1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
White Hats: People Who Are Trying To Make A Difference
Teacher: Jackie Fuller
Aubrey High School, Aubrey, Texas
1st Richard Blagg,Jr. 2nd John Espinosa 
3rd Jennifer Artemis Carr
"The
solutions to all of America's problems cannot be solved with acts of goodwill.
Or can they? Getting involved with goodwill projects is at the heart of saving
America. This is not hard to do. Have you noticed how good it feels to know
another cares about you? Have you noticed how nice it is when someone is helpful
and courteous to you, instead of rude and uncaring? Have you noticed how
goodwill spreads? If I stop and help a woman pick up her spilled groceries,
hopefully she'll stop for the next person who needs a hand. It is a kind of
repayment. It happens all the time on America's roadways. Joe stops to help Sue
change a spare tire. So, when Sue's husband sees a person stuck in a parking lot
with a dead battery, he is the first to offer his jumper cables and truck for a
jump. All the program needs is a little bit of faith, and a lot of concern for
the future of America. My solution may not be very original or complicated, but
it's the easiest, and only God knows how far the network will reach."
Jennifer Artemis Carr, Aubrey High
School, Aubrey, Texas
This
nation is in severe decline. I can't tell if it is for the good or the
bad."
Ty Lewis, Aubrey High School, Aubrey, Texas
"Society
as a whole must suffer when the deeds of a few are looked upon as normal
occurrences. In a Nazi death camp, a sign containing the words of Adolf Hitler
explains what America may someday become: 'I want to raise a generation devoid
of
John Espinosa, Aubrey High School,
Aubrey, Texas
"McDonalds
bowed to the publics growing distaste for cigarettes, and banned smoking in its
1,400 company-owned U.S. Restaurants. This shows that with the proper pressure
on the businesses around us, we can make them do anything."
Alexander Aldaco, Aubrey High
School, Aubrey, Texas
"We
also need to avoid inventing things that will only make us more lazy. Things
such as robots that clean the house, and things that are not necessary."
Aimee Hunter, Aubrey High School, Aubrey, Texas
"Along
the California/Mexico border, pregnant Mexican women cross the border, have a
child (who is then a legal American citizen with a birth certificate), and then
re-cross the border to live in Mexico, or move to America. The child is now
eligible to receive all the benefits of being an American citizen."
Jennifer Artemis Carr, Aubrey High
School, Aubrey, Texas
"The
government has to set a limit on foreign aid and use some of that money to
advance our economy at home."
Garrett Mulkey ,Aubrey High, Aubrey,
Texas
"A
solution, I think, to this growing problem would be a credit card type, instead
of coupons. The people can charge their food on their credit card. Each person's
card could only be used by the holder and it would be in a national computer so
you could always keep track of how much is taken out and how much is left. This
would eliminate the selling of the food stamps and cut the cost of printing and
mailing of the food stamps. It would also insure that the food stamps are used
for food, and not for drugs or anything else, which is the intention of the
program."
Alexander Aldaco, Aubrey High School,
Aubrey, Texas
"Simple
acts of goodwill go a long way, as was documented in a Reader's Digest article.
After remembering a note that read "practice random kindness and senseless
acts of beauty" on a friend's refrigerator, a woman paid the toll for
herself and the six
Jennifer Artemis Carr, Aubrey High
School, Aubrey, Texas
"Our
local Business Professionals of America chapter has set up a program
called Chapter 1 to allow high school students to tutor elementary
children with learning disabilities."
Richard Blagg, Jr., Aubrey High
School, Aubrey, Texas
Aimee Hunter, Aubrey Brights
High School, Aubrey, Texas