1993-1994 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
White Hats: People Who Are Trying To Make A Difference
Teacher: Irene Strauss
Froid High School, Froid, Montana
1st Adam Fordyce 2nd Scott Crain 
3rd Shonny Waters
"I'm
trying to suggest to the public that if we want the government to be
responsible, then we as individuals also have to take a stand against
irresponsibility."
Scott Crain, Froid High School,
Froid, Montana
"I
think that our welfare system is getting out of hand. People are just quitting
their jobs and applying for welfare because they are too lazy to work. At the
top of it all, the government doesn't realize that people aren't even buying
food with their welfare stamps; they are buying tobacco, candy, and such
things."
Scott Crain, Froid High School,
Froid, Montana
"Adrian
Thomas, a drug store owner in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, decided to put an end to
the selling of tobacco products in his store. Adrian's employees and family
members loaded $2000 worth of tobacco from his store and took them to the
parking lot to be burned. After the burning Adrian commented, 'You cannot put
dollars and cents above good health."
Shonny Waters, Froid High School,
Froid, Montana
"Froid
also has problems with kids being bored during the summer. Froid has no swimming
pool because there aren't enough kids to keep it open, so the organization, Gals
in Action (GIA), pays for a school bus to take the kids to Medicine Lake
five times a week during the summer."
Scott Crain, Froid High School, Froid, Montana
"Another
example of a good thing that is happening deals with the people of New Mexico,
who get together every spring to clean out the irrigation ditches in their area.
These people have been doing this for the past three centuries, and have never
once received help from the government or taken money to help them with the
clean up. This goes to show that if people put together a community operation,
they can get much more done without the help of the government."
Cheril Sundheim, Froid High School, Froid, Montana
"If
someone in our town has been sick and has expensive medical bills, the community
of Froid puts on a big supper, and it costs so much for each family to eat. The
money raised from the supper is given to the family to help them pay for all
their medical expenses."
Holly Waters, Froid High, Froid,
Montana
"My
second example comes from our community. We get together to raise money for
families who really need the money for medical bills. I'm sure communities all
over the country do the same type of thing. This is another important example of
how people help when they really need to. This also shows the kind of love and
support one can find in a small town."
Adam Fordyce, Froid High School,
Froid, Montana
"In
Froid the town has formed a community watch program. This program will have more
of the town people on the watch for minors drinking, riding their cars around
town, stealing, and vandalizing houses and such."
Scott Crain, Froid High School,
Froid, Montana