1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest

Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?
Teacher: Kendra Steiner

Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

1st Nicole Wangerin 2nd Paul Sweat    3rd Stephanie Flint

"Kids commit crimes for the thrill. It gets the adrenaline flowing when they are in the middle of a crime. It is like a high for them once they get going. It's like a drug; once they get the high from doing it, they keep coming back for more."
Jo Haun, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

 "All parents want their children to respect them, but they [parents] must first be respectable."
Jo Haun, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

 "We want to stop death, not [encourage] it. I feel there is a solution to every problem and death is not the solution."
Tiffany Wagner, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

"What good does the work at school accomplish if they enter the world of violence in the afternoon? What good does all the supervision in the day mean if they go to a world where there is no supervision, no parents and no structure?"  
Crystal Bearley, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

"The best we can do to prevent more children from becoming juvenile trouble makers, is to be the best role models and parents we can be, now and in the future."
Jessica Wagner, Kensington High, Kensington, Kansas

"My solution to this crime problem is to give the children something to do that they are interested in. Some examples are youth athletic leagues, Big Brother & Big Sister programs, and more clubs and organizations sponsored by our local schools. Sure it may cost our government (tax- payers) more money, but..."
Mitchell Gerstenkorn, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

 "Parents need to discipline their children more when they work all day, not less because of fatigue."
Paul Sweat, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

 "Gary Reigel, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota"If a guilty person is set free and commits another crime who should be punished? The judge? The lawyers? The jury? I do think the government should make punishments against these certain individuals who allow this to happen."
Emily Nicole Levin, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

"In Saline county, the DARE program used an $8,000 grant to purchase a sophisticated video camera to tape kids reading their commitments not to use drugs. The tape is then played back to them when they need it. The camera has also been used to film students performing skits about avoiding drinking and driving and resisting anger. To the students, it's like being on TV. They use professional lighting and use AC/DC music in their videos. They talk about their dreams and how they want to accomplish them and how drugs and alcohol would affect them. This is believed to be the only program of its kind in Kansas."
Audra Goracke, Kensington High School, Kensington, Kansas

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