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

Your Connection to Community
By Brent Baskerville
12^th Grade

To me community is myself and the surroundings around me. When I first think of community I think of my neighbors, my church, or even my town because it is so small that most people know one another. There is also that special connection between myself and my community that forms a special bond. I feel a lot of love and understanding and knowing about community as a whole. Community is having people that I care about and will watch their back and knowing that they would always do the same for me.

To me the world community symbolizes trust. We must be able to trust one another and to keep that trust going into a new generation. Every nation across the globe is dependent on another nation and in order for [the world] economy to grow, we must be able to rely on [trust]. It is the world’s duty to pave a road for new generations and to guide people into the…path of world peace and a place where most people can [coexist].  …The world needs full cooperation for [the attainment] of this ultimate goal.

…Whenever I think of [our] national community I always feel a sense of patriotism. I think the best example of a national community was right after the 9/11 attacks when the American people rose up and stood united to help fight the war on terror. Just knowing that I am an American and knowing that the rest of America will have my back is an awesome feeling. Being an American means that you are something unique and special that a lot of people aren’t. I feel my national community by showing that I do feel very patriotic about my country, and even though in some cases I do not agree with what our government does, I still feel like it is my duty to be able to support [its] decisions because [our leaders] are trying to build an America [better] than anyone could ever dream.

Local community to me is my small town in northwest Iowa. Fonda is a place…I can call…home….  I was raised in Fonda, I have friends in Fonda, I even have relatives in Fonda. I feel community there by just going out uptown on a Saturday night and seeing a benefit supper or people just getting together to have a meal and talk to each other. Between different churches, celebrations, and the holidays, people can really see a good community in my hometown of Fonda.

 My nuclear community I see as something unique because we all bring something a little different to the table.  …It is that difference that [makes] us who we are and allows us to share good relations with each other. I was raised in a good home where I had people care about me and love me, which can make a big impression on a young man’s life. My nuclear family is something…exceptional.

  My extended family is something that I would never give up. My community in an extended family I would have to say is a very comical and loving community. I believe that possibly I have the greatest cousins, uncle, aunts, and grandparents in the world. There isn’t anything that they wouldn’t do for me or that I wouldn’t do for them. You can truly feel a united community with my extended family.

My ancestry is something that I am really proud of. Just knowing where I came from and knowing about those who came before to try and give their [descendents] a better life…is a great feeling to hold. With ancestors I feel like I have been given multiple opportunities to have a better life than any of them could ever dream of and it was my ancestors who made that all possible for me. Ancestors have paved the way for me, and I have a sense of pride in knowing where I came from.

My close friends are people who I would never give up in a million years. I can feel a sense of community because I have close friends who have my back and would go out of their way for me. My friends are people who are unique and treat me with the up most respect because that is how relationships with friends work here.

My unique community now is my weightlifting community. We all share that special bond while lifting weights and knowing that there is someone there for you. I can feel that I can trust any of the guys in there. Even though we don’t talk much, I can still feel a connection between everyone.

Community to me is knowing that I have people always looking after me and that is a good place to be. This is what I truly believe when it comes to all the different communities that I have. Just having someone look over me and knowing that I belong is a good feeling that I think [every]one should have. Being part of a community is something very special that is mine, and I will never give that up.

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