1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Doesn't Anyone Care About The Children?
Teacher: Mark Rockafellow
Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
1stSarah Mandler
2nd Heath Frye 3rd Robert Keith Preheim
"Just last year, 1993, I myself lost a family member to a gun shot wound
inflicted by a teenager. My 15 year old cousin from Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
was shot and killed by a 16 year old boy."
Jay Salen, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"Juvenile criminals don't believe they have anything
to lose. These kids think that their lives are worth nothing, and they can only
gain by committing a violent crime. They can gain a little time on TV and in the
papers, and maybe a stay in jail or prison, where they usually have friends
already waiting."
Sarah Mandler, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"Government employees are using the food stamp system
for their own advancement. In Detroit, a social worker submitted Mae Duncan's
application into the system and Miss Duncan was sent $26,000 in food stamps. Mae
Duncan not only didn't need the money, but she doesn't even exist. The social
worker was having Mae's stamps, along with 26 other nonexistent people's stamps,
sent to her address.... Other cases similar to this one are reported on a
regular basis from all over the country. Over $5 billion of the $24 billion set
aside for this program is lost every year due to fraud."
Lisa Wharton, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"Abortion should be legal because everyone who wants
one is going to get one no matter what would happen to their body or even if it
would cost them their lives. So with it legal they can get the proper care they
need. I don't believe in abortion myself, but I can't make people do what I
believe. I could have made that choice with my baby but I decided to take
responsibility for myself and my actions and now I have a beautiful baby
boy."
Melanie Grassi, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"People should realize that a ruined marriage is not
only hurting the children, but our whole country in the long run."
Carissa Becker, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"When looking at the facts, the parents must not be
doing their job because of the number of teenage pregnancies."
Melissa Grassi, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"The politicians are supposed to be people who will
not end up in scandals and are responsible enough to stay in line while under
all the pressures of the job."
John Gesick, Marion High, Marion, South Dakota
"In Oregon, Representative Mike Kopetski was found
guilty of drunk driving---a charge that usually carries a mandatory one year
license suspension. A judge, during sentencing, reduced the charge to reckless
driving. The judge also fined him $250. Besides erasing the drunk driving
conviction the judge let him keep his license. This tells people that drunk
drivers are not really guilty of alcohol abuse and that it is not such a serious
crime after all. This also makes me think that if you're important the laws
don't apply to you."
Troy Herlyn, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"I feel that if we had more laws that prohibited the
ownership of guns the fewer problems we would be faced with."
Jay Salen, Marion High, Marion, South Dakota
"We have a lot of hunters in our area, therefore we
have a lot of guns. But the difference between bigger cities and us is that we
make sure that our children know the safety techniques of guns. Granted there
will be hunting accidents, but they are not intentional."
Jay Salen, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
"Parents need to give their children responsibilities
early so they learn the consequences of making the wrong decision. Besides, when
the child gets older the consequences are much more severe. So when your
children forget to bring homework home do not go get it for them, let them face
the consequences and the next time they will not forget. If you do not teach
them early, they will learn the hard way when they are older, and no parents
want to see that happen to their children.... Many parents are distressed
because when they do set limits, their kids give them a hard time. If parents
can get through the rough times, and empathize with their teenagers' struggles,
the rewards will be wonderful."
Roxane Wentzel, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
Melanie Grassi, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota
Jay Salen, Marion High School, Marion, South Dakota