1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest

Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?

Teacher: Michael Nynas

Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

1st Marvin Scott Verbeck  2nd Lindsay Mannelin 3rd Erika E. Grossell

"A few years ago a friend of mine's mom was killed in a deadly car accident. Accidents do happen, but this accident was one that could have been prevented if the other driver would have just taken some responsibility for his drinking problem. You see, he had been an alcoholic for many years and was driving drunk that night when he killed her. If he just would have taken the responsibility of calling someone for a ride home or even walked, instead of getting behind the wheel, this accident would not have even happened." 
Justin Hron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"In my personal experience, living in Seattle for two years, you pick up on gang activity quickly. I heard of most violence occurring on weekends. At that time a lot of gangs were coming up from Los Angeles. A friend of mine was involved with a gang. He said to me, “Ya get in the big cities and violence is something that is just there. "Ya better kill them before they kill you."  It's best to keep your damn mouth shut; silence is your best defense."  "Ya talk shit and you're gonna die."Gangs can and will get just about anything they want. If it's guns or drugs they'll find it or get someone who can."
Josh Barnes, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "The way that people act has a great impact on how we feel about our country. Those that do good make us feel proud, and those that do bad make all of us ashamed."
Joel Alajoki, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"I saw a Nike commercial with Charles Barkley where he states, “I’m not a role model.” In the same light, the creator of MTV's Beavis and Butthead can't understand how anyone could watch the show and see the two cartoon teens as role models. Wake up guys!! People believe what they see on TV. Every little kid wants to be a big basketball star, so what message is Charles Barkley sending when he talks trash in games and spits on little girls? He's telling every kid who's watching that it's cool to be rude to others. And what about the little kid who lit a fire, which resulted in burning his three-year-old sister, after watching Beavis and Butthead playing with fire on TV. They aren't role models, huh?"
Sandy Gunther, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "While taking the bar exam, two young would-be attorneys were faced with a situation; one of their fellow law students had a seizure and collapsed. One student, a lifeguard, and the other, an RN, jumped to the victims aid. For 40 minutes they administered CPR until paramedics arrived. All of the other students continued working on the exam, yet when the two rescuers returned to work they were denied any more time because it was against the legal rules. This example shows that it doesn't always pay to help someone in need, yet isn't that a lawyer's responsibility?"
Angie Guthrie, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"I read in Newsweek magazine that a young black girl living in the slums decided to have a baby just to express herself. Did she really understand how hard the rest of her life is going to be? Not only will she be looking out for herself, but for the life of her baby.”
Alyssa Daigle, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Another story of government failing the public is the story of two eighteen-year-olds who were caught drinking and driving. Charges were dropped, because the state Supreme Court ruled that just because it looks, smells, and tastes like beer, doesn't mean it is. Authorities have to confiscate beer and pay for chemical testing to prove that it's beer."
Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"There are many statistics that try to prove one way or another that women who work out of the home do not teach their children [properly] but I think this theory is all wrong." 
Jessica Hines, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "This is carelessness on his [county sheriff] part and being an officer of the law and drinking and driving tells a very impressionable teenage society that sometimes it's all right."
Darrick Brown, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "Perhaps one of the most disturbing cases of government irresponsibility is that of now-former FBI director, William Sessions. Sessions was accused of spending government money for such things as using an FBI plane to fly to California to visit his daughter, getting reimbursed for a private trip into the French countryside, and even having his bodyguards fly a load of firewood from new York to Washington."
Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"What about [the] McDonald's Massacre? Ð He [the killer] said when he was in psychiatric care that his idols were Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy."
Gary Reigel, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"There are many different sets of values and beliefs. ...Unfortunately, in the past few decades, there has been a decline of [all] beliefs. American society has cultivated a feeling of apathy towards values. 'Who cares if it's right or wrong? “I have the freedom to do it.” has been the attitude of many. American children are growing up in an education system where teachers are [afraid] to reflect their values in the classroom. There are parents claiming they don't want their kids taught someone else's morals. What about the values that America was founded upon? How can it be wrong to teach students values such as tolerance, service, discipline, gratitude, loyalty, honesty and respect?" 
Sara Peterson, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Some teachers have their own values all screwed up and try to impose them on their students. If a student has grown up in a family that really didn't have a solid set of family values, he or she could grab on to the teacher's values and become someone that his or her own family does not agree with."
Jessica Hines, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"A boy in our community died of cancer. Before he died, when he was too sick to go to school, his teacher did something exceptional. She tutored him every night and spent time with him. She gave her free time to care for a dying student."
Lindsay Mannelin, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "I feel that schools need to go deeper and stress self-esteem and decision making skills along with academics."
Sandy Gunther, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "Everyone claims that it is the guns that are causing the problem and not the people. I think this is a prime example of our irresponsibility in the United States. We always blame somebody or something other than ourselves for our problems. There is not a gun on the earth that can think so there isn't a gun that can decide to go and kill someone."
Jeremy Lattimore, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "I think that big business taking responsibility will make others realize that everyone has responsibility."
Jeremy Lattimore, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Out of all of these stories about responsibility and irresponsibility, I think that the most disturbing example is that of media irresponsibility. The Los Angeles riots is a classic example of how powerful the media is in our society. While private citizens need to be accountable for their own actions, the media has to realize its power and responsibility to the nation. I don't think that the government should step in and censor the media, but I believe that the media should regulate itself. I think government should give tax incentives to those networks and newspapers who join a Media Responsibility Network. This network would be made up of different individuals and companies in the industry, and they would set up universal guidelines for all of its members to follow."
Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Through strengthening the family's sense of responsibility, we will be able to move our nation closer to our goal: a responsible, free society."
Erika Grossell, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Parents need to teach kids self esteem, respect for themselves and others, how to make responsible decisions, and the impact of their behavior."
Sandy Gunther, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "Taking parenting classes help parents to learn how to raise responsible children."
Sandy Gunther, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"The responsibility of caring for a family and teaching morals lies with parents. ...A family needs to be committed to each other and work together to make things work. The responsibility of being a parent is something that takes a lot of planning and careful thinking. The generations today will be responsible for leading America in the future so parents need to be responsible for teaching family values to their children and teaching them to be the best possible human beings. They can then take on all the responsibilities of the world and take care of their own family."
Jessica Hines, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"The world is voting for the death penalty, which makes people think twice about what they are doing or are going to do. And it will make sure that if they do commit a crime harsh enough for the penalty nobody will have to worry about that person doing it again." 
Gary Reigel, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

  "A values program could be introduced into the educational system. It would be free from religious prejudice. Ð This program could include a 'code of ethics' to be followed by the teachers. ...This could eventually develop into a nation-wide program entitled E.V.E. (Encouraging Values Everywhere)."
Sara Peterson, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Parents today have a major responsibility, trying to keep their teens away from alcohol. That's where Amazing Alternatives Home Program comes in. ... This program emphasizes the fact that it is important for parents to verbalize their disapproval of alcohol use." 
Angie Guthrie, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"As with most topics, by digging a little deeper you can find the positive aspects of the media. The new show Ghostwriter is a good example. The Children's Television Workshop, the same producers of Sesame Street, has invested $21 million in the new show. Ghostwriter promotes literacy by making its characters read to solve mysteries. Viewers at home must do the same. Ghostwriter is a hit and has been rated as one of the top children's shows in its class."
Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"In 1978, a retired meteorologist decided to volunteer at an after-school tutoring program in Collier County, Florida. He felt that more could be accomplished in a smaller group and extended an invitation to a handful of kids. He soon had a regular group of four elementary age girls meeting Saturday afternoons for tutoring. They are now successful college graduates and give credit to him for the inspiration that changed their lives. This man proves that one person who cares can make a difference. He taught the necessity and rewards of hard work and discipline."
Sara Peterson, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

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