1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?
Teacher: Dea Podhajsky
Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City,
Washington
1st Angie Park 
2nd Kendall Piatt 
3rd Kim Parish
“Instead of the calm commercials about how sex is for someone
you love, I think they need to be more to the point. Teenagers who are having sex with
lots of partners are not in it for the love part, so why not grab their attention by
speaking the reality; sex is dangerous. Start showing commercials and even have some on
the radio that talk to real AIDS patients. Show the result of some wasted futures and show
that it does happen to all people, no matter [their] race, color, or [wealth]. My little sister, 14, a freshman in the same
school, has friends who have already lost their virginity and had no idea of how to be
protected. If you get the information out early, on the results and precautions, a great
lot of people wouldn't have to face such terrible decisions.”
Sasha Mshar, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"The
solution to our nation's problems in the line of responsibility begins at home. The United
States is a place of freedom, but many parents are giving their children too much money
and freedom. Many of these children do not learn about responsibility because they never
had to really work for what they ... received; their parents just gave it to them. When
they are forced, or decide to go into the real world, they discover how difficult life
really is. This is where many of today's problems begin. They will do or say anything to
get something for nothing, just like they have been used to getting. These people soon
become so desperate that they listen to drug-pushers [talk] about easy jobs that aren't
what they seem to be. The truth is that there is no easy way out. Life isn't fair so get
used to it and learn some responsibility."
Tim Pace, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
“A
problem with our society is that abortions are so easy to get. Even though the Supreme
Court case of Missouri Planned Parenthood vs. Danforth in 1976 required minors to have
their parents' permission to have an abortion, many states now allow minors to get an
abortion without that consent. [According to the 8/9/90 issue of Rolling Stone magazine]
Thirty-five states have parental consent or parental notification laws, but only a third
enforce them. All the people that believe and support the pro-choice movement, who
believe that women have the right to control their own body, should be reminded that those
women could have controlled their body before they got themselves pregnant. Anyone who
gets an abortion simply for the reason that a baby would get in the way of their life, are
just being selfish in avoiding responsibility for their actions.”
Kendal Piatt, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"I
think that adults often thought there was no use telling kids about abstinence because we
were going to have sex anyway. [This] led to children acting the way they do. It's easier
to do something you're expected to do than try to be different."
Kendal Piatt, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"[G]arbage
men, and janitors make more money than teachers, [even though] teachers are the ones who
influence our children's future. ...Many people, my father [included], with growth
potential for excelling in the field of teaching have been [enticed] into other [better
paying] vocations. ... If a system of bonuses were available to teachers,...more teachers
would strive for excellence instead of the mediocrity that we have today. There needs to
be a redrawing of the salary system, balancing quality... with longevity."
Josh Williams, Kiona-Benton High , Benton City, Washington
"There
seems to be a growing need for personal character improvement...Why is it that something
can seem so blatantly wrong to one person but another person would not even notice it?
That is a question solved by each individual in [in his/her own life]. We are a country
with many differences to offer each other. What I am saying is that we need to be more
accepting of these and learn from each other. That is when we will find a solution."
Meralee Jones, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"One
of my teachers mentioned that if more families were like The Waltons crime and violence in
this nation would be almost wiped out. A strong, healthy family unit teaches morals and
values to themselves and to those around them. No matter how many government bills or laws
are passed, nothing is going to stop the fall of our nation unless we, as a people, take
care of our families. It's our job, it starts with us."
Angie Park, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"Children should be able
to see that their parents love each other. Little things like hugging, kissing, holding
hands, and sitting on laps really contribute to a child's healthy attitude about love.
They shouldn't have to ever wonder if their parents love each other. A healthy attitude
about love and marriage and being close to someone will make the child realize that the
world isn't full of hate. It's not as tough as it seems to get out of bed every
morning."
Monica Bauer, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"Another
way to help teach the truth about sex is to have the parents talk to their kids first. My
mother was very shy about talking about those kinds of things. I wish she would have been
able to be the one I talked to, but I found out most the things from friends and
television. And most of those things turned out to be false. I think classes should be
provided, if not mandatory for parents to attend. Simple classes that teach the basics;
how to talk to your child about sex, what kinds of things they need to know and are
curious about. Also, once kids start understanding that they do not have to engage in it
just because they think it's better for their age, the problem will start shaping up. It
used to be uncouth for teenagers to have sex, now it is used for a status symbol. The
youth of today has to be shown that you can achieve, and not 'put-out'."
Sasha Mshar, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"At
our school, we have support groups and counseling for those students who find themselves
in a tough situation and those teens who are experiencing problems that might eventually
lead to a deep depression, or even worse, suicide. There is also a program that allows
kids to help kids called Natural Helpers. It is also a support group run by students who
are trained to listen and recognize serious problems."
Angie Park, Kiona-Benton High, Benton City, Washington
“On
a good note, of those polled, black students were the group that reported the lowest
number of illegal and legal drug abuse, throughout all high school grades. (Poll =
University of Michigan with National Institute on Drug Abuse.)”
Jason Allen, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"Every
year, each classroom in our school adopts a family at Christmas time. Food, clothes, and
presents are donated to help those families feel the Christmas spirit which is also a kids
helping kids solution."
Angie Park, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"In
a Baltimore middle school a sign reads,'A baby costs $474 a month, how much do you have in
your pocket?' A picture shows a 'grim' young man holding an infant. 'Thanks to a broad
array of programs--from poster campaigns to hip drop-in health centers--Maryland's effort
to get kids not to have kids is paying off.' The state has an 'alarmingly high'
teen-pregnancy rate, but the Governor's Council on Adolescent Pregnancy, formed in 1987 to
reduce it, recently announced some great statistics. The number of pregnancies among
Maryland girls under 18 fell 13 percent between 1988 and 1990.' Maryland [takes] a variety
of approaches to [its] teen pregnancy problem. Money for projects comes from private and
public sources. There are community-based efforts to involve parents; incentive grants
help local programs. The state also targets both genders' They send coaches and other men
of influence to talk to boys instead of putting the whole 'burden' on girls. The most
high-profile statewide program, Campaign for Our Children, is in Maryland. It involves
using class lesson plans and advertising to encourage abstinence among 9 to 14 year-olds.
'Its most arresting image: a billboard with the word VIRGIN spelled out in 10-foot high
letters, and a tag line: Teach your kids it's not a dirty word.' Lemmel Middle School used
to have four seventh-grade pregnancies a year. After the program began it had none. There
are many facilities set up to help pregnant women. One that I'm familiar with is the
Tri-City Pregnancy Center. They give free pregnancy tests, have counselors set up to
discuss options, give you ideas to break the news to parents and give solutions other than
abortion."
Kendal Piatt, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City, Washington
"Our
local church was involved in a True Love Waits program. We went through the benefits of
abstinence and at the end of the training signed commitment cards and donated $2. The
program became a national non- denominational program involving churches all over the
United States. The $2 goes to purchasing pages in a national magazine with everybody's
name, who signed a commitment card, listed. This was done to show the nation that
teenagers are strong enough to control their desires and want to make a difference. So far
there are an estimated 500,000 participants."
Kendal Piatt, Kiona-Benton High School, Benton City,
Washington
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