1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest

Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?

Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

Teacher: Galen R. Boehme, PhD

1st Chris Brown 2nd Michelle Roberts   3rd Dennis Kregar

"In Wichita about 74 gangs sell drugs, run guns, steal and kill. Members now numbers about 1,200. In 1992 36 gang-related killings occurred...To help in the Wichita gang problem, a violent crime/gangs task force was developed."
Dennis Kregar, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Currently, Kansas has one of the nation's most liberal laws. It requires only that a woman receive the consent of a doctor, and have the abortion in a medical facility. A bad point is that the law forces teens to tell their parents. This causes bad results for those who cannot tell their parents. One example of this is Rebecca Bell. Rebecca Bell died at age 17 after she got an abortion-related infection. She couldn't get a legal abortion in Indiana without her parents' consent, and she was afraid to tell them."
Caressa Brokar, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Parents are models for their children, even when they are not trying to be. Children often act and speak like their parents. Parents can use this strong influence to help their hildren avoid alcohol and drug use."
Tiffany Hackett, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Children view others as role models.They might even try to mimic their parent's actions. For example, if a parent is truthful in a situation like being overpaid at a grocery store, a child will [learn] and will try to also be truthful. Discussing decisions and actions with children enables them to see why something is right or wrong."
Mandi Countryman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"First we need to publicize the possibilities of anti-gang involvement. One program that can be used is guns for jobs. Many gang members support this. Gang members will have the chance to turn in their guns and get a job. Many people or places in different cities need helpers. At first they can be hired at minimum wage. Many can do this while in school, or receive training while in school."
Dennis Kregar, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"The living standards...could be dramatically increased by placing a greater (emphasis) on education in economically deprived areas. This should include...incentives for  teachers."
Chris Brown, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Private agencies need to organize volunteers to be role models for children and parents. A volunteer will stay with a parent or child for six months, and then will be matched with someone else. The parent or child will be given several phone numbers of volunteers in case they need to call and ask for help. The agency will make a personal contact every three months with this family to see how they are progressing."
Peggy Lynn Shipp, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"People should try to live by principle. The main source of this is religion. Culture sets standards and values that everyone in it must follow. Schools have a tough time teaching this because of the U.S. Constitution and because of parents complaining about teaching their child different principles than their religion or non-religion offers. Children need precise rules, values and standards. Without these, they do not know what is expected from them and how they are supposed to act."
Mandi Countryman, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Of students making mostly A's in high school, 75 percent reported talking with a parent nearly every day, compared to 45 percent among students making '. This support and caring for a child's education needs to begin early in life, so that by the time the high school years come, the pattern is set... Education is the first building block for a young person's future as a responsible citizen. Educating today's youth has to be a team effort. Through cooperating and communicating, parents and teachers can make a difference." 
Michelle Proberts, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Other schools are making efforts to involve parents and are seeing positive results. Parent-teacher conferences at Kinsley High School were moved to the cafeteria, a central location, so the parents would feel less intimidated. The conferences were also moved to the evening to accommodate working parents. The result has produced a 90 percent attendance rate by the parents. Allen Elementary School, also making adjustments for the convenience of the parents, had 80 percent participation in a family reading night and 100 percent attendance at parent-teacher conferences for a number of classes. Some teachers, too, are making an extra effort to shorten the gap between parents and the child's education. A teacher at Aleln Elementary added something new to parent-teacher conferences. She asked each parent to write a positive note to their child about what they had learned at the conference. The next day, the teacher gave the notes to the children. For some it was the first time they had received a compliment about schoolwork from their parents. One student taped the note inside her notebook. The triangle between the student, the teacher, and the parents proves to be important. In Alton, Illinois volunteer parents replaced the art program after budget cuts forced the art teachers to be laid off. The positive efforts of these parents do make a difference."
Michelle Proberts, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

"Organizations like Parents Anonymous provide self-help groups that seek to guide and support their members in changing behaviors that injure themselves and their families. The organization functions like Alcoholic Anonymous."
Heidi Marie Grow, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas

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