades, learning to manage time, and creating good relationships with friends and family. Prior to this time, parents have been willing and ready to help them, but now they are expected to do everything for themselves. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama In society today there is no adolescent phase. From every teenagers point of view, they are either adults or children. Most teenagers are doing things adults would normally do; drinking alcohol and having sex. Teenagers think that by doing these things, it makes them an adult. They just end up doing things they are not ready for. Bettylou Wahl, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois I thinkeveryone wants to be treated with respect and if you treat your neighbors with respect, they will most likely treat you with that same respect. You must be respectful of others before others will be respectful of you. Also, being responsible for your own actions is very important. Be responsible for the decisions you make and how you handle yourself; then everything should work out alright. Nikki Raudabaugh, Big Spring High, Newville, Pennsylvania

Ryan is not so sure: As a High School student working in a small townI can say that many people do not trust or show respect to [me or] my fellow teenage workers. I am obligated to be kind to all my customers no matter how harsh they are to me, and I have to bite my tongue quite often. I show respect to [everyone], and all

I askin return is to be shown respect [also]. Sometimes I think that people do not realize [the harm they are doing] by criticizing the younger generation. A community needs torespect [its] youth; they are the future of the town. Teenagers will only learn lessons of disrespect if they are not treated with respect. If innocent kids are accused of crimes they did not commit, it will push them to do wrong. Teens will not learn responsibilityif they are constantly being ridiculed and put down. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Experience has made him skeptical: Teens in my community are prosecuted everyday for simply being young. Many local business owners are hesitant to hire High School students for employment for fear that they will not be taken seriously or treated with respect. Those who do employ students only hire them for jobs that adults do not care for. In addition, the pay for students is much lower than that of adults. If kids do not have jobs, it gives them more time to [be] destructive. A student who maintains a job and goes to school should be rewarded for being able to handle a responsibility so large.
Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Obstacles to Obtaining Respect

Instead of talking to adults, teens in America have been trying to make themselves feel like they are adults by doing so-called adult activities. We see so often the horrible reports of school shootings, kids dealing drugs, and teens having children. Every day we can open up the local paper and read disturbing tales of teens. Today, for example, teen suicide rates are climbing. Teens often resort to suicide as a way to forget about their problems and fears. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teenagersbelieve they will get the respect of an adult if they practice adult activities[like] gambling, pornography, violence, gangs, parties, and sex. Children are handling guns,

smoking in school bathrooms, and drinking at local parties. Kids are looking for a way to reach out and say, Look at me! Im an adult! Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Many of myclassmates consider the act of tattooing and body piercing to be a significant rite of passage into adulthood. The age requirement is 18, but many kids get adult friends to sign the consent waiver in order to hide the adornment from the parents eyes. This not only is mischievous, but also shows a lack of maturity. Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois First times are often an attempt to initiate oneself or to be initiated by peers. They are normally characterized by a premature attempt to imitate adult behavior such as smoking, drinking, or engaging in sexual activity. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs hold a special attraction for teens: Today teens havefilled the absence of a formal rite of passage with their own forms of initiation, the most popular of which are alcohol and drugs. Probably the most widely abused are cigarettes and beer. These two products have been proven to be unhealthy, yet youth continue to use them. Many feel that being rebelliousmakes them more popular. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois You have to be eighteen years old to buy cigarettes, but why not skip a couple of years and start now. Ill regret it after Im addicted but at least Ill look cool, like an adult, while Im fourteen and smoking. Teenagers also think that smoking pot and taking hits off acid makes them cool. Bettylou Wahl, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Some students see the fallacy: The lack of benefits and the harmful nature of alcohol destroy any theory that alcohol use makes a person more of an adult. Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

People see in drugs the pleasure that they dont see in life. Drugs use is common among teens. Drugs kill motivation and cause depression. Without motivation you cant expect [people] to accomplish much during their lifetime. Drugs hurt the family of users just as much as users hurt themselves. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois When a group of teenagers go to parties and get drunk, do they feel like adults? If that drunken feeling is part of adulthood, Id rather be a child forever. Bettylou Wahl, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Confusion There are a lot of young people that are very hurt and very confused right now. Young people are confused because adults confuse them. They are expected to be responsible, pay adult prices everywhere, and go to school everyday. But yet, they dont get the privileges that adults usually get. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois We are made to act as if we are adults by acquiring jobs and paying bills, yet we cannot even take Tylenol at school without parental permission. It seems absurd to meI am allowed to have an abortion without my parents being notified, yet I am unable to leave school if I am sick, without first receiving permission from my mother. Everyone is allowed to drive at one specific age. People receive the right to vote and to buy alcohol and tobacco at a specified age. When a person is 18, he [can] be drafted into the armed forces. How is this that [teens] can go fight for their country, possibly die doing it, yet they still cannot decide rather or not their bodies can handle a Tylenol? So, I say, if we can do these things, all of which could possibly affect our lives in a major way, at a specific age, then we should be considered an adult at a certain age as well. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma In America, one is deemed an adult by law at age eighteen. At this age, people are generally able to make their own decisions

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without parental consent. They gain certain privileges such as the right to vote and purchase cigarettes and lottery tickets. Eighteen-year-olds are responsible for their own actions and are tried as adults in a court of law. Males of age eighteen are required to register for the draft. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois Some adults begin to treat teenagers as adults as soon as they begin junior High School, but some continue to treat teenagers as children well into their twenties. This vast difference in opinion only serves to confuse youth and drive them to seek acceptance elsewhere. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Being under eighteen the government says that I am still considered a child. They say I cannot smoke, drink, get a tattoo or vote, but they sure like to take my money and call it taxes. If I am not an adult why should I have the government taking my money? If our adolescents work, help pay bills, and other things, cant we give them the same amount of rights as adults, or do they not deserve the rights just because of their age and not their actions? Stephanie Eastwood, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

Stereotyping There are many good things that young people dobut nobody knows about these things. The only things that people know about are the bad and dangerous things thatyoungsters do.
Amanda Abel, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio

Adults ridicule kids appearance and [assume] that if they look bad and tough, then they are all trouble. Adults need to give teens a chance and not put all teens into one category. Every single teen is differentand [stereotyping]will not help. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Many times adults look at teens and automatically think we are irresponsible and we are only trouble. Adults should get to

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know teens better, and this way adults can experience first-hand that adolescence is a time for learning and all teens are trying to do is be [a part of] society. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois I am aware that some teens act carelessly, but it is not right that [innocent] teens be treated un[fairly] for the actions [of others]. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Many students are aware that others exist: [Some] teenagerscan barely drag themselves out of bed by 8:00 a.m. to make it to school on time. After school [their] lives are full of snacking in front of the television and playing Nintendo games. Todays teenagers need to get motivated and apply themselves. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa No desire to succeed, sleeping in class, wishing that school was overwhat is wrong with youth today? Lately the trend of students seems to be focused on mediocrity during school in order to have fun when the day ends. Students have strayed from the basic values of hard work toward a just get by attitude. Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Again, Julie warns of the seriousness of the problem: Adults need to [take] time from their busy schedules to get to know us. That is part of what is wrong in todays society. There is no time for us! We get pushed aside time and again and we act out to get noticed. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Christopher wonders: Maybe the students are afraid to enter the adult world with all of its problems, or maybe adolescents do not see school as a means for entering the adult world. Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Bottom line: Teens of today are faced with many hard choices that did not have to be made ten years ago. Choices concerning consequences of drugs, sex, violence, and stress are a big concern for young adults. Yet, with all the extra choices kids have to make, the community is making their life harder by not supporting and believing in them. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas People have difficulty giving responsibilities to us, they do not trust us enough. This has to stop. Elders must put their faith in us. They must give us a chance to prove that we are ready. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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Chapter Two
Kids Get Too Little Love And Attention At Home
In todays world teens do not have the opportunity to talk to their parents because both parents [are generally] working. Many parents dont even know what is going on in their childs life because of too much involvement in work and bringing in money for the family to survive. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Parents have become so engaged in working a nine to five job to make a better life for their children that its rare if they see those children for more that a couple of hours a day. Its common for parents to be completely unaware of where their child is, what grades their child maintains, and what, if any, major traumatic events their child has endured. Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Society is so focused on making money, that the most important things in life are being pushed aside. For instance, families arent as strong as theywere in previous generations. Because of jobs to bring in money to meet the demands of our world, parents are rarely home. Trisha Miller, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa But work isnt always a necessity: People are too concerned with making vast amounts of money and becoming a success. Many times they dont realize what they are leaving behind. Children often spend more time with babysitters than with their own parents; when parents do spend time with their children, their attention seems to be more focused on aspects of their career than their kids. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, KS

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Times have changed. Money is valued more than anything today and family doesnt even matter. In addition, grandparents are now sadly neglected and put into nursing homesfamily values are not known anymore. People simply give up and do not even try to solve their problems. Sarah Gerencher, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Although in different states, Kellen and Cory agree: We, as children, do not care if our parents make a large amount of money. We would rather have good relationships with our parents. This in turn will make us better individuals who will contribute to improving the quality of life in our communities. Kellen Bosma, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Kids would rather have a close relationship with their parents than any expensive gift. Cory Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Where are the parents? For many children who have career-dedicated parents, they suffer a certain insecurity. They begin to feel that their parents careers are more important than they are, creating a certain void between child and parent. Although a child may have every material thing he has ever wished for he is missing out on the one true important need-love and attention from his parents. In the end, the child feels neglected and deprived and can suffer [from lack of] self-esteem. Amy Henson, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee

Parents are the ones who have the first and most important contact with a child. The first two years of a childs life are the most vital. If the toy industry tries to come to the rescue of lonely kids with a doll designed to remind them of their mothers, this says that parents are not making themselves available to their children as often as they should be and therefore are not there to notice when their child needs a reward or some sort of assistance.
Lauren Heit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

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Editors Note: Reference to doll, above, comes from reading reproduced on page 223 which was required before students began their essays.

Children learn almost everything at their home. This is the time where you [parents] need to take a break from business Rebecca Olney, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Latchkey Kids The latchkey kid is one of the most widely spread issues that has been blamed for violence in adolescents including school shootings and suicide. A latchkey-kid is defined as a child [who] arrives home [from school] before his or her parents get there. Jessie Woelbing, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Parents who are constantly striving for success in the workplace often leave their children at home to fend for themselves. In some cases these latchkey children that are barely even old enough to take care of themselvesare left at home to take care of younger siblings. I feel that a mothers responsibility is to her family first. Children grow up fast enough without having to play the role of parent to their brothers and sisters while mom or dad is off at work. This irresponsibility on the parents part isunfair to their children. Mary Coleman Mayberry, Demopolis High, Demopolis, Alabama Whom will these latchkey children talk to about how their day went when they get home from school? If they are not in school yet, many of these children are at a baby-sitter or daycare where they will not get the attention they need. Because of this, many of these children are in need of a human connection. Who or what will they turn to? Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois But Jessica speaks from experience: As a latchkey kid myself I believe that by working regular jobs, my parents have instilled a good work ethic that could never have been done otherwise. We need to stop pointing

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fingers at these parents that are actually trying and pull together to help them. Jessie Woelbing, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas No time to spare: In my opinion, I think the parents of today have really let us kids down. Parents do not spend time with their kids anymore, they are just always busy with hardly ever any time to spare. Stephanie Ellison, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee The responsibility of keeping up with work and family is a main cause of stress for parents today. Concern for the increased time at work and the declining time for family is almost everywhere in America. This struggle between work and family is a national [struggle.] Michael McDaniel, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Single parent homes: There are more single-parent homes today. In these situations kids are left to take care of themselves. The only role models they may see are fictitious or negative. Growing up today, there are many decisions that need to be made. Some kids are not as fortunate as others who have parents to talk with them. Ashley Clough, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee A teen has the most home responsibilities in a one parent situation. [That] parent is going to be working hard [so] that means the teen is going to have to cook and clean. This is good to teach the teen responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of siblings, but keeps them from talking with friends after school and may hinder their schoolwork. Sometimes the teen may have to take on a job to help pay bills and support the family. Thats a pretty big responsibility. In other scenarios the parent may be strung out on drugs with the teen and three other siblings. Teens may be responsible for not only taking care of themselves, but also the rest of the family. In a two-parent home I dont think the teen must take on such harsh responsibilities. They might have to make their bed, clean their room, wash the dishes, or do the laundry. Those are

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not that tough of responsibilities. When the two parents are lawyers, doctors, or [members of] another profession that [requires them to] work many hours a week, the teen must take onresponsibilities similar to those in a single parent home. Randell Gates, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Teen pregnancy: A lot of kids are having kids and they are unable to support them. Children get brought up in unstable homes and harmful beliefs are instilled in their minds. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The main role models for most young people are their parents and some parents are not mature enough to parent their children. Some of these include teen mothers and those parents who marry and have children at too young an age. These immature parents do not have the ability to positively motivate their children to make good choices in life. One main reason for this is that the parents have not made good choices themselves and do not tell their children that the choices that they made were not the right ones. Mark Olsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa No one is comfortable talking about sex, so most people turn a blind eye to the subject. Everyone seems to say not to do it, but fail to provide any type of education beyond that point. Most teens resent being told not to do something without being given a solid reason so they participate in the activity readily. Ultimately they will find themselves carrying a large burden that could have been avoided. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Ignorance isnt bliss: Its not that parents dont know whats going on in their childrens lives, but they just choose to ignore it.Thats not helping the child out at all. Julia M. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

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If adults think that there is no problem out there concerning drugs and alcohol, they need to open their eyes and wake up. The issue of drugs and alcohol is out there and it must be controlled. Casey L. Wipperling, Newell-Fonda High, Newell, Iowa The shootings in Littleton, Colorado, and the rapes and murders of everyday life [are often] blamed on either Hollywood movies [or] world newspeoplesay it is because their children watch TV. In my opinion, it is because people misuse and abuse their children by beating, molesting, threatening, and ignoring them. Jayne Burrow, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri The problems that face todays kids can go undetectedadultsjust dont want to believe that there is a problem with drugs and alcohol and if they do they dont believe that it will ever happen to their kid. Until the problem is recognized by adults the problem will continue. Pat Wolff, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Drop Outs: Another problem youth face today is an increasing number of dropouts. This lack of desire to succeed may cause a shortage of workers in the future. The reason for these dropouts is usually because students just dont fit in at school. Whats even more shocking is that a large number of these dropouts have parents who dont even care that their child dropped out. Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Poor parenting skills Unfortunately, todays adults are getting used to the idea of mass technology. With the aid of technology everything is done so quickly. This ability is hurting our family life. Parents are becoming impatient much quicker because any problem that cannot be fixed in a short amount of time becomes frustrating. With this fact we can see that the relationship between adults and teenagers is becoming more and more flimsy. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Parents are probably the biggest influence on our lives at the present time. Everyday we watch them, listen to them, and ask for advice. So it is no wonder that if a child is brought up with parents that do not know how to communicate and raise a child, that person will grow up without the right skills to live on her own, or they will certainly have trouble with independence. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Too many children are victims of violence and of bewilderment to the people that are supposed to love them the most. Where did society go wrong? Where are our parents? Kimberly Kaufman, Big Spring High, Newville, Pennsylvania Parents today are not protective of their children. Parents now allow their children to watch television shows unsupervised...listen to music that may be contributing to certain attitudes, and play video games that actually teach children how to fight. When facing problems at school these children choose to solve them with fist and mouths. This in fact only creates more problems. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee In a recent teacher poll thirty-six percent believe that there is a lack of parental supervision at home, thirty-three percent believe there is a lack of family involvement with schoolparenting that indulges neglect, abuses or ignores children, and that fails to provide strong, positive guidance, discipline, and nurture, contributes to the spread of violence in schools. Thirty-six percent of them believe thatlack of parental supervision at home [contributes to violence at school.] Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Where are the families? A strong traditional family is slipping away and parents spend less time with their children. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio

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While adults are working to make a living, teens today are cruising the mall or driving around in their cars, wasting their time and money being lazy and useless. It is true that many teens have part-time jobs, but most of them just use the money to buy clothes or CDs instead of spending it on worthwhile things that teach responsibility. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Good homes and good families are hard to come by, which leaves many people, mostly teens, feeling unloved, unimportant, and unnoticed. This is where the problem with violence comes in. The school shootings were done by young teens who, in one way or another, were usually unhappy with something in their lives. Rachel Casey, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Trick or treat? Acting up or more attention? Teenage violence: is it an outcry of rebellion or a desperate outreach for attention? Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois A shot rings out through the halls. Teachers race to lock their doors. A desperate cry for attention. A need to be loved. Does this sound familiar? A teenager is defined in the dictionary as someone in their teens.This definition is unclear and confusing. That is what being a teenager is all about: lost and undefined. Today teens suffer from the trials of adolescence every waking moment. There is aneed to find a way to help these teens become adults and face the real world. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Too little attention from communities: Communities today, as well as families, are not as close-knit as they used to be, and part of it is the way teens do not take any responsibility in their communities. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Too little attention from authorities:

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Also, school policies are getting more lax. Every day I see underage students smoking outside the school hidden from view. Sometimes I see students using chewing tobacco to, once again, be cool upon the school premises. The only reason we do not see these acts is because we do not look for themschool employees may see these acts and not care, but that is the problem, not caring. In some teens lives, drugs are as important as eating and sleeping. Officialsoverlook these teens. We need to catch teens in the act, to look for them so we can cut the drug problem at the root. Blake Anderson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois A controlled study was done at the University of Kentucky by an organization known as BACCHUS, in which campus leaders drove a simple course on the parking lot laid out with cones to represent pedestrians. At half-hour intervals, the leaders drank another drink and drove the course again. In less than two hours, the leaders were bragging about their performancebut several cones lay knocked down. Alison Cornell, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri If it were harder for teens to get alcohol and tobacco products, it might cut down on the under age use of them. If there were a harsher penalty for using these products under age people would not experiment with them because they would be scared of the penalty. The penalty for over use or under age use of these products needs to be harsh enough that teenagers are scared to use them. Luke Vander May, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Kids need guidance wherever they can get it: Teenagers are desperate for guidance, and when they dont get what they need at home or in school, they join cliques, gangs or immerse themselves in a universe out of their parents reach. Teenagers may claim that they want privacy, but they also crave and need attention. Martina McBride stated in one of her songs that teenagers are walking around in a culture of darkness, living together alone. Butguidance from parents, teachers, or other adultscan shine some light into their

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livesWhen teenagers have the sense that they are being ignored by their parents, teens are more vulnerable to serious emotional problems. Lynde Edwards, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Without proper attention kids feel overburdened and insecure: Many children are being rushed from a carefree childhood to a worrisome adult in a very short period of time. Children need time to be kids, they need time to play in their sandboxes, ride their bicycles to the swimming pool, and even make mud pies in the backyard. Children dont need to be worrying about cleaning the house, making supper, and babysitting for younger siblings. When children arent treated as children, they often rebel later on. Nikki Hazen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Teenagers these days have to mature too quickly due to the fact of both parents working outside the home. Teenagers today have to learn to cook, clean, etc., before they are old enough to get their learners permit. Teenagers need that extra time to grow up on their own. Forcing teenagers to grow up too fast puts a strain on them as well as their parents. Guidance is the key. However, there is a surmountable difference between guidance and force. Guidance will allow teenagers the time they need to explore his or her world; in contrast, force will put stress on teenagers too soon, with problems inevitably proceeding. Brandon Artist, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Suicide is the second leading cause of death among kids ages fifteen to nineteen. Teens are not aware of their importance, so they believe their life is expendable. Many teens take their own lives and never know how much they are missed by their family members, friends, and classmates. Young adults also face many troubles. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Some teens feel that they have nothing left to live for. Many do not have an adult to turn to when they are having problems, whether they are at home or at school. Teens believe that adults are too old to know how to help them. Amanda Price, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Society wonders why teens are into gangs, violence, and drugs. Its because teens dont have their parents at home to discipline them, teach them moral values, and set structures for them. Yes, teens do need certain limits and standards to follow, but without adults there to give those limits and standards to them, it causes our society to turn out the way that it is. Teens also get involved in things because they know it is illegal and they want to see if they can get away with it without getting caught. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Michelle has mixed feelings: Teens today live their lives by talking to each other. Most teens look to their peers for advice and for their values, so parents and other adults do not have very important roles in their lives. Personally, I believe that adolescents do want adults to know what is going on and to enforce boundaries and structure. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Susan is adamant: Positive influences in the home are needed very badly. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Most teens are optimists. They believe they can rise to any occasion if given the opportunity to do so: I would like to say that teens are not weak, but strong. They endure many harsh responsibilities in this harsh world. While teens do make mistakes they learn from them and become strong adults. Randell Gates, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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People need to stop worrying about teenagers so much. We can take care of ourselveswe dont need to be treated as babies. We need to experience the world for ourselves. Amanda Swanson, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin Dont worry! Good advice, but how can you help worrying if you care about the future of our country? Freedom depends on responsible citizens. Instead of worrying, the Harry Singer Foundation urges you to take action. Many ideas are presented throughout section three.

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Chapter Three
Kids Do Not Receive Enough Life-Skills Instruction At Home or At School
Kids cant learn if no one is willing to teach! Everyday youth are faced with important decisions that may alter the direction their life is heading. Many youths do make good decisions but many stumble and are unable to get back on their feet. For these youth who stumble, where do they turn to for help? In our society today the answer to this question is unclear. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Neglected Lessons: Understanding and Tolerance

In almost all of the communities today, the neighbors dont know each other and have no idea what each of them is going through in their lives and how they live. Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri What is it that prevents society from working together? Much of it is our own ignorance. Racism, sexism, prejudice, and pure hate prevent us from helping others. We worry about our differences, and do not concentrate enough on our similarities. When others need us, we cannot be there for them because we cant put our differences aside and work together. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois I dont like your tattoos, tongue ring, or your dangling shoe laces. I dont like your music, the bag you carry, or your idols. What do you have to offer the community? You are nothing but a drain on society! I do not want you behaving this way in my community! These statements can be heard from the lips of many community leaders, but is this really aberrant behavior or

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does it just cross the social boundaries acceptable to the adult community? Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois In todays society it seems that weve lost the ability to deal with one another face to face. We blame our incapability to deal with one another on how vast our nation has become and how, with the ever growing technological advances we possess, theres no reason to look a man in the face while making a major business transaction. The lack of personal contact has made mankind in general, desensitized to the quality of life. Thirty years ago who wouldve guessed that it would ever be commonplace to hearof a mere twelve-year-old child opening fire on other innocent children? To our fellow man we owe our kindness, our unlimited caring, and, most of all, our understanding. While we may think that no one has experienced what weve experienced, that no one has had it worse that us, and that no one could possibly understand where were coming from, the truth is, it doesnt matter if we share the exact same experiences. If we attempted to understand one another, it would germinate more responsibility toward mankind throughout our communities. Faith Popcorn says, We have so many latchkey children in search of a human connection. The familial environment instills what our children carry to their future lives, and if a nine-to-five job full of loneliness is what we instill, what do we expect from our children? Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Adolescents need to have an understanding of the values of cultural diversity. If a parent teaches a child the morals ofsociety and keeps their child morally grounded, then that child will understand the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Parents should teach their children how to treat different types of people and make [them] understand that it is okay to be different. There are many people who discriminate against other people just because they are different. But if people are taught that criticizing [other people] is wrong, then [they will] realize that [those people] are just like them. Trying to adapt to society and the criticism that comes along with

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trying to fit in is an aspect of life that everyone must face. This has brought more and more people to understanding the values of cultural diversity and has brought different communities together by understanding each other. People have come to realize that everyone is essentially the same and that no one is better than the other. Jessica Williams, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia

Neglected Lessons: How To Be Considerate Of Others

There are unstable people everywhere and nothing can fully protect us from the harm of their minds and bodies. The population and diversity of America has contributed to the amount of violence today. The ideas and differences of people sometimes clash, and there is nothing that can be done about it. Arguments will ensue and sometimes these disagreements will lead to bloodshed. Humans must learn to be considerate of others, or else the world will become a colossal riot. We should look back at the sixties, the age of hippies promoting peace. Although there was a war taking place and unrestrained rallies created a dangerous atmosphere, most people, especially teenagers, wanted peace. Woodstock is a perfect example of this. In 1969, the music festival drew crowds of over three hundred thousand people. With a crowd this size, it is remarkable that there was no intentional violence except for a broken fence. However, Woodstock 1999 had fires, rapes, and injuries from thrown projectiles. It is astonishing to see how much a society can change in thirty years. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama School: Parents are not the only ones to blame. I have attended school now for thirteen years and have witnessed first-hand how kids and teenagers can act. Teenagers form their own cliques and tend to make fun of anyone who doesnt seem to be like them. As much as one tries to forget or get over it, words hurt. Some

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hold grudges, and these grudges, sadly, can result in murder in [some] cases. Rachel Casey, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri The life of a youth in America is very difficult. School can be a terrible place where there is a constant battle to fit in. In American schools prejudices have not disappeared but have evolved. Students are discriminated against and judged for a variety of reasons like their intelligence level, how they dress, whom they hang out with, and what their interests include. All through school students either take up the aristocratic positions where they learn to be bossy and mean to others, or they are the peons who are made miserable and oppressed and learn how to blend in and not speak back. Originality and the ability to think for oneself is stunted and thrown aside. Students must either conform to fit in or be ridiculed and made fun of by the others. No one wants to take the time to get to know one another and [students] are quick to judge each other. School is a harsh world and [children will take] experiences from itwith them into adulthood. Slowly the social system of schools is producing tyrants, terrorists, and people who are afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Values have also been lost. The world of youth today is a selfish and lonely world where babies have become an expendable by-product of recreation, human lives are no longer important, and respect for one another has been completely lost. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Common among the school shootings is the treatment of the aggressors by their classmates. These kids had been treated as outcasts, teased and ridiculed without intervention of school administrators on a daily basis. Its no wonder these kids snapped. Im willing to bet that if these kids were not teased so much, these shootings would not have happened. Erin Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teenagers get picked on all the time for not wearing the cool name brand or for not listening to the right music. If you get bullied all the time, you get really aggravated and stick up for

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yourself by fighting the bully. Fighting is the only defense kids feel is acceptablepeople pick on others because they have problems or they are getting picked on, but in fact they are only creating more problems. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The peers of many children have driven them off the edge. They have pushed the children to the point [where] one child has caused fights between two people, and even killings. Why does this happen? This isnt what peers should be about. Steven Ardary, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

Neglected Lessons: How To Handle Their Emotions

There is a lot of violence and anger in schools and in the children today. Jamie McCarval, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

Many children are never taught how to handle their negative thoughts. They grow up like a time bomb, waiting to explode.
Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

But what it all comes down to is that children do not know how to handle their emotions of frustration, helplessness, and fear. Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

Neglected Lessons: Open-Minded Respect

I have never seen a jigsaw puzzle that could put itself together. But many of todays parents have the mentality that they should just let their kids be kids, and then these parents think that somehow their childrens lives will just fall into place at a certain age. When they realize that their child has no discipline or respect for authority, then it is too late. Most children in

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America are raised without the slightest bit of respect for their elders. J.D. Bostic, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma The fear of the elderly by the younger generation is often the cause of distance between the two age groups. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas No one wants to grow up because that equates to growing old. Kids are well aware that their parents try and stay young as long as possible. If adults and parents displayed maturity and [emphasized the] importance of growing up, American youth wouldnt have such a hard time. [The desire to] preserve youth is Americas main problem. Adults act immaturely to prove their youth to others. Young people follow the adults example and dont [want any part of] maturity. Crystal Lawson, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Have you wondered why older community members arent used as often as they could be to mentor the young? The majority of Americansdespise the elderly. In fact, some of the elderly despise themselves.[To many] Americans, getting old is their greatest fear. Crystal Lawson, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois [Older people] are often portrayed as old, decrepit, cantankerous beings with nothing better to do than clip couponsIn television commercials, for example, the elderly are used to sell items such as Depends, dentures, and funeral services instead of the more popular household products such as sporting equipment and cosmetics. This is a definite betrayal of the American dream of a better tomorrow. Kristal McGuire, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas There are other reasons for the lack of interaction between the generations: The biggest problem I find around my community of Harriman, Tennessee is the fear and disdain the younger

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generations and the older generations have [for] each other. In my personal opinion, the elder generation thinks that our younger generations are delinquents and bad influences...because of the way we act and dress. On the other hand, our younger generations feel that the elder generation is boring, crazy, senile, and scary because most cant live on their own and theyve never, or so they claim, experienced some of the things we experience today. Audrey Howell, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Misunderstanding Many of the older society believe that we younger people do not care about the world anymore, but we really do. I think because some of the [members of the] younger generation do not use correct morals and give respect to others, the older society think that the world is being corrupted. Some teens believe their elders look down upon them, which makes teens feel worthless. Ashley Blank, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Youths assume that elders are too weak and forgetful to partake in their everyday activities. Elders feel that youths are too wild and disrespectful to share any of the same interests. Instead of trying to find a common ground, the gap grows larger Amanda Price, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Kids today use speech and expression in a way that leaves the elderly feeling dazed and confused when just trying to hold a conversation. Teenagers dress in short skirts, huge baggy pants, little sultry tops, pants and shirts with wild prints, or obscene/rude logos. The older generation does not understand or agree with these styles. Dawn Walters, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Obstacles to Learning in School

Infrastructure

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I believe that the learning environment greatly influences how well a student can learn. If our schools are unclean and dilapidated, many students will not be able to focus on their studies. Eric Pressly, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Lori makes an observation that may or may not be a problem: teachers are required to teach and students to learn while isolated from the rest of the community. For example, laws regarding mandatory school attendance and the organization of the educational system into age grades, serve as isolation periods for adolescents from the rest of society. The obligation to spend the day together in a common environment leads to a tendency for adolescents to socialize among themselves. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois [Teens] are shoved away every day behind closed doors to sit at a desk for eight hours and learn about the real world out of a book. So, because of this inferior feeling they try to grab adults attention and assume adult type roles every day. However, the teens chosen roles have become the problem. Teens today see it as normal to drink under age, smoke under age, and engage in sexual activity outside of marriage. This could be due to the fact previously stated: they are trying to assume adult responsibilities so they can feel important in, and [be] a part of, the active, adult world. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Outdated teaching methods: There are so many new things out there to learn, so why is it that my generation is labeled as lazy, not doing their work or getting good grades in school? Is it the educators fault? Maybe students get bored being in a class that is moving too slowly for them. Janette Lehman, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

Adam picks up on this theme:

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At school, it is assumed everyone is at the same level. In some cases this is true, however, not in most cases. Some advance faster with concepts while another accelerates in sports. This proves we are all different. Adam Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Some of the substitute teachers that we get down here are ridiculous. They dont even have a clue. I know that they have to have a degree, but there is just something that has to be done about the lack of experience. Allen Waugerman, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Out of touch: A lot of students do not like teachers knowing each and every little thing about them, but maybe it is time for teachers to get to know their students. Students feel inferior to teachers because they feel like teachers have no idea what it is like to be them. You go into class every day and some teachers get up in the front of the room and talk about the lesson and never seem to care about the students. That is when we feel lonely and [turn to our peers]. In our yearbook class this year, the yearbook staff wanted to [include] a surveyone of the questions was: have you ever drunk alcohol? The teachers [wouldnt allow the question] and once again the topic was ignored. There is no big deal with asking students what they have and have not done. Teachers need to know what is going on in their school and recognize the problem rather thanignoring it. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Lack of authority: Each day I see a group of girls who thrive on testing the patience of one teacher. She began as a teacher who would entertain us with her lists of historical facts, but eventually it got way out of hand. The girls in this class yell rude comments at her each day and they have completely destroyed the learning atmosphere. They do not fear consequence because of the lack of authority. The actual number of people who are disrespectful is limited, but the power they hold over the class is

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overwhelming. I would be quite relieved if I only had to go to classes and learn.The students have taken over. Every day is chaos. The lack of respect that we show for our teachers is outrageous. Even if I was to go to an all girls school and they had the same personality as the girls in my class, I would struggle to learn. They would show the same lack of respect. These girls are selfish and would be rude no matter where they attended school. However, I might learn something if I were home schooled, but not enough. I personally need a school environment with people around me to get ideas from, but not to interfere with the learning process. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Distractions I think that there are so many distractions in todays generation that it takes away from the drive for excellence. We come to a decisive point where we think that things are good enough. Then we leave them as they are, not even bothering to try and make anything better. We have seen so many other people do this that it imprints on our minds and we take the same attitude. I think kids today feel that the things they learn in a classroom are not even put to good use when they are finished with them. I think this puts a stereotype on kids that because they are still in school they are not worthy enough to be an adult. This is a bad feeling for a kid to have.
Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

And then there is the current overwhelming distraction to learning: Kids are dying in school, which makes us think that schools are not safe anymore. I guess you can say that nowhere is [there] a safe community because you hear so many things on the news. Trusting people is hard because you dont know what may come of it. Makara Puth, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Cases like the Columbine, Colorado and Jonesboro, Arkansas, massacres are incidents of school violence. Students are killing

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other students without fully realizing the consequences. Many kids are afraid to go to school, for fear of being a victim of school violence. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois When students know they are safe dont you think they will learn better and have a more positive attitude knowing they dont have to fear their own classmates. Randell Gates, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Schools are just covering the basics and when a violent crime does occur, they just brush it off. Why not ask the students how they would have handled the situation? Kelli Carter, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania
Editors note: Please see Problem Solvers on page 107

Jennifer is thoughtful: Is school violence only mass murders, shooting sprees, or bomb threats? No, violence can also be fistfights, verbal arguments, and bullying; and it must stop! If we want productive communities we must have productive youth. [This is] the question that lays heavy on my mind; does this violence only affect the children involved in the confrontation? My answer is no. Whenever this violence is made public it does two things. One, it shows violence to other students which in turn may cause even more violence to erupt and secondly, teaches other children that violence is okay... There are many bullies in our elementary and middle schools today, and although...physical abuse hurts; words affect children much longer. Verbal abuse lowers self-esteem and self-confidence [and] can leave people with emotional scars and complexes that can carry over into adulthood. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee From South Dakota, Faye ends this conversation by directly addressing you, the adult reader: When you hear of another school shooting like the one in Littleton, Colorado, or of another drive-by shooting, what do

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you think? Maybe you say to yourself, where were their parents? Or maybe you silently pray that God will not let that happen to your family, or that there will be no school shootings at your childrens school. Maybe if you are my age you pray that it does not happen at your school. What has happened that we are now praying for our safety in school? Is school not supposed to be a place where societys children can learn safely, a place where some of their most crucial years are spent? Where have we failed in our society to let fear have the upper hand on us? Is it not supposed to be a place where many memories occur, and life-long friends are made? Faye OBryan, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota The curriculum: There are few courses that are offered in most High Schools today that teach adolescents about the real world. There are, of course, the required classes such as Consumer Economics and American Government that teach basic facts about the adult world. There are a few classes that are aimed at teaching teenagers how to live as adults and what is expected of them as adults (for example classes such as Parenting and Adult Living). However, these classes are not enough. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Jared doesnt believe schools are capable of teaching everything: I need development that the school cannot give me.The school cannot teach me the rights and wrongs of life, how to love, how to deal with conflicts, no textbook can teach me that. Jared Witt, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa And Jose doesnt think they should try: Many parents believe that our nations school system should take the responsibility of teaching their children discipline, morals, and ethics. It is impossible for teachers to take the role of both a parent and a teacher. Teachers already have too many things on their hands as it is. Jose Ochoa, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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The educational achievements of American students suffer in comparison with students around the world: In earlier times an education was simply reading, writing, and arithmetic. Today subjects vary and so do the levels of learning. [The student attributes the following quote to E.D. Hirsh, Jr.] Almost all American children have been receiving inferior schooling that hinders them from developing their capacities to the fullest. Compared to the rigorous education received by many Europeans and Asians, most American children are underprivileged. Krystle Bullock, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois Somewhere between the parents putting the responsibility on the teachers and the teachers putting the responsibility on the parents, the job of teaching children morals and academics has been pushed aside. Lauren Heit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Bottom line: It is an understood and accepted fact that human behavior is learned. The youth of today are more confused and disoriented than they have ever been before. They are confused about the future, where they are going, and what role in society they are supposed to fill. The past few generations seem to lack the knowledge of life and maturity that they should have been taught. Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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Chapter Four
Kids See Irresponsible Actions All Around Them
TV has become a substitute parent: Television families such as the Cleavers and the Nelsonswere close-knit; their morals and values were secure. Viewers wanted the perfect family and life that they saw on television. On television, the families faced everyday problems, but with the passage of 30 minutes, their lives were normal and perfect once again. In this decade, shows like these are unheard of. Now, people see television shows with families like the Conners from Roseanne and the Bundys from Married with Children. The shows of the 1950s are unrealistic today. We no longer have a tranquil domestic societywe have uproar and chaos. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, KSs Many kids get their values from TV: On TV today there are many commercials that promote the thought or idea of all for me, and none for you. Children who grow up with this attitude will have a harder time learning to get along with others. April Phifer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee I think in todays world the media encourages teenagers to grow up too fast. They show these successful, beautiful teenage movie stars, and teens are too eager to grow up and try to be just like them. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa But does TV cause violence? In a recent teacher survey, thirty-one percent believe that it is an over exposure of violence in the mass media that causes violence. Its true that Americas children are exposed to a steady diet of verbal and physical violence that begins at an

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early age and continues throughout their lives. This has caused them to see violence as being normal or common. Kids today also spend [more] time watching television and playing video gamesthantime with their families[Even] children who have not grown up in a mean, hostile environment full of neglect, are also involved in acts of violence due to boredom or the excitement of control. Some childrenfeel isolatedare filled with rage and[feel] rejected. [They] dont believe that they owe society anything, so dont care who or what they damage. Thirtyfour percentbelieve that violence is a result of peer pressure; others blame violence on drugs and alcohol. Another emerging trend is the number of acts of violence related to race or religion. All the factors that contribute to school violence are numerous, complex, and mostly community- related. Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Kids are easily influenced and demoralized if they have not been taught how to filter input from the media: Children who watch television are influenced by violence everyday and it continually gets worse. Robert Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Most of the time I feel that the whole world is just getting more terrible by the minute. Every time I turn on the news, the stories seem to get more and more gruesome. Things like school shootings and people being killed without reason are becoming common occurrences. Jose Ochoa, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Another teen shot down, teen drug use on the rise, four students killed in school shoot out, and adolescents grades have been plummeting are common headings used by the media in an effort to describe teens. Dustin Deneault, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas As I turn on the television in search of the daily news, I hear tragic accounts of High School shootings, bomb threats, and

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many other random acts of violence. Kathryn Coplin, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama As we watch the evening news and read the local newspaper, it is evident that there is more corruption in the world than ever before. Mary Coleman Mayberry, Demopolis High, Demopolis, Alabama It is all over the news. Everyday, we hear of murders and robberies in large and small places in America. The question everyone asks is Why?. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Janette echoes what many teachers alleged in their survey: I think [TV is] the reason crime is such a problemthe news is a large source of seeing and hearing about crimes. Too much publicity may cause others to imitatewhat they see on TV. Shows based on crimes are not always a good thing either. They may possibly show someone how to commit a crime. The Internet is not always helpful either. When on the Internet, a person can see how to make pipe bombsconvicted felons have even reported getting ideas from TV. Janette Lehman, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania And that brings Robert into the conversation: Guns and knives are beginning to be seen more among teenagers. There is a chance that a teen could get shot for his/her possessions. All of this violence is beginning to spread throughout schools and even churches. Robert Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Randi has given the situation some thought: How do you break people from a habit like crime after it has become a part of their lives? It seems like after the troublemakers have been seriously talked to about the situation they would want to try and quit, except it is harder than you think. It is kind of like smoking; only a few of the determined ones can actually stop, the others depend upon it. Most of the criminals have grown up with, or been influenced by the people

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who commit crimes. All we can do, if the people dont change, is to lock them up and get them off the streets. If bad situations are not out there for children to see or be a part of, then it is less likely for them to grow up and violate the law. Randi Peterson, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Nicole joins in: Criminals often feel locked into their life of crime. Many criminals have no one to turn to, or they have no family to support them. Once they enter a life of drugs and murder, there is generally no turning back. Many other criminals are homeless. They have no friends, no home, no family, and no money. They desire to go to jail, because it is a home. They have food, clothing, and a roof over their head. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Jennifer elaborates: Sometimes people even break their parole so they can return to jail. This occurs because often times the facilities are more suitable than what the prisoners have when they are free. In jail a person has a place to sleep, three meals a day, running water, television, and even weight rooms. Many citizens within our communities do not have many of the advantages that people in jail possess.Some prisons even provide inmates with an education. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, KS Tricia expresses concern: Many of these individuals who turn guns on their fellow classmates arefrom middle class families. As the first school shooting appeared in the media, there was hope that nothing like it would happen again. Now, almost every month we see some sort of school violence in the media. It is almost as if it is some kind of sicktrend. Why? Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Another Jennifer steers the conversation towards blame and responsibility:

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Why should seemingly normal children revert to the horrible act of a massacre in Littleton, Colorado? The answer is not known. Some may claim that it is because of an unstable childhood or temporary insanity. The parents or the school gets blamed instead of the murderer. This method of placing the blame on others is a common practice in the United States today. There are numerous ways for a person to change from being at fault to being victimized. With so many preposterous lawsuits being won from loopholes in the law or ridiculous mental disorders defending those on trial, there is always something to place the blame on other than ourselves. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama The conversation changes as students consider how easily responsibilities are shed: The world we live in today has become a place of easily shed responsibilities. Those who dont want to work are offered welfare, those who just cant live with their spouses anymore are offered divorce, and those who dont care for education will always have some kind of job offered up for them. I believe that personal responsibility is key in improving the quality of life in our communities today. Heather Crossett Camden Central High, Camden, Tennessee There are many people that are ignored by their children as they begin to get older. There shouldnt be a person in this world who ignores his/her own mother or father. Especially, after they raised and supported them until they were old enough to be on their own. Preston Patterson, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Test of manhood? The right thing? A fifteen year old boy goes to a party, gets drunk, gets high, and has sex with some girl he does not know and cares nothing about. He thinks he just had the greatest night of his life. He thinks he is a man. He has no clue that his true test of manhood will come in two weeks when the girl tells him she is pregnant. How he handles this will test his maturity, manhood, and acceptance of personal responsibility. He could be a punk and

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say the child is not his and leave the girl alone with their mistake. Or he could do the right thing and sacrifice his own hopes and dreams and concentrate on his new responsibility: the health and safety of his child. Assuming the girl wants to go through with the birth. That would be her decision and test of responsibility. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Blatant irresponsibility: Some girls get pregnant intentionally so that they can get away from their parents. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Without responsible role models kids become irresponsible adults: Preparation for future career choices begins early in an individuals life. If parents abdicate their role in teaching youth the key values of morality, honesty, and responsibility the future success of our society will be [jeopardized]. Meredith Giles, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama A lot of families do not contain successful members for their kids to look up to. If a child grows up with parents that are abusive, on drugs, or even just lazy, they do not get constant role models. Influence can amount to so much. Negative influence becomes negative behavior most of the time, just as positive influence usually amounts to positive behavior. Sarah Haire, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Parents and kids have less contact than ever before, which results in more bad habits, low self-esteem or self-concept, a poor attitude towards others and themselves. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Most times children live with one parent and rarely have contact with the other. Its hard to imagine that a child growing up without the display of societal responsibility could ever learn to display any type of his own responsibility. Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas

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Enough is enough: At what point should irresponsibility stop and responsibility come into play? Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma If there is no responsibility or respect among people then there is no cooperation. Carolina Reyes, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Without responsibility, there is a lot of wasted potential. George Nathan DeLeon, Joliet Central High, Joliet, Illinois Every action has a consequence therefore we have to be responsible when we make decisions. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Randi brings up one consequence that is on his mind: Why should people have to use their hard-earned money to buy hundreds of dollars worth of security equipment? My grandma says she remembers the days when they didnt even have to lock their doors at night, but today is a different story. Over the years, more and more people have become greedy and violent. There are thieves and gang-members all across the country. Innocent people are being hurt everyday. The worst part about it all is nobody really knows how to keep it from continuing. Randi Peterson, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Matt turns the conversation in a surprising way: Now its time to put the blame on my age group. Teenagers dont really help society at all; in fact, we hurt it. Sometimes it is the parental figure that is at fault, but other times it is our rebellious nature that gets us in trouble. All the talk shows that say were trying to reach out are wrong. Were trying to show our individualism, but we are showing it in the wrong way. Some see the dollar signs ($$), drop out of school, and get a full time job. They dont look at the big picture, say fifteen years

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from now. We dont look at our knees getting bad or our bodies wearing out; we just want our independence. Matt Schluenz, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Others relate to this line of thinking: The younger generations seemed to find the lazy route around things. Why should teenagers do things the long hard way, when there is a short way that will help them breeze right by? Teens seem to find plenty of time to do the fun things, while hesitating to do everything else. Robert Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Todays students do not care. There is a rising number of dropouts in schools today. There is not enough emphasis on getting a good education and then in turn getting a good job. Kids are dropping out and getting stuck in low paying jobs that they will never get out of. Some children are out of control. They do not respect adults or authority figures. And this can cause problems for children their whole lives. Sarah Leonard, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Rachel agrees: More and more junior high and High Schoolers are dropping out of school without graduating, only to sell drugs or work at low-paying jobs with no way to advance in them. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois But the most wonderful thing about youth is, like Tiggers they bounce! As individuals we need to set aside the Someone else will do it attitude and start doing things ourselves. Elene Planinsek, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Things, like making a difference in the world do not just happen. Marie Quaresima, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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Chapter Five
Consequences
Without proper attention kids engage in destructive behavior: Ninety percent of teen violence is caused by not having anybody there [home] to teach them. Rebecca Olney, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Granted, children do enjoy their freedom, but unfortunately, too many children have taken advantage of that freedom. They have no limits as to what they can and cant do; including drugs, guns, robbery, and even participating in gang rapes. Nikki Hazen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Childrenmisuse this new independence and often fall into the drug scene, end up as another number on the teen pregnancy statistics, orone of the many missing or dead children that societydiscards. Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Serious consequences occur when people fail to fulfill their responsibilities as parents. For instance, parents who fail to know where their children are, what they are doing, and whom they are with at all times can create problems for the entire community. For instance, their children may surround themselves with people who influence them to use drugs, leading to an increased drug problem for the community. Other more serious consequences of parents not fulfilling their personal responsibilities are massacres such as the one at Columbine and other schools across the country. Will Kilgore, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee There are also families where the parents are divorced. When children see adults fighting and arguing they start to think it is

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ok and pick up a lot of their behavior and language. How the child developsdepends so much on the parents. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Whether it is doing drugs or robbing stores or fighting, many kids problems have to do with their families or parents. A lot of teenagers have sex at a young age and end up being a kid raising a kid. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet Illinois People think that with the advancement in...society, adolescents have less to worry about when in fact they have more. The amoral corrupt things that influence kids today range from drugs to relationships. Cory Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Katie takes the conversation a little closer to home: Do you think that only people in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York get divorced, are victims of violence or abuse, or are uneducated? Maybe thats why we are more surprised than we should be when we hear of all these shootings in small town schools. We are all still in the state of not me. Nothing can happen to me. I am happy living in my own little bubble [but] no matter where a person lives, if they [have] grown up with an abusive father or are constantly neglected, that person, nine times out of ten, is not going tobe [a] model citizen. Katie Sakowicz, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Without community input kids have nothing constructive to do: With the lack of positive things for kids to do, crime related activity becomes more accessible. Cory Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa In communities now days, it is to easy for teens to get alcohol and tobacco products. Some teenagers take on things like smoking or drugs because they have nothing else better to do with their time. Luke Vander May, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota

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What neighborhoods have to offer to teenagers impacts what they do for fun. If there is nothing to do, for instance no movie theatres or no parks and so on, kids make up things to do whether it be legal or illegal. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet Illinois Regardless of the values held in adult society, in the adolescent community video games, ice skating, partying and drinking are equivalent, says Patricia Hersch. Jessica Williams, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia
Editors note: Reference to Patricia Hersch relates to reading required before students begin their essays. See page 225.

There is nowhere for kids to go to stay out of trouble. In my town there is a lot of vandalism and teen pregnancy. Shana Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Saying that the teenagers in this community have nothing to do, would be a drastic understatement! If we should want to go bowling, or to the movies, or even skating, we must drive thirty minutes to Rolla one hour round trip. If a teen has no money for gas or, worse yet, no car, they are simply out of luck. Many teenagers, who dont want to drive all the way to Rolla, will cruise town. This consists of making laps through Sonic and around Napa Auto Parts. Again, some are out of luck. Then there are those who dont want to drive around all night, so instead go to parties (and believe me these arent milk and cookie parties!). Many teenagers dont consider it a good weekend unless they got drunk or high, preferably both. I realize that every school has their fair share of drugies, but in my school, there seem to be an extensive amount. I would estimate that about 90 percent of the kids at school have tried either drugs or alcohol at least once, and about 50 percent on a regular basis. Courtney Vidacovich, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Many of these teenagers are the ones that no one would ever suspect. School club officers, NHS, FFA, FHA, FTA, band and

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choir members have all had their fun on the weekends. I have seen how easy hiding the things you do is. Most people have their own group of friends that they hang out with. So within these groups there are unspoken codes of secrecy. Unfortunately, when conflicts arise these codes may be broken, and, believe me, rumors around here fly. I have found that most rumors are based on fact, but are so exaggerated no one knows what is true. When teenagers are not sure what to believe, they will believe anything they hear. This can be dangerous to peoples emotions and reputations. Courtney Vidacovich, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Chrissy notices the same thing at her school: Students that are on the honor role and National Honor Society members are going out on the weekend and getting trashed. They are not only consuming the alcohol, but also experimenting with new drugs and the new craze is huffing. Thats right; the cleaners you have been using are now being used to get high. Some of the areas brightest students are going and getting drunk and high for something to do. Chrissy Ludwig, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Even with good intentions poor parenting can lead kids astray: Parents are dropping their responsibility to be a role model for children when they sponsor drinking parties. If it starts with drinking, where will the line be drawn? Drugs? Sex? Illegal things are now simply being okayed by parents. I read a poll recently that shocked me: the average age kids start drinking is twelve! Parents also cannot be too quick to trust their teenagers. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teens sit home and drink while their parents may be at work or even sitting in the living room, and they smoke at public restaurants without ever being questioned about their age. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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It is hard when parents are showing the wrong example. For instance, how can you tell your child that smoking is bad if you do it yourself? It is the parents job to teach right from wrong. It is the childs job to listen. Robert Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois [When] kids grow up alone, later in life [they] are unable to function well around others, either in a school, or work setting. They grow up believing they are not loved and get caught up with the wrong crowd. There are also families where the parents are divorced. When children see adults fighting and arguing they start to think it is ok and pick up a lot of their behavior and language. How the child developsdepends so much on the parents. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Take, for instance, [that] drinking party actually put on by parents. It was all part of a senior skip day, and David and Nancy Simmons thought it would be better for the kids to drink under adult supervision than be driving to unsupervised parties. What seemed to be a harmless idea, in a flash turned into a nightmare. When one girl rode home with a guy who had been drinking, she lost her life. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois
(In August 2000, a substance abuse organization in Arizona published results of a poll that showed twenty percent of the abusers who responded had been introduced to drugs by their parents.)

Wrong crowds: Home is the first place where there is a sense of belonging for youth. If they do not get [this sense] at home, then they will look for [it] else-where which will often lead them into wrong crowds and bad habits. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio In some single parent homes, the parent might work more than one job, and while that parent is at either one of those jobs, the children could be getting into trouble. They could be going out with friends that they hardly know and going to parties where

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drugs and alcohol are present. Children from families that have both parents who work long hours and come home late could also be going out and doing things that their parents do not know about. Jennifer Kiser, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri [When] kids grow up alone, later in life [they] are unable to function well around others, either in a school, or work setting. They grow up believing they are not loved and get caught up with the wrong crowd. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Without supervision while parents are at work, children are more likely to get involved in situations such as hanging out with their friends on street corners. This behavior can lead young minds into drugs and alcohol, which is not healthy for a good community. Melissa Berry, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Children begin to look to their friends as role models and become more susceptible to peer pressure. Amy Henson, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Carolina agrees with Amy, above: Many kids [succumb to] peer pressure because they feel that their friends are the only people that love and care for themteenagers need to choose if they want to be responsible, respectful people or hang out with the wrong crowd. Carolina Reyes, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Without attention from their families, kids find alternative families: Many kids who grow up without parents to guide them decide to join street gangs so as to have a sense of belonging because their life is empty. This only adds to the amount of crime in modern communities. Jose Ochoa, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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Many times teens who do not know how to deal with their issues will run-away or become involved with drugs and gangs. Teens feel that if they find others who are dealing with the same problems, they will be able to [cope] teens do not realize the consequences. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois [What about] children born to un-wed mothers? Without a father figure in their lives it is tough for these children to find a positive male role model. [This] can lead to them looking to unsuitable person or persons for guidance. These children may seek refuge in their friends which can be a very serious problem depending on who their friends are. [As we have seen] this branches out to larger scale problems such as drugs and gangs. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Adolescents, who feel isolated, find a sense of security in gangs. The gang offers them some voice in the [communal] activities. Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Gangs are a haven for neglected youth. Under false pretenses, children [are transformed] into criminals under the guidance of manipulative people who take them in and give them the family that they never had and longed for. In return childrenobey the other members of their new family. This leads to the children turning to unproductive lifestyles on the streets. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois In Americachildren practically raise themselves. Parents say children make them old. By giving their children just the necessities the parent doesnt feel tied down. Young people make their own rules and take their parents for granted, as the parents do them. By making their own rules, young people also decide their own rite of passage. Young people turn to their peers for guidance and direction. Their peers attitude and outlook on life decides what advice and standards are passed on. In some groups, sexual experience; others may consider physical appearance. One group in particular, gangs, use the

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fearless ability. Being able to be fearless in any situation and abide by the standards of the gang determines each members [status]. No matter which Rite is chosen each displays the lack of mature adult influence, which is the solution to the whole issue. Crystal Lawson, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Crime is on the mind of many students: Gangs are just another example of the brutality in American communities today. They thrive on weapons and inflicted pain. Their effects can be seen in the graffiti on walls, and in the dead bodies of their enemies. It is dangerous to be around these gangs, yet small children have to walk past them every day on their way home from school. The only lesson that these children learn is to be in a gang so they will not have to be afraid anymore. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Many young gangsters do not consider themselves men until they have killed a member of the rival gang. Other groups promote vandalism, robbery, or even rape for young members looking to achieve a higher status. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Nikki has apparently done some research on the subject: In large cities where parents are in their offices all day, children often ban together for support. They form their own families where outsiders arent welcome and parents and adults are often considered to be evil. They shelter themselves from the outside world to protect what they feel is their family. These groups, often called gangs, symbolize themselves to become separate from society. They may use a certain type of hand signal or may even wear a certain type of clothing upon their body. One of the most common types of apparel is the bandana. In gangs, the bandana is mostly around the head. These new families occasionally allow new members to join under certain circumstances. Moreover, they must first pass a test of willpower by passing a test of guts. Much like how the Indians had to survive alone in the wilderness to become an

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adult, the gang members must pass a test, such as surviving a brutal beating. One rumor that circulates a while ago was that the prospective gang member had to drive around the city at night without their headlights on. When an innocent passerby flashed their lights at the gang member, the new member had to chase the car down and kill the person. The members of the gang were only searching for a test to see if someone was worthy of being a part of their family. Nikki Hazen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa What can be done? is discussed next in section three: We have school violence where there once was none. Poverty still runs rampant even in small communities. Divorce rates are higher than ever. Teen pregnancy and births to unwed mothers remain at a high rate. How can we alleviate these problems? What can be done to reverse the damage already done? Holly Flippo, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas One thing for sure: During my seventeen years on this earth I have met and gotten to know many people. I have made friends and have lost some friends. One thing, however, that I have learned through my different relationships, is that those people that I met that werent suicidal, depressed, on anti-depressants, those that had goals, and a good conscience, they all had a good family life with a mother and father that cared greatly about them. Katie Sakowicz, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Section Two What Do We Do About It?

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Chapter Six
Maybe Kids Need a Modern Rite of Passage Into the Community?
Youths are confused about the age they should take on certain responsibilities. Society needs to clear up this blurry line between being a child and being an adult. Having a rite of passage will help stop youth from prematurely believing they are adults and instead, tell them when they are. Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Today, adolescents are afraid to grow up, afraid to make their own decisions, afraid to break from the herdjust plain terrified to take responsibility for their own lives. As in Darwins theory of Natural Selection, nature shuts the door to those who do not select themselves to begin with. In turn, they falland are eatenby those who do choose to accept the fact that holding strong convictionsand values is what [works]. Kristine Kruchten, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Teenagers need a true, positive way to become an adult. Our society should stop teenagers from swaying into unruly acts and show them the correct method to becoming an adult. Our society is permitting these inappropriate activities to develop into a rite of passage. Why is our society allowing this to go on? Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Communities shouldprepare teens for adulthood. They need to give them more responsibilities. It has to be a group effort. Trisha Miller, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

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Americans need to come up with some way to show that a child is no longer a child but has achieved the status of an adult. There needs to be a very specific outline of what it means to be an adult. Youth are unsure of what is expected in the role of adult and therefore cannot act as adults until they are taught somehow what is expected of them. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois It seems as though a rite of passage is not only necessary and just, but imperative. We young adults need a line drawn for us. This is an important issue our communities need to address and integrate into our lives. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Teens need to be heard when it comes to their opinions about society and how they feel life treats them. It is the governments job to help improve ways to make their [teens] lives easier so they can achieve and become All that they can be in the world. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Should the government tell young people when they are adults? Jamie seems to think so: It should be easy for our youth to grasp the idea that they are not adults until our society declares, Youre an adult. Becoming an adult should be a significant time in a persons life, not just another ordinary day. It is time for a line to be drawn between adult and child; [time] for our society to issue a right of passage for the youth of America. Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Others Disagree Society must progress past the notion that our youths need to be transformed into idealized personages who are sanctioned by the community. Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois

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Local communities should not be responsible for something that the individual should be able to accomplish. This is best understood when [we make it] clear that this rite of passage is a personal journey. Local communities are already busy enough with other civic duties. [Individual] initiative should replace self-doubt. If we work hard for our goals and win them ourselves, then [we will know that we didnt need to have] our hand held through it all. For with self-trust and personal effort, we can [engineer] our own personal rite of passage successfully. Ryan Moore, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia We do not need a community [imposed] rite of passage that everyone must go through. If something like that was enforced then I believe you would see more rebellious action then you have ever seen before. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Youth must also feel that they are controlling their own livesChildren already have enough rites of passage; more would only confuse many and turn away others. Margaret Mead would say that culture is man-made and man should redesign its [rites]. While agreeing with her, I also disagree. A community may be able to change its culture ever so slightly, but this country will never be able to get its mind off making the big bucks. Craig Corderman , Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa America has a long history of providing sufficient rites of passage for its youth. Therefore, it is unnecessary to further incorporate rites of passage. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois What Is A Rite Of Passage? A rite of passage is an event or project that shows, proves, and/or prepares a teenager for the adult world. Melissa Conn, High School, Concordia, Kansas

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A rite of passage is to show others that teens are responsible, show our independence, and that we are ready to take on the adult-world. Angela Sharp, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas Life transitions: In the past they used to be laid out in front of kids. They knew exactly what they had to do to become adults. Every culture seemed to have a rite of passage. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois And the more complex explanation: Adults have been trying to understand adolescent behavior for most of the past century. Social scientists such as Margaret Mead and Arnold Van Gennep have studied civilized as well as uncivilized cultures. Mead postulated the idea that in less civilized countries such as Somoa, ceremonies, or rites of passage, are effective ways of controlling changes in the lives of young people. As noted by Monika Vizedom, Meads studies of the Mountain Arapesh revealed that, rituals express values, but by making demands on the young also inculcate values and enforce their maintenance. The concept of a community rite of passage has become a focus of interest in light of the recent violent behavior of American youths. Recently, sociologists have reinvented the idea of social control based on a definition of rite of passage that was first introduced by Arnold Van Gennep. Van Gennep proposed the idea that in primitive societies there are rites that correspond to all recognized stages of life, and these stages in individual lives in turn correspond to clear cut divisions of society; that societies are in fact subdivided into compartments. This definition of rites of passage establishes that all rites operate to preserve the social order or status quo and authority of the community elders. Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois Rites of passage are one of the core concepts in social analysis. Their importance proclaims the complex interdependence between social and physical reality. Ultimately they indicate that what are viewed as the most obvious features of

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existence must be defined repeatedly through the activities of traditional ceremonies. Brad Kearn, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas In their essays, students referenced other cultures and other times: In ancient times, Greeks and Romans put young men through tests and trials of combat to prove their manhood. Girls were trained from the time they could walk to become wives and mothers. They faced tests and difficulties of their own to prove they were ready to marry. Marrying was seen as a sign of womanhood. Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma The Japanese also prepare their children for adulthood. Japanese children are taught to be extremely courteous and are taught to show the proper respect for their superiors and elders. The Japanese do love their children and give them much freedom, but [their children] learn very early how to conduct themselves respectfully. J.D. Bostic, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma In Native American cultures, it was not unusual for a tribe to send a young boy into the woods. There, he would prove himself an adult by surviving and persevering through whatever obstacles he faced. When he returned, he would no longer be considered a boy, but a man. Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Many societies mark the onset of adulthood at puberty, with the presumption that people who are old enough to reproduce are old enough to assume parental and other adult responsibilities. Others claim it is the age at which a person can drive a car, vote, be drafted for military service, smoke a cigarette, drink or purchase alcohol, get married, or have an abortion without parental consent, just to name a few rites of passage. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois

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There were a variety of arguments favoring a rite of passage: As todays youth become more disenchanted and lost somewhere between the worlds of adulthood and childhood, the need for a rite of passage increases. A rite of passage in which adolescents become involved in their community would be beneficial to everyone: the youth, their parents, and society in general. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois I definitely agree with those who say that we need a rite of passage. When I was fifteen years old, two boys who looked no more than ten approached me and asked for a cigarette. I found it a little odd that while I had never thought of smoking, these kids who were not even out of grade school seemed to be dying for a cigarette. I was also surprised my freshman year of High School by the number of kids who drank before school or even during class. These are quite confusing situations because, though kids seem to use drinking and smoking as rites of passage, can we really believe that a ten year old who smokes views himself as an adult? Moreover, I believe that kids would not do this if they had more positive role models. Right now most kids look up to famous people (rappers, rock stars, actors, athletes) who do not prove to be the best role models. With more and more of these people getting in trouble with addictions and the law, todays youth need to be able to find positive role models somewhere in their lives. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Students made significant observations: In modern society, living in the wilderness on your own to prove maturity is a bit archaic. It would be in our communitys best interest to find a simple but challenging rite of passage for its ever growing and ever more confused population of adolescents. Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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It is not necessary to go through torturing things to prove our maturity! Maturity lies in our actions, feelings, and knowledge. If we have the knowledge, we can complete anything. Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Many Americans are beginning to recognize the value of ritual ceremonies in marking the transition into adulthood. Some ethnic groups are reviving or reinventing traditional coming of age rituals. Recognizing the difficulties their children face in a society where racism is still a powerful force, a group of Philadelphia African Americans has created a new rite of passage for their teenagers. This rite uses African-inspired ritual to acknowledge the teens African heritage, and weekend retreats are used to build their self-confidence. Brad Kearn, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas Self rite of passage is just as good as any other, as long as I know I deserve to be an adult nothing else matters. Stephanie Eastwood, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Julia came up with an idea worthy of Milton Bradley: Right now teenagers are out in the working world blindfolded and with both of their hands tied behind their backs, literally speaking. They dont have near enough experience and education to put them at head to head competition with the rest of the working society. The question that needs to be answered is what sort of passage or ceremony should take place for teenagers that will test their abilities for real life? Teenagers live in a bubble, protected from the outside world. Their parents [provide] teenagers food, clothes, housing, medication, security, etc. The solution I came up with is rather simple. Make the passage from teento the real world like aboard game[Teens] would pick their own occupation [or] draw cards for their fate. Isnt that what real life is like? A game of unknowns, of uncertainties, and no definite promises? Situations can be also be drawn from a deck of cards. Situations may include: having children, paying medical bills, deaths, and

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mortgages. Thats exactly what life isNever knowing what will come up next and having the pressures of the little annoyances wear you down. Julia M. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Jamie suggested a camp: These days, a way I believe the youth could prove their readiness is by participating in a camp. They would be assigned certain tasks and would have to pay bills and [show management abilities.] Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Numerous ideas were offered: A rite of passage could be something as [small] as sitting at the adult table at the extended-family Thanksgiving. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Students have also considered the acquisition of a job as a way to cross into the world of adulthood. Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Success is a rite of passage, but that rite of passage shouldnt be judged on how much money a person makes. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Graduation The most recognized rite of passage in American culture is High School graduation. It is sometimes a very emotional experience for teens because it signifies the end of childhood school years and the beginning of independence and adult responsibilities. The graduates are dressed in traditional robes and individually recognized during a structured ceremony. Elders give speeches congratulating the students and welcoming them into adulthood. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois In the U.S. [High School graduation] is considered a time of adulthood in a young persons life. But, I dont feel like an adult just because this is what society calls a

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graduateGraduation is only the beginning of what being an adult really entails. Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Several students picked up on religious rites: The American Indians had their vision quest where the youth was sent off into the wilderness without any food or water. They were left alone until they found a spiritual guardian that would lead the path into true adulthood. In the Jewish religion there is the Bar Mitzvah and the Bat Mitzvah. These are ceremonies that mark the passage of a young person into adulthood after a period of religious instruction. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois I have heard many teenagers say that after they graduate they become adults, just as if they were Jewish and went through the Bar Mitzvahs. Stephanie Eastwood, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma When Mexican girls turn fifteen, they have a Quincenera. This is a way for them to know that their community recognizes them as an adult. Maybe we should start an American tradition similar to the Mexican or Jewish traditions. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Kara, below offered her own personal observations: As a Catholic, I had to get up early every Saturday and go to CCD, better known as Religious Education or Sunday School. I went to these education classes for eight years and finally when I turned thirteen, I made my Confirmation. Confirmation is probably one of the most important ceremonies of the Catholic religion. You gain a fourth name, you have a big party, and you receive gifts and money. But what do you really learn? Personally, I didnt learn much from my eight years of getting up early on Saturdays. I may be considered an adult in my religion, but lets face it, maturity does not revolve around religion and religion only. All religions have some sort of celebration for children becoming adults, but does that mean

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that these so-called adults can take on the responsibilities of a true, mature adult? Kara Orlando, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Students dismissed ceremonies, religious or secular, for a variety of reasons: Initiation into society, like coming out parties and other events are too conventional for modern times. These customs are no longer neededPeople [should invent] their own initiation into society that reflects the changing times. Anna Tooman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Even a five year old could be put through a ceremony without grasping anything that is expected of them. Not a ceremony in this world can magically teach people how to conduct themselves. I can only think of one good reason to institute a rite of passage ceremony. While it will not really help a person in life, some people feel a sense of completion if they hold a ceremony to confirm what they already know. But I still feel that it is a trivial matter and the true test and proof of a person is how a person is raised and conducts his or herself in society. Initiating a rite of passage would be a complete waste of time and energy. Instead of wasting it, we should use this time making an effort to make the way a child is raised into that childs rite of passage. This would be much more effective than a simple predetermined ceremony. J.D. Bostic, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Janelle advocates testing: To ensure that a teen is truly ready they should have to pass a series of tests. These tests should be aimed at responsibility, moral goals, and maturity. If the teenager passes with flying colors, then and only then, should a teenager be officially called an adult. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Stephanie sees an analogy: The Department of Motor Vehicles doesnt want anyone on the road that cant drive, so they make people take tests. Our

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government doesnt want children smoking, drinking, or voting. We should at least give our youth a chance to pass a test to become an adult. Stephanie Eastwood, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Driving, for some, involves assuming certain adult responsibilities Because transportation is very expensive, many teenagers are expected to make payments on cars, pay for insurance, and buy their own gas. They are also expected to realize that they have to drive safely. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama The Driver Education instructor acts as the initiator who prepares the adolescent for real-life behind-the-wheel situations. The adolescent spends a significant amount of time learning the rules of the road and studying for the final test that must be passed in order to acquire a license. Lori Kirsch, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois Driving an automobile may be a big part of life, but is it a rite of passage? The whole car-freedom attitude is ingrained into youths minds at a very early age, and applying for a license is a transition point. Still its not an adequate rite of passage In kids minds, driving a car is a privilege of a sixteen-year-old; however, these teens dont necessarily take on all of the responsibilities that come along with it. Parents take care of them, paying for insurance, making car payments, and basically [assuming] most of the cost. [Some] kids take advantage and recklessly drive and speed, not caring what their consequences might be. Trisha Miller, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa But its not that easy: [A] test for the rite of passage would be very hard to think of. The test shouldnt be based on beauty because that would quite obviously discriminate against a large number of people. Society already places too much emphasis on beauty. People

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dont need to be thin to be pretty. The rite of passage could possibly be a test of brains, because in order to get anywhere in todays society, Americans must be capable Nikki Hazen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Stephanie isnt so particular: Our country needs to establish some right of passage, whether it is a test or a ceremony; teenagers need it. Stephanie Eastwood, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma How about lifestyle classes instead? Instead of giving [us] a rite of passage to complete before being considered an adult, parents and educators should teach better life skills when we are younger. Job requirements, public speaking, personal responsibility, and morals could be taught in schools and set as examples by parents. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois There needs to be a lifestyle class that all seniors in High School are required to take. This class would help teenagers to realize the responsibility that they would have as an adult. It would teach the seniors financial skills, independent living, how to find a job or a profession that interests them and time management. This class would be required by the state school board and they would have to pass the class in order to graduate. This class would be a rite of passage to develop mature adults ready to experience the real world. This course is just one suggestion for a rite of passage. It may not work for all students, since every student learns differently. This would be a good way to start learning about the responsibilities of being an adult. The students would not learn everything from this course either. Responsibility is taught through experiences, but this class could help students realize the responsibility they will have. It would also relieve the feelings of intimidation by familiarizing them with the events they will face. Rites of passages use to be considered taking your son with you when going hunting for food or teaching you daughter how to sew and cook. Kara Hopkins, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

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The world of work: America already has an underlying rite of passage. Graduation from college and getting a start in the world is a great rite of passage. Josh Nielsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Right now, I think we kids have a relatively easy rite of passage that is often overlooked by most adults. We have had the passage from students to working adults in place since the beginning of time. Kids are prepared for this passage through cooperative education programs and college. For those who do not plan on going to college, most schools have excellent cooperative education programs which teach the kids job skills and place them in a job that they can continue upon graduation from High School. This teaches kids to work alongside adults, as well as giving them a glimpse of future job opportunities. For kids who desire more than a High School education, I believe that they have an excellent rite of passage laid before them in the trials they go through to move on to college. I think that High School is no more than a proving ground for students, a place where they show their potential for learning and where they find out what areas they excel at so that they can better choose a course of college study and, eventually, a profession. High School serves as an excellent rite of passage for collegebound students. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Chris has second thoughts: However, these rites of passage do seem mediocre when compared to the hardships that kids once had to endure. Moreover, they just do not seem adequate at proving that one is ready to be called an adult. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Shawn and Anna hit on a problem: no one interprets rite of passage in the same way: There are several key times in an adolescents life where more responsibility is taken on. For example, at sixteen the drivers

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license is gained, and at the age of eighteen the rite to vote is gained. These times are major milestones, but they are not acknowledged by all as signs of adulthood. The age of twentyone is the generally accepted age of the beginning of adulthood. However, not every one agrees on this age either. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Exactly what does the term rite of passage mean? What would you have to do to go through one? Would you have to complete some kind of courseto become an adult? One [must] definerite of passagefor it to make a difference in the lives of Americas youth. A rite of passage cannot change you into an adult or make you grow up and be responsible for your actions.Although teenagers come from different backgrounds they all will have choices that they will have to make to decide their future, which going through a rite of passage is not capable of doing. Anna Tooman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Appreciation was shown for our nations diversity: I dont believe there should be any type of rite of passage in America, because of all of the conflicting cultures and religions. People need to learn responsibility on their own, not from a course you could take in school. Being an adult is not like being licensed to drive or old enough to drink. Kara Orlando, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Our country is called a melting pot, but this is a blurring of the truth. Our country is more of a stew than a melting pot; in a melting pot everything is evenly incorporated; in a stew all of the ingredients are there, but they are still separate. True they lend some flavor to each other, but they are still separate. This is my point: there is no way that all of the different groups in this country could settle on [one uniform rite of passage]. In this country where we slay each other in the streets due to our color, our religion, and our ethnic background it is not conceivablethat we could share a universal rite of passage. How is this diverse society going to choose a test for all of it s young to determine whether or not they are adults, when we

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cannot even create a universal language for everybody to speak? Christian Overgaard, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa People need to appreciate the diversity and change that each new generation brings to the world. The United States was built on the belief that every individual has a right to determine his or her own destiny. There is no formula that can be used to grow people. Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois The way we react to our decisions and mistakes is what helps us grow and mature. Things do not always go the way we plan them, but our reaction to those situations is the most important thing. Some cannot handle it when things do not go right. They turn to drugs, alcohol, and even suicide. Others show the maturity to handle things and take responsibility for their actions. There is a third group of people who will just blow it off and let someone else clean up their mess. This is why it would be impossible to initiate a rite of passage for everyone to follow. There are too many different people out there. Some people do share the same values, but their reactions to situations would still be very differentA society could help a personreact in a correct way. This worked in primitive times because children did not know any better and they just followed what their [elders] said. They were not exposed to other [ideas] because they were not allowed. They were never really given a chance to think for themselves. Becoming a true adult is a process. A long and hard process filled with decisions and different situations. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois What makes each persons right of passage different is that all people are different. They reach different stages in their life at a separate point and time and so each persons bridge to become an adult requires a different step. For instance, a link between childhood and adulthood for some people might be by going into the Army. For that type of person, the Army is a link that

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helps them move to be an adult. Other things, like getting a job or dating, might be a type of challenge that helps children develop into adults Lucas J. Koster, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa A great deal of discussion centered on the term adult: What does the word adult mean? Where does it begin and where does it end? Even if weput a real definition on maturity or adulthood, is it really defined? No one person has the right answer! Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Maybe the rite of passage should not pertain to just youth but to the families as a whole socially, mentally and emotionallyteenagers are not alone; adults are childish as well. So, programs should [include] everyone. Sarah Gerencher, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Others agree: I dont see how some sort of right of passage is needed to tell adults apart from kids when some adults cant even act like adults! Steve Bernhard, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois In my community the so called adults sometimes drink, do drugs, and a lot of things that should not be done after you reach maturity. Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Some adults think that when they reach a certain age they [should] have power [and] respect, and if they do not get it then they begin to argue with the youth. All they do is bring themselves down to the childs level and sometimes even lower. Who is the child in this situation? This is true of a few teachers I have encountered at this school. They think they are the all-mighty adults and they do not have to listen to you. Their word is final. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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We need a rite of passage in America because the title of adult, which has been placed upon so many, doesnt always ring true. When I hear the word adult, I think of someone who is responsible, mature, and stable in life. I dont picture fortyyear-old men or women living off the system and spending all their time at the bars. I dont consider an adult to be someone who abuses his family and himself because something didnt go the way he planned. Where is the maturity and responsibility in that? This is why I disagree with society when it says someone is an adult just because they have reached a certain age. Cami Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma I am not saying that some adults do not deserve respect. Some of them dont even get it, [and] these adults are the ones that could change your attitude and life. They were once young and they had their rite of passage and can somewhat understand what your situation is. These adults would allow you to explain yourself and they would really listen to what you have to say. They cant solve [everything], but they can give you some guidance. Adults like these are not hard to find, but they are sometimes not trusted by the youth if the youth already had a bad experience with another adult. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois In todays world Im not so sure teenagers even understand what being an adult is all about. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Adrienne and Jani have their own definitions: Being an adult is not only about being able to do things that children cannot. Being an adult is about being capable, taking care of difficult situations, making sacrifices, and making wise decisions. Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma As for me, when I feel I am equipped to face lifes decisions head on and come out a winner in the end, that is [my] real

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definition of adult. Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Adult readers might take a suggestion from Steve: I know that I am not an adult yet and I do not want to be considered an adult yet. I am sure being an adult has its upsides, but so does [being] a teenager. I mean if you are a teenager, then be one. Eventually you will become an adult and will stay one for the rest of your life. A persons teen years are a very important time of learning and growth. This should not be rushed. Steve Bernhard, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Theres no Quick Fix A single rite of passage would not assure long-term productivity, and adult responsibilities cannot be conquered in an instant. Acceptance into the adult world is a gradual process. Christopher Salnoske, Kecoughtan High, Hampton, Virginia No single act or event can make the difference between an adolescent and a mature, responsible adult. Adulthood cannot be achieved by jumping over a stick three times, going out into the wild alone, or passing a test of courage or intelligence. Being an adult is more than just being brave, or just being able to survive alone. It takes an understanding of individual and compound responsibility. Even if our local communities did initiate a rite of passage, who is to say that the youth of today would even care? Many of them would go through the rite of passage and finish. Communities would call them an adult but they would still act like the irresponsible, foolish adolescents they had been before, even though they would have completed the rite of passage that had been initiated by their community. I do not think a rite of passage would help our youth transition into adults. Anna Tooman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma [Life] is the only true test of how well a person will [fare] in the real world. This test is the real world itself. Science has

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taught us that through evolution, Darwinism and natural selection, that only the fittest should survive, and that is the way the world works. Those of us who survive will succeed and do what we want with our lives, have a wife, children, in short a family. Rites of passage are not needed because there is no logical way to institute them, but most importantly they are already in use. There is no quick way to see if a person is fit to go out into the world, the only true way is to let them out and let it be survival of the fittest. Christian Overgaard, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa The death of a loved one can make a teenager grow up so much quicker than some of his or her peers, especially the ones that have never experienced such a tragedy in their young adolescent lives. It would affect their choices on whether they handle things like an adult or child. A rite of passage would not affect the way you would handle losing someone you loved. It would not magically be easier when you become an adult, than if you had never gone through the rite of passage in the first place. Anna Tooman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Insightful It is through rites of passage ceremonies and traditions that people have long been able to overcome their differences and join together in a common dignity of humanity. The term rite of passage describes any ritual or rite that marks a change in an individuals social position. Rituals are unique for every culture, but the spirit of these ceremonies of recognition and honoring are the same throughout the world. One significant change is the change into adulthood, where children become an active participant in society. American rites of passage differ extremely with other countries in their effects and purposes. In most societies the ceremonies marking the rite of passage into adulthood is a meaningful and symbolic tradition. Here in America, life is based on individual achievement and is less dependent on communal cooperation. While some pseudo rites of passage do exist, such as receiving a drivers license, going to prom, graduation from High School, and graduation

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from college, these rites are not necessarily required for participation in society. Instead, individual achievement is the key to mainstream social life. Amy Anderson, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas
The Harry Singer Foundation proudly admits that its Another Way project, and the community database, described in part on pages 209 and 210, were influenced by more than ten years of exposure to the ideas of students similar to the ideas that follow: Teens crave a program that will enable them to participate in their communities. Adolescents really do want to make something out of their lives; all they need is something to give them a nudge in the right direction. This is why rites of passage programs are so important. Areas all over the country need to start putting together programs that will allow teens to make the transition into adulthood a good one. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois The Foundation envisions any rites of passage programs as a passage into the social fabric of the community rather than into adulthood. In my opinion, all kids need to work side by side with adults so that they learn to behave and operate on an adult level. It is one thing for kids to learn from adults in a cooperative education type setting, but it is quite another to have adults working with kids and maybe even partially relying on kids to help them get their work done. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

The youth in America need a challengethey also need to see for themselves that they are capable of being important, respected, and productive adults. A rite of passage may be what is needed to accomplish a healthy and productive transition into adulthood. Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Again; our Another Way proposal advocates incorporation into the community, not transitions into adulthood. With

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that caveat, Another Way definitely satisfies the ideas expressed below. Most adolescents do want to have adults care about them and their actions. Now that adults know this, they need to get communities around the country to take a step in trying to improve the lives of our adolescents. Communities need to utilize present programs and devise new ones to help teens develop into worthwhile community members. Some of these activities include volunteering at local hospitals and community centers and visiting with senior citizens. Teens who participate in these sort of programs learn how essential they are to their whole community. These activities allow adolescents to experience an event that demonstrates the bridge they are crossingthe bridge into adulthood. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Schools can offer acommunity service program that involves students directly with their community. [This] would provide an excellent chance for youth to [be] recognizedstudents could, for example, talk to the residents of the nursing home. The elderly would observe how mature the adolescents were and would consider them able enough to be adults. At the hospital the participants could spend time playing games and talking to sick children [and be seen] as positive role models. Such activities would certainly prove to the adults of the area that the students are more than ready to enter the real world. If every student participated, the community could see a drastic change in the lifestyle of its residents. This would not only make the adults proud of the youth, but it would make the youth proud of themselves. Letting the students lend a hand to help the needs of the community would better the lives of all who live in the area. The people in the community would recognize their efforts and reward them kindly. Even without such recognition students who took part in the activity would carry the experience with them forever. An experience like that cannot be taught in the classroom. Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Its time for everyone in the communities to take a stand for our young adults and get everyone to notice all they put into our neighborhoods. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma A rite of passage based around community service could have a profound effect on todays youth. Children could gain attention in adults eyes by doing something that would benefit the community instead of destroying it. Programs such as Hearts and Hammers and Habitat for Humanity are giant steps in the right direction. These programs in which volunteers help erect houses for lower income families would be a great experience for youth. It builds teamwork skills, teaches job skills, gives the youth a feeling of self worth, and most of all, it is fun. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois We agree with Brittany, below, only we do not want to see these activities mandated: Adolescents would become more responsible adults if they had to complete a rite of passage; if [they had to do] something that would make the people they respect; the elders, respect them. Brittany Toll, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas We think Chris has it exactly right: Having more instances where adults work alongside and rely heavily upon kids is my idea on how to develop a rite of passage that will sculpt Americas youth into responsible adults. It is our society as a wholes job to create a new rite of passage that not only proves that young people are ready to become adults, but also proves that they can work alongside adults toward a common goalthe betterment of our world. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Apparently, the longing for an omnipotent Shaman who will keep us safe, even from ourselves, is as strong today as it was thousands of years ago:

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Growing up, I had a best friend I shared many secrets with. As we got older and into High School, she met a guy she eventually fell in love with. They had a great relationship, but she was abandoning her youth for him. Classmates and teachers noticed she was not as social and outgoing as she used to be. She constantly talked of marriage and how wonderful it would be. The two married and now, after one year, are divorcing. She gave up her fun, adolescent years for a bad marriage. If only our society would have stepped in and said, Youre too young to wed. Youre not yet an adult. Jamie, White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma But students (including Jamie, above) know better: The government shouldnt be a social thing, it should be a backbone so that social events and such are able to take place. The government wasnt meant to control us with decision making. Adam Southerland, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Culture is man-made, and constantly changing [but] one person is not responsible for the entire culture of society and no one has the ability to make culture conform to his or her own needs. A government cannot make up laws of human conduct any more than it can make up laws of science. A government that tries to control human behavior is playing God. Ezekiel Johnson, McLeansboro High, Mcleansboro, Illinois Ezekiel goes on to issue a warning, which the Foundation echoes: The concept of creating new community rites of passage to control youths behavior goes beyond the essential function of government. Legislated rites of passage would allow the elders of society to compel youths to conform to the ethical goals of those in power. On the surface this may sound like a positive notion, but it is only positive if everyone shares the values of those in control. The fallacy in this plan is that not all families share the same beliefs. The boundaries of belief systems are usually difficult to define. Social boundaries, unlike physical boundaries are not discernible lines. They are decisions and

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rules constructed for some social purpose. Decisions as to who can belong to certain clubs and who can participate in gifted programs create social boundaries. Community beliefs can be constructed with a social purpose in mind; for instance, they may determine who is in and who is out in a community. The sociology of rituals places some in power and many in servitude. The social relevance of mandated rites of passage lies in their use to justify or oppose the arrangement of power and positions in order to satisfy the government. Social groups in any given society use rituals for their own ends and purposes. Rituals have been, and still are used as an effective way of coercing people to conform to values and ways of life that they have not chosen for themselves. Whenever one group decides what is and what is not desirable for another to know, or whenever a we-they condition exists, society becomes vulnerable to totalitarianism . Communities are governmental organizations consisting of ordinary people. These people have needs, wants, desires, homes, families, loves, hates, quarrels and vices. The government must set certain requirements for youths to meet, which will provide for the safety and preservation of the rights of the whole community. Initiating rites of passage for youths which go beyond setting standards for safety and governmental procedures and dictate what are acceptable religious, cultural, political or social practices, in order to become favored members of a community is a dangerous experiment. Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois However, communities are more than governmental organizations and because something that is needed and worthwhile is also dangerous is no reason to abandon it. We believe ensuring that community programs are voluntary, and not mandated, removes the danger that we applaud Ezekiel for pointing out so eloquently.

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Chapter Seven
Maybe Kids Need To Supplement Family With Mentors From The Community?
What Is Mentoring?
Although parents certainly play an important role in a childs success at work or school, a mentor is usually someone outside of the family; an experienced adult or teen that befriends and guides a child through some process. A mentor is a combination of having a guide, a coach, a counselor, a teacher, and a friend who believes in the childs abilities and wants to help the child succeed. So many children in our community simply need someone to help them with their homework after school when their parents are still at work. Other children need someone to take them out for a coke to keep them out of trouble. Lauren Heit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Mentoring is when adults take time out of their schedule to help someone having problems by talking to them, hanging out with them and basically being a friend. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

Why Mentoring?
If a child has someone to watch and learn from who is able to accomplish goals, it will rub off on the observing child. This makes the child more likely to set his or her own goals for life. Sarah Haire, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois These young people who have been mentored by positive role models will go on to make good decisions in life and will be better equipped to pass these skills on to their own children. They will also become mentors themselves, helping other

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young people to make good decisions. This will start a pattern that passes on good decision making from adult role models to both their children and the other young people that they have mentored over the years. Mark Olsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Volunteering time with children is always a great way to improve the community. The younger generation relies on teachings from the older generation. Jonathan Alter of Newsweek writes, The experts all agree: any effort to help the next generationespecially children at riskmust include mentoring. Mentoring children guides them and gives them the direction they desperately need. Holly Flippo, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas It would mean a lot to a young person to have an older individual, who is not a relative, to discuss things with. It is also more likely that a teen would listen to someone who is with them, not out of obligation but, [voluntarily. Teens might] even take their advice more willingly. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee By mentoring a child, an adult could save a child from drugs and violence. Mentoring gives so many children the chance they never got at home. Groal writes, one study by Public/Private Ventures shows that children who are mentored are less than half as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, while another by the Harvard Business School shows that corporate volunteers can boast employees productivity and morale. So mentoring makes a difference in the child as well as the adult. Jamie McCarval, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas The goody-goody twenties? Dream on! Teens still do need adults in their lives. In the 1920s teens never had to worry about not having a parent. Teens never got involved in all the gang, drugs, sex, and violence in 1920s as they do in 1990s because they had restrictions that teens these days dont have. Maybe our society should change. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

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There are those of us who do need mentoringsomebody to look up to or someone who [we] want to be likea role model. It may beparents or a famous figure. Maybe you do not want to be exactly like your mentors, but [just want to] instill some of their best qualities into yourself. Blake Anderson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois To make things easier for children to become adults, they need to have good role models. All children need some type of connection to an adult, whether it is their parents, a close relative, or a teacher. The adult/child relationship is the main ingredient to building a bridge between the two worlds. When children have close adult friends they try to become more like the adult rather than stay in the adolescent stage. The only problem is that today, adults have pushed themselves away from children [and]More time needs to be spent fixing this gap. Lucas J. Koster, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa It is also necessary that we start mentoring programs for all children who need attention, but can't get it in the home. By doing this we can start eliminating social problems and hopefully save some lives. It is entirely possible by giving children the proper attention that we could cultivate more of them into people who are successful in society. Travis TerWee, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Mentoring programs are very helpful to children, especially if the children have gone through a divorce. Children need guidance from adults and this is a perfect way to do it. Through these programs, children and teens alike are be to bond with adults. Both the child and the adult learn to respect each other. The child is able to develop a positive outlook for adults by the actions of their role model. Amanda Price, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Mentoring is a very good idea for some kids to learn about different things from other people they look up to, some things that they do not learn at home. Amy Faith, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois The kids today are going to be the leaders of the future. Do we want confused and troubled adults making decisions and running the country? If adults help sculpt adolescents now, then they will not have to worry about them later. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Ashley says it all: In this world today, many people seem to be attacking life by themselves. No one can truly be successful at life without the help and guidance from others. Wouldnt it be reassuring as a teenager, growing up in a somewhat confusing world, to know that you have an older and wiser person to help you along the way? Ashley Clough, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Besides, it works! A lot of times I want talk to an adult that I trust, about the things I am stressed about. They have been there and have given some good advice. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois When I was growing up, my dance teacher, Mrs. Corcoran, served as a mentor to me. She taught me so much more than just dance. She was a beautiful image of reality and positive influence on me. Mrs. Corcoran always said to never say I cant, because there was nothing that I couldnt do. She told me to always smile because when you look at things with a smile, they dont seem that bad anymore. These things and so much more that she taught me, helped me to become the person that I am today. I will always admire her. When I find myself in need of motivation I just imagine her here watching and waiting with a smile for me to achieve my goalhaving a mentor [would] be an escape from [a] poor environment at home. Setting goals and trying to stick to them is the key to becoming a

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successful person. Mentors could help to move the child into setting these goals and them help them carry them outmandatory mentoring system, [might be]the ideal rite of passage. Sarah Haire, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Still unconvinced? Take it from Nigel: Probably the most important thing that we can do for our communities is mentoring. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Who Are The Mentors?

A mentor is a wise and trusted advisor. Who can be a mentor? Almost anyone: retirees, housewives, businessmen, career womenanyone who has experience at life. Ashley Clough, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Kids today need guidance, an essential element in order to survive. Someone capable of providing that guidance can be anyone who will listen. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Perhaps the best thing about mentoring is the only requirement is [caring]. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee The community at large The Big Question: How do we change the world? It starts on an individual basis. The world is made up of societies that are each made up of communities and communities are made of individual people. Each individual must assume certain responsibilities in order to improve the quality of life in his or her community. Each person must be a responsible worker, a responsible family member, and a responsible member of society. Becki Nichols, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Children need some form of interaction between themselves and the community. [Children] learn in a social environment;

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they gain values, ethics, and insight into their own personality and future. The addition of a mentoring program to our schools is the key step needed. Mentoring builds on the childs reading and writing skills while teaching new abilities in the work place. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Teamwork Personal heroics are something that is greatly admired in this country. Everyone loves a hero. Whether it be the quarterback that throws the winning touchdown pass, or the firefighter that rescues the trapped baby, these people are all admired as champions of our society. What we in America tend to forget is that all of this could not have happened without a team. The quarterback could never have made the throw without a line to block for him or a receiver to catch the ball. The firefighter could never have made it to the baby without the support of his teammates. What comprises a team effort? Well, a team effort is a collection of individual efforts combined towards one goal. Each person shares the responsibility of making sure the team reaches its goal. Not every one can be the star quarterback, or the best on the team, but each must do his part to make sure the team ultimately succeeds and reaches its final goals. This is how I think we should manage our communities. If we want to improve our quality of life, it would take a group effort with each person taking the responsibility. Its hard for one person to change the world, but with organization and participation a community can make its voice heard. Zach Tinkle, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee When a lot of people donate a few hours it becomes a whole lot of hours and things start to get done. David Weber, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio The quality of life can be improved when the adults of a community get involved with the younger generations. When adults show interest in teenagers, or are willing to help out with teaching a choir at church, or come to a classroom and share their knowledge of the real world, it makes teenagers feel

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wanted and needed. When a person feels wanted, they try to show you their best, and they care about how what they do today might affect their lives tomorrow. In schools there are many teachers that welcome visitors who have a career in the field in which their class is taught. Often there is a need for someone to judge teams of individuals that are planning to compete in school group competitions. These individuals have gotten up earlier than normal to be at school early, or stayed late after school to prepare for their competition and need someone older and wiser to tell them those special touches that are needed to catch the judges eye. If people know any teachersthey should ask them if there is anything that they could help their students with. [This] shows [members of] the younger generation that someone besides their parents really does care about their well-being and growth as individuals. Emily Kaye Farmer, Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee Communities should be a place where people know one another, grow up together and help one another in times of need. Neighborhoods should be like big families; granted not everyone gets along, but sometimes people need the reassurance that there are others who care about them. Each neighborhood that comes together and tries to improve itself allows other neighborhoods to see that they can do the same thing. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio The saying, It takes a village to raise a child, is not that far from the truth. Everyone in a society should invest in the youth of today by either becoming directly or indirectly involved. They can first be involved by spending time with youth that are closest to them. They can also help by volunteering with clubs or organizations or even just by giving donations to programs for youth. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio The oldest generation

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Although many times younger and older generations think that they do not have a lot in common, it is surprising to realize that there really are similarities that they share. In fact, most of the grandparents are just like grown up kids. They have been there and done that, and now they can help others get through those difficult decisions in life. Amber Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio The world is a little different in this advanced society that we live in today. That does not mean the older generation does not know what problems young adults face. They have gone through situations that we have not even thought about yet and know how to get through it. These experiences need to be shared for the benefit of the younger generation. It is the responsibility of the older generation to stop the younger generation from making the same mistakes. In order to reach the younger generation the older generation must go where the younger kids go. Elders can volunteer at youth-based facilities to get closer to the kids. A good place for interaction like this is a local community center. The seniors can go there and just help kids with things like homework or problems the kids may have. They can share their time and experience with the kids while helping them learn what not to do or vice versa. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois By older people taking on the responsibility of teaching the younger generations morals and ethics, the generation being mentored is less likely to use drugs or alcohol and their productivity levels are more likely to rise. Cara McCutheon, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas Whatever you give out comes back to you! In addition, the best thing senior citizens can do is mentor. My friend first worked at a nursing home, and through her experiences I have come to know it as possibly the most rewarding of jobs. [My friend was] going through a hard time in her life when an elderly woman reached out to her and truly touched her heart. By setting up programs where children can

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bond with senior citizens, the gap of loneliness can be filled for both. Not only can senior citizens help kids build self-esteem, but they can [feel more] important at the same time. Erin Frakes, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Marie adds a caveat: People do not always get wiser with age. This means that an older person may teach a younger person the wrong decision to make. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. Marie Quaresima, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois A different kind of respect: Having someone who realizes the importance of finishing High School urging a student to do his best and stay in school can have a positive effect. The different type of respect is the key here. Students respect parents and teachers because it is what [they] have been taught. Students look up to successful businesspersons because of their power and influence. A talk with a businessperson could work better than the mandatory talk currently required between the student, the principal, the guidance counselor, and the parents Since the decision is ultimately up to the student, there [are] not a lot of ways to improve a High School dropout prevention program except try everything to persuade a student to stay. Steven Hogan, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Teens as mentors: High School students should take a stand and be role models for the younger kids in our town that don't really have anyone else to look up to. We should offer them rides when they are walking, cheer for them at sporting events, help them with school work or athletic work, talk to them about things that may be going on in their life, or maybe just listen to them. We should basically just be their friend, let them know they have somebody good to look up to, and make them feel like someone cares for them. Julie Travis, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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I need to be a law-abiding citizen and influence others. If I do this and others see me and are influenced it would really help solve the problem. The key is to influence others and get the job done together, dont do it alone, two is stronger than one. Jeremy Newton, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Peer Counseling Peer counseling is another program that could be helpful to teenagers in our community. My idea is that we could have volunteers sign up to do phone counseling. Counselors would provide any student that needs to talk, a person willing to listen. I am sure that volunteers would not give the best advice, however, they could lend an ear, which is sometimes more helpful than advice. This could help teens deal with their problems and give [them] an alternative todrugs or other destructive behavior. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

I believe we could improve the atmosphere around college campuses and help the lives of young adults. I think colleges should cut some of the costs or give more benefits to students who volunteer to work in health clinics. This way college students can obtain accurate information about safe sex and how to protect themselves. They could also have a hands-on-experience trying to help people make the right decisions. I think colleges should also have anonymous hotlines for students who are having severe problems. I believe people who have gone through similar events and can relate to the person in need, do the best counseling. They can give possible solutions to the problem at hand and maybe help the person in need know there is hope.
Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

I also believe that young adults and college students can have a positive influence on teenagers. If young adults could volunteer a fraction of their time to help at an after-school program at a local High School, many problems could be eliminated. High Schoolers would have someone to talk with

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and look up to, while the young adults would feel a sense of accomplishment. It would teach both students to look past mere differences and see the person within. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

What Do Mentors Do?

It is [the mentors] jobto nurture children and to show them that we as adults care about children. Children love to talk to people. It makes a positive difference in their day if we take a few minutes to ask them about themselves or tell them a story. We want to teach children right from wrong so that someday they will be able to use their best judgment when making an important decision on their own. Lauren Heit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Suppose you are an 11-year-old boy living in Small Town, USA. Your dad is an alcoholic, and your mom works two jobs just to pay the bills and buy groceries. Your day consists of rolling out of bed just in the nick of time, getting dressed and eating a bite of breakfast (if youre lucky). You arrive at school just before the tardy bell rings. You go through the day of classes with seemingly little interest and absolutely no purpose of why you have to go to school in the first place. When the dismissal bell finally rings, you trudge home, stop-ping along the way to chat and have a cigarette with some older guys that hang out near your house. You arrive home to a dark, dingy, half-furnished apartment, and the smell of whisky is overwhelming. Your dad is lying across the bed mumbling something. You fix yourself a can of soup and sit down to an evening of television. You fall asleep without [completing] your assigned homework and are awakened at midnight by your mom who has just come in from work. Another, totally opposite, situation where a mentor would be useful and appreciated is the following: Suppose you are a 15year-old girl from Uppertown, USA. You have a decent life, with both parents living at home. They do both work, but they provide you with enough love and attention, and your basic

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needs are certainly met. Up until now you have led a fairly sheltered life. Your view of the world is what youve come to know in your nice, cozy little home. Youre in High School, and college is just down the road. Youre very much interested in sports andboys. As you ponder life in general, you begin to plan your future. What college should you attend? What, if any, career path should you choose? Having an older and wiser person to explore our curiosity about life helps us learn whats out there. I hope you realize that mentoring is very important. So I challenge youYou probably have done and witnessed many valuable lessons in your lifetime, which could be shared with [us.] Ashley Clough, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

How Do Communities Do It?

Match young people with adults that are productive members of society so that these adults can show the younger generations what adulthood is really like. The adults need to provide these young people with a realistic view of adulthood, in an environment that is educational, fun, and structured.
Adrienne Huffines, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

And for all the children without a father figure there should be a larger community outreach. Programs, such as Big Brother/Big Sister, give these children positive role models to keep them on the right path. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois We, the public, could set up a center for latchkey kids to go to after school and during the summer; somewhere that there could be activities for all ages, even teenagers. It could be run by volunteers, so that it would not cost much Older children could learn to cook, clean house and tend younger children. For the younger children, there could be games, reading time, and even naptime. This would keep the latchkey children off the

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streets and away from crime. I feel that we need to improve our children's lives to improve our communities... Jennifer Kiser, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri A Little Encouragement Time and patience have a large part in this. Kids do not always get it on the first try, and patience is something that is greatly needed when working with kids. When trying to teach kids something, it is up to the older generation to understand that kids do not have the same education as older people and may not know what everything is, even though the kids sometimes say they do. I also know time is a precious commodity and most [adults] do not want to spend their spare time with somebody elses kids. But without sacrifice none of this will ever come about and [members of] the younger generation will be the ones who suffer. The older generation have had a bunch of experiences and lived longer then the younger generation. It is the older generations responsibility to teach kids not to make the same mistakes their generation did. Also, [older people] need to guide the younger generation to learn skills that will help them in their future. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Its worth it! By setting up clubs, mentors, and extracurricular activities, we can hope to improve the lives of many children[and give them] somewhere to go after school and on weekends to stay out of trouble. They would be supervised by mentors[who] would teach them respect for teachers, elders, peers, parents, and most of all, themselves. Hopefully, when the children have families of their own, they will remember everything that was taught to them and, in turn, teach it to their childrenchildren need someone to be their role models, and if their parents arent always there, the mentors wouldhelp. The mentors could schedule days where they would meet in a certain place to discuss daily activities in their community. Then, if anything needed working on in their town, they could

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be the first group to get the job started. This would be a lot of hard workbut in the end, it is all worth it. Amanda Clites, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

Chapter Eight
Maybe Everyone Needs to Work on Developing Marriage and Parenting Skills?
Get Involved With Your Children
Teens going through the changing period from a teen to an adult need adults there to take an active part in their lives. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Involvement in their childrens lives is the best gift a parent can giveparents and children should set aside a certain amount of time once or twice a week where they can sit down and talk or play a game. It does not matter what they do as long as they are together as a family. Trisha Feely, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas My father, has been a volunteer coach for either baseball, softball, or soccer for the past nine or ten years. I will probably do the same when I am older. It gives him a chance to spend more time with his children. I dont think that enough parents take time out of their busy schedules to spend time with their kids. I realize that sometimes they [parents] are out working to feed the family and such, but other times (and all too often) parents work a lot longer [than they have to] because they want to afford expensive luxuries. I dont understand how they would [prefer luxuries to] the time they could be spending with their children.

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Heather Hair, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

Slow down-spend time with your children Parents need to spend more quality time with their kids. Kellen Bosma, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Jayne has a point: If people dont want to be with their children, I dont understand why they have them. Jayne Burrow, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

Communicate!
Parents need to take more time to sit down with their children and talk with themThey dont need to know their childrens every move; however, they do need to get to know them a little better. The world is changing faster and faster every day; consequently, teens lives today are going to be different from their parents. Parents just need to slow their hectic lives down a bit to give themselves a chance to properly communicate with their children. This could help with all the problems facing teens today. Trisha Miller, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa I believe that the best thing that a parent can do is to keep the lines of communication open. It is very important that parents talk to their kids often. Parents should let their children know that they are there for them and that the trust them. Let them know that they are supported through anything. The best thing that a parent can do; is guide and teach their children what is right and wrong. Most parents are afraid to let go of their children because sometimes they are unable to accept the fact that their children are growing up. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois If parents would just sit down with their children for even ten minutes a day and talk with them about life and all of its mysteries that could mean all the difference in the world to that child.

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Nikki Hazen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

Youth always feel they need to revolt and be dangerous, but they wont as often if a parent talks with them and treats them as adults. Craig Corderman, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Kids can be so deceiving, and parents can overlook problems that their children are having and think that everything is okay. Parents should know what their children are doing and get to know the real child they think they know so very well. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois If adults would justask [teens] how their day was, I bet it would help the teens open up more, and talk about their problems, and feel that someone actually cares about them. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa A two-way street: We as teenagers should also be aware of the responsibilities that go with becoming an adult, and we should also make sure that we keep the lines of communication open to our parents. I believe it is a two way street and that if both parties involved are willing to give an inch each way, we could probably solve a lot of problems before they get out of hand. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Teens in Americaare faced with confusion and hardship. Adults [have] certain expectationsthat some teens just cant [meet]. Tonya Rix, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa When children become more mature, they often forget that parents have lived through most of the problems that they face. The restrictions that a parent puts on a child often builds resentment although teenagers know that parents only want to keep children from making the same mistakes that they did. However, sometimes teenagers learn the best lessons when they go through problems on their own and learn to work

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through them. Parents cannot teach children all of the important lessons. There is often much resentment between parents and children, but both must realize that they can be friends too. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama The goal: When both parents and kids can talk freely about anything then they have established a great parent-kid relationship. Getting to that point is something many people hope to achieve. It basically comes from effort, trust, and love. It is a real accomplishment when both parent and kid feel comfortable and completely honest with each other. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Whats in a meal? Just finding time to be with a child is very special whether [the child] shows it or not. Patricia Hersch wrote, a teacher did a survey of twenty-eight students and found that 75 percent of them had breakfast alone or with siblings they were responsible for, only 25 percent had their mom or dad available. One fourth made dinner regularly for the family too. This wasnt about neglect, but about schedules, changes in the fabric of growing up. Jamie McCarval, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Editors note: See pages 228-230 in reference to the reading students were required to complete before writing the essays excerpted here. Even by simply sitting down at the supper table together for a meal we could improve communication in the family. By improving communication, we could get to know each other in the family better, and possible have better relationships. And maybe, just maybe, by having a better home life, we could lower the chances of lives of crime. By planting the roots of a strong moral code, by example, we may be able to improve self-esteem, cultivate independent thinking, and lower the

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chances of children resorting to violence to solve their problems. Travis TerWee, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Families should sit down and eat at least two or three meals a week together. While together, they can [discuss] the days happenings, coming events, and [much] moreIn my opinion a family is a group where there should be a lot of love, happiness, and communication. Trisha Feely, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Learn How to Respect and Trust Each Other

The key terms here are support, communication, and guidance. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Parents must cultivate healthy relationships with their children in order to understand them and make themselves understood. Conflicts may still arise because each generation is raised in a different environment with new experiences. Parents may influence a childs morals, for better or for worse, but the child will still create his or her own moral code over time. Ezekiel Johnson, McLeansboro High, Mcleansboro, Illinois Maybe parents need to start trusting their kids. They need to start them out young and talk to them about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex, and talk to them about their personal interests. I know I would appreciate it if my parents would just be a little interested in my life. It seems all they want to do is to make rules, make sure Im getting good grades, that I get fed and nothing more. They hardly talk to me about my life. Gina Clemens, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Parentsneed to listen to what the child is really telling them and not what parents want to hear. Once parents find out what their child likes, they should do their best to get involved. Most of all, parents should respect their kid as they would

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want to be respected. Families will not see any improvements in their relationships if they do not have respect between each other. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teenagers listens to their parents, butparents must instill values into their kids heads at a young age. Teach them what is right and what is wrong. Becoming the childs friend, as well as being a parent, is important. Pat Wolff, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

Never Forget the Influence You Wield

Sure, kids are going to be influenced by outside sources, but isnt it best if they start with their parents as their role models? That should be one of the parents top priorities It is hard, no one is denying that, but it is a must for healthy, happy children By letting our kids be kids and gradually teaching them responsibility, maybe the need for attention/violence will end. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois From the day a person becomes a parent, his uppermost concern [should be] how to raise a well-roundedindividual that will make good decisions in life. A parent must be a good example for his child because his actions will reflect on his child. A parent should make sure that his child has a strong inner core. A child should not have to worry about his day-today life but feel secure in his environment. In order to provide a stable environment for children, every parent needs to be responsible. Jackie Woosley, Valley Springs Highl, Valley Springs, Arkansas Parents should also obey laws no matter how insignificant they may seem. If the sign says, Do not litter, then do not throw trash on the ground. Tracy Clark, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio

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It is true that children usually turn out to act like their parents. Usually bad parents make bad kids. We always hope that that you are a good person so your children also turn out to be good human beings. George Nathan DeLeon, Joliet Central High, Joliet, Illinois As kids, we trust that the information from our parents is correct no matter what they say. If a parent tells a kid that a three looks like a four then he will believe that until he is corrected. Even whencorrected, [some] kids will still believe that a four is actually a three. No matter what anyone says, the major figures who teachare the parents. Now we have the root of the problem. Justin McNally, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois When they [children] do wrong, dont just yell at them and tell them its wrong or bad. Talk to them, and, if their behavior compares with yours when you were a kid, then share what youve experienced and the consequences you suffered. Most kids seem to learn more from examples. If you relate to your kids more, they will find it harder to rebel. They will recognize for themselves what is wrong and right. Jessica Esco, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois If parents instill morals and teach right from wrong and are there for their children, then the children should grow up to be pretty normal. Parents have to accept responsibility and always remember that what they do and dont do is going to develop their child and that every action has an outcome. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Most of all though, when kids do things on their own correctly they want to be congratulated. When they cannot do [something] they would like just enough help to get them back on track. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

But Most of All Kids Want to Be Part of a Warm and Loving Family

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Families are the backbone in a childs life. Joclyn Winter, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Being part of a family is a most rewarding and enjoyable experiencebeing close to people who work together for the same goal is a wonderful way to build character and instill values in young people today. Families should not only have meals together and discuss their problems with one another, but they can also set a good example for the neighborhood in which they live. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio I think that if a kid grows up with parents who love each other then the kid in turn will also learn to love and care for others. On the other hand if a kid lives in a family that fights day and night, then he or she will only learn to fight and hate others. Jose Ochoa, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Families should encourage their children and help them discover their interests. It is the responsibility of the parents to know what is going on and be involved in the lives of their children. Home is where children learn about morals, values, and basically what is right and wrong. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Teenagers need to be taught that the most important people in their lives are family. They are the only people in life who will always be there when needed. They are the people who know all your faults, all your weaknesses but love you anyway. One cant find too many people who would do the same. Julia M. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa I feel as if our responsibilities toward our family are very important and should not be neglected. I think it is a gift as well as a privilege to have a family that cares about you. I also think it is a big responsibility to make sure each of your family members know you care about them. Stephanie Ellison, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

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But some kids are embarrassed: In the past, families did things together and children were not embarrassed to go places or do things with their parents. The parents sought to know what their children were doing, and if it was not right or ethical they were punished for itchildren today will run wild all over their parents, and parents in turn do nothing which causes a revolt in the household. Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Having a family requires a sense of responsibility that society no longer possesses. Lindsey Jones, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
Is Lindsey correct? Many students think it is the other way around; families teach responsibility: If you never have a family life and are always doing what you want to, you will never learn to be responsible. People are better off if they have a family life growing up. It helps them learn responsibility if they have parents that dont let them do everything they want. In order for parents to help their children become responsible, they should give them choreslittle things like that help them learn responsibility. Having both parents living together helps also. A good family is a good way to learn responsibility. Bailey Rock, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota

Whenever [people do] something wrong, [they] need to take [responsibility] for [their] actions. Withmorality in the household, children will grow up to be dependable adults. Steve McDonald, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Chris agrees: If we are going to improve the quality of life in our communities today, the younger generation will need to understand that they must take personal responsibility for their actions. One way to do this is by discipline that will teach them early in life that there are consequences for their actions. By teaching them not to run away from problems but to work through them, they will develop this skill at a very early age.

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This will help the younger generations prepare for interactions in marriage, work, and all areas of life. We need to teach the younger generation to work their hardest on everything and to complete everything they attempt. Often times, if we have problems we do not try to solve them; we just throw them on another person or another department. Chris Stafford, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee A good healthy home environment is the key to a better community. Teaching children to respect people and be responsible would make the world a better place Carolina Reyes, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Whose fault is it? Adolescents, however, cannot distinguish between right and wrong, cant make decisions on their own, and are not responsible for their own actions. Its the parents fault if children do something wrong because they didnt raise them correctly. Josh Nielsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Do you agree? Actually, neither does Josh: Thats not the way it should be. Josh Nielsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Teenagers are aware that the decisions they make and the actions they perform can affect the rest of their lives. This realization brings on tremendous pressure. Knowing that parents are not going to be able to make their decisions and fix the bad things they do, is also hard. Learning how to deal with responsibility is one of the most important lessons of life. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Normal family? The majority of young people grow up in a society where there is no such thing as a normal family. Kathryn Coplin, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama I think when a child is little, having one parent at home most of the time helps.

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Bailey Rock, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota But today there are many single parent households living on severely limited resources: Too many parents are getting away without paying what they are supposed to. If they try to get out of paying child support, the police should track them down and give them the option to pay the child support or go to jail until they decide to pay. Nick Martz,Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Our community is not very good at being able to support a one-parent family. For instance if you look at the price of things you could see that it would be very difficultI honestly cant see how one parent can actually afford diapers, formula, clothes and daycare. Daycare is not an option; it is the only choice most single parents have. Some would like to stay home with their children but they have to work in order to feed and clothe them. Dana Levasseur, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota April and Jessica agree: One way we could solve this problem [both parents working] and make it possible for children to have a stay-at-home parent is to create more stay at home jobs. This way parents would be able to stay at home with their children, but still have an income. April Phifer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee If divorce is inevitable a community might arrange [for] one parent [to] assume the role of a full time homemaker and work from the home. I think we could come up with many ways that parents could stay at home with their children and still have a very good paying job. Jessica Johnson,Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Students mentioned insurance several times. Do you think the idea deserves consideration? A single parent family has it pretty hard. A few ideas that would help them are, give them some sort of insurance.

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Insurance helps a person so much. If the parents kid or kids gets hurt it is hard for them to pay a doctor bill. To give a single parent a baby-sitter would help out quite a bit. To pay for some gas and grocery bills would also help a single parent. Tony Pingrey ,Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Insurance would pay for basic needs such as medical, food, clothing, etc. Nick Martz,Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota By fiat? Thats not the way it works in this country: I believe we can arrange out communities so that single parents can assume the role of a full time homemaker if he or she desires to do so. By fiat we could lower insurance so that single one-parent families can get insurance at a reasonable price. I believe we could establish more daycares or give them a type of job at the computer from home. Andrew Anderson, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota
Families headed by unmarried parents: Maybe in some cases even marriage is not a necessity as long as the parents stay together and are in a faithful loving relationship. Katie Sakowicz, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Students find reasons for not marrying: Some people say that marriage is a wonderful thing, while others think its not really necessary. Some people seem to think that you are better just living with each other, for the fact that when you go to file out taxes you will get a bigger tax return, and youre not really doing anything illegal. Dana Levasseur, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Parenting
Parents walk a fine line between giving too little or too much: I saw on the news the other day that the average allowance for teenagers in the United States is sixty dollars a week! I was

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lucky if I ever got an allowance at all. If I did it was because I would do chores for my mom or dad. Most of these kids just have the money handed to them. And most likely these teenagers will never learn how to handle responsibility and will be at a loss when they are expected to handle situations like an adult. J.D. Bostic, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma The lack of structure in todays society also starts kids off on the wrong foot. If the children arent given set boundaries and limits when young, there will be no control over them when they get older. Many parents think that if their kids are given everything that they could want, their transition to adulthood will be [less stressful. But] many kids [resent] meaningless gifts, rather than parents attention. Cory Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa We should not give our children whatever they need, but we should teach them how to get it on their own without our help. Just as the saying goes, Give a child a fish, you will feed them for a day. Teach a child to fish, and you will feed them for a lifetime. Jennifer Kiser, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Discipline I would say that ninety-nine out of every hundred youth with attitude problems is due to the absence of discipline in the home. Myles Singleton, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois If adults really want to help their children, they need to enforce the rules all of the time and act as a prominent authority figure. Some adults feel that being lenient towards teens and younger children will earn them respect and trust. In fact, it has the exact opposite effect. When an adult allows a teen to stretch the rules, the teenager sees someone who is weak. Teens will take every opportunity they can to expose that weakness and try to take advantage of it. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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Elisabeth and Jason are grateful: I always deemed my parents as over-protective or nosy when they restricted me from going to some of the wild parties or asked who would be attending. I always wished I could stay out later because everyone else was doing it. Now that Ive heard tales of the parties I missed, and actually seen some of the things that happen, such as drunk driving and overdoses, Im glad they were over protective. Some parents just need to learn how and when to draw the line. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois My parentswhile I dont agree with everything they have done raising me, I think have done a pretty decent job. I have good morals for the most part and I am not out in the streets selling drugs or getting in trouble with the law. It is the parents responsibility to teach their children right and wrong. They should be taught at an early age the consequence of their actions and be disciplinedwhen they do wrong. Most of all parents should make sure [their] children know that [they are] really lovedThisis the key. Jason Knight, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Obstacles: Parents are held back by [a] society that threatens to incarcerate all of those who punish a child. Myles Singleton, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois We punish parents who discipline their children by spanking them, and when they do not discipline their children, we blame them for their childrens misbehavior. Jennifer Kiser, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Nice try but Today, adults try to help teenagers fight the problems of the outside world. They provide teens with alternative opportunities to the risks of some peer pressures. One such example in our area is that of the After Prom. Students parents get together and prepare the party, which lasts all night long. This program

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is designed to keep teenagers in a nonalcoholic environment and supervised at all times. I think this is a great idea that gives teens a choice to stay alcohol free; however, from what I have seen at my school, this does not prevent teens from drinking. The kids who attend events such as this one are those who would not drink anyway. After Prom has even made it easier in some ways for teens to drink. While the parents are busy supervising the After Prom, their [own] children are out on the town having an all night drinking festival. The goal of a particular [after school] program is to maintain surveillance of younger childrens activities directly following school. The kids have an opportunity to associate with other children their age outside of school. For those parents who work, it is a great relief to know that other trustworthy adults are watching their children. The problem that arises is that this after school activity is only once a week. What about the other four days of the workweek? Just because adults can solve the problem for one night does not mean that the kids will stay out of trouble. Like the After Prom, this solution is a short-term investment. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois What is wrong with the parents? First, they are entirely too young. More and more High Schools are being forced to start daycare centers. This in the past would not even be considered and should not be considered. Second, people are getting married for all the wrong reasons and then getting a divorce. The classification that all parents are to blame is not entirely true. Its not all the parents, it is just all of the negligent parents. Being a parent is just like being in a marriage; it takes love, understanding, and communication. Justin McNally, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Children need to be taken better care of and parents need to pay more attention to their children. If they would [I think] that would lower the number of gangs and gang crime. It would also lower the number of school shootings across the country. Luke Vander May, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota

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Parents Need Help If we held classes in our communities to better educate parents on how to have patience with their children, maybe that could help, one community at a time. Children and teens are getting[a lot of blame for societys] problems. Maybe it is time look deeper and understand the cause of that blame. We need to look at parents and other people that are influencing childrens decisions. Helping parents achieve success with their children is [a worthwhile goal]. Amy Faith, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Many times information exists that will have a positive impact on the child as well as the parents, but parents do not know how to go about obtaining these materials. Ashley Stegman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Some government money should definitely be used to improve parenting skills. Children who have positive role models and insight from their parents or guardians have better chances to succeed within themselves. With educated role models, kids can begin to feel good about who they are. Ultimately, these people can ready them for future challenges. Joclyn Winter, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Parenting classes could help young parents learn how to deal with new babies. More and more, young girls are giving birth. These new mothers need guidance. If older parents in the community were willing to teach these classes, it would permit the classes to be free and would make the new parents feel more welcome. This would also allow more young parents to attend. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Some students think help should begin before parenting is an option: Before a coupleweds, it should be absolutely mandatory for the couple to undergo pre-marital counseling classes. This will show them how to treat each other with respect and love. It will

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also teach them how to raise a family and how to get through the worst of problems in their future. Jamie White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma There was an incident in Sioux City, Iowa where some pastors would not marry a couple unless they went to marriage counseling. I dont know if it would work, but I think they should keep doing things like that to help couples look at possible problems before they are married. If half of the people, who have gotten a divorce, knew the pain and hurt they have put people through, they would not have rushed into the marriage. Counseling may help to make everyone look at how the other person is feeling so they will try to work things out rather than just cop out by getting a divorce. Aaron Buseman, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Teen pregnancy and abortion can be reduced by giving people more information on the subjects; they can even be reduced by women entering a support group. I really believe that if the rate of divorce, teen pregnancy, and abortion is reduced our communities will be largely improved. Tessa Tate, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Divorce was an issue raised in numerous papers. Many students advocate counseling: Communities today can reduce the rate of divorce by encouraging couples to go to counseling before getting a divorce. Tessa Tate, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee I believe before the couple can even file a petition for divorce, they should have to go through marriage counseling to make sure they cant straighten out their differences. Talking about it with a professional could actually help the couple and stop the divorce. Many people divorce before even trying to work out their problems. I want to have a solid marriage and not fall into the divorce rate of today. I want to make sure my husband has a good head on his shoulders and the same goals as [I do]; a

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caring family. That is how I would ensure my marriage to last forever. Jamie White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Juniors in Centerville, South Dakota offered a variety of solutions: The best way to decrease divorce rate is to have people wanting to get married try living together for at least a month to see what it is like. Michael Moore, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota A law should be made that couples have to be 20 years old to get married. Dustin Stevens, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota An interesting interpretation: A study performed by the University of Oklahoma shows that a no-fault relationship is the biggest cause of divorce. A nofault divorce means that neither couple will take the fault of a mistake or argument, blaming it on each other, until they begin fighting. This usually continues until neither person can take it, and then the only thing they think they can settle on is divorce. Emily Overgaard, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota In all societies, we have our strong and weak people. The weak are mostly the children. A divorce consequently scars a child; for life in some cases. Parents arent realizing how this is affecting the future of our youth. I think a lot of the violence we hear about on the news, and see in the paper about children hurting others, or school shootings, reflects back to the parents. If we could lower the [number] of broken homes, the crime rate would surely decline drastically. Jennifer Csongradi, Centerville High , Centerville, South Dakota Jamie shares a personal experience: I am a child of divorced parents and I know firsthand how it feels to witness your parents split up. My heart was broken. I was confused about my life and how it was about to take an unusual turn. I soon began to realize the reason why my parents made the decision was because of the lack of trust,

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communication and love between them Jamie White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

both.

Shawnee calls on the government for help: If the government would make it harder for people to get a divorce, or make it cost more, fewer people would do it. Shawnna Louise Cordale, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Stephanie advocates caution: Divorce is very common for todays families, I think that is a very hard thing for a child to have to cope with. Before I contribute to the broken-up marriages or to the bad parenting of today, I am going to put a lot of thought intodecisions that may affect me future. Stephanie Ellison, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Malin believes it is time to face the fact that women no longer need men to support them: Although the thought of divorce being some sort of plague or disease like AIDS is tempting, it is [actually] an exercise of our [womens] new found economic freedom. Malin Ulmer, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Andrea believes the community should rescue the parents and children in an otherwise lose-lose situation: The increase of divorce rates and one parent homes is astounding, and the acceptance of such a tragedy is startling. I shudder to think what the newer generation will face because most that experience these situations are left with emotional scars, low self-esteem, and [their own] failed relationships. The parents of these children are faced with difficult decisions every time the alarm clock rings: How am I going to make it to work on time and still get my child to school before the bell? How can I make my meeting and still fit in that baseball game I promised to see them play? How long will they be home alone? [Answers affect] their childs development. Small let downs now can leave deep scars tomorrow. Thats why communities need more facilitiesyouth centers, day-cares andparent support groups. Our communities are worth

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investing in and, by showing we care, we invest in all of our futures. These children will lead us into the new millennium, but its up to us to guide them now so that the quality of everyones futures is not jeopardized. Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

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Chapter Nine
Maybe Personal Reform Should Parallel School Reform?
Personal Responsibility
The values of society and the world around them should be instilled in children to give them a sense of responsibility. It is essential to be morally grounded and have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. This should be taught not only in the home, but in the surrounding of the educational environment at school. It is important to learn these values and understand them so that the adolescent shall progress in the future. This is because knowing how to distinguish right from wrong in serious issues such as sex, drinking and smoking will get an adolescent prepared for the real world. This is also viewed by Patricia Hersch in A Tribe Apart, when she says, Adolescents no longer live in a protected sphere. They read newspapers for current events [and] watch the news. The woes of the world belong to them too. Having morals and believing in them will help a child in understanding misconceptions about prejudices of different types of people. Jessica Williams, Kecoughtan High School, Hampton, Virginia
Editors note: See pages 228-230 in reference to the reading students were required to complete before writing the essays excerpted here.

Parents need to realize that their children are growing up in a totally different world than they did. Parents also need to quit making excuses for their kids and give them a hand [when] they are having problems. Students of my day and age may say that they dont need any guidance, but they do. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa So what should we be teaching our children, both in the home and in school? The answer: everythingvalues, morals, ethics,

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and principles. Our schools need to work together with the parents to ensure that their children are learning these values, in addition to their academic work. Education is the most vital part of a childs life; excluding parental supporttesting our childrens capabilities is the best way to learn about the skills they acquire, both in the home and in schoolWe can then begin to invest in educational programs thatbetter their education. Desiree Johnson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Parents need to teach responsibility to their kids because it is an essential part of getting older and realizing their place in the real world. Parents need to help their children set goals for themselves and also help them achieve those goals. Angelia Allen, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee If one looks at the current education system in America, he/she can see that there are several opportunities to make small changes that would greatly benefit the youth that the schools were set up to help. There needs to be far more classes that are designed to shape the adolescents into responsible and able adults. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Jymie thinks values can be taught by example: The decline in morality, respect, integrity and discipline is evident in every aspect of our lives. Kids entering schools and shooting their peers make it clear that something is not being taught. Many recent activities in my life have brought to my attention that these values are lacking in almost all of us. Last week while taking an English test, the seniors at my school, including myself, proved this theory to be true. Almost half the class skipped the test, while the rest of us, sat discussing answers and cheating. When we returned to English class the following week, much to our surprise, our teacher, Mrs. Alfred, knew what we had done. While sitting in the class listening to her lecture us on personal integrity, I realized that she was a paragon of truth and honesty. She made us realize that we

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should bring ourselves above cheating and lying, that doing the right thing, not only makes your conscience light, but it shows others how much integrity you possess. Not only did we let Mrs. Alfred, someone we love and admire, down, but we let ourselves down as well. We taught those in lower grades that it was cool to skip tests and cheat. Our actions taught others that it was okay to lie and be dishonest. Thanks to Mrs. Alfred, we realized our wrong doings, corrected them, and most importantly learned from them. I feel that if there were more teachers who cared about our moral standards, they would give students good examples to look up to. In addition they would be taught more than just the subject matter, they would be taught ethics as well. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Evan wants to give it a try: For adolescents seeking guidance into their time of maturing, school can be a positive tool. But are schools doing enough? Could schools provide an educational course, helping to improve knowledge of the hardships of life about to occur? Schools could invite more motivational speakers to describe how to avoid the problem areas that could occur. Teachers could speak to their students from a more personal standpoint. Teachers could give personal testimonies and share their own story of life, during and just after High School. They could tell how they overcame troubles during their generation. Sure, schools will not be able to help everyone, but for some kids it could be a crutch to lean on. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Alicia wants proof that giving instruction regarding morals and character is prohibited in public schools: Public schools cant teach religion, but is there anything that says they cant teach morals and good character? If we send children down the right path to begin with, wed have a lot less problems with people in the future. People have to choose how they will live their lives. But at least they could be shown the right path; then its all up to them. Alicia Pemble, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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Racism is another problem, and I think, as an individual, you need to put aside what others think and to see people for who they really are, not what color skin they have. Your own personal responsibility could be to treat everyone fairly and equally. There would be less crime and hate this way. Renee Jones, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Even after all Americans have been through, many young adults are still greatly prejudiced towards each other. Many universities are still the breeding place for racism. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Tolerance Not only in schools, but as a society, we need to learn to be tolerant of all kinds of people. If we, as parents and peers, let people see our own differences and let others know that we embrace diversity of all kinds, our communities would be much safer and happier.
Erin Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

People have to realize what they are doing and take responsibility for their actions. Jamie Ludwig, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois I think that our role as teenagers should be to watch out for one another and to try to settle disputes by calmly sitting down and talking our disagreements out with one another. Meri Brace, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Peers should take the responsibility to help work out problems between fellow students. Steven Ardary, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Out of all the things we can and need to do to help stop violence in schools is to instill better moral values, positive attitudes and modes of behavior. Kids today are looking for something to believe in and if parents, schools, and the community wont provide it, someone else will. Americans cannot afford to ignore or minimize the magnitude of violence

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in schools and its implications for the larger society. In five to ten years these young men and women will become part of the adult population. They are the people who will be expected to safeguard and enhance the civil, human, political, and economic rights of the citizens of our country. It is the future of this nation and the kind of society we want that is at stake. Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Recently, the nation watched in awe as news broke of the Columbine shootings. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a killing spree in their High School, killing twelve classmates, one teacher, and themselves. The list of injuries seemed never ending. Questions automatically arose. How could their seemingly good parents not notice them making several selfassembled bombs? Maybe putting a little extra interest into these distraught boys could have prevented this tragedy. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Where are the parents? Days before the shooting in Littleton, neighbors of the shooters noticed power tools being used in their basementEvery time I use a drill or any other power tool, one of my parents ask me what I am doing and why. Why didnt the parents ask them [the shooters] what they were doing, and why they were doing it? David Johnson, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota

School Safety
Safety at what price? It is good that there is security in schools, but it shouldnt have [to] come down to putting thousands of dollars into cameras, metal detectors, and many other security devices to protect the kids. That money [should go] towards education. Kristy Bausell, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Meri and Lindsey think teachers may hold the key to school safety: Since these school shootings have taken place, now principals, faculty members, and staff are realizing that they have to watch

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very carefully how the students are behaving and what comments they may be making. I think the teachers have realized that if they hear any kind of threat or harassing remarks from students, whether they were just joking around or whether they were actually being serious, that in order to keep everyone safe they need to take everything seriously. Meri Brace, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio The responsibility of a teacher is to not only teach the students enrolled in their class, but to also make sure that their students are in a safe learning environment. For instance, a teacher is in charge of those students when they are in their classroom. Therefore, a good idea for the teachers is to lock the door from the outside so no outside visitors can get into the classroom uninvited. Also, the teacher can control who is let out of the classroom, and for what reason. This may prevent students from bringing weapons into the classroom. Another good idea for the teacher is to make a plan in case anything goes wrong. Teachers and staff can hold meetings against school violence to make this problem known to students. They should let the students know what is going on, and ask for suggestions on how to solve the problems. A suggestion box for students is a good idea, so the students can state their opinion anonymously. Encourage good behavior. Staff monitoring is a good idea between classes. Parents or even people who are concerned can get involved and volunteer at the school. Strict school discipline may also help the fight against school violence. If possible, offer counseling programs for the students attending the school. This program can also include conflict resolution. Lindsey Sheets, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee But Jennifer doesnt agree: Simply locking out everyone except students and faculty is not going to make the students feel safe; it will just make the school feel like a jail. No matter how hard officials may try, if a person wants to get into the school, they will find a way. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama

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Still Lindsey wants something done to prevent school violence: School violence is something that can be prevented, if the right steps are taken. Talking about school safety is the first step. You shouldnt have to be worried about going to school every morning. You should feel safe and secure so you will be able to concentrate on your schoolwork. I think there are many things that can be done to assure the students at a school that they are safe. The students, teachers, and community can get involved to prevent school violence. If everyone would at least do his part, you should have a safe learning environment. Lindsey Sheets, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Students submitted numerous ideas: Schoolscan [install] metal detectors, [institute] a mesh or clear book bag policy, [hire] armed police (sounds more like a prison than a school), plainclothes guards, [have] visitorscheck in, [have] a closed campus and closed lunch, and [recruit] parentsas teachers aids. Also guidance counselors need to be available at all times. Frequent drug and weapon sweeps throughout the school and school grounds would also be helpful. Extended school hours or groups that create a youth collaborative for kids in and out of school would take away some of the boredom or lonely time. Schools may also help find employment for kids. Required conflict resolution programs should be integrated into the school curriculum Others believe that we should bring prayer back into the school, although this has been ruled illegal by a court of law at least thirty-eight times. Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Council for teens: One solution is a kind of council for teens by teens. This idea has not really been publicized, but I think it would be extremely useful. If you get a group of kids who really want to stop violence in their school, and form a type of committee to help when kids face a problem either at home or at school, you can see results. This committee could meet on certain days and discuss any conflicts they see arising. A problem caught early is

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one not having to be dealt with later. Another alternative is, a teen talk line in this situation people can call in anonymously and talk to someone about his or her problem. The line could have set hours so there would be no problem knowing when someone would be there to listen. The other party could be a teen or teacher but must be a willing listener. Jennifer Arwood, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Clubs People should always be involved in clubs; that way they dont commit any crimes or other things like school shootings. There are getting to be more and more of them. I think [kids] are just doing it for attention because they dont have any friends so they try to be cool and kill people Go meet some friends at a new clubhouse and get attention there. Preston Patterson, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Emotional Intelligence I think we should teach children in our schools at an early age how to deal with their anger and depression. This program would help children manage their frustration in positive ways, rather than turning to violence. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Gun control and anger management classes should start in the freshman year of High School and continue until the senior year. Throughout these classes, teenagers would learn to respect life and the power [and capabilities] of a gun. Amanda Chaput, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas Parents need to convey values to their kids and teach the worth of another human life. Parents need to quit giving mixed messages to their children. Kristy Lowery, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

Community Based Learning

What is community-based learning?

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Community-based learning is a teaching method that emphasizes the important connection between academics and community service; between theory and practical problem solving. Its changing the way teachers teach and students learn. A lot of people think that students should be spending more time solving problems that have some relevance to daily life. A teacher at our school has students in his sociology course provide some service to the organizations they research. The idea is to enrich classroom learning by having students interpret information through an actual event, occurring in real time. Its through these dynamic interactions with the local community that interesting and relevant questions emerge. Almost always community-based problems are bigger than a single discipline can resolve. John Hoffer, Fictional Character, p52Another Way97 book by the editor Hatred of, not at, school: One way to solve the problems of teenagers hatred of school is to relate it to every day life. When a teacher stands in front of a classroom and drones on for hours, students tend to dread even the sight of the classroom. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Learning is supposed to make a difference in your life: There is a difference between theory and talking to real people and seeing the effect of social policy as it plays out in their lives. Learning is supposed to make a difference in your life and in the world. Community-based learning is the bridge between the intellectual classroom and real life. Its not so much what you learn in textbooks, its what you do with the theories outside the classroom. Phyllis Clarry,Fictional Character, p52 Another Way97 book by the editor I believe the solution is to let teens see that what they are learning in the classroom is useful to the adult world. School systems could implant a curriculum thatinteracts with the community. If a government course is offered, then after

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learning the rules and guidelines [students] should [attend] a local government meeting, talk to representatives, and be involved in decision making. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Problem Solvers is a similar idea: Problem Solvers is a school-based club that attempts to solve problems in the community. High School kids make recommendations based on research and cooperate and coordinate with the teachers involved in community-based learning. We have a talk show on Mapletons most popular radio station. There just happens to be five schools involved in Problem Solvers so each hosts a show one day a week. Callers suggest problems and discuss possible solutions on the air with the students. Last year Problem Solvers discovered that with the money it cost to post temporary signs and to knock on doors to inform residents of an annual cleaning, street sweepers in Mapleton could put a regular schedule on permanent signs and provide monthly cleanings. One of our elementary schools wanted an all-day kindergarten but there was no room at the school and no money to pay a full-day kindergarten teacher in the budget. Problem Solvers did a lot of interviewing and discovered that working mothers had to leave work in the middle of the day to pick up children at noon and schlep them to daycare across town. They got input from all the people affected: neighbors, parents, employers and groups that care about giving kids a good start in education. Problem Solvers recommendations: (1) have volunteers remodel extra space in a retirement complex in the neighborhood for a daycare so the morning kindergartners wouldnt need to be driven across town (2) recruit the many older people in the neighborhood to assume grandparent roles (3) offer graduate students at the university nearby, hands-on experience working with the kids. Long-range plans are being worked out involving the university, the business community and the retirement complex and of course the school. Meanwhile mothers dont have to leave their jobs because their various employers rented a van and the kids are temporarily

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being chauffeured to their multiple afternoon destinations by volunteers from a local nonprofit organization. Lincoln Williams, Fictional Character, p23 Another Way97book by the editor I think that activities that would help students learn and help a community would be great. The students would like [the fact that] they are useful to their community... Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois In Mapleton, teachers wanted their students to get a feel for how social research is actually conducted and to understand that the ideas and methods they are being taught are valuable. Many English, Speech, Government, Social Science, Business, Computer and Art teachers in Mapleton rearranged their curricula. Currently in some Mapleton classes, students conduct community surveys. Other classes find out everything there is to know about nonprofit organizations, local and national. In other classes, students work with directors of local nonprofits to come up with at least 25 scheduling options and 25 volunteer job selections. These are fed to the business and computing classes for input for publication on the Internet and in local print media. Public service announcements are aired on local radio and TV stations information is displayed on posters in store windows. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p54 Another Way,97 book by editor

No real world in real life: Schools offer no classes that are related directly to the outside world.
Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Teachers need to teach children about the real worldbeyond [the classroom]. Jani Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma You can only learn so much from school that actually has to deal with real life. Schools need to offer more classes with a

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larger variety that actually have something to do with life. It is all well and good to learn all you can about algebra and grammar, but you also need to learn how to survive in the real world. Be it living in a home or on the streets any little help would be essential. Sarah Beauchamp, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Students would learn how the world operates: As career expert, Barbara Moses, stated, Children learn about how the world operates; its rules, roles, and expectations and about their emotions and sense of self through free play. Schools could require that the students complete a specified number of community service hours per semester for however many semesters the community, school, or students think is appropriate. By pushing students out into the community, the students will learn how the community works and depend on each other in order to achieve their goals. Patricia Hersch commented that, Adolescents have learned to become adults by observing, imitating and interacting with grownups around them. The community can set an example that students will want to follow. A supportive community will raise students moral and make that student want to achieve. Brittany Toll, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas
Editors note: See pages 225-227 in reference to the reading students were required to complete before writing the essays excerpted here.

Everyone learns better both with studying and with doing, particularly the MTV generation. We have a math teacher at Bloomfield High who believes learning is enhanced by teaching. He claims that after a student is exposed to a mathematical idea theyve only become acquainted with it; it is only after they have explained it to someone else that theyve really learned it. He has his students tutor elementary school youngsters. He figures that way his students are not only learning to get their tongue around math ideas, but they are learning how young children think, and why they are often puzzled by math problems. Thats one aspect of communitybased learning. There is a serious academic component to

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working within the community and benefits to the community are incidental. John Hoffer, Fictional Character, p52 Another Way,97 book by the editor The Marketplace Today and tomorrow requires teenagers to be educated on issues such as balancing a budget and applying for jobs in a competitive world. If we are going to demand the best person for the job, we need to train them for that job. They might as well start off in High School because not every senior will continue in college Kara Hopkins, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas In the end, possibly, all of my math skills and knowledge of earth science will not help me to deal with my boss and coworkers; it wont help me work in cooperation with others, and it wont help me take care of myself. A great class would be social interaction, a class that teaches polite manners, job interview etiquette, and simple things like balancing a checkbook. We would learn how to go about choosing a college, or running a business. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The schools shouldadd a course onrespect and responsibility. These types of courses would help make the business people of tomorrow more well rounded individuals. Other course ideas would be a course that lets you think and explore all different career fields and what they have to offer. The class should not include reading and studying about different kinds of jobs but actually participating in the real world. This could include having a mentor you talk with from your career interest or helping out at a site of the kind of job you might want to pursue. This would give you hands on experience, which would help you decide whether or not you like the job. Lauren Baker, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Not all fiction:

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A citizens group in Illinois divided the 1988 tax reform proposal into manageable portions which it parceled out to its members. After studying their respective portions, those ordinary citizens reported back to the group. In some strange way, it mattered to a lot of us, that at least a small group of Americans had read every word in that massive bill. The legislators and their staff admitted that they hadnt. [Fiction begins here] Now reporting on legislation is a communitybased learning project coordinated each year with the Problem Solvers. Its something the rest of the nation knows little about, but if they did they would, or should be in these young scholars debt. Phyllis Clarry, Fictional Character, p53 Another Way, 97 book by the editor Judging by the comments below, it looks like many, maybe most, students would favor community-based learning: The school environment is a huge part of a teenagers life. What goes on inside those walls will help to shape a person into who they are. That is why communities should push for more life related classesCharacter development is an example of a class like this. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Schools today need to teach students not just whats in the text books but what life is really like after graduating from high school and college. Pat Wolff, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa In order to give students a greater hunger for knowledge, they need hands-on learning that provides them with an opportunity to see and experience the world that looms before them. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teenagers also need to do things on their own; it will stick in their head better and mean more to them in the long run. When students learn something on their own, it gives them confidence. Confidence is one thing that will help everybody make it through life. Schools can help their students gain

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confidence by [helping them discover] their good qualities and not just focusing on their bad points, especially when grades come out. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa The following can become a reality: Miss Dunton, our economics teacher, used to give her students an opportunity to volunteer for six to eight weeks at a local nonprofit of their choice. She had the idea, before it was popular, that going into the community benefited her students. She maintained that early volunteer experience would remind her students later on in life that they have the ability to influence broader social change. She argued also, that the experience gave abstract economic issues a base in reality. She wanted students to see how economic issues affect the lives of real people and how the tools of economics help us understand these issues. I remember one year her students painted the living room and bedrooms of a homeless shelter, harvested vegetables for the food bank and weeded gardens for elderly and disabled residents. Phyllis Clarry, Fictional Character, p53 Another Way97 book by editor Brooke advocates action: I believe we need tochange our schools curriculum to fit the changing needs of todays world. We need to pay more attention to our children and give them what they need to be successful in the working world. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois If Kara had the power, she would be ready to deliver. You can see, below, that she has put a lot of thought into her Lifestyle Class proposal: The lifestyle class would start off by teaching students how to live on their own. Most High School students move out of their parents or guardians house after their senior yearMost teenagers grow up with their parents paying the bills, paying for insurance, buying or renting their house, and cooking food for the teenager. Most parents do not even stop to teach their

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children the process of each of these responsibilities. If they never paid any attention to what their parents do how are they going to know how to accomplish these tasks? This class would show teenagers how to cook, wash clothes, and buy a house. The financial management section of the course would explain banking and how to set up accounts along with demonstrating the process of getting a loan. Financial management would also consist of budgeting bills with your income. They would also learn how to set up checking accounts, savings accounts, and how to use credit cards wisely. This is a very important part because there are even adults today that have a hard time managing their money [and even] go bankrupt. Another part they could include in this section, but it would not be as essential as the other two topics, would be investing money. [Someone] would inform students about stocks and tactics for drawing interest. Another responsibility high school students are going to have to face after school is finding a job or a college to attend. By the time High School students are seniors they know what interests them or have an idea of something they might like to pursue. Most of the seniors do not know how to go about finding a way to pursue that career, how much education it will take, or what the income of that job would be. The overwhelming pressures intimidate other students and they put choices off until the last minute. At this time it would be perfect to experience apprenticeship or job shadowing. This class would require that you participate in apprenticeship or job shadowing. Another project you would develop in this class would be your own job resume. This resume would be professional so it could be submitted to colleges and [used for] future job interviews. This experience would help students know what is expected and give them a head start on applying for jobs or college. The fourth requirement for this class would be family living and planning. Today in high schools there are students that have children of their own or are expecting soon. This section would help prepare students for parenthood, educate them on contraceptives, and caring for children. Many times students do not realize the responsibility having children is until it is too

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late[Finally] time managementseems to be a big issue in everyones life today. This skill would come in especially helpful when the seniors start college. Kara Hopkins, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas But Inge asks you, the reader, to consider: Foremost, who is responsible for teaching children how to live on their own? Parents or guardians as well as the state government should all be held responsible for teaching childrenlife skills. An essential understanding of cooking, balancing a checkbook, and cleaning laundry is necessary in order for young adults to thrive in life. It is the duty of the parent or guardians, the state government, and the community to help provide children with an education in academics as well as life skills to better prepare students for a brighter future. Students who learn how to manage money, balance a checkbook, and undertake positive social skills will benefit in all aspects of their lives. Furthermore, what programs can parents or guardians, state governments, and communities implement to benefit children in all aspects of life? Classes such as Consumer Economics, Parenting and Relationships, and Living on My Own should be offered to High School students. Another option that will involve the entire community is to hold workshops taught by community members. This alternative option would offer children the chance to receive help from a wide variety of people. Inge Angle, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Editors note: For an example of mentored jobs which allow students of all ages to learn skills and have fun while supporting local nonprofits please turn to pages 232 and 233.

Teachers can also do their part by relating books and lessons to our lives. Classic stories span time and still carry valuable lessons for us to learn from, and sometimes this is overlooked. What good does it do us to read all of these novels and stories if we cant relate it to our lives? It would be beneficial for students to understand why they are studying something and what it has to do with them. For example, when we read the

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book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, it would be important to talk about racism and prejudice that goes on today. The reading of these books is not so important as learning from them. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Students realize teachers have a heavy schedule but still hope they can, and will do more, because more is needed: I truly believe that teachers should set up a time during their homeroom period when they can get to know their students. Teachers can then make their students more comfortable when the student needs help with something or whatever it may be. Sometimes students feel like their time is wasted in school, and maybe if teachers would get to know their students they could find a way to make the time that the students are there more enjoyable. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Suggestions
Job Shadowing In my High School, our English teacher sets up shadowing and mentoring for each student. This gives the student a chance to experience the real world. They can interact with real people, rather than to just read facts from a book. If more schools took the time to set up shadowing and mentoring for their students, the dropout rate would decrease. Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois We could prepare our students for the workplace and help them to make career choices by having more classes geared to what their profession might be. [Classes] would let [students] know if that was truly what they wanted to do. For example when I get out of High School, I plan on attending a vocational school to get a degree to be an electrician. I dont know about anybody else, but I would like to know what I will be getting into. Jared Voog, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

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My class was given a chance last year to job shadow for one day. This was a wonderful opportunity, but it was only one day. Students could possibly be allowed to job shadow once a month at different companies. There is a big world out there. A course to teach students about careers and helping them choose a college major could also be extremely helpful. Students dont know what they want to do because they dont know what is out there. Teachers and parents should be helping these students find their interests and get them in a program that they want to learn about. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Job shadowing programs can be sponsored through the schools to help students make their job decisions. This would give the students the opportunity to see first-hand what the job that they have in mind deals with. They would be able to go directly onto the job site and even speak with a person of the profession. This is important because they could ask questions about the job and find out if they think that they would be happy with it. Frankie Dale Quinn, Jr., Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee I think that we can prepare students for the work place and help them to make good career choicesby having a special class in school that will allow students to go to a workplace for a period, and receive credit in schoolit will make school easier and more fun. It will help students to get a good grasp on job [opportunities] and will help[employers] out too. [Schools should] offer a bigger variety of classes especially in smaller schools like computer classes, more electiveswhere you get to actually work for the teacher, like correcting papers or helping kids learn. Josh Mork, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Adults need to recognize our talents, and one way to interact with us is [through] programs like job shadowing. There is so much that teens do not know and job shadowing is a good experience. Teens can see what type of environment they might be working in some day and what type of people they would be

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working with. It is an opportunity to interact with the adult world and a time to show responsibility. Adults, by showing us that they care, will [help] us gain respect and knowledge. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Interns and apprenticeships I suggest that all High School students be required to take an internship of one year away from school to graduate. Again this will only help the student to gain experience. Making this a requirement will make all students experience what having a job is really like. By doing so students will be able to make more educated choices on what they want to major in and what careers they will pursue. I also see a need in the Kinsley community to keep the interns unpaid. Unpaid interns gain more working experience and get to see more than one area of a field of work. Corey Dinkel, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas For example, during a senior year, a student could have a job in the community that could count for part of his or her school day. Other ways would be to provide more job-associated classes at school. Jessica Johnson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Apprenticeship [programs] are a perfect way to prove teenagers are ready to be adults. An apprenticeship would show and teach many things to the student. Apprenticeships would help students develop a good work ethic. They would teach each student a specific skill, such as welding, electrical work, or carpentry. [Students would] be responsible for certain tasks at the businesses where they are working. Students [would get] a sense of accomplishment because they would be out in the real work-world. However, they would not be paid for their work. [They]would keep a log[and] at the end of the year, students [would] write a paper summarizing what they did at their job throughout the year and what they learned from the year of apprenticeship.

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Apprenticeship will impact the lives of all the people who are involved with the businesses at which the students are volunteering. The owner of the business will be receiving extra help for free. Having the student there would also take some of the stress off the other employees working for that business. It would help that business to get more done. Apprenticeship would also most likely help provide better customer service because of the extra help. The students will feel like they contributed to the business [and]will have some credentials that are recognized and accepted. Apprentice-ships could give students a motivational boost into the working world. Melissa Conn, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas Many schools already have these programs: Students at my school are involved in co-op education and apprenticeshipsI believe this is a wonderful opportunity. This is giving the students more time to explore the work force while still active in school. They are able to observe and be a part of the community, and still interact with their peers on a daily basis. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Mentoring Students who desire a rite of passage to feel acceptedneed to petition their school for a mentoring program that will be useful in making the awkward transition into the world of adults. From his/her personal experience, the mentor can instruct students on such subjects as how to balance a checkbook, how to balance a budget, or how to wash their own laundry. Investing in the stock market is a process that certain students may never experience without a mentor to instruct them on the basics. With this knowledge, a young student has the potential to acquire a significant amount of assets before he/she retires. The student might be given an imaginary sum of money to invest for a specific time period. This, along with other simulations, will give priceless life experience. With the guidance of a caring adult, many problem students may be given enough attention and discipline to open up talents that may have gone otherwise undetected.

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Christopher Bayer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Mentoring teaches kids a skill (such as mechanics or electronics) that may help them later in life. The grown-ups can teach them something that could spark a future career. It may be what they have learned or a new and better way to do what they learned easier. This could spark the genius of the next Bill Gates or Stephen Hawkins. If kids can get the experience of the work force early on, they can better educate themselves for the future. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois For example, in the article in Newsweek Mentoring Makes a Difference it refers to a business that allows employees to mentor children on the job for ninety minutes twice a month; this would be a good idea for any community. This mentoring would help children choose a career not only because of money, but because of interest in the career. Everyone knows that a person who enjoys his/her job is more productive than a person who hates his/her job. That is why it so important to expose children to different career choices before they have to choose one for themselves. April Phifer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Editors note: Newsweek article refers to required reading found on pages 228-229. Adults who are successful in their jobs make good mentors for kids. More mentor programs need to be established to help adults and teens work together toward the future. This will help kids in their career decisions, and just having a relationship with a responsible adult will help teens become more responsible themselves. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Kinsley High School has recently become involved in business and mentoring. A work-study program was implemented at the beginning of the year. Students can take several hours of class

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time to work for a business within the community to learn the skills required by the job. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

Allen has his own wish list: [One] way to improve [our] school is to hire teachers who teach Latin, French, and other subjects that we are missing. This could be a real problem come college time.
Allen Waugerman, Pennsylvania Hyndman High School, Hyndman,

Kristel also wants to expand the curriculum at her school: I know that we may not have the funds that school systems in larger cities do, but the community should take some responsibility and help raise money for our schools. We need more computers and technology materials so students can expand their minds and improve their test scores. Just think of all the opportunities students at Harriman High will have to improve the community and the world! Kristel Fuller, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Dustin is an advocate of smaller schools: With a smaller town, the schools have smaller student bodies. While this may be difficult at times, for the most part it is a blessing, not a curse. Student organizations have a smaller body of students to choose their representatives from, which means that the candidates selected are candidates the entire student body knows. This forms a cozy atmosphere where it is easier to trust the representatives, which in turn makes it much easier to work together. Dustin Keltner, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Technology and modern buildings may help, but good teaching, good parenting, student self-esteem and discipline are also needed. Below, Krystle agrees: There are ways to change the downward spiral schools are on. An example would be teachers, parents and government working together to bring back discipline. When parents are involved, students achieve more, regardless of status, ethnic or

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racial background, or the parents education level. Educators also hold higher expectations of students whose parents collaborate with the teacher. Children need their parents for support, especially at home. If parents expect high performance standards so will teachers. In a survey by the Education Commission of the States it was determined sixty percent believed public schools standards were too low, thirty percent were too high, and four percent were just about right. Reform is on the move. Everyone has a desire to improve public education. School reform touches on how students learn, how teachers teach, how principals administer, and how communities, states, and even the federal government provide direction and support for what happens in school. Concerns are focused on site-based management and the use of local school councils society cannot progress if parents are not involved. Krystle Bullock, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois Tricia tries to make it easier on teachers with a frequently heard plea: Another area schools could work on is reducing the student to faculty ratio. If there were more teachers, there would be more one on one time with the student. This would improve studentteacher relationships and cause a decrease in dropouts an school shootings. Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Discipline equals good grades: The athletes study hall at Kinsley High School is the closest to mandatory study time we have now. Any student athlete on the ineligibility list must come in at 7:30 a.m. every school day. If used on the entire student bodystudy and tutoring programs [could] help the students raise and maintain their grades. Steven Hogan, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Ezekiel shifts responsibility to students: Students can make school as interesting and exciting as they want. Students who choose not to focus on academics will always try to avoid work, skip class, and be disruptive. Private

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schools will not be able to correct this problem. Students who simply want to go to class and learn will not let obstacles deter them. Schools offer basic skills which help to build the foundation for future learning. Each person must learn for him or herself how to properly live in society. No school can truly fit the needs of all of its students. Students who are concerned about how to live, need to look for experience outside of the school curriculum. Ezekiel Johnson, McLeansboro High School, Mcleansboro, Illinois Jacqualyn sees merit in Ezekiels assertion: The school provides a place for children to mature and strengthen the skills that they already have. Tom Lewis, The Fishing School president, once stated about his students, No matter what they are seeking, it will only come true if they work hard and respect themselves and those around them. This is exactly the kind of morals the children need to learn at school. Jacqualyn Avery, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas
Editors note: See pages 226-228 for a brief description of the Fishing School and a reference to the reading students were required to complete before writing the essays excerpted for this book.

Distractions to Learning
Janette comes up with some distractions to learning: If kids arent worried about looking cool to others then they could concentrate more on their education. Coed education may be detracting from the learning process as well. Girls may be more intimidated having boys in their class and may not want to look stupid in front of the boys. On the other hand, the girls may not want to look intelligent in front of the boys because the girls may be worried that the boys are not interested in smart girls. It may also hinder the boys learning as well. They may not want to look stupid in front of the girls, or they may try to

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show off, not paying attention to what is going on while they are trying to be the class clown. Janette Lehman, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Amanda adds her own observation: There should be a stricter dress code enforced at our schoolswith a dress code, all the students are made to feel more comfortable by wearing similar clothes. The less fortunate students do not have to worry anymore about being made fun of or being thought of as less trendy. A strict dress code would help students learn more because they would not be distracted by someone elses bell bottom pants or a girls spaghetti strapped shirt. The students will soon realize that even though everyone looks similar, their ideas and abilities are so different. When these students go out in the real world to try to find a job, they will see their co-workers as being the same, but they will realize that they all have different ideas. This will enable to students to be open minded with others that they do not know anything about. Amanda Abel, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Many students are susceptible to peer pressure: Many problems occur when people refuse to be themselves and retreat into the popular ritual of following the crowd. It is mandatory that members of a community be independent and secure enough to stand up for what they believe is right. I would encourage people, especially adolescents, not to be susceptible to peer pressure but to strive to better the community by bettering themselves. When people are liberated and free from the overbearing pressures of constantly following a crowd, the community as a whole becomes stronger. Kelli Swayden, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Self-respect is a wonderful substitute for peer pressure: Living for [ones self might] decrease the high levels of drug/alcohol use and abuse. Living for ones self is meant in the sense of standing up for what you believe in and not backing off due to peer pressure. Knowing that your sense of self wellbeing and self-worth will still be there because you refused a

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drink or a joint, and knowing that you can stand up for yourself creates a new self-confidence. He who marches to the sound of a different drummer hears beautiful music. Julie Fulton, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

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Chapter Ten
Maybe Communities Have To Identify And Stretch Existing Resources?
The Government as a Resource
A tax base is the funding used on services that the community requests. These services, like fire and police stations, help stimulate private investment in creating new business. The only way business can truly thrive is through shared vision. There must be public investment, private investment, and a strong planning process. The community leaders are essential to starting the process. The initial planning and resource management will be up to the people who run the city such as the mayor, and the people who attend town meetings. The people who are responsible for improving the community are the people who live within the community. Not everyone can make the changes, so leaders become the driving force. They bring ideas to the table, such as business investment, and then see to it that the plans are carried through. Leaders represent the silent majority who stand to gain the most from business increases. Leaders listen to the communitys requests, and then relay them to a city manager who [in communities that have this form of government] has access to the resources In increasing business, they [city managers] can draw upon local resources as well as government help. The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing offers many grants and services for developing business within communities. Kansas financial incentives, tax levies, and tax credits are favorable for creating and maintaining business. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas As Shanel says in the following excerpt: The government does help our communities in some ways, but taking huge

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amounts of money from people is not really improving the community. Taxes are a big deal to the community. [We] pay the government people their wages and help the less fortunate. We pay taxes on everything food, clothing. The money taken from the people who work is going to the people who cant work or need help to get by. [But] taxes are [now] making the people who dont need help, poor. [The] President, senators, and governors make too much money. They should take a cut in pay and maybe there would be more money to help the less fortunate. The government does help our communities in some ways, but taking huge amounts of money from people is not really improving the community. There are many things individuals can do to help reduce taxes. If more people volunteered, there would be more money going to the schools and [the] less fortunate in [our] communities. Volunteershelp communities become safer, better places to live. It takes a great deal of money to live in this world today. Things cost much more now than they have in the past. Im sure when I decide to purchase a house, I will not be able to afford one. If I do buy a house, then I will not be able to paymy property taxes. Taxes for other things such as clothes, car payments and gas will also be too extreme. My generation will be so overwhelmed that we will never want to leave our families. If taxes keep rising, I guess Ill need help from the government. Shanel Daigger, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Brady reminds us that taxes can be good: About paying taxes: [Taxpayers] always say stuff like, We shouldnt have to pay taxes for something that isnt mine. It isnt so bad because some people get tax [refunds] anyway. Some people would just love to have a new house. They could probably afford to buy it, but they couldnt afford the taxes on it. Taxes can be good Here in Centerville High School we just got a new gym through tax money. A lot of sports equipment comes from tax money. Some of the roads we drive on are busted and cracked up. Tax money will help fix them. I

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also think that sometimes there isnt anything wrong with the roads, but they just rip them up so they can get more money to put a new one in. Thats just my opinion. I drive on a road and drive on it two days later and theyre working on it. I dont think a street can fall apart in two days. Brady Ellis ,Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota But more students were concerned about tax burdens: Another main topic of discussion is the plight of the middle generation. It seems that this generation has been charged with the colossal task of economically supporting the government, the older generation, and the younger generation simultaneouslythe baby boomers, are nearing retirement. This unprecedented exodus from the work force will undoubtedly cause an economic burdenon younger generations. Howevermany of these retirees [may] reenter the work force[or] work as volunteers, giving a tremendous boost to businesses that rely on volunteer work. This leaves the problem of the younger generation to be resolved. But, the younger generation certainly is not the economic bane of society. Young men and women are graduating from college and immediately entering the work force at jobs that pay quite well. They in turn give a large sum of this back to Uncle Sam in the form of taxes. Suddenly [our] economic problemslook far less ominous than they did before, because it can now be seen that both the younger and older generations are pitching in with their fair share. Dominick Olivito, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Many students were oblivious to the fact that our current tax system is graduated: We could make the rich people pay more taxes and the poor people pay less. The rich bring in more money so I think that they should have to pay more. The poor people bring in less and still pay the same. I dont think this is right at all. I know that I wont be one of those rich people so I dont want to pay the same amount of taxes as the rich. That isnt fair. I think that we could reduce taxes, but if we do need them, then I guess that we can use them to maintain the roads better, and keep

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everything clean so we dont have to hire someone or to spend money on cleaning up. That way we could conserve our tax money. Another way we can reduce taxes is to make cheap schools, and keep our towns clean sotowns dont have to spend so much money. Then taxes will not go up. Or else we can have more tutors instead of having everybody go to school, then we dont have to pay taxes for us to go to school. Josh Mork, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Too much money taken! Michael repeats a timehonored protest. Taxes are always a rude initiation into adulthood: I think that the richer people do not pay enough taxes on all of their money and propertyPeople with an average incomehave to work as hard as possible to make a living and then have too much money taken from their paychecks for some people who dont work real hard and get money anyway. If [people] have a job and work hard and still cant pay the rent then they should get help from the government. People who dont have jobs and do not work to try to find a job should not get social services. If the government did this, people who are working would get to keep more of their money instead of giving so much of it to taxes.[Another] way we can reduce taxes is to not send money to other countries.
Michael Moore, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Protest is another social transition: Our taxes are poorly spent, our government bothers with irrelevant issues and they do not show enough concern for important issues. Murderers are back on the streets one year after they murdered. Drunken drivers serve a term of twelve months before they get their license back. Yet, they worry about teenagers out past curfew, and underage smoking. People are constantly being killed, and yet, the police are too preoccupied. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Taxes drain community resources:

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The government needs to realize that it is already expensive to live in todays society and by raising the taxes even higher will not make our lives any easier. Lisa Semplinski, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois If more people could have jobs, less people would be poor and there would be less people needing social services. Less people needing social services means a reduction in taxes. Everything ties together in some way. Jaclyn Heelan, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Taxesare high. A main factoris the number of Indiansin our state. Ninety percent are unemployed. This is a problem, because if they dont have a job, they need to find a way to receive money. Thats where the government comes in to help them [but the government] has to take it out of our checks. I dont believe that the Indians should be able to receive the money if they dont finish High School. In Wagner and Lake Andes, South Dakota the drop out percent is over twelve percent. This is a problem because this will increase [students] chances of not finding a good job and [they may] end up living off the government. The government should make sure that [recipients] are actually trying to find a job or set up a program [to help] unemployed workers find jobs. Andy Nelson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Students scramble for solutions: Maybe if we would cut taxes, it would stop all the unnecessary money going to people who lie about their finances to get assistance. The next thing we can do is volunteer our time. Shawnna Louise Cordale, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Responsibility is a solution: When people take on their responsibilities, such as child care, that takes considerable stress off the government which makes taxes go down at least a little. If people, the ones that sit around [and] dont apply any effort towards getting a job, wouldfind a job, life would be so much easier for everyone else. Taxes would go down

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Banesha Wood, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Jimmy offers an observation: I also think that if the government would become a little less involved in our lives thatthe communitywould become more involved in the aiding and assisting of the people who need it. Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Leverage In Mapleton we work closely with government agencies. In fact the police department usually attracts the most volunteers. In addition to their Explorers program, which is kind of like the Scouts, the Police Department has a wide range of neighborhood projects. Kids, especially the younger ones, love to work with police and firemen. They can do all kinds of things from wrapping and distributing gifts, to beautifying playgrounds. Of course the Parks Department is always anxious for older kids to supervise group activities, or mentor younger kids, one on one. But the biggest surprise was the response of our Social Service Agency. The social workers in Mapleton were most enthusiastic. When we first approached them, funds had been cut and case loads increased. Leverage is just what they needed. Leverage means stretching existing resources. Social workers know which families need assistance but simply dont have the time or resources to do what they would like to do. A harried social worker willing to supervise five college students, each in charge of ten High School volunteers who in turn might channel the enthusiasm and optimism of a few elementary school volunteers would leverage the time and energy of one by fifty, and thats not even counting the youngest group. Another example of leverage is sharing computer resources. In Mapleton, for example, we have members of the older generation who are volunteers using computer rooms at Boys and Girls clubs in the mornings when the kids are in school, and as a trade, they act as tutors in the afternoons, familiarizing kids with a variety of software programs. Sixteen computers used to sit idle until 2 oclock and then they were used only for

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games. Now the kids are learning skills and are able to gain experience for job resumes by volunteering in the Boys and Girls club office or doing projects for other local nonprofits. Raeann Cotton, Fictional Character, p29 Another Way97 book by editor But volunteers wont always work: Going on the streets and talking to the victims of poverty isimpossible, because we are intimidated. We have to get trained volunteers on the street, and tell the homeless that the government will help them. We need to help them find jobs and find a shelter. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois But Erin reminds us: Government and public officials have a part to play too. They have tried programs and have supplied support and funds, but in small amounts. [However] there is a growing resentment toward crooked politics and beliefs that the government officials are there to advance only themselves. Erin Frakes, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Many students, like all Americans, criticized government. But Frankie, below, makes a point: People often have a fear of government. In America there is no reason to fear the government, because the peoplecontrol the government. Every citizen needs to know his rights, but even more so we all need to know and understand how exactly our government works. We need to provide special programs for people to learn about our form of government, and encourage them to participate by voting. With todays technology voting can be made easy by organizing voting sites on the Internet. People would not have to leave their own home to vote. There should also be more programs provided to encourage people to vote. Frankie Dale Quinn, Jr., Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee Other students agree:

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People may not think that what they do matters, but it does. For example, a lot of people think that they dont need to go out and vote, because they dont think their vote matters. Holly Flippo, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas I feel that it is a very good idea to vote for not only our federal government and state positions, but we should also vote for all of our county and community positions. We may think that it wont affect us, but it may. We may have a break-in and have to work with the Sheriff. If we dont get along with that Sheriff at all we might have problems. Now I realize that even if we do vote, we may not get the guy that we wanted, but at least we tried to get him into office. If we didnt vote, well then we are just letting everybody else vote for us. Nick Hetfeld, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin Getting involved in the government will help to improve the quality of life. We must voice our opinions, our ideas, and our solutions to the problems of today. To do this we should attend government meetings such as school board meetings or city council meetings. When we attend these meetings we should not just sit and listen, but we should give the committee new ideas and ways to improve life in our community. If the government or the community is going to improve for us, it must know what we think... Emily Kaye Farmer, Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee Many students view government as a center post: Going to town meetings, school events, and town social events; anything that can make a citizen more aware of what is going on in the community is something that will benefit not only the person, but the people around him. Too many times people tend to just sit back and allow many of their community rights to be decided by others If everyone in the community gets involvedthe community will become stronger and the people will become closerIn every community people struggle, and if there are special organizations there for these

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people, they can get their lives back on track. It is important to be there for others in your community. Zach Ritchey, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania People in our communities need to stand up and not be afraid to speak their minds. If you see some kid selling drugs, call the police. If you see a big kid beating up a little kid, help the little one out. Dont just sit around and watch the bad things happen. If you want to get things done, you need to go and do them yourself. If you are just sitting around waiting for someone else to start doing something you could be doing, you could be waiting for a long time. Nikki Raudabaugh, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania [Resources] the community needs are easier to get if the need for them are voiced be people in the community. Being more outspoken to your congressmen, and other higher [officials] in the community, will help to make it a better place. Tasha Hollen, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Jessica ends the discussion on a high note: Many Americans today have a hard time dealing with some of the decisions the government makes, but we as kids may some day be able to change what needs to be changed because we are the future. By being able to give our opinion and have people listen and understand what we want, we may make that change. It may just take awhile to get our words into the middle of the whole government process. Jessica Johnson, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Stay-At-Home Parents As A Resource

In our communities today, not much emphasis is put on the person who stays home and takes care of the children, cleans the house, etc. Why is it that just because a person stays home and works in the household that person is automatically frowned upon for being a homemaker? Just because they do not get paid for what they are doing does not make their job

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less important. Staying at home with your kids is important. If the family is functioning fine with one person making the money, then one person should stay home with the kids if they choose to. Children need the proper influences. Having a parent stay home with them when they are young will help the parent to instill more values in the child. They have more time to spend with the child and teach the child important things they need to know to grow up in society today. We, as communities, need to take the emphasis off making more money and put it on the watching over and teaching [our] children... Sarah Leonard, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee My mother stayed at home with me and my brother and sister. I think that the government should give families that have a stay-at- home mom a tax break. This wouldmake it easier financially for moms to stay at home and raise their children. I think I turned out better because my mom stayed at home. I am at the top of my class academically, a member of Class Committee and Student Council, and I play varsity basketball and volleyball. I give my parents most of the credit for what I have done. They have always encouraged me to do my best in everything and be a responsible person. Our country needs more people like my parents. The responsibility of raising children is the biggest and most important task a person has in his or her life. We need to treat it like it is. Kellen Bosma, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The government needs to find a way to allow a parent to be a homemaker and not end up suffering financially. When one parent is a homemaker, they can stay with the children in the early years to educate them and to form a bond. In the later years, children will come home from school to find a parent instead of an empty house [and] will be less likely to do drugs or break the law. Tyler Walters, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee

The benefit to the community of a stay-at-home parent is obvious, as discussed above and in chapter eight, but not easy to achieve:

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While we know family life is important, it is sometimes impossible for a family to have a parent who can be a full-time homemaker simply because two incomes are necessary to make it today. April Phifer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee To reiterate: Society is set up in such a way that to live comfortably both parents must maintain a steady job. By doing this, the parents time spent with their children is limited. Tyler Walters, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee We are living in a society where both parents are often forced to work. Parents can not be aware of childrens whereabouts all of the time when the older children are usually left in charge of the younger. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois A lot of times it is hard for parents to get off work to spend time with their children. [Employers] need to allow parents time to devote to their children, especially directly after childbirth. Carley Mayo, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas
(Editors note: Many employers do allow for time off, but that time is a minimal resource in the community compared to the time the stay-athome parent can put into nurturing children. As discussed earlier in chapter seven, communities might compensate with mentors drawn from residents.)

The Youngest And Oldest Generations As Resources

If a town had a strong bond between the young and the old, it [could be] powerful. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Teens and adults can work together to make a difference and solve problems.

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Amanda Price, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

What about the oldest generation? In many foreign cultures the elderly are valued. Some foreigners consider the elderly to be wise because of their years in the world.
Crystal Lawson, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

The older generation started to work on the farm at a very young age. The boys had to get up early and work in the fields with their fathers and the girls stayed home helping their mother with the house. They knew what responsibility meant because their whole life revolved around responsibility. Todays younger generation is spoiled. Some of us have no idea what work is. Of course we have jobs and so forth, but we also have computers, TV, cars, and so many more conveniences that the older generation could not have even imagined. I think that is where the ill feeling between the younger and older generation comes in. Im not saying that we dont know how to work and be responsible, but I know that we could be more responsible and show the older generation that we are not the worst generation. It will take some work and determination, but I know we can do itWe will have to sacrifice, listen, and understand one another. A group of people cannot become united if both sides dont work together. Even if we dont quite agree with some of the older generations understanding about life, we need to let them know that we do appreciate them by showing them that we will listen and try to learn from their mistakes We should show them that their knowledge and understanding has made an impact on our lives. We need to let them know that we are thankful for their efforts in trying to make this world a better place. Kathryn Wurtz, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Resources The older generation believes that society was better beforeso naturally they feel that change can only be bad and things should be back to the way they were. What the older generation does not realize is thatthe damage has already

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been done and now it is time to fix it before things really begin to get out of hand. By coming together and compromising, both sides can get a feel of the others worries and fears. This may help in the long run seeing that soon enough this younger generation will become the older generation and still have the same values and beliefs. Elene Planinsek, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Volunteer work from both the aged and the youngwould help [bridge] the [generation] gap. If programs could be set up to allow them to interact and get to know one another, [this] problem could be solved. Many teachersset up programs toconnect [the] old and young, but it takes more than teachers; it takes the entire community to put forth the effort and cooperation needed. The elders of the community deserve respect, but teens also deserve [some] respect. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas If both generations work together, we can solve the problems which create the lack [of] personal responsibility in our communities. Robert Tomich, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Unfortunately its not that easy: Bringing the two groups together is difficult. This process requires all people, not just the young and the elderlyto respect one another. With respect and trust, a community [will flourish]. [A] community is not [complete] if we allow the generation gap to [remain] a problem. I say this because not only do police officers and business owners discriminate against the young, but [so do] the elderly. Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas People seem to stereotype kids as drug addicts, criminals, or dumb kids who listen to terrible music. The feelings go both ways though; kids do the same things to adults. Kids stereotype the elderly as judgmental, strict people who cant drive.

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There is no need for [generations] to stereotype each other. [Stereotyping] is the main cause of conflict. Jessica Esco, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

I admit, I used to be scared to death of older people such as the ones in the nursing homes. I couldnt stand to be in the same room with these people who couldnt function on their own nor do anything. Most were just looking for a place to belong and someone to belong to. I couldnt watch them, half not knowing what they were doing. I wanted to run away from that place and never go back. I [faced] my fear last spring at a local nursing home in my town of Harriman. My church youth choir group decided it would be nice to give [the residents] a little performance since they could not go to church anymore. I wanted to run outside and not go back. I faced my fears and went back in. During the performance I saw their faces light up with joy and some were even clapping and trying to sing along. After the program they came up to us and started talking about what they used to do when they were young, their hobbies and interests. I found out that many of my interests were the same as theirs.
Audrey Howell, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

I dont think that there is a problem with residents in the nursing home. It is the older people on the street that I have a problem with. They drive slowly and act like they have all day to get from spot to spot. Another thing is they are more reckless than teenagers are. They dont look where they are driving. This is why I think younger people dont get along with older people. Another reason is that older people did bad things when they were young and now that younger kids do stupid things, old people act like the youth are the worst people on the face of this earth. Josh Mork, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota As usual, Josh and his peers offer solutions: I think that we should respect the older people and give them their space, and also they should respect us and give us our space.

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Josh Mork, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

Elderly citizens should have the opportunity to hang out and do stuff with other people of the community, just like kids need to and like to hang out and do stuff with each other. I feel that the elderly of communities should interactto teach the kids and be their friend. Bradley Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Eventssuch as Car Cruise Night that we have, help to bridge the gap. There are many kids and older people involved competing against each other and bragging up their cars. Many people join in on the competition and share stories and good times of the past and the present. Another thing that brings the community together is the concerts that the grade schools and High School put on. The elder people come to listen to the kids sing and they talk to each other afterwards. Andy Nelson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota The young are fearful of the past while the old are frightened of the futureI propose that we use the fact that both the children and the elderly of our communities are in dire need of companionship to bring about a solution to thisproblem. Kristal McGuire, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Do not treat them as you would a dog: If you see an elder in a store or even walking down the street, be polite, ask to help them with their groceries or help them walk across the road. Do not push them out of the way as you would do with a dog. For elders who are shut-ins, offer to do yard work, help clean their home or do errands for them. Over all, take what they say into consideration, it may become useful in the future. Every now and then on the television, there are news reports and talk shows about younger generation people physically and mentally abusing and beating elders. This is why they are so afraid. They dont know who is capable of doing what. The sweetest looking person could be the most violent. Why and how could people be this cruel? [Elders] cant help that they are

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getting older. The thing that surprises me is the nurses who are supposed to care, help and treat these people are some of the ones that are beating them. The younger generations do not seem to realize that eventually, they too will end up the same wayin fear. As the saying goes, What goes around, comes around, the younger generation will not be able to tell who is the one that will be abused physically and verbally. When that day comes, theyll be defenseless and know what and how it will feel. On an upper note, away from all the downers, there are good qualities that go unnoticed. Your grandparents are elders. They are there for you when your parents may not [be]. Audrey Howell, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Another way to remove the fear of each other is by the younger working where the elderly frequent. Teenagers could work at drugstores, grocery stores, restaurants, and perhaps even in a doctors office. The teenagers that are legal to drive could even volunteer to take the elderly to their appointments or where they want to go. If the two generations would interact more frequently, the fear and the disdain would no longer exist. Dawn Walters, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas I think that we, the younger generation, need to spend more time with the seniors in our community. There are many homes you can visit to help make someones day brighter. It is our job to show them we care. Ashley Blank, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Improving and expanding business: Retirees play an important part in increasing business. They [have] many opportunities to work within the community. They have more experience [and contacts] than the younger generations, which makes their influence and advice very important. As [retirees age], elder care can be an area of new business [and] programs such as Home Health and the Medicalodge Retirement Home can be expanded. Older people want to find a sense of value and significance in

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retirement. A community goal such as improving and expanding business can be the outlet they needthis involvement makes them feel as though they are working on a worthy project. Programs within Kinsley, such as Pride, an organization based on volunteerism and [with] a high number of retired individualsraises moneyand invests in areas that benefit the entire community. Our county commission is another area of increased elderly involvement. The older members of Kinsley want to be involved in making important decisions. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Career mentoring is also a way for the older generation to share life experiences and skills. This helps kids to learn from the people who know best. In the career choices the elders have made there are a lot of things they have learned and need to share. Kids can learn more about their interest and what these interests have to offer as a future career opportunity. This will [stop] kids from making a decision that they will later regret. The older generation has to take the first step though. If kids know they have someone they can learn things from, besides a teacher, they may take more interest. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois To help ease their involvement into the workforce, youth could participate in a career-mentoring program. The idea is relatively new and the benefits of mentoring programs have not yet been realized by the general public. When a young person is paired with someone who is older and already accepted in the adult world, the possibilities for learning are innumerable. The adolescent involved learns how to interact with the older generations (and in turn the mentor learns about the youth as well). Through the interaction with the adult the teen learns many lessons about life and how to be an adult, whether this is through stories, conversation, or experience. Shawn Berberich, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Journal Elders

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There are several reasons for the fear and disdain that exists between the young and the old. One reason might be their total lack of knowledge of each other. Members of the older generation have been raised under harsh circumstances and because of this are very set in their own ways. The younger generationis tryingto breakthe bonds that tie them down and to gainpersonal independence. Our society needs to find a way to bring these two groups together under a common cause. One avenuemight be mentoring. Once or twiceaweek[participants] could be brought together through school or church activities. [Participants] should be [a part of the] school curriculumAn example might be what I elect to call a Journal Elder. Students from both the middle schools and High Schools of our nation would be brought together with a random elder for a school project. In my High School, during the course of English II, juniors are paired up with a Journal Elder with whom they communicate over a period of time. They may talk about anything either of them wishes to discuss. After that, the students write a series of stories and poems concerning the information they receive from their particular elder. During this process, the elder feels truly cherished and appreciated by the youngster involved. The past will invariably have a chance to break through age barriers and mingle with the future. Kristal McGuire, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

We should either record these stories on tape or write them down on paper. Their stories will always be important and very interesting, but the older generation will not always be around to tell them. This project is a sensational way to show interaction between the different age groups. Dawn Walters, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Grandparents The local Catholic Church has set up a grandparent program where older individuals in the community will occasionally come to the school and sit down and listen to a child read or help a child with his/her homework. Grandparents sometimes help with supervision also. The more people helping a child

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through life the better because it takes a village to raise a child. The smallest gestures of kindness people do can make the largest impact on a childs life. Retired individuals need to be urged to begin making mentoring effective. Older mentors around sixty-five years of age can greatly improve a child in school-related behavior, self-confidence and personal skills. Children are highly influenced by all types of people when they are young, and they need a mentor who can point them in the right direction and show them the right way to behave and treat people. Shasta Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas A little humor: I live in a small community and there is nothing to get older and younger generations together, so I think that is the first step in the line of wisdom between generations. I dont know [of] any children who wouldnt like to have some dirt on their parents to rib them [with] when theyre giving [them] a hard time. When youre communicating with your grandparents or great grandparents they can pass useful information on to you... Bret Stamy, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania What about our young people? Do our youth need to be isolated in centers? If the youth of America would have youth groups or a youth center, violence would not be as bad in communities across the United States. Spence Ritchey, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Improving the quality of life in communities is providingactivities for after-school students of working parents. Organized youth centers provide well structured activities for children of all ages. Melissa Berry, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Communities today are starting to fall apart because of gangs and violence. We need to develop new and fun organizations to

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get the kids off the streets, get the old out of their houses and bring them together and maybe if these two generations work together they may begin to finally start understanding each other. I believe if we did this the crime rates would drop quit a bit, because its the children on the streets that create the problems and it would help the city out a lot. Christopher Kendrick, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota Nine out of ten teenagers who party say that if there was something to do around here, they would not drink or do drugs (at least as much and as often as they do now). So my proposition is to make a teen hang out or a community center. There have been rumors of movie theaters, skating rinks bowling alleys, but none seem to be for real. Courtney Vidacovich, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri People in the community should get together and get a clubhouse organization going. If we had a place where there were games, pool tables, and other students to hang out with, it might cut down on the alcohol consumption and juvenile crime. It would keep younger kids out of trouble If there wasnt anything to do you could go down to the clubhouse and keep yourself entertained. Preston Patterson, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota That there needs to be more groups or clubs where teens can go hang out, have fun, and play games with each other. This would make kids feel like they had a place to turn when things got bad[and] somebody to talk to. It might keep some of the teenagers out of gangs, which would then help keep them out of trouble with the law. Luke Vander May, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota After School Programs I think our community should have more after school programs for children to be involved in. Today, many homes have both parents working which sends the children home to an empty house. I believe more activities would make both parents

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and students feel better about themselves and encourage social activity. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Schools could offer a wider variety of after school activities. If they had activities available for all types of students, not just the ones in sports, adolescents would have better things to do than do drugs and drink. This would also keep a lot of teens out of trouble. Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Students affirmed the benefits of sports: Community sports teams provide teens with beneficial activities. Instead of doing drugs, they will be concentrating on getting better at a sport they love. Team activities also help troubled teens to know that they are not alone. Sometimes family life can be tough. A child or teen often feels alone or abandoned; with team activities a student gets to be around other people and to know that he or she is not alone. Kara Hosselrode, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania I think that setting up things for teens and their friends to do after school can really help. In my own personal experience, I think that if Igot involved in school sports, it would be easier to stay out of certain dilemmas. Shana Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Just by having the parents support during all sports activities or other activities can make a positive impact. Kelli Carter, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania An Idea Many will say that we need to provide more recreational facilities for our youth, but I do not believe so. Many communities have recreational areas and they are still having problems among their young people. In all small communities, like my hometown, you have an over abundance of two things, fast food joints and churches. You most likely have one public High School and the area bowling alley. We, as a community, need to provide a place where a teen can go to talk. This cannot

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be the area high school, where everybody knows everything, or the church. Many young people will not go into a church to talk because they are sadly uneducated in religion or expecting either a sermon or for the confidante to immediately call the parents. Centers are needed to provide a place of support for the young people. This center could employ people who have gone through the same trials many young people are going through today. They could also employ the older generation. The senior citizens of the community could be there to support and teach and instill in the teenagers and young adults, many of their own principles. If we were to open a place for teens to turn to when they are havingproblemsI believe it would cut down on premarital sex, substance abuse and the big issue; violent outbreaksstudents shooting each other because of their hair or eye color or their belief in God or the simple fact that they were more popular. Other than the shootings, students are gettingbeaten to death for their beliefs and sexual preferences. If they do not have a strong home life, they need to find support and a way to express their feelings other than violence. To have someone there to speak with or to ensure that they are being supported produces a healthy (mentally and physically) young adult. On the other hand if these people [already] have a strong home life and are supported, it may be that they are uneducated. People need to understand all people including their religion, race or sexual preference. My imaginary center would have classes on different cultures. They would learn the backgrounds of their peers. They would be taught about different religions and most importantly be taught respect. Facilities and centers are needed in communities so that the youth have a place to turn that is not a school or church. Chrissy Ludwig, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Carolina reminds us: A community canstart community projects or after school activities, but teenagers are the ones that choose. Carolina Reyes, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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Editors note: We believe teens will choose to contribute. We think its time adults recognize the fact that our young people are the nations greatest and most under-appreciated resource. Young people are not a problem to be relegated to teen centers and basketball courts. But dont take the Foundations word for it. Review our 1997 national poll results online at www.singerfoundation.orglet kids speak for themselves. See pages 234-235 for a tiny sample.

Opportunities to volunteer seem to be what these students at Rockridge High are seeking: Teens need to be a larger contributor to society. Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teens need to volunteer in their communities more. They can enter volunteer programs offered in their communities, or start programs of their own if there is not already one established. It is time American teens received the responsibility they are craving. How they will handle it is hard to say, but I think they will thrive on it. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Adolescence is a time when teens need to find out what role they fill in todays society, whether it is a positive role or a negative role. But they also need to see what difference they can make. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Youth are far too often wasted resources: When I reflect on all of the terrible events of the past few yearsthe numerous school shootings, murders, and other heinous crimesI often wonder what drove these people to do the horrifying things they did. Did they watch too many violent movies, hear racial slurs on a daily basis? Were they beaten or abused? Another thought creeps into my mind as well: how could they have been allowed to become so far gone? Parents, friends and neighbors, and the people themselves should have known something was wrong, and tried to help; that is why the role of personal responsibility in improving the quality of life in our communities today rests with everyone.

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Beth Ann Zimmerman, Carrollton High, Carrollton, Ohio

You have already read in the pages dealing with respect and parenting, about many of the things students see as blocking opportunity. Funding is another block and Andrea, below, offers her own perspective: Government funding is a wonderful way to getprograms started, but communities should lend a hand in raising funds, because I believe when the means are just presented, appreciation is rare. When [members of the community become] involved [each one becomes a stake holder] and, the project has a [far] better chance to thrive. Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

Stakeholders
It has often been said that it takes a village to raise a child, yet how often do our friends and neighbors, or do we even follow through? One part of many baptism ceremonies is a question to the congregation, asking if they will, among other things, assist the parents in the growth and development of the child. The response is always We will, but how often do we? Many parents do not know where their children are, or what they are doing; that is why it is our responsibility to tell them what goes on when they are not looking. Even if the parents are unwilling to listen or do not believe what they have been told, it is still our duty to clue them in on their childrens deeds. On the other hand, instead of tattling on others, we could help them ourselves. The quality of life in our communities is directly related to the people who live there. Beth Ann Zimmerman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Families who are involved with one another should expand their love throughout their neighborhood and community. There are programs such as adopt a highway that many families are involved in. Families can volunteer to [work on] these projects together, and many times a whole neighborhood will be encouraged to help out. Volunteering for an organization in the community can make a big difference, not only in the

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community, but also in the lives of those who volunteer. Each family helps to make the community what it is, so if a family is close, a community will be close. Not only families, but businesses need to put pride into the community by contributing not only their money, but their time and encouragement. By doing this, others will see how important it is to be a volunteer and take pride in their community as well. Generally speaking, if the people support the community, the community will support the people who take pride in it. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Parents should involve their children in the community at a young age, so that by the time they are going through adolescence, they will be ready to take on responsibilities without being overwhelmed. Trisha Miller, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa The community needs to reach out totake the time to get to know or understand kids today, thenkids [might] not feel as rejected and unaccepted [by] society as they already do. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Communities [that] holdfairs, parties, parades [and other] socials [provide] a positive environment. Children will realize this is what life [can] be [like]. Helping the less fortunate, or helping someone during hard times, will make communities today stronger. Kelli Carter, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Communities should be a place where people know one another, grow up together and help one another in times of need. Neighborhoods should be like big families; granted not everyone gets along, but sometimes people need the reassurance that there are others who care about them. Each neighborhood that comes together and tries to improve itself allows other neighborhoods to see that they can do the same thing.

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Many families have businesses right in the community where they live, andhave the opportunity to contribute their time and money to local schools, charities and family-oriented programs. Being involved with school activities, such as a bake sale or school sports store, means so much to many of the children involved. They know they are cared for. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio

Volunteers as a Resource
Volunteers are an excellent way to stretch community resources: Volunteers are very important to society now days in America. Most small and medium towns, and big cities too, depend on volunteers for many jobs in their communities. Christopher Kendrick, Kadoka High, Kadoka, South Dakota

People could help each other by growing a communal gardeninstead of everyone going to the store and spending unbelievable amounts on just vegetables themselves. [Besides saving money] the garden would also bring people together to do something as a community.
Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

People could volunteer to do other things such as being a speaker to educate kids on things like how to control their temper, gun control, safe sex and abstinence, and school and family violence. Jamie McCarval, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Individuals could work together on projects [for example] recapture the history of the community and [preserve it for posterity.]people will have a sense of belonging when they put forth the effort to interact with others in the community. Bobbie Jo Vansandt, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas

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Volunteering ones time and effort in the process of equalizing our economic opportunities can always help. Jean Wohlrab, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Volunteering would improve the quality of life in any community. Of course, it would have to be volunteering for something worthwhile that would benefit others in the long run. An hour of your help for one day could make a difference Renee Jones, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania When [young] people spend time volunteering, they have no time to get into trouble. Tyler Leap, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Galen is in for a rude awakening: How do we think the city parks get mowed and landscaped? People of the community volunteer to do it. In some bigger cities people may even be paid for it. Galen Benson Wigley, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Education always helps: Getting a good education is the first step for young people in ensuring quality of life, for not only themselves, but for their families and communities. We should strive to set goals for the teens of today, encouraging their completion of High School and even their attendance of college, technical, or vocational institutions. The young are our futurethe more we invest, the more we stand to gain. If our young are properly educated and raised as they should be raised with proper morals and consideration of others, our society will be in good hands. Heather Crossett Camden Central High, Camden, Tennessee Students are on the look out for waste: I think that it is a bad idea for money to be wasted in communities in areas that are not needed. Bradley Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania But Bradley forgets that waste and need are subjective terms. No American who values liberty should advocate a

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one-size-fits-all definition. Jennifer runs into the same problem when she discusses unfair in the following excerpt: There are many individuals in the world today who are unable to expand their knowledge due to a lack of income. It is highly unfair that someone who has committed a crime might have a better chance of finding a job than a well-deserving citizen who is financially limited. Many American tax dollars are being spent on helping criminals to succeed while generation Xs future is still in question. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas If Jennifer sounds harsh, chances you will see that below, David too is basing his opinion on too little information. What about the innocent who are found guilty? Perhaps a future essay topic will require research into the history of the right to appeal. Another way to increase the quality of life in America would be to restrict the leniency of the courts, on the sentencing of criminals today. A person that gets life in prison without the possibility of parole should be executed. If the person is found guilty, and given the death penalty, that person should be executed, either that day or the next. People who are on death row today end up putting in appeals to get off on the conviction could stay in prison for up to 30 years. In that time they are using the taxpayers hard earned money to get an education, and they are fed three meals a day. Instead of having convicts get educated and work out, they should be put into work camps. [They should] do all of the grungy disgracing work that they cant pay people to do; and that would be only for the people who have a chance of getting out. Those who are sure to spend the rest of their lives in jail shout be executed. With this procedure millions, if not billions, would be saved in taxes every year. David Johnson, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota There is no doubt violence is a huge drain on community resources. Randi joins the conversation:

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The best way to keep violence out of our lives is to try and prevent it before it ever starts. First, you need to recognize why the situations occur. It seems like the main source of it all is money. Most thieves steal because they dont have enough money to buy things they want. Gangsters and drug dealers kill or are killed themselves because of money. Not all, but a lot of the troublemakers come from poorer parts of town. Randi Peterson, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee But Nicole insists it is never too late: [Perhaps] we aretoo critical. If we were to walk in a criminals shoes for one day, we would have a whole new perspective. Sure, there are homeless shelters, but 99 percent of them are filthy and run down. We need to give the homeless and criminals a chance. We need to let them know that it is not too late to turn their lives around. We need to build better and healthier homeless shelters. We need to help criminals and the homeless find jobs. What we need are volunteers [to help] the homeless. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Janelle offers a less expensive preventative: To insure domestic tranquility, neighborhoods could initiate a family night. On that designated night, families would sit down at the dinner table and eat as a unitactually talking to one another and listening to what each other has to say. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Our local schools must also play a part. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Children should be seen and not heard is an old phrase that is incredibly outdated. Kids should have a say in what goes on around them. In fifty years, todays teens will be the ones living with the consequences of mistakes made today. [Of course not] all decisions should be made by kids; most should be left up to the discretion of adults, [but when a youths] future is at stake, he or she should definitely have the right to voice an opinion.

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Ryan Morrison, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas

Editors note: I refer you again to page 109 for a description of Problem Solvers, a Foundation proposal which should satisfy Ryans aspirations, as expressed above. To see how the Foundations proposal for community databases, maintained as part of the high school curriculum, would make the suggestions below, of Andrea and Emily, a reality see pages 206-208.

Organizations couldpost progress reports [on the Internet.] In this way similar groups can cut down on costs by not overlapping their efforts, and money can then be used even more productively. Non-profit organizations share a common bond no matter how different the cause; they all want to [help] their communities. These organizations would be nothing without the caring souls that help make it all possible. Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania If they [people] knew that a group was going to be collecting canned goods for the food pantry, they could either offer to help them collect the goods, or they could be sure to call up their closest friends and to tell them that when their doorbell rings to make sure that they have cans ready to go so that the children can [quickly move] on to the next house. Emily Kaye Farmer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
Editors note: See wwww.volunteermatch.org as one of many excellent databases already available on the Internet. These databases, as good as they are, are not as detailed as our Another Way project envisions because of high labor costs. Another Way trades the learning opportunity involved in maintaining the community databases for the energy of thousands of students in schools across the nation.

As a goal for the community, we should actively encourage at least half of the student body to participate in volunteer organizations. High School students in KAYs and the student council can mentor children who are in need of educational or emotional help. Encouraging youth to participate in such activities will benefit the community by using the energy and

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enthusiasm from the many young adults that make up our schools. Adam Hobgood, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas I believe that we should all try to be a volunteer in some way. I wouldsign up to volunteer for stuff that I like doing, because we need to help out our country in some way. Christopher Kendrick, Kadoka High, Kadoka, South Dakota Sign up the old way Schools could help organize this by putting up a list of people who need an extra hand or would just like to talk to someone. Brittany Toll, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas For example, one or two families could set up a station where people could come and sign up to do community service work. Bobbie Jo Vansandt, Valley Springs High, Valley Springs, Arkansas We believe in the future all sign ups will be done via the Internet and every community will have its own database. Schools could also be another community focus that ties in with youth. School sponsored events, such as drama clubs and athletics, are constructive organizations for young people. These organizations teach kids discipline and the value of teamwork. Spence Ritchey, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania By having programs in place that help teens become responsible adults, many of todays problems will [disappear.] Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

I think it would be a good idea to require community service. If teens were given the chance to do more than serve one meal at a homeless shelter, maybe our communities would be a little safer and better.
Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

I believe that requiring each senior at Concordia High School to fulfill the requirements of the Big Brothers Big Sisters

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program would insure a rewarding experience for both the child and the mentor. This program would progress during a semesters time. The High School guidance counselor would correspond with the elementary school guidance counselor to assign at-risk children to mentors based on mutual interests. The mentors would be required to spend at least two hours a week with their child. This time may be used for tutoring or any other planned activity such as fishing, bike riding, or going to a movie. At the end of the semester a seven-page paper would be required, outlining the experience, along with an organized collection of photographs taken of the child and the mentor. If the requirements are not fulfilled the student would not receive his or her diploma. Stephanie Swenson, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas The plan for a mandatory community service program for our High School students would help American society get back to the land of opportunity slogan that this country was based upon. Students would see how much their work means to others and they would want to helpthe students parents would approve of the plan, obviously. Their children would be attracting attention for all the right reasons. Their kids would also have a healthy substitute for drugs and alcohol. The plan would have to be mandatory because, otherwise, most students would not even give it a chance.... One chance is all they need to see how much of a difference they can make, not only in other peoples lives, but also in their own. The kids would also have the influence of positive adult role models who [would] helpHopefully, this would help kidsclose the generation gap. Todd Winter, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois
Editors note: Todd makes a valid point, which unfortunately confirms Ezekiels fears expressed earlier on page 69. The Foundation welcomes your input.

A national organization to improve the community with kids in charge!

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Community youth groups must expand and show children that it is cool to be in a youth groupThis project would not have to be limited to just lone communities but could be a nationwide organizationMembers of this organization could receive a news-letter containing ideas and the successes of other groups. Also there could be national help lines that teens with problems or questions could call to seek guidance or to find out what they can do to better their community. The most important aspect of this program would be to let the children be in charge. Older members could act as officers to run meetings and lead group projects while a couple adult sponsors watch from a distance to offer guidance and support. The key would be to allow the children to feel that they are the ones making the decisions and the improvement and bettering of the community. Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois
Editors note: Josh has expressed the goal of numerous existing youth development projects and of the Harry Singer Foundations Problem Solvers proposalpage 107 and Community Databasepages 206-209.

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Chapter Eleven
Maybe Kids Need To Find Themselves And Create Their Own Opportunities?
Purpose Everybody in the world has a [social] role. Nobody but you knows what your role is. If one person does not fill his or her role, then it is as if one piece of the puzzle is [missing]. Benjamin Cooley, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Who are you? In the teenage years, the relationship between parents and children is constantly evolving as the kids fringe toward independence. Early adolescence is a period of transition; children move from one teacher and one classroom to a different teacher for each subject. Trying to force them to be something you want them to be, rather than help them be who they are, can only [cause] problems later down the road. Lynde Edwards, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, Be yourself, thats all there is of you. Special classescould focus just on learning who you are. They would cause students to think about their ideas and concerns, which would help them to form their own identity. Lindsey Hubbell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois. [People] need to leave teenagers alone so those that want to, can find their own way. Brandon Artist, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Do you question children without realizing the problems you might be creating? One of many things that parents, teachers, friends, or just adults in general have always questioned kids about is what they are going to be when they grow up. Maybe that question

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came about to let kids set a goal for themselves and strive for that and nothing less. One negative outcome that is reflected upon the questioning is the feeling of failure and not wanting to let anyone down. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Be all you can be! So many things need improving in this day and time. If you do nothing else, just bettering yourself can make a difference. If everyone would come together and stop fighting, we could make our communities much better places. Everyone has the potential to make improvements in his own life and the lives of many others. It may be by becoming a doctor and saving thousands of lives. It may be becoming a teacher and educating the kids of the future. It may be taking in homeless animals or feeding homeless peoplemaybe becoming a police officer and helping stop criminals. Whatever it may be, you just take your God-given talents, interests and available resources into consideration. Then you will know what is important to you and what to do. Jennifer Burkhardt, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee I think that the major role of the community is to help people to succeed in their goals. If they need to go to college, the community could lend them a hand by taking their kids to school or by even watching them [their kids] occasionally. [A volunteer might] pick up groceries for [the students] if they were running a little lateand make sure that the babysitter could stay late, and if [the babysitter] couldnt, [the volunteer] could even watch the children until [the students] get home. [Wouldnt this be better than] saying that [the students] are bad parents [who] cant get home on time? I think if [everyone] would realize that we are one people, we could help each other succeed. If [people] are trying to succeed we should not pull them down; we should give them a boost. Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri Every age group is affected by bad days. Most of the time it has to do with school for youngsters and work for adults and

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even the elderly [have bad days]. By getting people more involved in society, we should be able to give them a little boost. Kids should have more youth groups so they have something to look forward to everyday. Adults should go out every once in a while or have something relaxing planned at home. There are clubs and groups they can join. Even sports can be a relief after a bad day. The elderly should also be involved and certainly not ignored by the rest of society. Marie Quaresima, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Of course there are sour apples in life but when you overcome those times you will find you are a stronger person. It is often at our lowest points in life that we learn the most. These low moments are the stepping stones in our [hopefully] long journey. Julia M. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Everyone makes mistakes, oh yes they do! Failure is accepted in all forms and shapes. Everyone learns [from] mistakes and accidents. It shows trial-and-error learning. If a person makes a huge mistake, and the first thing that comes out of their mouth is, Man, I will never do that again, consequently, they have learned from it, whether or not it was fun or easy Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Life is an ongoing process that involves making mistakes. Life is all about making up for those mistakes and aiming for bigger and better things in life. These are all personal responsibilities. Tiffany Glenn, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Until people can accept their mistakes, humans will never be able to move on with their lives and live with the knowledge that admitting mistakes and taking responsibility for actions is the most noble of things to do. Steve McDonald, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Success Education [is] a continuing process, rather than a task that

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must be completed in a specific number of years. As one community college president put it, Education is a train and students must be able to get on and off as their needs change. Consequently, students must persevere. As individuals, they must set their own pace and determine their own realistic goals. It will be entirely their personal responsibility and initiative that determines their future success, whether it is in their career, or simply life in general. Michael Korda explains the relationship between personal responsibility and success: Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibilityin the final analysis, the one quality that all successful people haveis the ability to take on responsibility. Meredith Giles, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Some people are successful, and some are not so successful. People shouldnt be judged on how much money they have, or what kind of car they drive. If they are happy with the job they hold, and they are making ends meet, then more power to them. If they are succeeding on their own terms then they deserve peoples respect. Susan Mackey, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa In my personal opinion, too much emphasis is placed on money and if this trend continues if will be the downfall of everyone. When parents ask their kids what they want to do when they grow up, their reply shouldnt be something where I make a lot of money. Something is seriously wrong when people begin to care more about money then their own or someone elses happiness. Cory Sievers, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Without trust and following family values, kids are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Most of all children must give their utmost respect to their parents and themselves as well. If there is no respect towards parents, there is a guarantee that there will be no respect

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towards other people. But much worse, if a person does not have self-respect[he/she can] not care about anyone [else]. Carolina Reyes, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Its not up to peers: Whether or not we can make something out of ourselves should not depend on what our peers think of us. I know we have the ability to make something out of our lives and make the older generation proud of their younger people. Kathryn Wurtz, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Its not up to parents: I believe we can prepare [students] for the work place and help them to make good career choices by [letting] them see more of the real world and not pressure them into making a [career] choice on the spot like I see every adult do. If a student is interested in something the adult does not like, let them try the job anyway; it will not hurt. I believe that parents try to tell you what job you can do and cant do. I believe it is the students choice. Andrew Anderson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Its up to individual members of the younger generation: To prepare the younger generations for the future, we need to start the preparation in High School. If we start at a younger age, we will have a good idea of what [we] want to do. Schools should try to offer more classes so children can make better decisionsstudents would find what they are interested in and go from there. Aaron Buseman, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Brooke, below, asks perhaps the most important question raised in this book and makes an insightful observation as well: Dont we owe ourselves the [pursuit of some] highersatisfaction in life? When wetrap ourselves in [demeaning] jobs, orin relationships that go absolutely

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nowhere, its impossible to [succeed]. Without the feeling that were going somewherethat feeling that we can change the worldour lives seem useless. If we wander aroundbelieving life stinks, lifes not fair, and that weve already accomplished what were here to do, we relinquish [all] responsibilities [to] the community in hopes that [someone else] will pick up our slack. When we enter the workforce, is it to provide some service to mankind or to get a bigger stereo system in our cars? If we work our entire livesto possess material things [our avarice] becomes as habitual as drugs and alcohol. We literally work ourselves to death to be able to say Im going to Nepal for a week. Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas

Creating Their Own Opportunities

Ask an adolescent what they think [they] could do to make society look upon them more favorably. Each individual has his or her own talents. People always learn more and are encouraged to do an excellent job when [doing] something they enjoy. Schools could initiate a program that would require students to do a project of their choicefor a year or for all four years of High School. For examplea young adolescent who loves to cook and bakecould use his/her abilities to make food and/or treats for a poor family, a sick individual, or even help make prepare food for a large banquet. Another young individual may have the gift of being able to make friends with anyone. That person could use his/her gift by going out and helping adults who do not know how to socialize or cannot go out into the community because of an illness. That one person could bring light and cheer to many people who otherwise might have been sitting alone in their homes. Adults could see that adolescents really do take pride in and care about their community. Adults would feel that when they grow old, they will be taken care of by a generation that does not shirk its duty Brittany Toll, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

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Editors note: Relevant to Brittanys suggestions, you can review a description of jobs kids could do to raise funds for local nonprofits on pages 230 to 234.

Suggestions Not Commands Todays youth do not need someone to tell them what to do. We need guidance and direction. We need suggestions, not commands. The thing a teenager hates most is being forced into something by some adult. We should be allowed to make our own decisions because we are the ones that have to live with them. Just kind of point us in the right direction, stay off our backs, and just hope and pray that we react to situations in the correct way and grow to become respectable adults to guide the next generation. Pedro Melesio, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Kids, now more than ever, are behaving terribly and thinking that because they are young they will not be made to answer for it. We need guidance. We need trust. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Students value experience: As teenagers, we do not just need adults to be our friend, but rather [we need] someone who has experienced some of the same things that we are going through right now and are not afraid to share it with us. Sarah Beauchamp, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois I think it would help a lot if parents or [other] adults could take time to really talk to their children and explain to them problems they faced when they where the same age and [offer] ideas to help them get through life. The lessons best learned are those that they come from [real life situations]. We do listen, even though it may not seem like it, we hear what people are telling us. We might not show that we know, but later on in life well remember the advice we got and put it into action. Lynde Edwards, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

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Values we receive from our elders could be the best advice we ever hear. Ashley Blank, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania These students show faith in their elders: These adults couldhelp [us] come up with a plan for our lives. Erin Parchert High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois [We] realize that we do not have all of the answers, so we need adults to give us a nudge in the right direction. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teenagers, no matter how old, need guidance and leadership. Julia M. Nelson, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa [Teens] need to spend more time with positive role models[who will] show them where not to end up. The TV program Scared Straight [is a good example]. Sasah Tillman, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

Values
Every youth asks, Who am I? What am I doing here? Where did I come from? Whats right and wrong? Answers to these questions should not be dictated by government. The answers should be allowed to come from the inner soul of each person. The right to self determination is inevitably connected to personal freedom. Ezekiel J. Johnson, McLeansboro High, McLeansboro, Illinois It is impossible for an outside force to make human beings change; we need to make the change ourselves. The community will not change unless we change, because we are the community. Jason Knight, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois We need to grow and learn how to take care of ourselves and make ourselves happy before we make others happy.

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Makara Puth, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

We all have our own values, but do we have what people know as traditional values? We were always told to respect our elders (and others as well), be kind, help people if we can, and be a good-hearted person. Sometimes I wonder if some of us were paying attention. Ashley Blank, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania The only way to create a stable environment with virtuous citizens is to help people help themselves. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama In order to improve the quality of life in a communitywe can re-establish some of the old, virtuous, time-proven social mores which built this society and other strong societies in the past. Traditionally, those who did not comply with the values and mores of a society were stigmatized instead of rewarded. When strong moral values are the standard, this keeps civilized people civil. When moral values and decent behavior are ignored, society and culture are debased and our communities decline. Lacy Horner, Valley Springs High School79, Valley Springs, Arkansas To improve life is a relative statement. One might seek, as many do, financial improvement, which is, and will always be, a prominent driving force. In contrast some may seek a deeper, emotional improvement. Such is obtained in unselfish giving. Whichever aspect one chooses, the fact that personal responsibility plays a major role is a given. Personal responsibility is a virtue that is learned your entire life through experiences, good and bad. It runs hand and hand with maturity and is basically being able to make decisions that will be advantageous, not only for ones self, but for the community. Personal responsibility can be compared to self-reliance and the transcendentalist philosophy. Benjamin Glen Johnson, Joliet Central High, Joliet, Illinois

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Looking Ahead If we continue on our present path of economic and technological development, humanity [will be in a position to] overcome the obstacles and threats it faces and enter a new golden age of peace, prosperity, and happiness. [We might] change the rules of courtship and mating[and stop] making marriage a prerequisite for the most important decisions in life: having sex, living together and making babies. We could arrange our communities so that one parent can assume the role of a full time homemaker if she or he desires to do so. One reason we remain divided is that we do not agree on what constitutes a better life. More does not mean better if, in our efforts to get more, we sacrifice what really matters to our happiness and well beingnor can we keep getting more if we focus just on wealth creation. We need to be more open and spirited about how we live in the future and about what matters in our lives. William Clites, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Each person can help by taking responsibility for himself, equalizing opportunities in society, infusing character and values into his children, preparing students for the work place, and removing that fear and disdain that many members of the oldest and youngest generations feel towards one another. Somer Gibson, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Infusion of morality into the community as a whole is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of improving our community. It is my responsibility to encourage my fellow classmates to do the right thing. Being a positive role model for children and showing them that truthfulness and honesty pay off, is something our generation must do. The harsh reality is that our generation has not been taught to differentiate between right and wrong. How then can an amoral society teach others to decipher bad from good? By recognizing and trying to reestablish morals in our society we will better ourselves as well as those around us. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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As an individual within the community, I can take personal responsibility in increasing business and community values. I can accomplish both through furthering my education. As I become successful financially, I can invest in my community. This could involve starting my own business, providing jobs and growth. A higher level of knowledge increases the quality of my interactions within the community. People will look to me for guidance, so I must be a positive role model. I can be a mentor to children within the community and to the individuals who work for me. As a High School senior, I have already begun this process. I am a positive role model to the underclassmen, and I am a leader in my workplace. I share my values in the hope that other students will follow my example. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas The children of my community look up to me. Older students are taught how to resolve conflict and can teach the younger children. It would be easy for a mentoring program to begin and many parents would be very thankful. Several ways exist whereby a group can help local children, but each program starts with one personme. Lauren Heit, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas It is my role to be a good citizen. I can do this by abiding by laws, making contributions that would be helpful to my county, and then teaching others to do the samenot only by word, but by example. Benjamin Cooley, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee There are programs that I feel could also aid in [alleviating] some of todays problems, including mentoring a younger adolescent, designing and carrying out our own community improvement plan, and traveling outside of the local area to learn about other people. Although some of these programs are already in place, I feel that we could utilize them a lot more. Teens could be matched up with younger adolescentsthey could discuss problems concerning friends, school, parents, etc. Teens would have the opportunity to have someone see them as

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an important, knowledgeable person who really counts. [To] design a community improvement project, teens would have to research and [come up with] an idea of their own. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Maybe one of the most important ways we can help our community is to do what we believe is right. We have that freedom in our constitution so why not use it? Nick Hetfeld, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin

Economic Opportunities
What would our world be like if every person had the same economic opportunities? Would everyone be happier? Today in our society, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Is this the way it should be? I dont think so. Economic opportunities are too often opportunities that are there because of how much money a person already has. In our society today, it is easy to just leave problems that need to be solved up to our government. This is not the way it has to be though, because as citizens of America we can make a difference. Through personal responsibility our society can correct this problem of unequal economic opportunities. In our communities today, charitiescontinue to make a difference Without charities and donations going to the poor, our economic opportunities would be even more unequal. The providers of charity come from all different sources like church groups, community organizations, and even businesses. Protesting government actions that would make economic opportunities more unequal is another way we can, and do make a difference in our communities. When a bill that will raise the minimum wage is about to be vetoed in congress, our society should protest. Showing Congress how the public feels is the only logical thing to do. Any economic related issues in our government should be important to our citizens if we want equality of economic opportunities. Citizens shouldnt be in the dark about important issues; instead they should be informed and protesting.

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Jean Wohlrab, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

Editors note: Problem Solvers, described on page 107, would advance Jeans proposal, above.

In areas of poverty and violence it is very hard to have a normal family. It is difficult to instill any values into to a person who has grown up surrounded by violence and poverty. People need to have better job opportunities or have more educational opportunitiesso that they can earn more money and be able to pull themselves out of poverty. By workingand earning decent wages people are going to be a lot more productive and [contribute] a lot more to our communities than [they would] living off of [taxpayers]. We think that by concentrating on larger cities we can solve our [social] problems quicker. While it is true we can reach more people in the larger cities, we have neglected people in other areas of the country. Katie Sakowicz, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois There are not as many social programs as there are financial programswe do too much talking about the problems and not enough doing. Social activism is needed because talk is cheap. [We should provide programs that challenge teenagers, provide opportunities and] fine-tune their ways of living, their beliefs and their outlook on life. Butfunding and organization of these programs will take time and patience. Sarah Gerencher, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Others agree: Problems with the youth do not just occur in the large inner cities; [they occur] in the communities that have populations under fifty thousand like Littleton, Colorado and Paducah, Kentucky. Violence has no prejudice, and it will show its ugly face anywhere. These incidents leave people, both young and old, pointing fingers at one another and wondering if there was some way they could have been prevented. Society mustreestablish values and respect for one another in the youth of today. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio

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Others see the same problem: Part of our society is making at least $20.00 an hour or more, while others are still making that lousy minimum wage. Sometimes things dont go as planned, and people dont succeed as well as others. Tiffany Glenn, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Whose fault is this? The reason that the poor are becoming poorer is that they are making that choice. They are not being educated in order to get good jobs because they are dropping out of school too soon. I live in a small town where the average income of most families is extremely small, many of them below poverty. It is not uncommon for both the husband and the wife to be working minimum wage jobs and be raising two or three children, but that is their choice. People seem not to be interested in a better education. As a high school senior I sit in the situation where I have to find money to go to college. Casey Noles, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Dustin has a practical straightforward answer: How do the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? I think the rich keep getting richer because they are good at managing their money. They probably have money drawing interest at the bank. People who dont have much money in the banks and have loans usually live paycheck to paycheck. Dustin Stevens, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota

Education
In America we say education is important but what are we doing to help it get better? We need only to have our educational system collapse and then where would we be? Thomas Carano, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Many problems arise from lack of education. We all know High School is not enough these days to give us the life we

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want. So I believe we must better our basic educational programs first. Bret Stamy, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania I guess that what I am trying to say is that if our children get an education, that may cut down the population of the poor people. I mean, if you think about it, the only reason that there are homeless people, is because they made a few wrong decisions. I think that the first wrong decision was not to get an education. The next decision was to give up on themselves. The last decision was to give up on life and to give up on second chances. To improve life in communities, we must have our children earn an education. If the number of children who go to school increases, then there may be less homeless and/or poor people. Stephanie Gower, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois There should be more jobs that uneducated people could do so that they would not have to rely on the government to help them. Frankie Dale Quinn, Jr., Camden High, Camden, Tennessee How [do we] get the unemployed and those now employed in low-skill jobs the opportunity to advance in the work place? We need to take the initiative for a community class or school for these people that would teach them how to interview for jobs, how to act, and how to look. Perhaps service clubs, such as 4H, Rotary, extension clubs could sponsor these programs. I think more people would be motivated to take a stepif the path to their destination was less costly. Emily Overgaard, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota With the rapid growth of technologyschools needmore money than the federal government is currently giving them to keepupdated. Teachers should also be given more training even if they have their masters degree. [Unless] we want to keep our students [acquiring] the same irrelevant knowledge, the teachers of tomorrow need to be better trained for the job.

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More money equals better schools equals better teachers equals better education. Education needs a vital face-lift to survive. Thomas Carano, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Other students recognize the importance of education in finding a good job: Education is a very important key to success. If you have a good education you can get a good job and have a good life. Kristel Fuller, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee With education comes opportunity, and with opportunity comes experience. Desiree Johnson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Acceptance to college is sometimes difficult, and a college degree is very important in finding a good job with a steady income. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama The more education you have the better job you might get. Many young people blow off school thinking it will never help them. If they know they have a good job to look forward to, they will work harder. They will have motivation to do their best. Jaclyn Heelan, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois
Editors Note: See page 204, the fictional Jeremiah-Hilde Company, for its relevance to Jaclyns last sentence, above.

Years ago, schools got their students ready for the world, but today, in order to get into the real world a student almost has to take four years of college, get a degree of some sort, then find a job that will fit that degree. And it seems the world of today has moved even farther ahead than that. Most of the higher positions available require experience plus more time in college than the four years that have already been spent there. What this tells me is that High School prepares students for a world that does not exist anymore. Josh Braunschweig , Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

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If you dont succeed in college, it can sometimes affect your career goals. Technology, especially computers, is expanding into all kinds of occupations. These days you can hardly find a job that does not require computer knowledge. One big mistake is made by students who graduate from high school and forget about attending college. People areresponsible for their own success or failure. If our fellow citizens strive to help themselves, then they would be better off. If you mess up in school, aim at getting your GED. Tiffany Glenn, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Because of the new ways of working and rapidly improving technology, a successful career in the twenty-first century will differ extensively from the ideal prosperous career that prevailed in the twentieth century. The application of technology to skills for thinking and solving problems and cooperative group work among students will [be taught in the most successful schools.] Few schools [today] recognize the importance of these skills. Meredith Giles, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama What some High School students do not get, though, is that the world is advancing so quickly and pretty soon a job will require not only a High School degree but a college one as well. I believe if we can somehow make education more interesting and less stressful, there would be a significant decrease in students dropping out. Matt Schluenz, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Many students view education as the great equalizer: To help equalize the opportunities among classes, extensive education needs to be provided for all people. If everyone were better educated then everyone would have a better chance to succeed in life. Frankie Dale Quinn, Jr., Camden High, Camden, Tennessee Equalizing our childrens [educational] opportunities would be a good place to start this project of financial equality. If a

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college education was made as available as an elementary one, then our children would have the same financial opportunities. Jean Wohlrab, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri In grade school, you basically go just because your parents send you there. Some kids do not like to go to school, but what they get out of it everyday is priceless. In our country, [we] are lucky to be offered such a free luxury. Some countries are not quite as fortunate as we are; they cannot afford to send all of their children to school. Stephanie Sherbume, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota
Editors note: I recently returned from Nepal, one of the countries that cannot afford to offer free education to its children. In contrast to the $5,000-$10,000 per pupil to educate elementary/secondary students in this country, my brother-in-law, who resides permanently in Kathmandu, manages to send several native children to elementary school at a very minimal per pupil cost when using American dollars. This entire publication urges you to help American youth, but if you are globallyminded and want instant results, you might want to see just how much good a very few dollars can do towards educating a child in other less developed parts of the world.

Since at the moment U.S. taxpayers only provide K-12 education for American youth, many students need help financing post-secondary education. Scholarships There are several nonprofit organizations that give millions of dollars in scholarships each year, as do several individuals. Casey Noles, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee But there arent enough scholarships: More scholarship programs should be eligible for lowerincome students that show a promising future. These students may very well be the leaders of tomorrow. Frankie Dale Quinn, Jr., Camden High, Camden, Tennessee Numerous people know what they want to pursue, but cannot afford the high cost of college. I am one of those many people who are worried about how my family is going to afford my

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education. If our society could help these students by making more scholarships available, there would be hope for us who have none. Writing letters to businesses to inform them of my ideas would be using my personal responsibility as a student. I hope they would take my letters seriously and make an effort to help. More businesses should donate money for scholarships so the future leaders of their communities would be given a chance to achieve. Jamie White, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Many children dont have the money the grades or the athletic ability to attend college. And there are not enough scholarships out there for everyone. And who wants a fifty thousand dollar debt to pay off after college is over? I believe there should be many government programs to pay for students education. Also there should be a reasonable price set for tuition to schools. Because shouldnt we be about bettering ourselves and the world? Bret Stamy, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania But Casey, below, doesnt see government as the answer; he has other ideas: The point is if I didnt want to [go on] I could stop here. I could work at a minimum wage job for the rest of my life. But I dont want that, and I will fight and work to get the money to get a better education thus a better job. If I can work to get the money to go to college then anyone can. Everyone in this country has the chance to do whatever he/she wants; they just have to want to [enough]. Casey Noles, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Theres Another Way: Students at our school work to get grant-making organizations to donate Opportunity Rewards, usually merchandise and services in exchange for volunteer hours. These rewards are posted on our community database and accessed via the Internet. Kids can earn these rewards by choosing volunteer jobs that are also posted on the database. The posting of each reward states the number of hours required to earn it. Anyone

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can earn a reward for himself or for a needy family or nonprofit institution. You can also post your own Wish; something you would like to work towards which has not yet been offered as a reward. If you state what you are willing to do for it, someone may take you up on your offer. These arent jobs that pay dollars; they are more like internships, offering training and exposure to new things. The posted rewards include a huge variety of things like coupons redeemable for gasoline, restaurant meals and tickets to rock concerts, theaters, and sporting events. Scholarships, partial and full, are one of the most popular donations. The donors are national and local grant makers as well as large corporations and small businesses. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character, p 55 Another Way97 book by the editor But Andy is disillusioned: I work two hours a day after school and put in eighteen hours at work on the weekend. Someone I know collects more on unemployment than I do working. He doesnt leave his house at all during the day and doesnt try to find a job. Andy Nelson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Janelle explains why self-help might not be a wise option: Some people [claim] that their teenage years are the best years of their lifeTeens today get so wrapped up in getting a job and having money they forget all about getting their priorities straight. Teenagers that have after school jobs tend to let their homework slide; consequently, their grades go down dramatically. If a teenager is going to have an after school job they need to learn to take responsibility for their grades. I dont think at this age a teenager is even ready for a responsibility like this. Teenagers need to concentrate on being a kid. They need to go and have fun at school events. Janelle Seagren, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Kara makes another point: Believe it or not, some people in todays society like being treated like a child. They like their parents supporting them financially. They like having their beds made, their clothes

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washed, their lunches made and their time occupied by sleeping and partying. However, parents are not all to blame. Some people believe that the government is taking on the role of mommy and daddy. Public Aid was originally for helping people out, but people are taking advantage of it, using it as an excuse not to get a job. Kara Orlando, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Rhae comes down on the side of jobs: There are many expenses that go along with being a teenager, and it is good when teenagers learn that a person rarely gets something for nothing. Having a job is a good way for them to learn. Rhae Randall, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama But Elisabeth and Banesha go back to Janelles original point: Once teens get [drivers] license, they often take on more responsibilities than they can handle. Teens are getting jobs and more hours at earlier ages, but this is inevitably downplaying education. I, [know] from personal experience, how motivated a teen must be and how hard it is to keep up on school work. Elisabeth Slayden, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Actually, Banesha offers input to both sides of the discussion: The parent-child relationships seem to be getting worse. In some cases the roles are reversed. The parent becomes the child and the child becomes the parent. It is okay for children to help their parents, such as in my case. Every time I get my paycheck, I give a small percentage of my check to my parents. That teaches [me] responsibility. It doesnt hurt to help every once in a while, especially if the money is needed. But some kids in my age group living in the Joliet area, are forced to have jobs. They have no social lives and not a lot of time on their hands to have fun. Their days off are usually spent resting. Their lives are already stressful as it is with school and the pressures of being a teenager. Banesha Wood, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

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Creating Their Own Opportunities To Do What?

Opportunity to develop leadership and organizational skills: The National Honors Society at my school has recently established a tutoring/mentoring program. Anyone can sign up to be tutored or mentored. The only drawback of this program is that only the people in the National Honors Society can currently mentor or tutor. I can work to expand the program to other organizations. The KAYs Club has many members who would be more than willing to mentor a student; they only need someone to take the first step. I can take the first step and sit down with the president of the club and work out a way to establish a strong program. The local sororities and the Booster Club are very active in the community and are constantly looking for ways to become more involved. I can inform them of the issue at hand and help them to establish a program, also. Certainly many opportunities exist to make a difference by mentoring. One just has to be willing to take the first step in hopes of making the life of a child better. Shasta Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas The public should plan special events that bring communities together. A good example of this is the Relay for Life, a fundraiser for cancer. There could be organized meetings to discuss problemsfor example, a teen convention, where teenagers sit around and discuss things, or conventions for parents to get some insight into their childrens lives. Someone could plan cookouts for certain areas. Each person should be required to do one community service project every year. Not just picking up trash, butsomething productive. A good idea is to work at a hospital or help organize town meetings. I think it would give [us] a sense of accomplishment. Carrie Stone, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee One way that people could make a better community is to have community gatherings or maybe even parties. This would

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bring people together and then people would have a chance to meet other people in the community. You never know what this could do until you try it. If once in the spring and once in the fall there were a community get together then it would most likely provide for a more friendly community. Mark Lovell, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois All people willing to help can utilize their talents by making posters or singing. Others can help by supervising events and getting the necessary materials ready to make sure everything flows together, as it should. The most important thing to remember is that acting together is the best way to accomplish a common goal. Each neighborhood that comes together and tries to improve itself allows other neighborhoods to see that they can do the same thing. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Opportunity to gain a better understanding of what a career would be like with a public relations firm or maybe a nonprofit agency: As a student, I can encourage other teenagers to become involved in volunteer activities as well. Promoting students to become involved in organizations such as KAYs and the student council, youth can become an active role in the service of our community. As these students continue to provide service, they can then encourage others to participate. This way, volunteering services will become an endless resource. By participating in these activities, I have gained a better perspective on the role of a volunteer. Adam Hobgood, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas I propose that we as a community expand the mentoring programs so more elementary students will be reached. As a writer for the local newspaper, I can publicize the work currently being conducted and inform the public of the benefits that both the child and the mentor will receive. Many people in the community do not know the efforts [our] local school nurse is putting in to finding a mentor for the children who need one. Shasta Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

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Opportunity to be exposed to counseling situations. To learn to listen, a most valuable skill: I can take time from my day to affect the life of someone else in a positive way. If a child needs a mentor, I can offer my time. What they are going through could very well be something I have already gone through and I will be able to lead them in the right direction. I have had problems with school, friends, boyfriends and family members. I know how to effectively solve those types of problems. If I cannot help a child out, I can get advice from someone who knows and then help the child in every way possible. When I go to college, I can join the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. The people in this program work hard to find mentors for individuals. Being a part of something that makes a difference is something I have always wanted to do. Shasta Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Being a successful mentor would enable young adults to have confidence in their decision making and to benefit from their experience. Not only would this help build the positive self image of these young people, but the country as a whole would benefit by having well motivated workers who have confidence in what they are doing. They will have been highly educated because they were motivated to work hard throughout their schooling. Mark Olsen, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Perhaps I could help in school and other activities such as sports, clubs, and even [with] homework. My challenge to myself is to be involved with children and help them with their problems. This will make the child feel as if he/she is cared for and is a part of a bigger group. Corey Dinkel, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Opportunity to learn patience and people skills; to glimpse a career working with older people: The community could designate a day when students could help the elderly. The elderly to me are the most stubborn

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people, but there are times when they love to see young people and thats what puts a smile on their faces. Teens could learn a lot about what it takes to be accepted and what it takes for the elderly to accept their time and effort. It takes a lot of patience to help someone when you do not know a thing about him or her, but that is what makes every minute worth it. It would be a good experience for all teens. Julie Thirtyacre, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Broaden horizons; develop compassion and generate ideas: While we can only hope that murderers and criminals will someday come to their senses, there is something that we can do to prevent future crimes. We canreach out to less fortunate and confused people, showing them that there is someone who cares. If their self-esteem could be raised, then they would not need to commit acts of violence to prove a point. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama If a lack of public protection is an issue, then I can start night watches with friends around my community. Shana Shoemaker, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Rachel is just full of ideas leading to opportunities! Exposure to gardening skills We could start out making our community a better place by planting flowers in an elderly persons yard, at the park, along roadsides, at the schools and around the fire and police stations. We could all mow lawns for businessesnursing homes, churches, neighbors [and for people] that may have a disability or do not have the time to do it on their own. Decorating: We can decorate [private] homes and nursing homes. We can decorate the park so that when people came down the highway visiting our town over the holidays [they] can see that we care about our community. They just might go home and do the same in their town. Everyone enjoys a house being lit up and

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a tree decorated. Everyone can pitch in and decorate the towns streets and sidewalks to brighten up the town.

Painting tips might be picked up that would last a lifetime: Everyone has painted once in their lives if not, at least in kindergarten. We could paint over graffiti that may be on sidewalks, businesses, houses, sheds or cars. We could go to the parkand see that the equipment [gets] new paint.
The more parenting skills a student learns, the better for all of us: We could baby-sit for a neighbor that might have an emergency, needs to be gone for a few hours and does not want to wake the baby or does not have the time to get the child dressed. They would see how much we care about children of the community and that alone would help. Baby-sitting is fun. If you have done it for a long time, believe me, its like the children are your own because when they are hurt they depend on you when their parents are not there. They want you to play with them as if you are mom or daddy. Its a good way to get started in the community.

A better idea of what it would be like to be a waitperson: We could go to the senior citizens building and offer to serve the elderly food. They would really appreciate it if we[waited on them]. An exposure to health care and working with the elderly: We could go to a nursing home andhospital and sing songs [or]just sit and talk to the children and other [patients]. We could go to elderly peoples homes and take them [shopping or to visit housebound] relatives or [friends]. We could even just sit there and talk with them and learn something from the past we would never have learned in school.
Rachel Ingram, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

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Some students might discover a vocation in the arts or an aptitude for organization, fundraising or salesmanship: A mural, painted by the teens of the town, would be a wonderful display of local talent and be a statement of pride. Teens could go around and get people to donate money or paint for the mural. This would allow teens to get out in the community and get to know their neighbors. They would have to explain what they were doing and why. They would definitely have to prove themselves to be responsible by planning, financing and executing the entire project. A large project such as a mural would take a extensive amount of time and effort. We all know that time and effort is not always easily produced by kids with energy to burn. With a little guidance from adults, and a little support from their peers and role models, teens today can learn to show more compassion and caring in the more traditional ways without sacrificing their individuality. Adulthood is not proven by physical attributes, but by quiet actions of selflessness. Heather Moe, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

Section Three

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Let It Shine, Let It Shine, Let It Sh-i-ne

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Chapter Twelve
The Energy and Optimism Of Youth Shines Through
Bailey is acting out his desire to make a contribution to his community: Belonging to 4-H or some other kind of club helps our community and also helps children learn responsibility. I was in 4-H for about five years. I know it taught me about responsibility and we also did a lot to help our community. We had blood drives once a year. Every summer, we would get the 4-H club together and clean and mow the cemetery and churchyard every few weekswe would also set up days once or twice a year to clean road ditches. We would go caroling to the senior citizens home every Christmas. We did a lot of good things to help the community and learn responsibility I was in another club called FBLA, or Future Business Leaders of America. We did many different fundraisers. We had a haunted house and a dash for cash. We also sold flowers on Valentines Day. We had a car wash to raise money, and we also sold T-shirts. We did all of these things for the community. I taught Bible School two summers ago. Doing work for the church is a good way to learn responsibility and help my community. Bailey Rock, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota 4-H is one of the vehicles many students across the country use to make their contributions: In 4-H we make arts and crafts, show horses, build rockets, give speeches, show livestock, rodeo, music, performing arts, citizenship, photography, foods and nutrition, child development, and wood-workingwe [work with young children]we have to have good listening skills andsometimes the kids can get rowdy and we need to pay a lot of attention to them.

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Rebecca Olney, Kadoka High School, Kadoka, South Dakota

4-H has taught me numerous life skills that I will always carry with me. 4-H defines the five life skills as these: Relating to others, building self-confidence, developing a concern for the community, learning to make decisions, and developing an inquiring mind. 4-H has taught me all of these skills along with many others. We must continue to promote the 4-H program along with the Ambassador program. The program is designed to train High School age 4-Hers with leadership and public speaking skills. The program gives older members an opportunity to enhance their leadership qualities. We give speeches, write articles, and assist in community activities. We work with other 4-Hers by conducting officer training, assisting at the county and state fairs, assisting at award banquets, and lending a helping hand whenever possible. We always try to set a good example. We need more publicity for the program. We need to recognize the noteworthy individuals throughout the year. We need to stress that the Ambassador program works throughout the community in all aspects, not just in 4-H. The 4Hers are always willing to lend a helping hand. We live by our motto that states, To Make The Best Better. I know that the younger members are always looking up to me. I try to show them how to practice good sportsmanship. 4-H promotes sportsmanship though the conduct of our members. We demonstrate and maintain high standards of personal behavior. We learn and follow the rules. We are truthful, fair, and straightforward. We accept competition. We are courteous, and we gratefully accept the suggestions of others. I have taken the personal responsibility of being a positive role model. Not only am I an ambassador, but I also serve as president of our club. I have learned from former 4-Hers who have been in our club. I have learned about punctuality, bookkeeping, and diplomacy. I hope that the younger members are learning from me. I hope to pass on my leadership, public speaking, and organizational skills. Since I am graduating from High School, this is my last year in the club. I have followed in the paths of other members, and I hope that the younger members will follow in my path.

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I will always strive to support the 4-H program. I plan to continue my 4-H work in college. Members, parents, leaders, and numerous other people are part of the 4-H program. If we continue to build the program, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of others.
Jennifer Bakumenko, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

Striving to make a community better is not as hard as it sounds; [just] doing a little task can brighten ones day. I hope I have inspired a little child to strive to do his best because anything is in his reach. By being a better person, I hope I make the children want to try new ideas. I feel that I have made my community better through my involvement in 4-H and school activities. I have been actively involved in student council for two years. Planning homecoming or a spirit week for the student body is worthwhile. Making it a fun and safe way to show ones spirit in the school, I see many teenagers open up to their surroundings, from doing a dance in front of the High School students or expressing their point of view in a class meeting. I have also helped plan a memorial service for the community who lost three very loved and missed teenage boys. Helping the community remember and express their feelings during this time was an honor on behalf of the student council and administration. Now a senior in High School, I have been a member of Cushing 4-H for ten years. I played softball when I first started, setting a personal goal of being the best team ever, and giving the community some entertainment. Not only do I hold a responsibility on the basketball court, but I also do on my parents four hundred acre dairy farm. I hold a big responsibility of milking seventy cows, feeding the cattle, and helping to harvest the crops. Making my familys operation run smoothly day-to-day is a big job. Making sure that the community has food and milk to drink plays a part in keeping not only my farm, but also farms all across the nation in operation. My past has taught me that community involvement is very important. I plan to continue my involvement in my future community. Jenny Byl, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin

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Brooke and Michelle choose the National Honor Society: The National Honor Society is a charity based organization. We feed the homeless, sponsor blood drives, and clean up our adopted highway. After participating in these activities I feel good that I, as a teen, am able to make a difference in someone elses life. Brooke Hartman, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois In NHS, we are always doing some sort of project to assist our local community. For example, we gather the trash along the highway in front of our school, we prepare sandwiches for the homeless, and we also run blood drives. The NHS is run by students, and by having teens set up and run these activities, it has become an excellent example of a rite of passage. Another important organization that serves as a rite of passage is my church youth group. The youth group has collected canned foods and blankets for the needy, we have fed the homeless, and we also have helped renovate churches and homes of people who are in need of assistance. Through these activities the teens in my youth group have been able to recognize how important their actions are to others around them. Adults may think that teens do not care about their communities and their actions, but they are wrong. Michelle Hudson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Nathan follows his heart: Many elderly people live very lonely and boring lives. I have an elderly home next door to me. My goal is to help the elderly to live a safer life. The sidewalks, railings, and stairways are very unsafe and it would be nice to see new materials put in. I am going to call the town council to see if they could help An elderly woman broke her hip and could not walk for weeks. Her legs gave out and she fell down the steep stairway. Elderly people with bad health, I think, should be on the bottom floor so they would not have to worry about walking up steps. My sister and I have been taking [their] garbage out to dumpsters so they do not have to walk and so it does not pile up in their homes. [This] is a good way to see how they are doing and make sure everything in their home is functioning all right.

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I enjoy spending time hearing stories at the Senior Citizen Center. In the winter months I shovel the cars out and the porches off so elderly people do not fall when theyre getting the morning paper. My neighbor and I plow all the walkways and the road where they park their cars. They always offer us money, but we can never accept because they do not have any to spare for me helping them. I enjoy the look of thanks that comes on their face when I am done. This summer the building is going to put street lights out in frontso the elderly [will] feel safer. Cumberland Electric is going to provide new air conditioners and lights for each apartment. I would like to put in railings in the stairways and new sidewalks leading to the parking lot. On Christmas and other holidays most elderly people do not have any family to visit them. I take some elderly people up to the Senior Citizen Center where they can eat and socialize with other elderly people. My family always has a lot to eat, so I take plates of food over to the elderly [residents] that do not enjoy going to the Senior Citizen Center. I invited many of them to the [high school] Christmas Tea. Many elderly people have to buy their groceries at a local store where the prices are too expensive. They sometimes have to go without as much food as they should because they have to buy medicine. When my parents and I go to the market, we get grocery lists from themI know they enjoy being taken places...An elderly woman tells me the same story about her foot doctor taking her out to eat and to a soccer game every time I go over to her house. I think if there was a bus that would take them to Wal-Mart or restaurants to eat, [that] would really make them happy. I have called a local man with a bus and he has been taking some elderly people to his church. They are so happy just for something as little as giving them a ride to church. I think the world should be more like them; being happy [with] what you have and not always wanting more. Every day Ipick their mail up and read it to them. They enjoy when people read the newspaper to them. I know they just enjoy the company and not being alone. My mother is

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going to start helping them with their bills and health care information. My mother feels they could get more money if they would apply. I think someone should be paid to help them with their bills and finances. I [used to think] elderly people were always playing bingo or going to church, but now I realize they are great people to be around. I think helping the elderly people next door to me has helped me feel good about myself and I know I will always have someone to talk to. Nathan Satzer, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Like Nathan, David, below, takes the initiative and makes his own opportunities: I, myself, have helped the local police department make a series of videos called Armed With Skills for teenagers that airs on our local community television station. I have also taken part in many community service projects through the JROTC program at my school. Things Ive done include: visiting nursing homes, canned food drives for the needy, marching in parades, and Christmas caroling. The projects that I have been involved with have been educational and satisfying. Also, being as involved as I am in school and community service, I am a well-known member of my community. Nothing aggravates me more than someone that complains about filthy conditions, yet would never be willing to lift a finger to change it. Personally, I can say that if it is a nice day, and I find myself being bored, I grab a garbage bag and go for a walk, cleaning as I go. David Newman, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Teenagers are involved in numerous projects in their communities everyday: I have been a member of a couple youth groups in the past few years. I find the experience rewarding and fun. I have been involved with neighborhood trash pick-up, feeding the homeless, and mowing the lawns of the older members in my community. The other youth group that I am in has sponsored potlucks, worked at blood drives, and sang Christmas carols at nursing homes.

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Josh Onken, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Adam has the last word: The youth of our community also provides strength with their volunteer efforts. Groups such as the United Methodist Youth Group, STUCO, and KAYS contribute much to our community. These students conduct food drives, clean areas around the school, and act as mentors to needy children. Adam Hobgood, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas We have provided only a small sampling of the large number of similar stories on file. Soon they will be assembled and displayed on our web site, www.singerfoundation.org

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Chapter Thirteen
Nonprofits
Local organizations are most crucial to communities: There are numerous nonprofit organizations that operate on a national and even a global scale, but perhaps the most crucial to communities are the local organizations that coordinate efforts like food drives and soup kitchens. These local organizationsreally provide the caring that communities need because they are based in the area and are familiar with the people with whom they are dealing as opposed to international organizations with no notion of what the area is like. True, many of these large establishments have local offices to keep in touch with the needs of smaller communities, but smaller operations started by local citizens seem to have greater [impact] when allocating their resources. Therefore, the best way to improve a local community is by donating time and money to local charitable organizations like churches. That way the generous givers know that their contributions will go a long way toward improving their community. Another point to consider is that many of the large-scale operations, like the Red Cross, prefer to react to problems and disasters rather than precluding them. Local organizations are constantly working toward meeting the needs of the community, so they prevent latent situations from ever becoming problems on a huge scale. Dominick Olivito, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Sarah also prefers local organizations: Today in communities there is not enough emphasis put on volunteering ones time to a nonprofit organization. Nonprofit organizations are very important in our society, butin my community we have [some] nonprofit organizations [that] are more concerned with what is going on in other places. They raise money for things that do not directly help our community.

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I think that our resources should be used [locally.] Helping out other communities and world institutions are fine also, but the most important should be ones community. Sarah Leonard, Camden Central High, Camden, Tennessee
Editors note: A plan to coordinate local nonprofits in order to decrease duplication and grant writing and to share resources is presented at the bottom of page 195.

What about small local organizations? It seems that small startup organizations, with new ideas and the energy of an impassioned founder who is constantly on the scene, do wonderful work in the community; work that definitely deserves assistance and applause. Donors who want to get more bang for their bucks would love to know about these groups. People who want to really make a difference in the community would like the opportunity to volunteer services and other resources to these organizations. However these organizations [often] have short life spansthey spend little or no time on public relations. Almost all staff and volunteer time is spent in the field pursuing their mission. In our town a number of nonprofits have formed a coalition under the Another Way umbrella. The pro-rata sharing of funds and the coordination of volunteers and needs, gives these startups a fighting chance. These organizations dont have time to write grant proposals nor the skills and money to compete in that marketplace. Even a discounted course in grant writing takes a week to complete and costs $350 and thats without travel and hotel expenses. Grant writing is a business and an integral part of the old way. Teaching nonprofits to become self-sufficient and independent of the starts and stops of grants is Another Way. There is a new crop of innovative and awesome ideas every day. Young organizations might result from those ideas and I think we should give them a better chance to survive. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character, p75 Another Way97 book by editor There are numerous well-established programs in place:

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In my own community, I can see efforts taking place to try to improve the quality of life. At my church, every Wednesday they have a group of volunteers who gather and prepare an afternoon of fun for children after school. These volunteers go to the grade school, gather up the children, and drive them over to the church. This provides the children with the attention they need. They read, sing, and play games. This program gives the children a healthy environment to go to after school rather than an empty house. Tricia McGreer, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Churches really do have the ability to touch the hearts of young kids and to influence young minds, if only they would do it more. I know it helped me. By going to a group prayer, my whole way of thinking changed. I feel that if the church reached a stubborn person such as myself, then it can reach many others. Evan Weller, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois We brought the PAT [Parents As Teachers] program to Edwards County. This program is positive. The program stresses that parents are the first and best teachers of their children. Babies are born with a right to learn. Giving a child the best possible start in life is the greatest gift any set of parents can offer to their child. Parents need to realize that starting at the very beginning helps make the best of the early learning years and makes a big difference in the child when he/she enters school. Edwards County PAT program is trying hard to expand their facilities and offer their help to the public. By helping the families give their child the best possible start in life, we all will benefit Ashley Stegman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Character Counts, which is a program at my school, is a good way to recognize people, like me, who want to make a difference. Kristel Fuller, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

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National Nonprofits There are also many clubs in our communities that are associated with children, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, United Way, YMCA, and many more. They help to keep children off the streets and give them a place to go after school [and] on weekends. [These] programs help to prepare [children] for lifes many challengesThe influence of a single adult reaching a youngster at the right moment cannot be underestimated. Shannon Fitzgerald, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois The Samaritans is a good example of teamwork in the community. It is a program that helps the needy people on holidays. They deliver food to the houses of families that otherwise wouldnt have had a good holiday meal. It is faster and easier because they have teamwork. I wonder how hard it would be if only one person had to load all the boxes of food by himself? He would probably never get finished. Galen Benson Wigley, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma The Red Cross[has] blood drives in various placeswhen natural disasters like tornadoes or fires hit and take peoples homes, the Red Cross will come and have housing and food and other supplies to help the family or families cope with the problem and get their lives up and running again. The Red Cross also has a youth chapterwe do things like helping with the blood drives that the Red Cross hosts. We [are] also hosting our own blood drives at the schools that are around the area. We are again going to help with the Red Crosss Jump and Jive Blood Drive that is held at the Mall of America. Jenica Deiss, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin The Kinsley High School National Honor Societyis currently tutoring four to five studentsthe tutoring service is free and voluntary. This program shows struggling students that someone can and will help them and teaches the student to use his study time wisely.

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Steven Hogan, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

A program called the Middle School Intergenerational Project in Hesston, Kansas, provides a companionship between middle school kids and the elderly. These middle school children form a lasting friendship with the elderly. This bond shared between the two generations builds trust and more importantly, communication. The child is able to see an adult in a different light, as a friend. In the youngest years of a child, friendship can be the most important aspect of life. Children are very impressionable. Intergenerational programs are needed to close the generation gap. These programs will open the door to having better communication between generations. Tamara Parchert, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois A few teens across the country are doing something to help stop the growing number of irresponsible teens. In Putnam County, a youth court has been established. These types of programs are not common enough around the country. Teens act as the lawyers, judges, and jury, and they have real-life cases. They see kids just like themselves in the court for crimes like drug possession, under-age drinking, stealing, and even murder. Through youth courts like Putnam Countys, teens learn responsibility through seeing what can happenif they commit crimes that might [otherwise] seem harmless to them. Rachel Murrin, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Tom Lewis Fishing School [is a program] which helps students after school by letting them fish for what careers are right for them. The program allows the student use of computers and other equipmentto make learning easier and more enjoyable. Steven Hogan, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Tom Lewis was astonished at what he saw in schools in Washington DC. He saw filthy and dirty children coming to school; many of these children did not have good role models. He started an after-school program. It included computer labs,

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creative writing workshops, homework assistance, and hot meals. It also provided mentoring. One student has shown an interest in ballet and now performs. Others have become the first in their families to go to college. Some have won scholarships. Much of this is to the credit of the mentors and role models [provided by] Tom Lewiss after school program. Truett Cathy has also given many children good role models. Cathy is the founder of the Chick-fil-A company. He has used much of the profits of the company to help out many people. He has started a scholarship for Chick-fil-A employees attending college. Healso started a summer camp and foster homes. Today he has set up eleven foster homes with each one having twelve children and a married couple as role models. These homes give childrena jump start. Ronald Elder, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
Editors note: See pages 226-228 in reference to the reading students were required to complete before writing the essays excerpted here.

ROPE, a center for the advancement of youth, family, and community services has developed a program to ease youth through the changing process. Phase one is to focus community, parent, student, and school attention. During this phase parents and teachers must [give students] important life skills. Phase two is the focus on connecting youth with community resources. This stage is common with the middle or junior High School students. Society must promote and provide positive leisure time activities like football, basketball, band, track, and school plays. The more activities a community provides for the youth the less time theyre out drinking and doing drugs. Phase three is the focus on the important adult value of giving ones self to others through community service (ROPE). Older students are role models and guide the youth in social community service. The youth of today look up to older [peers] more than ever and the more they see people helping others and not doing drugs, the more often they are willing to help others also.

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During these stages, the youth need to see and feel a connection to society. They must feel that they are important to society. Craig Corderman , Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa Clubs, such as Future Farmers of America and Future Homemakers of America, provide some entertainment with their shows of animals and their other displays. Jana van der Paardt, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin Teen Challengehelps adults and teens with drug abuseJALMC, an organization to help teens and adult with violence, uses peer meditation. These are very good organizations. Jamie Swauger, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Head Start, founded by President Johnsons wife, builds a childs confidence and starts him/her on the right road to school at an early age. Literacy programs teach those who barely finished school or never learned to read, to read. Tyler Leap, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania A lot-but not enough: We do have many answers for our problems today. Schools have clubs and activities to keep students associated with positive things. These programs help keep teens on the right path. Many churches have youth groups to teach teens about God and to keep them away from negative influences. There are also teen hotlines, where kids can call and talk toother teens who may possibly be going through the same troubles. Young adults also have support meetingsthey can receive help from people who have gone through the same predicaments. There are also health clinics where young adults can go to be educated about safe sex. They can also receive free contraceptives and useful information to protect themselves. Although we have many alternatives to the negative lifestyles of teens and young adults, I believe we still need more. Cassie Flynn, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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But sometimes good intentions, even coupled with fervent energy, is not enough: Im going to quote Governing magazine, May 1997; an article titled Dueling With Do-Gooders by Rob Gurwitt. financially strapped cities formed partnerships with private agencies and nonprofits, churches and community organizations, when they couldnt afford to deal with public social and economic problems alone. These private agencies demanded, and received, public subsidies and central locations. They snapped up empty office space and storefronts and used them for soup kitchens, drop-in centers for the needy and that kind of thing. The number of nonprofits involved in human services rose from 35,000 prior to 1985 to 54,000 in 1992, a rise of over 50 percent. The unrestrained growth of the services local governments encouraged and relied on, came back to haunt them. In the late 1900s cities made a comeback and prosperous businesses were faced with people talking to themselves, lying on the sidewalk and defecating in their changing rooms. And there were duplications. Hartford, Connecticut mayor, Mike Peters, said, and I quote: We found that a lot of the nonprofits requesting money from us were doing the same types of things. We had 32 different facilities for drug rehab remember, youre talking about only 16 square miles of land, which to me didnt make a lot of sense. He stressed the need to identify and reorganize these programs. The problem described by the writer was one of overabundance and lack of coordination. He noted that too many providers attract too many clients and an area becomes focused on needy individuals more than on the citizens who are able to support themselves and others. These incentives attract more takers than givers more needy than producers. In Connecticut, neighborhood organizations were formed to promote a moratorium on nonprofits. Residents began to question the effectiveness of nonprofits at healing the social illnesses that are the reason for their existence. In other words they werent getting results. Instead of decreasing the problems, their soup kitchens and shelters were attracting more people with problems. It seemed that politicians had lost faith in social

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services. The article continued: They have no reason to believe that if they increase their allocations for child welfare or mental health or public safety by 30 percent they will begin to see the problems decreasing in the data. The politicians retaliated by claiming nonprofits were driven by a quest for dollars more than a desire to serve (fulfill their missions). Officials in Portland, Maine decided not to fund a local youth leadership group that had lost its federal grant because there was no decline in what the program was supposed to prevent. Heres a quote from Portlands City Manager: Drug use is getting younger; dropout rates are not diminishing; weve got the highest underage smoking rate in the country. So you wonder, would we be any worse off if this program wasnt in effect? And theres a quote which shows that Rochester, New York is ripe for the Another Way concept: it wants its poorest neighborhoods to think of themselves, not as dens of social pathology but as potential-filled communities that, if they organize themselves, can build on their own assets. And finally a direct quote from Tom Argust in Rochester: Unfortunately, we fund nonprofits programs based on how bad problems are and how good they are at articulating how bad the problems are. So they focus on how bad things are instead of trying to see what are the assets we have in this neighborhood [and] how libraries and schools and parks can be harnessed and organized to bring about a different kind of neighborhood. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character, p21, Another Way97 bk by editor This is what kids hear: The community could also help by starting up a nonprofit organization that is actually nonprofit. This means that the nonprofit organizations should have volunteersand people that will work for the good of the community. Most of todays nonprofit organizations are giving most of their incometohigh paid employees that run the organization. These salaries must either be reduced by a lot, or be cut off, and the income [given] to the people who need [it] instead of going to the people who are running the [organizations]. These

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nonprofit organizations are getting away with a kind of robberythey are taking this money for themselves. Jimmy Gipson, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri How do you determine the most cost-effective organizations? The most cost-effective nonprofit programs can be determined by following the instructions to analyze and compare tax returns which are provided on a web page maintained by our school. Students post information for each organization showing the cost of past programs, information about endowments, investment returns, donations, government dollars and time and other resources spent soliciting funds. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p 48 Another Way, a 97 book by editor The bottom line is that funders are getting tired of funding what doesnt work. They are ready for results. They want more bang for their bucks. Thats what they get by funding Another Way Rewards. They leverage their resources by employing trades instead of dollar subsidies. This way the grant maker funds programs based on the proven support of people who cared enough to contribute upfront, their time, labor and materials and to do whatever it took to merit the funding. They wouldnt go out on a limb for a program they didnt believe in. They did more than promise, they showed they were willing to put in the effort to make a given project work. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character, p22 Another Way 97 bk by editor Whats your cause? Some people find a certain cause they want to help. That is great, but sometimes requires a lot more work than one would think. If your grandmother died from cancer, wouldnt you want to help find a cure so others wouldnt suffer? If your dog ran away and was killed at an animal shelter, wouldnt you want to do something to save other pets? What would you do if your mom was in the hospital dying and she needed an organ transplant to live? Someone would have to die to give her a

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second chance. Would you then go and spread the word about organ donation? What would you do if your parents lost their jobs and couldnt pay the bills anymore? Where would you sleep? What would you eat? Where would you get clothes? These questions are on the minds of many people; they want to know what they can do to help. Jennifer Burkhardt, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Volunteers In most communities there are a large number of different organizations that need the help of volunteers all of the time. These organizations might ask the volunteers to serve food at soup kitchens, help the environment by picking up litter, or help out at a nursing home or daycare center. Most organizations do not ask the volunteers to do strenuous work or to work long shifts but simply to volunteer a couple hours out of a month to help. If more people volunteered, the more work a community could accomplish and the less time it would require from every person involved. Not only can adults volunteer, but students can also help out. Students could help to improve their school facilities. Since they have to be at school, they should want it to look respectable and well cared for. Students could also volunteer to tutor other students. If a student is excelling in one particular subject and knows someone in his class who is struggling, the student who is doing well should offer to spend a little bit of time each day helping the student who is not doing so well. Tutoring other students gives both students different perspectives on things. A student is now the teacher, and the other student is being taught by someone closer in age. Tracy Clark, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio When we get a hard winter the National Guard is there to help clean roads and towns. When a tornado hit the town of Spencer the National Guard, Red Cross, volunteer firefighters, and volunteer ambulance crews were there the night it happened. So if you are looking for some volunteer work, [those] are the four best ideas that I can give. Tony Pingre, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

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In Mapleton, students poll the residents in their neighborhoods to discover incentives and disincentives to volunteering. Then they take what they have learned to local nonprofit organizations and work with them to create volunteer opportunities, which eliminate the disincentives and provide the incentives. Other students work with these action-oriented public and private nonprofits to compile wish lists, which if filled, will enable these organizations to focus more fully on their missions and free them from the expensive and timeconsuming chore of writing grants and seeking volunteers. As a side benefit, the information obtained enables individual, and institutional grant makers, to target and leverage their donations Dorothy Avila, Fictional Character, p50 Another Way,97 book by editor Volunteer work is a great opportunity. All of our firemen are volunteers and they are great. They really react quickly to calls and do a very good job. There are a lot of people that volunteer to build things and clean up things. When the church needs an additionthere are many volunteersthere are a lot of parents that chaperone at dances andthere are also a lot of people that set up for the after prom party, and have to stay up all-night and work really hard. Volunteer work is one of the greatest things anybody could ever do for the community. Brady Ellis, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Food drives and Meals on Wheels are not possible without volunteers with a strong sense of compassion for the wants and needs of other individuals. Adam Hobgood, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas Volunteers each year become angels of mercy. But angels are rare, and as the worlds problems increase, the need for heavenly hosts doubles. If people knewhow much their [volunteer] time means, maybe more [would] be willing to share this special treasure. Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

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Enough competition! Its time to share: You can find numerous volunteer jobs almost anywhere. Ask yourself this question when looking for a volunteer job, Is this job worthy of my efforts and abilities? In other words, is the time and effort that I put into this job really helping my community? Many times, more than one of the same kind of nonprofit organization exists. Have you ever noticed how they always compete with each other? We need to remember that we are there to help people that are in need, not to compete. A way to stop all this competition is for all nonprofit organizations to come together as one. Everyone should work together. We shouldnt try to take profits away from one organization, just so we can have that profit for our organization. We just have to realize that all the profit is going to the same place, and for all the same reasons. The objective is to improve the quality of life in our community. Shawnna Louise Cordale, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma
Editors note: See how nonprofits could be coordinated locally on pages 229-230

In Mapleton, instead of duplicating effort, nonprofits pool effort by sharing resources. All anyone has to do is log onto our communitys home page, and click on Nonprofits. With a click of a mouse, cooperating nonprofits can adapt each others successful forms, letters, brochures, posters, newspaper advertisements and contracts. By agreement, no copyrights and no charges exist among nonprofits in Mapleton. The market will ensure that the most efficient solutions prevail and supplies and labor will get to their most needed destination. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p40 Another Way,97book by editor The right reasons to donate: It is an excellent incentive to have monetary donations to nonprofit organizations be tax deductible. But what if they werent? Would there still be donations? I seriously doubt that there would be nearly as many charitable donations given by the wealthy if there were not some reward. Therefore,

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eliminating the compensations for donating is not the answer to resolving the donation and volunteer abuse. The answer possibly lies behind a great amount of advertising. If people were to see what a positive effect donations leave on their community, I think they would be more apt to donate for the right reasons. The right reasons are those that do not bring personal glory or reward to oneself. When people within a community drop a check into the offering tray at church because the person next to them is watching, they are displaying the wrong reasons to donate. They should actually be giving money to their church to glorify God and help the church grow. Donating money to a good cause should be a wonderful feeling; the donor should be happy and feel proud inside for helping out the less fortunate. If communities would come together and advertise what a wonderful idea it is to donate money, then possibly more and more families would give just to have a good feelingThe American Heart Association [might provide] statisticsrevealing donations from healthy citizens have [funded] research[which] has saved numerous lives. Leslie Jo Lukens, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Editors note: Please review responses to Harry Singer Foundation polls on pages 234-235 for a broader interpretation of right reasons to donate. Rewards and good feelings do not preclude one another.

The polls we took in Mapleton found that more than half those polled didnt want anything tangible for their volunteer efforts. They were anxious to trade their time and effort just for the opportunity to make a difference. In fact the things people suggested as trades ran the gamut from skate boards and pizza to a college tuition and a good feeling. People who dont want anything for themselves, can always choose something for other family members, their school, church, neighborhood, or a nonprofit. In fact recently a church ended up pooling the credits of their parishioners and redeemed enough material and professional carpenter skills for an addition to their Sunday school. Before the community database, they would have spent

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hours searching for a grant or taking out a loan and spending their time raising the money to pay back the loan with rummage and bake sales. Now they can spend that energy improving the community. The building materials and craftsmen were listed on the community database and funded by a grant maker that in the old days would have written an inflated check. Grant seekers inevitably request more than is needed to cover administrative costs and the unexpected. Its the way its done. You add a little here and there just to make sure you dont have the added stress of pinching dollars. Its a different story when you have a job to do and a finite amount of your own money. In that case you might end up supplementing the money you have with your own labor, the labor of your friends and maybe substituting some used or less expensive material in order to stretch your resources. The church got most of its labor from its own members and even the professionals were members of the congregation. You save a lot when you only need a few professionals to guide the amateurs. And by the way, if you dont believe that people pad requests, just ask those people who depend on annual grants to keep their programs going. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character,p19 Another Way 97 book by editor Philanthropists Philanthropy does not necessarily mean money. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois [Philanthropists] need to be able to compare programs so they can put their resources to work doing what they think is most important in the most cost-efficient manner. Students at Mapleton High post the tax returns of every nonprofit on the community home page with general instructions for analysis. In addition to the information posted for grant makers, volunteers need to know about mentors and apprenticeships, training opportunities, the hours they can perform each job, who they would work with and everything they can about the programs so they can make informed choices. The Chamber of Commerce in most communities publishes cursory information regarding local organizations and there are

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often other publications, including numerous pages on the web, which do the same. Student polls showed that these summaries provided too little information to be truly useful to potential donors of time, goods and services. Donors of time want to know where to go and what to do. Donors of money want to know where to find the most cost-effective programs. By maintaining the community database on the Mapleton home page, students at Mapleton High give donors updated and informed choices Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p40 Another Way, 97 book by editor Philanthropy from the elders may be needed for [certain] opportunities to happen. For example, some people have two houses as investments. One could be used as a place for young people [to use] as community centers or mentoring facilities. Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois The people that contribute to charities really do help to make life a little easier [for the less fortunate]. [As a side benefit] volunteering makes individuals [appreciate] the things that they do have. So the next time you think that things in your community are getting bad, do not just sit back and let it happen; do something about it. Lisa Semplinski, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois So many things that one citizen can do: Opportunities to help support different causes in our society are always availableWhether the opportunity is to go protest a government action with a large crowd, or to participate in a canned-food drive, or to build houses for the poor, the results of volunteering can be well worth it. There are so many little things that one citizen can do, and if every citizen does [even] little things, a lot can be [accomplished]. Jean Wohlrab, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri

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Chapter Fourteen
The Great Equalizer
Everyone Has Value and Everything in This World Is a Trade
Trade defined: Traders are equals; givers and recipients arent. There is a difference between being entitled to something through no personal effort and earning it. Everyone in a community has something to contribute. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character,p25 Another Way,97 bk by editor Beneficiary, giver, donor; in a trade situation those terms are meaningless. Young people might go into a nursing home to distribute fruit baskets and end up hearing stories and being treated to an old fashioned musical performed by the residents. Finding the potential in other people is what its all about. Its really true that everyone has something to give. Phyllis Clarry, Fictional Character, p31 Another Way97 book by editor The trade possibilities are limitless! For example one bed ridden patient in a nursing home traded a story from his past to my brother. My brothers fourth grade put on a show at a nursing home and in trade they interviewed the patients as part of a research paper. In the classroom each student had thought of three questions to ask in trade. They learned a lot more than they would have just reading about recent history in a book. Not only that, the older people loved the attention. The kids were so enthusiastic the older residents felt they had really made a contribution. Raeann Cotton, Fictional Character,p30 Another Way,97 book by editor

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By helping others we become better individuals If someone volunteers to pick up trash or to mentor a child, he is not only helping others but he is becoming a better individual. HeatherKeys, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Volunteering improves the individual as well as society. Each person has a responsibility to other community members. It makes a person feel good about himself, because he knows that hes helped other people. Volunteering increases self-esteem and communication skills. People learn how to work as team members. Cooperation and communication are basic skills needed to work as a group. Holly Flippo, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Whether a person volunteers at the local soup kitchen or even if they decide to help an elderly person with their shopping, cleaning, mowing, or shoveling, it is just nice to do something that benefits someone else for a change. I feel that this teaches people responsibil-ity, and it should make the volunteer feel good about himself. Meri Brace, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Volunteering is not only a benefit to the individuals receiving help, but to the volunteer as well. Many values are expressed in the process of volunteering. First, better cooperation is displayed. By working with others, more can be accomplished and interaction with the community is strengthened. Second, a strong sense of belonging is [achieved]. By interacting with others and becoming involved in city affairs, we can influence community decisionsand projects will be completed. By donating time and effort to worthy and important causes for the community, contributors will gain [all these] benefits. [Additionally] the interests of the residents will broaden. By employing youth volunteers our community can continue to grow and prosper. Adam Hobgood, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

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By volunteering, a persons mental and spiritual health is better because he or she will have a sense of doing something worth-while and good. David Weber, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio [We could] volunteer at local shelters or youth centers. The results could only be positive. [We would] gain a friend, and the person in need [would] learn to talk about his feelings instead of acting on them. Jennifer Glass, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Another way that can help youth is through the involvement in clubs and organizations. In these, youth learn to set their differences aside and they make friends and get to spend time with others with common interests. Most of all it gives them a place to belong. Also older kids become positive leaders and role models to the younger ones. Involvement in clubs keeps children busy and out of trouble. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio People need to realize that by helping others they are also helping themselves. Parents need to be aware that children need to be taught certain goals and values before they are sent out into the world. If they are taught these values and goals then they will prosper into mature adults who will be good members of the community and improve the quality of life for themselves and people around them. Sarah Leonard, Camden High School, Camden, Tennessee Intergenerational trades: Many volunteers are retirees who seek enjoyment or just plain entertainment. Many youths volunteer also. Community service programs help society in a grand way. In addition, most High Schools require community service [for] graduation. Thisgets young people into the community where they are needed; [in] hospitals, shelters, private homes, etc. These students both earn community service hours and improve the quality of their lives through the feeling one gets from simply helping another. Once

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someone feels that satisfaction they are compelled to give more. So the key to finding life long volunteers and donors, is to get them involved early. The education system does a wonderful job of this, although it could be started in an earlier grade. As far as a worthy cause goes, helping someone is just as important in your neighborhood as it is in an institution. Its what you put into the time you donate, not where you donate it. Benjamin Glen Johnson, Joliet High School, Joliet, Illinois Children today tend to look down on the elderly as the elderly tend to look down on them. One way to remove the gap between these generations is to have mentoring programs where retired elderly mentor less fortunate children. While this will help children immensely, it will also let the elderly feel as though they are needed and are still able to contribute to the community. April Phifer, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee Community mentors who have good moralsmay learn from the child as the child can learn from the mentor. The mentor needs to be somebody who does not know the child too well, so that the relationship can be based on [objectivity]. Corey Dinkel, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas I think it is a good idea to ask some elderly neighbors if they need any help once in a while, like with yard work or shoveling snow. [While] talking to them [you might] become friends. Bradley Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania Maybe there is a retirement or nursing home [where] many of the residents feel very lonely and secluded. In order to abolish some of these feelings, a group of students could leave school for an hour a day and visit with the residents of the retirement or nursing home. This would not only allow the residents to get over their feelings of seclusion, but it would also help the students to have someone to talk to. The older people could offer advice to the teenagers about the future. This would also be helpful to students who are interested in a career in caring for the elderly.

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Kristina Whitney, Rockridge High, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

A buddy system: A major division in the community is the generation gap between the oldest and youngest generation. There is a certain phobia between these two groups. Each has a fear that the other is not feeling where they are coming from. A remedy to this problem is to set up a type of buddy system and pair up an old person with a young person and let them talk and share ideas and interests. This way the older people can endow the younger generation with some of their wisdom and experience and in turn the younger can bestow some of its youth onto the older person. Jason Knight, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois My last suggestion is an adopt a grandparent program. During old age, many people begin to feel useless to the community; however, we have a lot to learn from our elders. Setting up a program where younger students would spend a couple of hours a week with a grandparent in the community would be beneficial to both parties. It would make the older person feel important and useful as well as providing a good example for younger teens. Jymie Sweetman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Kids, especially the young ones, often need chaperones. Sometimes retired people take a young person fishing or on a golf course; they teach skills like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, painting and so forth or share hobbies with older students or neighbors. Raeann Cotton, Fictional Character, p31 Another Way,97 bk by editor By going to the school the elders can give a little bit of advice and [explain] how they got where they are today. This is a way of furthering the kids education and letting them know what the work force has to offer. This will benefit not only the students but the grown ups as well. It might also give the kids the opportunity to make new friends who are older in age.

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Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

There should be an organization formed that urges the young and the elderly to cooperateBoth generations need to listen carefully to what the other has to say. The young ones need to pay closer attention to the older because they are wiser and have faced many dilemmas in their lifetime. The elderly should listento what young people have to say. The younger generation may not be as wise or have faced as many problems, but [they] know quite a bit about technology.Younger people adapt easier and faster to these changes. Dawn Walters, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Children that live in bigger cities with nothing worthwhile to do except cause trouble and be a nuisance to society could be connected with an elder. The joint involvement between todays youth and elderly would not only benefit both groups, but all of society. The passing of knowledge, responsibility, and values would be a definite benefit for the young. In return, the elderly would receive a place in society. Everyonewould be involved in a common cause. Kristal McGuire, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas My grandfather lives in the Twin Oaks area. He uses pictures from Miss Glackens art classes for the senior community center newsletter he publishes every month. As a trade he has been asked for advice on a personal problem, by a senior at Twin Oaks High. Of course he didnt tell me who or what the problem was, but I know sometimes he just listens and sometimes he assures teen-age boys that the same thing happened to him or one of his friends when they were young. Sometimes its easier to talk to an adult before talking with your own parent. Janet Norwood, Fictional Character p31 Another Way,97 bk by editor It would be nice for our community to start a program for the young people in which they spend time with an elderly

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person. This time could be spent by having the older person help the teens with schoolwork. The teens could help the older person with things they needed done, but arent able to do. This time spent together...would help both parties realize that each have good qualities and can learn and benefit from each other. Cami Bittle, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma A mentoring programgives the adults a sense that they are doing their part and the youth gets a sense of belonging and a good role model. [The experience] can result in a long lasting friendship and an increase in self-esteem for both parties. Tracy Hanna, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Volunteering for an organization in the community can make a big difference not only in the community, but also in the lives of those who volunteer. All people willing to help can utilize their talents by making posters or singing. Others can help by supervising events and getting the necessary materials ready to make sure everything flows together as it shouldbusinesses need to put pride into the community by contributing not only their money, but their time and encouragement. By doing this, others will see how important it is to be a volunteer and take pride in their community as well. Generally speaking, if the people support the community, the community will support the people. Amber Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio We all owe our community. No matter how old or young, it is your personal responsibility to make the time for improving your community. You cannot get something for nothing. If you do not give to your community you will not get anything, or very little, in return. It is not hard to volunteer. If you do not have the time give a [money] donation; it is the least you could do. It gives you a sense of pride knowing that you are helping others in your community. Katie Blair, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

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The police say that just having older people sitting on park benches has kept drug dealers out of Mapletons Kennedy Park. Just being therejust sitting in a recreation or common room, a friendly lap in a rocking chair, just a consistent presence is valuable when both parents are working. Its nice but not necessary to be able to read stories, play cards or board games. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p31 Another Way, 97 book by editor Interesting stories to share: Our town is made up of mostly older people. Most of them are lonely and cant get around as well as they once were able to. The younger and more capable citizens of Paoli need to take the time to reach out and care for these older people. We should go over to their house whenever we are able and clean it up for them, help make their dinner, and talk to them about what has been going on in the news, weather, in our lives, and even their lives. They always have interesting stories to share. We should also go out and get their groceries for them whenever they cannot get out or help them work in their gardens or in their yards. We should just mostly be their friend and let them have somebody who cares about them. Julie Travis Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma When you have history reports due, most of the elders have lived through the Depression and World War II. Audrey Howell, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee A rewarding experience for all involved: Bringing youngsters into the workplace is a rewarding experience for all involved. Businesses will benefit from having more community support and interest. This can boost employee productivity while providing the extra guidance children need to be successful. Ian Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas The best way to attract quality families to an area is to provide great educational facilities. Not only will this bring people to

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your town it will also give your town pride. The town will have pride in knowing that their towns school is the best. Zach Ritchey, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania
If adults reach out and express interest and concern in teens lives it may be possible that teens will get interested in the adults lives also. It is a two-way street and anything is achievable for both adults and kids. With a little guidance and support teenagers can be headed in their right direction for their future, and overcome any obstacles. Tammy Kier, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

If we could have programs that would match people with their work desires and skills, they would be more productive and stay at their jobs longer since they would be doing things they enjoy and getting paid for it at the same time. For the people who cant work, we need some type of program that would have them do some community service so they can give back to the community...often times they have to go to food pantries or places where meals are given free. If they would be required to help out in these places, after they get a job and are able to be on their own, it would keep these places running for the ones who actually need them. This would help the [recipients] feel better about themselves and take pride in their work. This would be beneficial for their whole family since the mood and attitudes of the parents would be reflected in theirchildren. Aaron Buseman, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota [Students] can use volunteer work on their resume to find a better job. I think that it would be a good idea to do this because I know that there are a lot of hard workers but [they] just havent had [any] job [experience]. Josh Mork, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Two-way street: My uncle used to work for the Jeremiah-Hilde Company when it was having a hard time attracting good employees. The company considered moving because of that, and also because of criminal activity in the area. But relocation turned out to be

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so costly Jeremiah-Hilde opted to improve the neighborhood and develop a local ethical and competent work force instead. The company agreed to sponsor twenty local Boys and Girls Club members between the ages of ten and twelve. It provided a team of mentors; one for each child. The mentors got advice from the local Big Brothers and Big Sisters staff. JeremiahHilde employees were expected to volunteer five hours a week for a three-month period each year. This schedule resulted in four separate mentors year round for each child and the 60 hours a year commitment was not an undue hardship for employees. The mentors encouraged the children, even helping with homework, keeping in touch with their schools and planning trips to expand and enrich the childrens lives. The company arranged for some paid time for an employee to work on projects, which would slowly introduce each child to the company. One project was decorating for an office party; another was a landscape project. One mentor and his child built shelves and others painted recreation areas or cleaned up files or moved books around in the company library. As the children became teenagers they were offered afterschool apprentice jobs where they acquired useful skills and were exposed to career options ranging from relatively lowlevel technician slots, to professional positions requiring graduate degrees. The company entered into a work-study contract with any child who managed to sustain good grades. The child decided how much education would be enough, not his financial and family circumstances. The company was able to build its own inventory of topnotch employees this way. Just as it had hoped, training homegrown employees reduced costly turnover and produced loyal long-term team members. Neighborhood kids in the program developed leadership skills and were able to influence other kids, so crime decreased in the area. Forget what the kids got; hope, a stake in the future, the esteem that comes from being a constructive human being. We all saved tax dollars that werent needed to train these lowincome kids for jobs. We all saved the unemployment checks that might have been necessary had the Jeremiah-Hilde Company been forced off-shore.

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Lincoln Williams ,Fictional Character, p37 Another Way,97 bk by editor

Volunteers How might volunteers find jobs that are worthy of their efforts and abilities? If I were to go to a town and give my time to volunteer, I would go to churches and ask them if they need any work done, because I like to help people fix things. I would call the local hospital or nursing home to see if they need any volunteer work. Local people can join the fire department, or they could also volunteer to help the people that work for the city. Dustin Stevens, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota A student-run community database on the Internet as a solution: No more dependence on grants and subsidies: The Community Database would revive the American Dream. Anything and everything becomes possible-for an organization or individual. Once upon a time in the USA, any enterprising person could obtain a mule and a parcel of land; what he/she made of it depended on effort and determination. That was empowerment. Today access to information empowers. Through participation in the Another Way project, people of all ages and circumstances are able to find opportunities to fit their schedules; opportunities to learn new skills; to acquire educational scholarships; to earn any product or service for any purpose. The community database, with its opportunity rewards and mentored jobs, becomes an equalizer. Donors get more bang for their bucks: In a free market situation, the organizations that survive and attract volunteers and donations will be those who stretch their resources. They might end up letting volunteers do more than

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they would have under the old grant proposal system. They might save by using a few volunteer professionals to guide larger numbers of willing amateurs, making the resources cover two projects instead of one while doubling as a job-training, mentorship. Undoubtedly they will accomplish more with the same resources. Donors like leverage. Bookkeeping Volunteers, working in administrative capacities, would assign hours to offerings in the database. These would be posted as Opportunity Rewards. Not all hours are treated equally. (Contact the Harry Singer Foundation for a more detailed explanation.) Matchmakers at the community centers negotiate large items, such as buildings and college tuition, with the donating individual, company, public agency or grant-making institution. Individuals and organizations may pool hours for a large community project. An individual or organization may want something that is not posted on the database. They would propose that item and matchmakers would search for a donor. Before Another Way, organizations with a mission and individuals with a dream would have spent hours searching for a grant. Alternately they might have arranged a loan and worked at uninteresting meaningless tasks in order to pay the money back. Another Way allows that time to be spent in tasks that further the goals of individuals and their communities. It allows local non- profits to become self-sufficient and not (See pages 230-234) dependent on subsidies.

Orientations Nonprofit organizations would be overwhelmed if they were flooded with volunteers. A screening and training facility is indispensable. Each time a volunteer chooses an organization for the first time, he/she must go through an orientation. The hours spent in orientation depend on the volunteer opportunity and are not counted towards opportunity rewards. This encourages volunteers to choose carefully and instills loyalty for a particular organization. The training is specific to each participating nonprofit. Students would have worked out the

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training requirements and negotiated detailed job opportunities with the appropriate nonprofit staff as a classroom project.

Not Your Ordinary Barter System The community database is not an ordinary barter system where X trades a washing machine to Y for services or some another product. Every trade posted on the database is actually a donation, which must be run through a nonprofit organization. Lets say: W = thing offered X = person making the offer Y = person accepting the offer Z = action required
The posting on the database is Xs promise to give W to Y if Y completes Z. Its a contingent contract. The transfer of W takes place only upon Ys completion of Z. It then becomes a binding contract. Local nonprofits get either the thing offered or the action required and often both. A specific posting might read: X offers washing machine for ABC Homeless Shelter. Exchange equal six hours chaperoning Cub Scout excursion to circus on July 25th. A less specific posting: X offers washing machine for six hours at nonprofit of your choice. In both exchanges at least one nonprofit would benefit, and possibly two. Both X and Y would be donors. However, in the second example the washing machine could go to Y or any agency or individual of Ys choosing. If Y was interested in acquiring training or experience in a particular field, he/she could choose the volunteer service accordingly. Obstacles to volunteering: People know what is wrong but do not know what to do. Blake Anderson, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

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My mother heard that the local YWCA got $5,000 from a foundation. She knew that half of the money went to three schools to fund a program designed to offer solutions to domestic violence and the other half went to an independent living program. She thought she might volunteer and wanted to get more detailed information to pass on to her womens group. She made a phone call and was told to call back in two days. With Internet access, she could have downloaded the information on the spot. Instead she did what comes naturally; procrastinated and nothing came of her inclinations. A lawyer friend of my dads attempted to donate legal services to childrens causes. He registered at the local Volunteer Center and called various agencies. No one knew what to do with his offer and again nothing came of it. My uncle wanted to give speeches to promote a cause he believed in and was not allowed to do so because he was not on the board of the organization that provided research for the advocacy agency. Our family decided one turkey was enough one Thanksgiving morning and started calling soup kitchens while the second bird was roasting. Fourteen calls resulted in taped messages on answering machines. The telephone operator and her supervisor had no idea where meals were being served to the needy or where a large turkey might be welcome. The outcomes might have been different if needs and resources were constantly updated and available for viewing on the Internet. Not that having access means using access, but in the last example, if the telephone operator had access, she could have consulted her computer and told someone looking for a meal, or willing to provide a meal, where to go, even on Thanksgiving. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p41 Another Way,97 book by the editor There are many people today that would like to help; they just arent sure how. Young people in particular have a hard time deciding how to take those first steps. It may be that they are just not sure what they want to do. They may have a worthy

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cause that needs help, but they dont know how to go about getting involved. Jennifer Burkhardt, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee The Internet database solution: Polling Mapleton residents showed that the main reason they didnt donate more of their time or material wealth was that they simply didnt know what needed to be done, where and how. Also they wanted to make sure their gift, whether of time or materials, would not be wasted. The community database gives Mapleton residents access to information, which solves these problems. High school students with supervision or chaperoning from college students or retired volunteers, gather information. Of course it takes a great deal of labor to acquire and keep such detailed information current. In Mapleton labor is provided 90 percent by the youngest generation and 10 percent by retired folks who still have abilities and experience which should not be lost. Paul Egan, Fictional Character, p50 Another Way,97 book by the editor Take a friend with you! Here is where teamwork, once again, comes in. If you dont want to go alone, take a friend with you. Two of my friends and I used to go to nursing homes every Sunday night and sing to the patients and talk to them. We would ask the nurses if there were any particular patients that didnt have anyone that came to visit them and we would spend special time with [those] patients just chatting. You dont have to say anything special. All you have to do is sacrifice some of your time. Galen Benson Wigley, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Ill do anything as long a I have a friend with me. That friend is usually my motivation. Tenth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington basically, any free time I have I spend with me buds!

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Eighth grade student responding to 1998 poll, San Carlos, California

Its time to create volunteer opportunities which involve entire families! Communities need to focus on love and doing things to help families and teens. Communities need to provide activities for families. Rachel Casey, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri I would volunteer if those times can also allow me to do sports [and spend] time with family and friends. Eleventh grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington The Harry Singer Foundation conducted polls in 1997. Teachers at Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane, Washington responded and said that any volunteer work should be a family experience. Volunteer work was great but not at the expense of family time. We think all working parents would agree. Lack of transportation and age requirements disincentives to volunteering: The fact that we have no public transportation Shana Shoemaker, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania are

I attempted to volunteer at Deaconess [hospital] and they said that since I wasnt 18, I couldnt. Also lack of transportation. Twelfth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington It is sometimes hard to find opportunities available to those under18 or that are within my traveling capacity. Twelfth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington
My parents are real busy and cant help me with transportation. Eighth grade student responding to 1998 poll, San Carlos, California

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Volunteer sites are hard to reach if you cant drive and the jobs arent publicized as much. I dont know what to do. Twelfth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington I dont know where to go or what to do! not aware what kind of volunteering would need to be done. Not any information [available]. Eighth grade student responding to 1998 poll, San Carlos, California

I dont know of any programs where people get together in San Carlos, otherwise Id do more. Seventh grade student responding to 1998 poll, San Carlos, California Ive tried, but it is hard to know what need doing. Also, something considered helpful and in demand one month may not be needed the next. And even if you want to volunteer, call and try to make arrangements! Some organizations have an age limit. Eighth grade student responding to 1998 poll, San Carlos, California Older students in Washington had the same problem: I dont know where to volunteer, or how to get a hold of someone who does. Tenth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington I dont know where to start. Eleventh grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington Most of the time I would like to help out, [but] I dont know if Im suitable for the job or how to find out how to apply. Twelfth grade student responding to 1997 poll, Spokane, Washington

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Editors note: The Harry Singer Foundation has administered several polls to students in California and the state of Washington in an attempt to identify the incentives and disincentives to volunteering from a young persons perspective. In the spring of 1997 we extended the poll and received responses from two thousand students in twenty-one states. You may view the questions, responses and analysis at www.singerfoundation.org/main/announcement You may also preview a small sampling of that material beginning on page 234.

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Chapter Fifteen
We Have Nothing to Fear and Everything to Gain by Embracing This Generation
No need for an oxymoron like mandatory volunteering: With the help of school staff and peers, volunteer service could become a new fad. If one person within a school were to do community service for the right reason, there is little doubt that there would be a chain reaction. That is just the way it is in most High Schools. If one person does something cool, he/she tells everyone else about it, and it is then that the rest of the student body gets involved. Take, for example, clothes that are worn; when one person wears a new style first, the rest of the school eventually joins in. Before long, that style is incredibly popular. If one person took advantage of volunteer workthe rest of the school [might be turned] on to it. I believe it can happen; all it takes is one. Leslie Jo Lukens, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Kristy, at a young age, is getting a satisfaction that all people long for and which many never attain: I am beginning to feel like my responsibilities help more than just the people surrounding me all the time. I can really feel like I am making a difference in the [larger] world. Kristy Bolden, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Heather gives credit to her teacher: A teacher at my school is largely into community service, so we have to do basically a service project. Four students in my class, including myself, decided to go help out in a soup kitchen. To our surprise, we enjoyed what we did there because it made us feel good. So, now we are going to try to go there at least once every month to help out. So you see that there are ways of getting a child to shine in a community, which in turn is actually helping to improve the quality of life within the

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community. All of those little thingscause a chain of events to occur that results in one thingthe advancement to improve life. Heather Hair, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

A personal goal: That is why my personal goal is to show my town that people care by saying a simple Hello, and having a smile on my face. This can really brighten up a persons day [in]our community.
Kristel Fuller, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

Ive decided one of my main parts in helping to keep our communities safer is to make a big impression on my [future] kids and to try and teach them to stay away from and out of trouble. I am going to watch them when theyre out playing to make sure theyre safe. I am going to make sure they grow up with good values, morals, and friends. I am going to be with them through out their whole life. If children are not around or introduced to abuse, drugs, or violence, then there is less of a chance that they will take part in any actions related to them. It is [my goal] to add one kind, trustworthy, and successful person to this world Randi Peterson, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee The oldest generation is the focus of good deeds: It is our, the younger generations, responsibility to help our elders. I would do anything to help my grandparents or any older person. They will always appreciate anything anyone does for them. Ashley Blank, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania We can help the elderly in many ways, such as mowing their lawns, washing their cars, and doing some of their household chores...and shoveling their sidewalks in the winter. We can also help them by going and spending good quality time with them, reading to them if they cant see, and taking them for walks in their wheelchairs when they cant walk. Allen Waugerman, Hyndman High, Hyndman, Pennsylvania

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A personal experience: Through my personal experience, community service gives you an excellent feeling of responsibility and also teaches you to work with adults toward a common goal. When I was fifteen years old I worked with Hearts and Hammers and helped restore a familys old run-down house. We were all working on a set-time-frame, and the adults there relied heavily upon the kids to help them finish the job. This gave me an excellent feeling of responsibility because I knew that if I did not get my job done, it would hurt the whole crew. Working side by side with adults helps kids elevate to a more responsible level of thinking because they are not working for their own personal benefit; they are working to help others. Chris Peschang, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois How do we improve the quality of life in our community today? It starts with every individual person. Each person can help by taking responsibility for himself, equalizing opportunities in society, infusing character and values into his children, preparing students for the work place, and removing fear and disdain that many members of the oldest and youngest generations feel towards one another. Somer Gibson, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas We need to realize that one person can make a difference. And if just one person can make a difference, imagine what the whole world could do if we worked together. It is about time we come together, overlook our differences, and turn this world around. Nicole Gunter, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Many people do not realize the difference one person can make. A single person doing his/her part by putting trash in its proper place is one instance of making a difference. Melissa Berry, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas
Benjamin and Andrea think alike. Surprised?

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If the community can just get past all the negative thoughts andpeoples negative comments, then it can do anything. This could definitely happen and if it doesnt, I believe this will be the end of us. Benjamin Emerick, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania I believe that if we focused more on the good that takes place each day, our world would be a little less cynical and a lot brighter. Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania
Dan and Cassey see the big picture: It is impossible to improve life over night. It will take time. The only way we can achieve a higher quality of life as a whole, is to take blame for our faults and fix our own problems. Take advantage of your opportunities. The key to improving the quality of life inour communities...is to go one person at a timeit is all up to the individuals of this nation. Dan Lowry, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois

We were put on this world to be not just humans being, but humans becoming. There is a difference between life and existence. A human being is a self-motivated member of society whereas a human becoming is so much more. Perhaps when we take a second for self examination, the room for self improvement ties in with our personal moral responsibility to our world and societyMany of us doubt the power of one, but as individuals we are underrated. Cassey E. McGrath, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois
Feeling good is good for everyone: The more that one helps, the better one will feel and the better the community will be. Jenica Deiss, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin

I am the type of person who believes that being good does end up paying off. It may take a while, but in the end it works out

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for the best. One thing that I myself like to do is make people happy. Making people happy makes me feel better about myself. Some people just dont understand until they try it. Dana Levasseur, Centerville High, Centerville, South Dakota Random Acts of Kindness Random acts of kindness have a huge impact on improving the quality of life. I read a story about one lady who was traveling along the turnpike and when she had to stop at the tollbooth she not only paid for her toll but for the next ten cars behind her. Two weeks ago I went to McDonalds with my friend Savanna. She was in front of me in line and ordered first. I orderednext andwas a few cents short. I turned around and looked for Savanna but she had gone to graba table. So I was struck, when out of the blue a little old man behind me tapped me on the shoulder and handed me thechange I needed. Anna Tooman, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Small things mean a lot: There is a story about a [troubled] boy who had dropped what he was carrying, and another young man [who] stopped, and helped [him] carry his belongings home. They talked for a little while, and eventually the other boy went home. Years later, they met again, and the one who had [dropped] his books told the other that he had saved his life. The boy had cleaned out his locker so that his family would not have to do it, because he had intended to kill himself that day; but because the other boy had helped him, and shown him kindness, he decided against it, and went on to enjoy a very happy life. One moment of kindness changed his fate forever. Beth Ann Zimmerman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio Randi and Jennifer can relate to the young man in the story above: You may not know how much it affects people, but just smiling at someone can brighten his/her day. Just show a little care and give everyone love, because that [above all] is the one thing, that will improve the quality of your life. It could even help change the world. Randi Peterson, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee

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Little things sometimes can be just as helpful as larger things. If a person is walking down the street looking sad and someone says Hithe persons whole day could be turned around. If a friend is going through a bad time, just being there for them to talk can be one of the best things for them. Sending someone flowers for no special reason can be wonderful. Sometimes it doesnt take much to make a persons day just a little brighter. Jennifer Burkhardt, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Two is better than one: C.S. Lewis describes friendship as two people walking side by side toward a common goal. Their mutual interest brings them together. A community without friendship is like a war zone rather than a nurturing environment. Communities cannot [flourish] without everyonesupport[ing] each other. Jacqualyn Avery, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Communication between two neighbors strengthens a community more than people realize. Melissa Berry, Valley Springs High School,, Valley Springs, Arkansas It doesnt matter what you do for your communities as long as you do something. It doesnt have to be anything major. It can be the littlest thing like organizing a dance or taking a kid out for dinner and a movie. Its about making our lives and our friends lives better. Jamie Swauger, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania If we all chip in for community work then it will make the world and our community a better place. An individual cannot do it alone. Rachel Ingram, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma
Teamwork

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We all need to come together to build up strong ties among the communities. We need to support the local government and get involved in city meetings. Most importantly we cannot turn a blind eye . We must get involved now before it is too late. Nigel Graham, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois Many neighborhoods standing together can show that supporting one another is how families can grow into something that can change not only a community, but also a whole nation. Dana Huffman, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio If everyone helped some one else, we all would learn a new kind of respect for one another. Humanitarianism is a great thing, but if only a few people help out, then we are going to get nothing accomplished. Thomas Carano, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania Amazing things can be done when people come together. Take natural disasters for example: In these times of emergency people forget all of their differences and work together to survive. The same idea could be applied to improving our communities. When a whole bunch of people take personal responsibility for the problems in their communities, great things can be done, in a sense, for their survival. David Weber, Carrollton High School, Carrollton, Ohio People determine what happens. If they are willing to work together, to improve themselves and the moralsof their community, [that community will be] a better place to live. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wisely said, We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools. Jamie McCarval, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas I think if we all pull together and help other people do things, our community would become a better place. People needlove, care, and someone to talk toso make our communities a better place and go do something about it.

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Rachel Ingram, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma

Lofty goals: Wecould do so much if we could just establish a rapport among young and old. This [relationship] might inspire and influence [emerging] character. By utilizing these resources we may find a way to somehow promote a regeneration of moralityin collaboration these generations together are a powerful resource. We need to challenge young mindsfor victory will never come to the stagnant! Andrea Emerick, Hyndman High School, Hyndman, Pennsylvania As long as we, young and old, are able and willing to join together in hopes of achieving one small goal after another, in time we will reach the larger and more important goals which we have set. No matter what age, sex, race, or religion people belong to, they can become important and respected figures in their communities. Their example will allow future generations to maintain the values, character, and understanding needed to work with their fellow man. JD Bostic, Paoli High School, Paoli, Oklahoma Why should a few good Samaritans have to dedicate their whole lives to a cause, when if everyone gave a little we could do so much more? If everyone cared about society then there would be no need for one man to dedicate millions. If everyone participated in their communities and tried to make them a better place, dont you think we would be better off? Zach Tinkle, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee We must find a way to combine our ideas and join them in a way that benefits everyone. If we can do this, the quality of life will slowly improve. Jennifer Brungardt, Medicine Lodge High, Medicine Lodge, Kansas Even more lofty goals: Some [people] think, Im just one person; what can I do? Nevertheless, think of all of the people who put their minds to

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one goal and came up with great results. Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine; Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and the phonograph. The fact is, that they did not give up. Everyone has a purpose, everyone is differentMaybe you arent the next Bill Gates or Orville and Wilber Wright, but you do have your own strengths and weaknesses.the world could and would be a better place if everyone wanted it that way. Everyone has a reason to be on this earth and no one should view his or her life as a waste. Talk is cheap. People dont really care about what you say, they care more about what you do. Improving someones life takes more than just giving them food or money, it takes time and love. We need to think more of others and change the world one person at a time. Shannon Fitzgerald, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois People with charactercarry with them a sense of honesty and fortitude that helps them to be confident in the choices that they make and the influence they have on other people. Along with truthful and confident decisions comes a clean and healthy feeling that makes life betterAs the number of people with values spreads, so will the ability to rely [on] other people. Whenhelping each other becomes an honor instead of an inconvenience, [we will have succeeded in] improving the quality of life. David White, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Humans look at the outward appearance of a person and totally forget about the part that really matters: the inside. We do not take enough time to get to know that person and look a little deeper than what can be seen with the eyes. If the government really cares about how this generation will turn out, it should try to make this a better place for everyone. I believe we need to do something very fast to change this society and try to help one another clear our minds and try to fill them up with things that truly matter in life. This world would be such a fun place to live in if we would all work together and get along. The biggest wish for me would be to hear the older generation

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tell us how proud they are of us. I know with determined hearts and the help of God it can happen. Kathryn Wurtz, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Kimberly is passionate: As a part of the whole, we are responsible for each other; we are responsible to improve the quality of life for the entire world. Starting today, right now, using our abilities, being sincere with ourselves, we are in charge of the future. Get into action, take part in the lives of others, no more self absorbed notions, be a mentor, join a service club, just take a role in the betterment of others. School shootings, theft, poverty, teen pregnancy and the list goes oncould all cease if just one person dared to care, really care. If the individuals who committed these acts could say that one person really loved them with unending concern, they would not be driven to seek attention in other areas. We are responsible for the future, its time to care and show others through our actions that we choose to put a stop to harmful activity and directly involve ourselves in productive meansthe world would be so much better if we pay each other due respect. Where did our manners go? How can we treat each other in this terrible fashion? What was it that we were once told? If you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all? Change the world by changing yourself. Society would be better off [if] people who caredsaid whatthey mean. Simple thank yours would make all the difference. The quality of life would increase because people would feel appreciated, needed, and respected. The world is missing people who have the audacity to stand up for something they believe in and act on it. It is time to stop being victims, cease to be on the defensive. Make the first move of kindness. Stop reacting and start actingit just takes onespark to get the fire going. Be the one to stand up, the battle is raging, we can reclaim our communitiesit is our responsibility to turn this world around and make it right. We have a task before us, but it can be doneit starts with one. Be that one!

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Kimberly Kaufman, Pennsylvania

Big

Spring

High

School,

Newville,

Aaron is wistful: I do hope that someday my dreams for this country will come true. Aaron Buseman, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota Meredith is practical: As Arnold J. Toynbee says, As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility. Meredith Giles, Demopolis High School, Demopolis, Alabama Responsibility resonates with many students: No one can choose and make your decisions for you and no one can make you be responsible. Responsibility comes with age, wisdom, and knowledge. If you are responsible you tend to be trusted more with people, money, belongings, promises, feelings, and duties. In my life I have a lot of things to be responsible for, whether its a responsibility to myself or to someone else, I consider all of them to be highly important. I know that I have all of them for a reason. Responsibility teaches you to be a better person, to rely on yourself, how to think for yourself, and how to win the trust of others. At some point or another everyone has something they are going to be responsible for, and whether or not you are responsible for doing something wonderful or something horrible. Its completely up to you. Brittney McBroom, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee Responsibility is a virtue today in society. Many want it but dont know how to put [forth] the to have it. Our country is strong because a long time ago a few men [and women] decided to take responsibility and make this nation great. Then more men decided to take responsibility and destroy an evil man, who was called Hitler. Throughout our history men [and

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women] stepped up to take responsibility, and my question is [where do we find responsible men and women today?] Chris Stafford, Harriman High School, Harriman, Tennessee When society finds some way to gracefully combine our responsibilities and our new technological advances, then we will see progression in the way mankind handles the responsibilities that he owes this world. Brooke Eddy, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas Everyone in this country needs to wake up and see the direction were headed and try to change it. And each one of us in this country is personally responsible for what is happening. Kellen Bosma, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, Illinois These are American teens and most see solutions along with the problems: By maintaining a sense of decency in our own lives, and encouraging others to do the same, we can take the first step toward improving the communities that we live in. Lacy Horner, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas If we all do our part, we can improve the quality of life in our communities. I do not believe that there is just one key to open the door to a better life. A combination of things are needed in order to get the ball rolling in the right direction: like bonding (family time together) slowing our lives down, searching for what is important in life (hint: happiness) and maybe even religion. However we do achieve our goal and overcome our faults, we need to do it quickly, or we will never enjoy life to its fullest. Matt Schluenz, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois Mentoring, volunteering, and philanthropy are all key parts of this plan to help our society continue its advancement in the twenty-first century.

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Eric Adams, Rockridge High School, Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Casey asks the question: The question is do we still have enlighten self-interest? During the 1830s Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United Stated and wondered how a society so devoted to materialism and the pursuit of individual self-interest could still maintain a society that worked. Soon Tocqueville realized that each citizen in the United States saw that there was a connection between self-interest and the common good. He realized that Americans understood that their ambitions depended on the success of the society as a whole. He concluded that Americans had enlightened self- interest. The question is do we still have enlighten self-interest? Casey Noles, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee

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Appendix
You will find here samples from reading required of students before beginning their essays. Required reading in its entirety may be viewed on our web site www.singerfoundation.org/main/index.htm Follow the links for the invitation to the 1999-2000 Essay Contest. Different readings are required for each contest. Click on the essay of your choice and use the scroll bar on the right side of your screen to skim approximately 25 pages of required reading. You may go back and print any sections that catch your eye and that you might want to read more leisurely at a later time. The following excerpts are referenced throughout this text: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 10 Kids R Us refers to the following: Excerpt from Newsweek, November 2, 1998 (page 54) Tomorrow's Child by Richard Eckersley "The toy industry may come to the rescue of lonely kids with a doll designed to remind them of their mothers. 'We have so many Latchkey children in search of a human connection,' muses marketing consultant Faith Popcorn. 'They'll be able to carry their mother around in doll form!'" -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Tribe Apart
A Journey into the Heart of American Adolescence by Patricia Hersch
Balantine Publishing Group, 1998

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Comments from the director of the Harry Singer Foundation: I read this book in the spring of 1999 and reviewed it for a radio show I was hosting. The author, journalist, Patricia Hersch spent six years on the book, three in the schools in Reston, Virginia. Reston is a multi-racial middle-class community 18 miles west of Washington, DC. That's where she lives. Reston seemed to be fairly representative of other American communities. Its middle and High Schools have a full-time police officer, it has its share of gang graffiti and its kids hang out in parks and malls. It's a civic-minded place with numerous community clubs and organizations and a tradition of volunteering. Like all communities today, the big concern is how to deal with adolescents. As Ms. Hersch put it, "Today's teens have grown up in the midst of enormous social changes that have shaped, reshaped, distorted and sometimes decimated the basic parameters for healthy development. They have grown up with parents who are still seeking answers about what it means to be an adult man or woman." She says everyone is improvising. There are no right ways to do anything anymore. Adolescents need to emulate role models more than ever and adults are no longer around." I've talked on the air, about the adolescent need for a recognized rite of passage. I found agreement with Dr. James Garbarino in his book Lost Boys Why Our Sons Turn Violent And How We Can Save Them, and was happy to discover that same agreement in Patricia Hersch's writings. I quote: "There are few community-sanctioned moments or formalized thresholds that mark steps on the road toward adulthood. Teen life is out of sync. For too many kids a first date, confirmation, a bar mitzvah, or even High School graduation is a side trip on a jagged path to growing up. What is the meaning of a driver's license or turning eighteen when so many kids have already assumed grown-up responsibilities for cooking, shopping, cleaning, self-care and care of siblings for years when they might have preferred playing? What is the meaning of their

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venturing out from home when the older generation is already gone? Sometimes, as a reaction to the confusion, today's kids would just as likely herald in adulthood with a beer or joint. In order to write A Tribe Apart, Patricia Hersch lived among the adolescents and they gradually adjusted to her presence. She eventually made an agreement with eight mainstream kids to chronicle their experiences, feelings and innermost thoughts over a period of three years. She used fictional names and promised not to reveal any of their confidencesall of this with the youngster and the parent's signed permission. The results of this project are absolutely fascinating. Things are not what they seem. Adults are only too happy to assume that what looks good on the surface is the real thing. They have neither the time nor energy to explore below the surface. She documented what most of us suspected; there is little contact between generations. Kids have very little consistency or structure in their lives. I quote the author: "Technology and the media create a world without boundaries. For adolescents there is available a dizzying array of lifestyle choices, at the same time that home and community fail to provide a balancing sense of security. ...Like a handful of pebbles tossed in a raging stream, young people today, as well as many adults around them, seem rushed along in currents out of their control, often ending up in completely unexpected places." Patricia Hersch seems to be saying that kids aren't rebelling so much as searching for an identity in a rapidly changing and insecure world. The search for identity is nothing new, nor is it a prerogative of adolescents. Page 41 Kids R Us refers to the following: Tribe Apart page 255 "Regardless of the values held in adult society, in the adolescent community video games, ice skating, partying and drinking are equivalent. Kids feel the choice is up to them. In Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth, the Search Institute

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discovered that 'Care and support within the family do not necessarily spill over the family's borders.' If a community does not assume responsibility for all of its children through strong supportive institutions and programs for all kids, once a child leaves the family incubator, it is all a crap shoot. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 121 Kids R Us refers to the following: Newsweek, November 2, 1998, p20

MENTORING MAKES A DIFFERENCE by N'Gai Groal

"The experts all agree: any effort to help the next generationespecially children at risk-must include mentoring. 'Of all of the social ideas of the last 30 years, it's the only one that we know works,' says Newsweek Senior Editor Jonathan Alter, who has done a lot of reporting on this subject. 'No one succeeds in America without some kind of mentor-parent, teacher, coach, older friend-to offer guidance along the way.' But most busy professionals assume that it's impossible to fit this kind of volunteer work into their increasingly hectic and over committed '90s lives. At Newsweek, we're learning that that just isn't the case. As Alter observed firsthand at Minneapolis-based Honeywell Inc. last year, it's possible to solve the too-busy-to-mentor problem by bringing youngsters to the workplace instead of more timeconsuming visits to their schools. So last year, when Newsweek sought to partner with a local middle school for a mentoring program, we figured that a similar approach would help enlist our own busy employees. Former associate editor Carla Binswanger and Human Resources director Jeanne Sakas connected with Ann Ensinger of the New York City Board of Education, who in turn matched us with West Side Academy, a public middle school in Manhattan. Every other Tuesday, 13 seventh and eighth graders come to the Newsweek building in midtown Manhattan. Here, they

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spend an hour and a half with their mentors building reading and writing skills, learning about the world of work and opening up to a sympathetic adult ear. Ninety minutes, twice a month; that may not seem like much. But one study by Public/Private Ventures shows that children who are mentored are less than half as likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, while another by the Harvard Business School shows that corporate volunteerism can boost employees' productivity and morale. 'You don't have to be a fully committed social activist to do this,' says Alter, who hopes that more businesses will commit company time to similar efforts. If you're looking to start a program where you work, we suggest that you contact One to OneThe National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org 202-729-4340). It's a small yet effective way that we can all make a difference. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 122 Kids R Us refers to the following:

The Fishing School

(Great Grants) Philanthropy - September/October 1998 "In parts of Washington D.C., the word 'fishermen' brings to mind the knots of itinerant men who while away the hours leaning on bridge railings over the Anacostia river. The term means something else entirely at The Fishing School, an afterschool family and child support center located in a gritty corner of the city's Trinidad neighborhood. Tom Lewis, the school's president and CEO, says he doesn't believe in children or staff members coming to the school to hang out 'I don't want anything at the Fishing School that doesn't work,' he says. 'That includes people. You do not come to the Fishing School to rest.' Nor is Lewis at rest, having attracted the attention of the local community and the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafrietz Foundation, whose recent grant is helping to cover the general costs of running the program's after-school and summer camp programs.

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Lewis a former D. C. police officer who participated in the depart-ment's 'Officer Friendly' program. Visiting local classrooms, he was astonished at 'so many filthy and dirty children coming to school, morning after morning. I'll tell you the honest truth, I walked out of a lot of those classrooms and wiped my eyes.' Lewis still remembers six-year olds asking him: 'Would you be my daddy? My daddy's in jail.: Lewis vowed that if he survived 20 years with the department, he would do something for the kids. He made it to retirement. Then one morning while praying in church, he had a vision of himself standing before a schoolhouse door and instructing children. Lewis decided to use his second house, which he had originally purchased as an investment, as a school for the com-munity instead. There was only one problem. The house was located on a street so bad that even the local cops called it 'the worst in America.' Wylie Street was such a haven for drugs and criminal gang activity that Lewis's brother, also a police officer, scoffed when he first heard of his plan. 'We ride four to a car and we don't go down that block,' he told him. Volunteers from his church ran off after a first visit. But Lewis persisted, and the after-school program that resulted provides a computer lab, creative writing workshop, homework assistance, and a hot meal-the only on some kids get all day The school stresses education and a 'hands-on' atmosphere. For instances, one volunteer specializes in taking small groups to the Goddard Center to study science and rocketry. This portion culminates in a model rocket competition using the missiles made by the kids. Lewis makes sure that there is time each day for Bible study and helps organize and support family activities for the community. The school has served about 500 kids since opening its doors in 1990 or around 65 kids a year It is open until 8 p.m. during the school year, with abbreviated hours in summer. So far, the school can count among its charges these success stories: a student who's taken an interest tin ballet and gone on to perform

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with the Dance Theater of Harlem and the Washington Ballet; another who became the first in her family to go to college, with aspirations of becoming a lawyer; and a third who has won an $8,000 poetry scholarship for college. Lewis realizes that each child is "fishing" for something different, and wants to impress upon them that, no matter what they are seeking, it will only come true if they work hard an respect themselves an those around them. And from here, it looks like he's got a big one on the line. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------The Harry Singer Foundation Proposal for Education Reform
Another Way 1997 fictional account a Wellington Publications book page 57

The Tutoring Center was actually Mapleton's alternative school which had more than 200 computers, several small video rooms and a counseling area manned 24 hours a day by retired volunteers. (Lots of older people didn't sleep through the night.) The volunteers were the mentors and the computers were the tutors. Mapleton residents from age eight to eighty could acquire knowledge at their own speed. Child prodigies had acquired post graduate degrees recognized by the finest universities in the nation sitting next to formerly illiterate, but motivated drop outs who could unobtrusively continue their education without stigma. The curriculum for residents under age 18, without a High School diploma, was the same curriculum required of students in Mapleton's regular schools. The educational software was equipped with a smart tutor, which tested the student's knowledge as a prerequisite for more advanced courses and provided remedial supplements for the areas where test results spotted weakness. Students advanced at their own speed. Two Mapleton students had been accepted for graduate work at Johns Hopkins University at age twelve. Community celebrations were held twice a year where degrees were awarded and accomplishments acknowledged with great pomp and circumstance. When the elevator stopped, Phyllis was replaying the good food, music, dancing and joy of the last

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gathering where she had come with hundreds of others to celebrate. One of her former students, who ten years earlier, during his sophomore year, had become involved with a gang and drugs and dropped out of Mapleton High, was awarded a B.S. in biology that day. She had been as proud of Mike as she had been of her 77 year old mother-in-law who the same day had received a masters degree in Chinese history.
Another Way 1997 fictional account, a Wellington Publications book page 56

Volunteer Rotations Volunteers were not accepted directly for jobs that were conducted at the community center, they were loaned by their home-base organization. Volunteers joined an organization because they were interested in a particular mission. Some, but not all volunteers were willing to accept temporary assignments at the Center because they knew work there increased exponentially the mission of their home-base organizations, freeing them, as it did, from the perpetual search for funds. Few on their first rotation could foresee the impact working at the Center would have on their own lives. In many ways volunteers were affected by their rotations as profoundly as their work affected the missions of their home-base entities.
Another Way 1997 fictional account, a Wellington Publications book page 27

Home Base Organizations

In order to avoid duplications, to learn from one another, share resources and engage in joint ventures and strategic planning, all community-based nonprofits participating in Another Way are categorized by mission. Nonprofit leadership chooses those things that best define the group's mission. Volunteers choose their association from the following categories: There is overlap and often more than one category is appropriate: Decrease crime Enrich the lives of the elderly Enrich the lives of young children

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Enrich the lives of adolescents through age 24 Improve the health of all residents Academic projects Easing the affects of poverty and enriching neighborhoods Animal related projects-protection and appreciation School based problem-solving program for teens Anyone can belong to an organization by donating only a small amount of time on only one occasion. For example, a volunteer might have an hour of time and want to make good use of it for no particular reason or maybe to honor something or someone. All participating nonprofits offer what they call 'celebration opportunities'--one-shot good deeds that can be done on a birthday, anniversary, or as a thanksgiving for recovery from illness, for a new job, birth of a baby and so forth. Every nonprofit organization must agree to donate, on a rotating basis (3 month intervals) at least one adult volunteer and two youths for a minimum 5 hr/week commitment each to work at the community center.
Another Way 1997 fictional account, a Wellington Publications book pages 65-68

Entrepreneurial Opportunity Jobs

The outside the classroom aspects of Another Way
The Community Center (volunteers and one paid executive) The main purpose of the entrepreneurial division at the Center is to free Mapleton's nonprofits to pursue their individual missions. The head of a non-profit with connections to UC Medical School in San Francisco recently claimed that fundraising had occupied twenty percent of his time in 1973 and by 1995 eighty percent of his time was spent writing requests for grants. That left too little time to pursue research, the purpose of his organization. In 1996 he began concentrating on marketing a

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product resulting from past research, hoping to use proceeds to fund his mission. Paul Newman may be a celebrity but he doesn't write checks to charities; he sells salad dressing and donates the profits. We don't have to be scientists or celebrities to do the same thing. Before the database and community center was established, Twin Oaks High School students sold vegetables from their own community garden and created a line of bottled salad dressings that they sold in local supermarkets. The money they earned was divided among the graduating High School volunteers to be used towards college expenses. In 1996, 0 percent of the seniors who had been involved with that project went on to college. "This month we have approximately 600 volunteers participating in entrepreneurial projects. Some perform odd jobs, mostly in their own neighborhoods for relatives, friends, and church members; jobs such as baby-sitting, house sitting, yard and basement clean ups, pet care, errands, window washing and repairs. They have the help of at least one adult volunteer, either to work along with them, as the college students often do, or to coordinate things as many of the retired or disabled volunteers do. Kids clean garages, wash windows, scrub floors; they do those things that are sometimes hard for an older person to do. "We currently have over a hundred youths involved with a sandwich concession at 25 Mapleton schools. Five students at each of the 25 schools commit to make 100 sandwiches one night a week. Sometimes two students team up and make 50 sandwiches each on two separate school nights. The profit is close to a dollar per sandwich because of donated materials. Last month they made $50,000; most of it profit. Four adult volunteers transport donations from bakeries and delicatessens and secure space in retail outlets for the sandwiches as well as some student-made baked goods." Len paused to shuffle some papers. "Only 20 young people are involved this month in

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baking the cookies, cakes and pies as opposed to the 125 students who make sandwiches." Again Len consulted his notes: "It looks like we have 20 kids currently washing cars on weekends and 20 more caring for lawns. Adult mentors are working with a dozen other kids to teach them bookkeeping skills. While still under supervision, they bill out at $10 an hour. Some volunteers run errands for busy workers and the homebound; errands such as grocery shopping and laundry drop-off and pick-up. Others operate a flower delivery and singing greeting card service and still others purchase tickets or retail items as requested. "Forty students are involved with children's' theme parties. They stage about ten parties a week. They provide theme cakes, favors, games and stage puppet or magic shows." Len adjusted his reading glasses. "It says here they charge $100 for up to 20 guests and $5 for each additional guest. "Volunteers also have the opportunity to publish calendars which are sold around Thanksgiving every year. Most feature drawings by school children, or their photos or favorite recipes. That activity is always a good moneymaker and lots of fun for everybody involved; so is book publishing. Two months ago an activity book made $40,000. "Len flipped some pages in a notebook and read, "A 96 page book cost $7,000 for 10,000 copies and each copy sold for a bargain price of five dollars which netted $40,000 profit. When the printing is donated, the profit is naturally greater. Last year there were four book projects. Each one can be completed during a three-month rotation. Unfortunately, participants have to be limited to one adult advisor and ten young people or their product would flood the market. As you can imagine, this is a great learning experience as well as netting quite a bit of money for the organizations. "Twenty percent of the net profits are distributed evenly among the organizations and eighty percent of net profits are distributed back to the organizations according to the number of

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volunteers each organization contributes to the rotation. A small amount comes off the top as needed to keep the Center running. But the truth is for the past six months our executives salary, electrical and phone bills, transportation and all overhead expenses here at the Center have been covered by separate donations, so the entire proceeds of the entrepreneurial projects, the commissions the sales volunteers have been collecting and recycling profits, have gone directly to the volunteers' home organizations. "I must admit, as a hard nosed businessman, I was skeptical about the project at first, but it has changed our community for the better; no doubt about it. These volunteers, young and old are heroes when they bring the bacon home to their respective organizations. Not only do they have proof that they are doing something worthwhile, they are having fun. By working along side older people outside their families, young people have picked up skills, developed good work habits, assumed responsibility and absorbed many things about surviving in the adult world. By overcoming obstacles, conquering frustration and practicing tenacity, things usually come out right, and they develop character and compassion. With self-discipline comes pride. They gain self-respect through achievement, as well as respect and recognition by the community. "Without special classes many have become familiar with banking, investments, insurance, learn how to type, keep books, make intelligent phone calls, take legible messages and how to sell themselves, ideas, services and products. Others have learned how to care for and respect tools, how to build and repair, how to plant, harvest, cook, garden, and market. I didn't even tell you about our restaurants or office workers. The point is these kids; I call them kids, but I'm talking about people of all ages; mastered these things in the trenches; by participating along side those with experience and expertise; by acting in the real world and not sitting in classes. These experiences will make them better employees, maybe even better employers, and better parents. Taxpayers will benefit from their energy and

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goodwill instead of paying for less effective lessons in job readiness and parenting skills. "Older people are ideal mentors and I know first hand, that many are forced to retire before they are ready or find they are healthy and active and not as happy with retirement as they had imagined they would be. The two retired executive volunteers you met, are just two examples of the many retired volunteers who have skills and life experience they would like to pass on. Many have prospered and are anxious to give back to their communities. Some are alone and feel worthless. Another Way provides an outlet for their goodwill, relief for their loneliness and admiration and love from the community. Most importantly, volunteers become part of something bigger than themselves; they identify with a cause and discover a reason for living. They experience comradeship, love and acceptance in a society where people often feel alienated. Len Denton, Fictional Character, pg 65-8 Another Way97 bk by editor Poll Analysis of Options Chosen By 2,000 Teens In the spring of 1997, the Harry Singer Foundation asked 2,000 students to rank pre-selected options as more or less desirable exchanges for volunteer services. Money was not offered as an option IA-The students surprised many adults with their farsighted practicality. They by-passed monetary awards and fame for apprenticeships, class credits and mentors, in that order. Although less farsighted, making free passes, their 4th choice, continued the trend toward practicality. Worthwhile use of time edged out good feeling for the most desirable intangible reason for volunteering with having fun coming in as a respectable third choice. IB- To our surprise, the students were almost unanimous in their disdain for TV coverage of their good deeds. Only two

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schools failed to include TV in their 2 bottom choices. We were dismayed that being published in books and on the Internet was next to the last choice of students. The Foundation published excerpts from student essays in this manner annually. We may have to reevaluate this practice. Letters of recommendation and discounts did not find favor with the students either. IC-Although far from unanimous, a community facility and a community computer/recreation center were the clear tangible wishes for the community. Almost one third of schools polled noted materials to upgrade public schools as their #1 choice. IIIB- We were not surprised that lack of time and needing to earn money were the top 2 reasons students gave for not volunteering. We discovered this in our earliest polls in the fall of 1996. We found that if we did not offer these obvious choices, students would write them in. We were interested in the other rankings. We had discovered that "not knowing where to go or what to do was the third most popular reason students offered for not volunteering. This was the revelation that prompted us to expand our polling in the spring of 1997. We realized that if this were true across the country, not just in the two states that were the subject of our earlier polls, there was something that could be done almost immediately to remove this obstacle to potential volunteers nationwide. In over 75 percent of the polls we analyzed not knowing where to go or what to do was the #3 reason noted. Agencies requiring specific times which did not fit the students schedule was the fourth obstacle, although noted in only 26 percent of the schools. The following obstacles are listed in the order the students found them most irrelevant: parents, uncool, transportation, have to be 18 years old, the need to have fun.

Volunteering In every school the yes votes outnumbered the no votes when students asked if they would commit 5 hours a week to volunteer service. In 16 schools the number of volunteers was virtually identical for summer and school-year volunteering. In

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8 schools more students pledged to volunteer in the summer, and 9 schools found volunteering during the school year more appealing. On average, 68 percent of the students polled expressed a desire to volunteer but only 23 percent said they currently volunteer. 45 percent would volunteer but they "don't know what to do or where to go" to get started. We have a breakdown of neglected goodwill and missed opportunities school by school. The waste ranges from a low of 27 percent in Florida and Illinois to a high of 82 percent in West Virginia. (More students wanting to volunteer and not engaged.)

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Participants
The Role of Personal Responsibility in Improving the Quality of Life in Our Communities Today Valley Springs High School Valley Springs, Arkansas Teacher: Lavina Grandon
Becki Nichols Brooke Eddy David White Holly Flippo Jacqualyn Avery Bobbie Jo Vansandt Cara McCutcheon Elise Jenkins Melissa Berry Jamie McCarval Brittnay Bruton Carley Mayo Heather Keys Jackie Woolsley Jessie Woelbing

Lacy Horner

Somer Gibson

McLeansboro High School McLeansboro, Illinois Teacher: Kenneth Kirkpatrick

Ezekiel Johnson Lori Kirsch

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Luck High School Luck, Wisconsin Teacher Barbara Petersen

Kristy Bausell Dominick Olivito Chrissy Ludwig Beth Zimmerman Amanda Abel Tracy Clark Amber Huffman Christen Marteney Meri Brace David Webe

Sarah Page

Casey Graham Marc Keyser Tracy Hanna

Kecoughtan High School Hampton, Virgina Teacher: Emma Flood

Graham Currin Stephen Gaborik Bryan Gallant Carl Thomas Serena Stokes Justin Oliverio Avis Strobridge

Big Spring High School Newville, Pennsylvania Teacher: Mrs. D. Whitmoyer

Bret Stamy Janette Lehman William Clites Tasha Hollen Brooke Donovan Kimberly Kaufman Kelli Carter Tom Carano Heather Hair Nikki Raudabaugh Renee Jones Julie Fulton

Kali Brown

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Paoli High School Paoli, Oklahoma Teacher: Melinda Alfred

Jani Bittle Cami Bittle Jamie White Rachel Ingram Anna Tooman Shawnna Cordale J.D. Bostic

Galen Wigley

Jymie Sweetman

Julie Travis

Hyndman High School Hyndman, Pennsylvania Teacher: Janet Phillips

Amanda Clites Benjamin Emerick Amber May Zack Ritchey Tyler Leap

Shana Shoemaker

Kara Hosselrode

Jamie Swauger Beth Shroyer AshleyBlank Nathan Satzer Spence Ritchey Bradley Shoemaker Allen Waugerman

Andrea Nicole Emerick

Harriman High School Harriman, Tennessee Teacher: Nancy Newcomb

Steven Ardary Lindsey Sheets Jennifer Arwood Katie Blair Heather Bernstorf Todd Sexton Kristy Bolden Ashley Smith

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Jennifer Burkhardt

Benjamin Cooley

Jo-Jo Edwards

Stephanie Ellison Amanda Farr Kristel Fuller Will Kilgore Jeremy Newton Randi Peterson Tessa Tate Lucy Copeland Christopher Stafford Ashley Clough Jeremiah Cooley Audrey Howell Philip Rosenbaum Brittney McBroom

Joliet Central High School Joliet, Illinois Teacher: Michael Reilly

Banesha Wood Alicia Pemble Justin McNally Adam Smeets Mark Lovell Melissa S. Ward Lisa Semplinski Shannon Fitzgerald Carolina Reyes Jason Knight Makara Puth Jose Ochoa George Nathan DeLeon Benjamin Glen Johnson Cassey E. McGrath Stephanie Gower Marie Quaresima David Newman Dan Lowry Jessica Esco Katie Sakowicz Kellen Bosma Shanel Daigger Nicole Gunter Jamie Ludwig Jaclyn Heelan Randell Gates Tiffany Glenn Elene Planinsek

Nigel Graham Lauren Baker

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Carrollton High School Carrollton, Ohio Teacher: Carol Wilking

Chrissy Ludwig Tracy Clark Meri Brace Casey Graham Sarah Page

Marc Keyser Dominick Olivito Amanda Abel Beth Zimmerman Kristy Bausell Amber Huffman Christen Marteney

David Weber Tracy Hanna

Salem High School Salem, Missouri Teacher: John Hendricks

Kristy Lowery Sarah Asher Jimmy Gipson Jean Wohlrab Jennifer Kiser Alison Cornell Summer Fleener Christina Happel Jayne Burrow Lindsey Jones Courtney Vidacovich Jamie Clayton Rachel Casey Sarah Parker Dottie Burgdon John Smith

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Kadoka High School Kadoka, South Dakota Teacher: Teresa Shuck

Bailey Rock Christopher Kendrick Luke Vander May Travis TerWee Kim Leach Faye O'Bryan

Stephanie Sherbume Jamie Boje

Rebecca Olney

David Johnson

Preston Patterson

Rockridge High School Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teacher: Barbara Downey

Amanda Price Desiree Johnson Robert Tomich Eric Adams Amy Faith Elisabeth Slayden Erin Parchert Erin Frakes Blake Anderson Matt Schluenz Rachel Murrin Eric Pressly

Tricia McGreer

Demopolis High School Demopolis, Alabama Teacher Jane Ellen Stritzinger

Jennifer Glass Makin Ulmer Kathryn Coplin Sherry Stiff Rhae Randall Mary Coleman Mayberry Meredith Giles Deborah Myers

Steve McDonald

Michael McDaniel

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Camden Central High School Camden, Tennessee Teacher: Mrs. Wanda Allen
Amy Hendersen Casey Noles Angelia Allen Carrie Stone Frankie Dale Quinn Nathaniel McMackin Tyler Walters

Emily Kaye Farmer

Denna Hernandez Heather Crossett Ronald Elder Sarah Leonard Zach Tinkle

April Phifer

Kinsley High School Kinsley, Kansas Teacher: Dr. Galen R. Boehme

Adam Hobgood Ian Schaller Chris Avery Amanda Wetzel Jennifer Bakumen Cory Dinkel Steven Hogan Ashley Stegman Lauren Heit Shasta Brown

Medicine Lodge High School Medicine Lodge, Kansas Teachers: Devra Parker and Mike Hubka
Cindy Coffey Joclyn Winter Dacy Larson Kelli Swayden Dawn Walters Kendra Rice

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Krista McGuire Ryan Morrison

Kylee Colson Terri Furman

Leslie Jo Luken Trisha Feely

Mcleansboro High School McLeansboro, Illinois Teacher: Kenneth Kirkpatrick

Brandi Gray Krystle Bullock

Centerville High School Centerville, South Dakota Teacher: Terri Buechler

Aaron Buseman Dana Levasseur Emily Overgaard Nick Martz Kathryn Wurtz Andrew Anderson Brady Ellis Jennifer Csongradi Jessica Johnson Michael Moore Andy Nelson Dustin Stevens Jared Voog Josh Mork Tony Pingrey

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Is It Time For Local Communities To Initiate A Rite Of Passage For American Youth?

Luck High School Luck, Wisconsin Teacher: Barbara Petersen

Jessica Miles Amanda Swanson Melisa Mattson

Newell-Fonda High School Newell, Iowa Teacher: Connie Doonan

Tonya Rix Cory Sievers Josh Nielsen Lynde Edwards Susan Mackey Lucas Koster Julia Nelson Mark Olsen Tammy Kier Jared Witt Kara Wells Pat Wolff Trisha Miller Brandon Artist Kristi Kruchten Nikki Hazen Jason Bjorklund Casey Wipperling

Josh Braunschweigh Beth Bellinghause

Rhett Bruner Craig Corderman

Janelle Seagren

Christian Overgaard

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Concordia High School Concordia, Kansas Teacher: Judy Zimmerman

Angela Sharp Amy Link Emily Hubert Tanya Paul Melissa Conn Amanda Chaput Brittany Toll Heather Moe Kara Hopkins Stephanie Swenson Amy Anderson Dustin Deneault Lindsay Hanson Lyle McMillan Brad Kearn

Joliet Central High School Joliet, Illinois Teacher: Michael Reilly

Kara Orlando Crystal Lawson Steve Bernhard Gina Clemens Alison Szopinski Sarah Grencher Lindsey Hubbell Myles Singleton Bettylou Wahl Pedro Melesio Justin McNally Sarah Haire

Centerville High School Centerville, South Dakota Teacher: Mitch Russell

Amy Ostrem Derek Jaeger Greg Holmberg Melissa Ramos Cody DeBondt Emily Rohde Jerica Westra Phil McCombs Danielle Buechler Randy Meyer Laura Ward Nicole Cada

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Kecoughtan High School Hampton, Virgina Teacher: Emma Flood

Christopher Salnoske Ryan Moore Jessica Williams

Rockridge High School Taylor Ridge, Illinois Teacher: Barbara Downey

Sarah Beauchamp
Evan Weller

Chris Peschang

Christopher Bayer Cassie Flynn

Josh Onken

Todd Winter

Brooke Hartman Michelle Hudson

Julie Thirtyacre Shawn Berberich

Tamara Parcher Kristina Whitney

Paoli High School Paoli, Oklahoma Teacher: Melinda Alfred

Adam Southerland Jani Bittle Adrienne Huffines J.D. Bostic Cami Bittle

Anna Tooman Jamie White

Jymie Sweetman

Julie Travis

Stephanie Eastwood

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