McPherson High School
McPherson, Kansas
Teacher: Robin Long
Making A Difference
By Kristen Bruner
12th Grade
What is a community? A group of people living in the same town but who have separate lives. Or, a community can be a group of people who help each other out and make their town complete by [uniting].
Being part of a community can involve being in church
I am very involved in my church. I help with Lord’s Diner, an organization that helps feed homeless people or people that are worse off than others…. I love doing this [because] I am contributing postively to society because most off my friends would be out drinking or partying. Just seeing the looks on the peoples’ faces…makes me happy [about] what I do. I am thankful for what I have, but then again, I can also feel good about myself because I have helped someone out. I also help out with Sunday school, which I would have to say is so much fun because I learn more about my faith and at the same time I get to help the little kids. Even though little kids can get out of hand, I love to see how happy they are to learn more about their faith. Overall, I just love to see the big smiles they have.
Another way I help is by being involved in a group called the “Diversity Group” which would be a group that helps high schools try to accept people the way they are no matter what group they hang out with or what skin color they have. The reason why I think that this would have to be my favorite thing…is that I am a high schooler and there is no one that even wants to help [with the Diversity Group]. Our school is so focused on being popular or just staying in [a] clique. .... I just happen not to have a clique. I try to be friends with everyone and not judge them before I know them. When [we] have a [school event]…I at least have someone from every clique that will come. It is good because then I get to meet new people and the friends that I have come [to] meet…people from other groups and [usually] they end up liking them.
Most people do not like…change; they like things the way they are. … Being someone that is…half white and half black, I do get a lot of weird looks or people putting me down from both sides. It’s hard to fit in with a certain group because [I] don’t want to be stuck [with just] them. … To tell you the truth, I love being mixed and not being in a certain group makes me very independent. It’s so hard to make people change the way they are, but then sometimes they just decide that they are tired of the same thing every day [and are] ready for change.
For so long I was scared to make a change to, be different from others until one day I just got tired of seeing people I loved get hurt because others judged them for who they weren’t and they got picked on because of who their friends were. I [believe the Diversity] Group will probably help me out later on in life. This would have to be the best group that I [belong to].
The last thing I am doing is going to Africa because I have always wanted to go and help the little kids over there. I like the fact that things are not the same for everyone. [There are other] people like me that want to make a difference because [we] can learn so much from [the experience]. I cannot wait to see how much this [adventure] will change me… I know that I will be a different person because helping all these groups…makes me happy for what I have and never will it make me [feel] sad for what I [don’t] have. Just think about [the] people in Africa [who] have it so bad but…. So many little kids die over there from disease. … We just complain about having to get up and go to work in the morning or going to school. So many people [are] worse off then we are.
I am one that has complained…. Yes, I have said that I wish that I was rich and didn’t have such a loving and big family that is so close. Then I just look at everything we do for others and realize so many people have it off worse than we do and I am happy for what I have. I know [that] what my parents do for me…is not easy. I am just thankful to have a life like mine.
When I hear the word community I would have to say it is a group of people caring about one another. They come together as one and are willing to make a difference, even if change is the answer.