Burlington High School
Burlington, Kansas
Teacher: Devra Parker
The World and What’s Around Me
By Josh Wallace
12th grade
Looking back at my life, I have had a tough time either struggling with cancer and other problems. Even with my parents supporting me, it wasn’t enough. I think the only reason I got through it was the strength and power from my community. Community, in my words, is group of people who are willing to do whatever they can to help someone in need, even if he/she is a stranger. Living with my mom, dad, and my older sister has shaped my thought and feeling about community. I don’t think I could have turned out any better if I lived anywhere else. My whole life I have lived in somewhat of a small town with about three thousand people. With this exposure my ideas have changed to be opposite of what most people think is right. Our town, I would mostly say, is made up of Republicans, and I turned out to be a person that tends to lean to the Democrats.
It seems to me that as one person belonging to the the world community, I have no say what people do, who will be saved or which will just die in vain. Right now we have leaders that are willing to throw…lives to the lions. We are currently in a war that seems like there is no end; with the war in Iraq, we have lost a total of 2744 Americans and the total number of Iraqi’s lost is a horrifying number of over 601,027. Does this mean that we are winning? No, of course it doesn’t; it just means that we are killing fellow human beings, so we can prove that we are stronger than a third world country.
As a citizen of the world’s last super power, it’s hard to sit down and watch what is happening in the national community. We are a so-called democracy and yet peoples’ thoughts and ideas to make this a better country go unheeded. In ddition, the United States of America is one of the richest countries in the world, so why do we have such a high rate of poverty and people living on the streets? Since I have been in high school, I have become political and concerned with what our government is doing.
My local community is probably the best in the entire state of Kansas. We care about education and activities for children. What most people get scared of when they come to visit from other states is that terrorists are going to attack the nuclear plant that is in our backyard. Everyone in this town has no fear of being attached. Our schools try to keep the most up-to-date technology so that we can learn the most we can.
Currently as of now I live with my mom and dad. My other resident was my sister who just graduated last year and is off to Lawrence where she is going to the University of Kansas. It has had quite an effect on my mom {the leaving-the-nest syndrome). In this little town of Burlington, I have a pretty good living. My dad designs work plans for engineers at Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant, and we also own a franchise. My mom has taken over the job to make sure everything is working fine at our Dairy Queen.
Outside of my immediate family, I have lots of uncles and cousins. One in particular has impacted my life the most. On my mom’s side there are the Hoovers and the Newkirks. The Hoovers are probably the family I have been influenced by the most. I grew up with two of my cousins who are the same age, so naturally we became best of friends. On my dad’s side, there are the Wallace’s and they live in Missouri, which is about two to three hours away, so I don’t really spend much time with them.
As far as I know I have Irish and German blood running through my veins. I don’t know that much from my ancestors, and I have never really thought about who my ancestors were. But I am sure that I have been influenced by what they accomplished.
… My friends are everything to me. ...We have done things with each other since we were in elementary school. Now, this is my last year and I can feel some of my friendships being pulled away. It feels like a stake through heart. I guess that when I move off and go to college I will make new friends so that I can heal this wound.
I have always had a natural talent for golf--not like a Tiger Woods gift or anything, but I have always been somewhat of a good golfer. I joined the golf team in my high school years, and I learned a set of rules called golf etiquette rules. I have learned to be nice and courteous and respectful to others. It doesn’t sound like much, but I have taken these rules to heart. With these rules in my head, I have been able to stay out of trouble from the police.
Thus, community has a large effect on how people will act…. I think I [have been] fortune to be able to grow up in such a wonderful town filled with lots of kind and generous people. …I am the person I am today [because my environment has] affected my growth.