Students In Wallace, Idaho React:
"At a first glance, the Harry Singer Foundation Project seemed overwhelmingly complex
and difficult. However as our class's project progressed, the project began to unfold and
I realized that it was within our reach and that we could in fact carry out our plan
."
Randy Johnson, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"I thought we would decide on a topic and a few people in the class would end up
doing all the work while the others pretended they were busy so they wouldn't fail the
class. I was wrong. After we had heard the details of the project, about doing something
for the community, my class actually joined together and got busy."
Camille Mangelli, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"When we first started this project for Harry Singer, my classmates and I had no
idea what we were going to do. Once we started thinking of ideas, we couldn't stop."
Margaret Reynolds, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
We heard the word "challenge" over and over:
"In the past couple weeks, some of [the] most talented [members of our] senior class
faced a challenge. We were to figure out a realistic way to save or raise money for the
local government. It took weeks of research and hours of in-class time; however, we came
up with an idea. I am very excited about our findings because if our calculations are
right we could raise thousands of dollars in just a month."
Angie Siefert, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"As a challenge from the Harry Singer Foundation, the students of the sociology
and American government classes of Ramsey High School in Ramsey, Illinois, a small town in
central Illinois, were to conduct a survey to find out local needs."
Bill Eddy, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"We accepted the challenge of finding a way to continue saving money and
stretching the resources of local government."
Dustin Gwinin, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"Our first step in trying to pursue our project was to go to city council and ask
permission. ... The council members said that we could try to do the project, but they had
problems in the past trying to do the same thing. We decided to accept [the] challenge and
keep on trying."
Camille Mangelli, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"This assignment took a lot of cooperation and time. I believe it was somewhat of
a challenge for our class. Our groups worked really well together. We all had the same
goal, which was to finish this on time and do it the best we possibly could."
Tonia Cook, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
Expectations "As a class we were to divide up and poll the general public and
officials, give examples of alternatives, provide [feedback concerning] resistance to our
proposal, and discuss volunteer incentives. Through this we were to learn about [local]
government and better understand how our system works."
Anthony Allen, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"Mr. Smith's fifth hour class chose to study and write about the possibility of
putting [commercial] ads on the vehicles owned by the state and federal governments. At
this point the class divided into two research groups to study the feasibility of this
project, come up with cost estimates, find the impact on the community, and discuss pros
and cons."
Justin C. Trafton, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
The exception:
"This contest was meant to explore ingenious ways to save money and stretch the
resources of our local government. [Our class was] unable to do this because our city
government has a surplus of money due to the fact that the city owns its own waterworks,
electrical service, street cleaner, telephone service and sewer system. There are very few
cities in the country that own their own telephone system as well as electrical system.
Because of these things, our city budget has an surplus of approximately $61,000. I think
this is pretty good for a city of around 2,000 people."
Brent Berg, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
Unfortunately, not many communities have Barnesville's surplus revenue and so they
must constantly find ways to stretch public dollars. Crystal, below, asks:
"Is it possible to form a proposal that would save money and stretch the resources of
our local government? Yes, thanks to the Harry Singer Foundation's essay contest, we have
been able to prepare 'Alternatives' in the way we go about overcoming financial problems
that would build a better community for all Meadow Bridge citizens."
Crystal Stallman Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
The essays begin introductions varied:
From precise:
"This essay will show what we can do to better our community without raising
taxes."
Sheryl Ott, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"In the spirit of Al Gore's Reinventing Government proposal, we are exploring ways
to stretch the resources of our local government."
Kelly Martin, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"First of all we need to find out what unneeded services are being funded. If the
community does not want these services why waste the money?"
Alicia Dothager, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic, Illinois
"In order to create a perfect community, one must know what the community wants,
what the community does not want, and how it will accomplish the goals it has set."
Kevin Fowler, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
To philosophical:
"AlternativesÑThe root of that word, alter, is also the root to the whole project.
To alter means to change or improve. One way of improving a community is by stretching the
resources of the local government and, at the same time, meeting a need of the community.
Whether it be beautifying a park or saving a hospital, a decision-making process must
occur."
Becky Ward, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"What is good for some is not always good for others. There are many ways to spend
tax dollars in a small community. There are very few ways to spend them wisely. There are
even fewer ways to ensure the approval of the public when spending these tax
dollars."
Chris Masters, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"Recently the American government class, in conjunction with the sociology class
of Ramsey High School, united and discussed possible ways to improve our community without
raising taxes. The classes [discussed] ways people [can] come together with the community,
or individually, to subsidize tax money. [We discussed why] some communities were
successful while others were not. The classes formulated a plan to better understand the
needs of the community."
Angi Nash, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"During our lives, we all must make choices. Whether we realize it or not, the
choices we make not only affect us but affect others as well. Will we make these choices
[according to] our own wants, or will our choices be influenced by what others wish to
have? Do what the people desire and all ends well. Is this true? This project/essay will
explore this idea. We surveyed to see what the people wished and then found the costs,
incentives and disincentives to grant that wish. Let us examine what we discovered."
Shayne Holland, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"People seem to have the idea that without their contribution the governmental and
educational systems will run fine. But this is far from the truth. The People is what our
government is based around, and without their opinion or voice, the people have to accept
what their government proposes. This is why, in our democracy, we must voice our opinions
to our representatives and congressmen, so that we can have a better society for
[ourselves] and our [children]."
James Goebler, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
To instructional:
"In the following essay I am going to attempt to sell you on an alternative for
government funding. This alternative is the result of a series of polls and classroom
discussions. A total of three classes brainstormed and came up with many viable and
unviable alternatives. The final alternative was the result of classroom voting."
Aaron J. Thorvilson, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Many small communities are faced with a serious problem. This problem is the tax
base is not large enough to support all of the [government] programs. To help find a
solution, the Medicine Lodge senior government class polled and collected data on what
should be done. The information received from the citizens set guidelines. With this
information, we conceived a plan that will allow the city to do two things: the first will
lower taxes and the second will allow the city to keep its community service."
Matthew Boyter, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Many were informative:
"Rules. Regulations. Licenses. How much is too much? Studies show that the more
information people have, the better choices they'll make. This essay is a compilation of
research done on a small rural town in Minnesota called Barnesville, population
2,066."
Paula Tenderholt, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"This project was a very good learning experience for me. I learned that it takes
a lot more work to decide and work on a project than you think. I also learned that the
town of Wallace has very helpful citizens and [public] officials. They took the time to
answer our questions and were always available. I really enjoyed working on this project
and the pride I felt when it all came together."
Katy Elliston, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Consolidation of city and county government would be the best alternative for
[cutting the cost of] government. It would not solve all our money problems but it would
help. We came up with this answer from polls and research, more polls, and more research.
"Consolidation would reduce costs, increase efficiency, reduce taxes and office space.
There would be less paperwork, better communication, and less payroll."
Angela M. Nelson, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Our class decided to make the library the subject of our proposal. In our
proposal we used various methods of fund-raising and community awareness to save our
library."
William Hawkins, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"The objective of the proposed youth center would be to discover
below-the-surface, as well as obvious needs of individual youth, alleviate those needs and
provide essential social activities that teach citizenship, leadership and
sportsmanship."
Melissa York, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
"Placing adds on State and
Federal motor pool cars was the idea chosen. This is a fairly simple idea. Twelve by
twenty-four inch spaces will be made available for private businesses to purchase on
public passenger vehicles, busses, trucks, and heavy vehicles.The size of the vehicle
will [determine] the amount of advertising space. Passenger vehicles could hold at least
ten signs (five on both sides, businesses will pay $125+ for two signs per car), busses
and trucks could hold up to 20 signs, and heavy vehicles could hold a total of 40 signs.
The estimated total revenue generated from the use of these signs is in excess of
$75,528,000 a year for the state of Montana. The idea of businesses buying advertising
space in public and government owned items isn't new. For years some schools have allowed
companies to purchase advertising space in halls and lunch rooms. Businesses will often
buy rulers for schools that have the companies logos and slogans on them. Even book covers
have been
[used for advertisements.] This practice is mutually beneficial to both public
and private sectors."
Craig Kissinger, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"The proposal agreed upon by our class includes awareness programs. These would
include a day care, sexual education classes, and condom distribution. The effort could be
a small one for such a large problem, but helping one student would prove its worth."
Amy Mitchell, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The students who have addressed this issue have come to their own conclusions.
Pregnancy among teens and ignorance is a growing problem. With much debate, the class
proposed to offer classes to teens and parents, and also to set up a day care system at
the school, to help keep the students in school."
Heather Gibbs, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The classes have also proposed that we start a recycling program. The recycling
project would have all the classes in the school bring in cans and have volunteers from
our classes go and pick up the items during the day. The classes would store the cans in
back of the high school in a small shed. Then volunteers would take the cans to the
nearest recycling center, which is in Vandalia, about 20 miles south of Ramsey. The
recycling program would raise enough funds to help support the police service."
Christa Rosenberger, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"Our [class] alternative was [to combine] fire and police. This would cost money
now but save a tremendous amount of money in the long run. Instead of replacing a police
car and a fire truck, you would only have to replace one vehicle. We could [at least]
consolidate the management to save money."
Jess Mortensen, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"My class and I came up with a plan to build a recreation center that is built and
owned by the community. Its revenues can go to the city to help pay for roads, sewer,
schools, etc."
Jeremy E. Riley, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"We felt that a few billboards would provide an excellent source of advertisement,
but found that each would cost upwards of $20,000, and quickly threw that idea out. Our
next move was to [check out the possibility of] placing ads on personal property along the
interstate highway We would place [signs] alongside I-90, an interstate that runs from
Seattle, Washington to as far as Missoula, Montana, and [beyond]. This major traffic
artery would reach thousands of people every month and urge tourists to stop and
sight-see."
Chris L. Carignan, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"The city of Ironton with a population of thirteen thousand residents has only two
police officers on duty at any given time. This led us to devise a plan that would use
volunteers to increase safety. We propose IVAP, the Ironton Volunteer Auxiliary Patrol.
IVAP, which would consist of volunteers equipped with flashlights, mace and walkie-talkies, who would patrol the city of Ironton. The plan calls for Ironton to be divided
into seven sectors, six of which would be patrolled on foot, while one sector would
require vehicular patrol. The main duties of the IVAP would include neighborhood
surveillance, public services including inspections of homes whose owners were out of
town, as well as traffic reports and control. IVAP volunteers would not be acting police
officers; they would not carry weapons or make arrests, but they would be trained in CPR
and first-aid as well as self-defense. As with any volunteer service, the question of
insurance arises. But here it is simply answered with IVAP falling under the general
liability of the City of Ironton. The only added expenses to the City would be payments
made into the workers' compensation fund. We also believe that Ironton area businesses and
private citizens would be willing to donate money to the program to help defer some
cost."
Meredith Chapman, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
Harrisburg, Oregon students were realistic about funding the chosen Alternative:
"The complex won't appear out of thin air; it will take a tremendous amount of
community support. We will need about $2,150,000 (this amount was estimated by the class)
to build the center."
Jeremy E. Riley, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"With every new idea comes the question, where can the money for this project come
from? There are of course the regular routes taken by a town when they need funding. These
are applying for grants and starting a donation program."
Nicole Hughes, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"The class looked into applying for state and federal grants. They found that
Harrisburg had received 12 grants from 1993 to 1995. Harrisburg received a grant for a
family resource center based on financial need. To qualify for a financial need grant, a
town has to have 51 percent of the population in the low and moderate income bracket (less
than $23,000 per year). With the new housing developments the chances of Harrisburg
receiving a financial need grant was not very promising. They found several grants
available for community development and gang prevention, a growing problem in neighboring
Eugene and Corvallis. Lottery money was another option they looked into. Harrisburg
applied for lottery money to help pay for a water front project in the fall of 1993. The
only restriction put on applying for the Oregon lottery money was that the money had to be
used for economic development. The Harrisburg Recreation Center [should qualify.]"
Angel Lundeen, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"We would reduce the total cost of the recreation center by pulling together our
community resources; ... skilled carpenters, legal representatives, knowledgeable
landscapers, and trained contractors who would volunteer their knowledge and time to
improve their community. In return the recreation center would issue free passes to the
volunteers.Also the land is owned by a resident of the community who just might give a
reduction on the price. In exchange he would be recognized for his part in the
project."
Tom Sheffield, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"Valuable advertising space could be given to those who donate equipment, or sold
to those who would pay to have their logo displayed. If Spalding donated some racquetballs
and racquets, we would paint an ad upon our racquetball courts."
Michelle Knutson, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Oregon "We want to
stress the importance of the community's involvement in this project. There cannot be a
recreation center without a community ... We would like everybody in the community to talk over
the present proposal. We feel that in order to accomplish this goal we need to express the
importance of volunteerism in the community."
Tom Sheffield, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
Funding was a challenge for every class:
"Jared and I sat through the entire meeting, listening to other peoples' proposals
and [noting] how they proposed them. At the end of the meeting, Jared and I approached one
of the council members to question him. The city council member told us they [the council]
would not approve of our idea mainly because of the money that would have to be spent,
which he felt was not in their budget. We asked if he felt the opinion would change if our
class did some fundraising such as selling coffee at Wallace's' information center,
putting jars for donations up in stores, and perhaps holding rummage sales and car washes,
and we raised all money for everything on our own. He said it would be difficult, but if
we could do it, he was sure it would be approved by the rest of the council. With this, we
decided fundraising was our only solution and we would have to ask for as many donations
of the sign material as we could, so we could keep the cost down as low as possible."
Shelly Sparks, Wallace High School Wallace, Idaho
"One alternative the classes came up with for funding is to recycle. Paper,
plastic, and aluminum cans can be collected at the school. The Lion's Club will then take
the collection to Vandalia, Illinois. A second alternative is to get volunteers from the
community to get together to form a neighborhood watch."
Patsy Pease, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"It is important to remember in approaching this project that raising funds is not
going to be easy. It is definitely not going to be an overnight project. However, it is
also important to remember that no matter how difficult the process may be, it isn't
impossible. Funding for the program may take several years, but with a lot of work,
dedication and sacrifice, we can bring a youth civic center to the Salem area."
Jonathan Thomas, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
"The question arose in our group discussion where exactly the money would come
from if we did have officers on every campus. Our arguing resulted in two ideas: cut
'blow-off' classes (i.e. health care, home economics, auto mechanics, etc.) and rally to
find more supporters of the school."
Joyce Compton, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas "Our class discussed
many fund-raising ideas. We thought about having a fish supper. We would get the food
donated by a local restaurant or grocery store, then we would charge $4 or $5 a ticket. We
spoke of car washes and outright donations. A community cookbook was mentioned as a way of
raising money. We would gather recipes from the community that had a family history, or
some special story behind them. We would print the recipes along with their family stories
and sell them for about $15 each."
Kristin Sullivan, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"Now one of [the] problems was how were we going to get the money to make the
signs and what were the signs going to look like. We came up with a fund-raiser that would
not only make money, but would give us design [ideas]. We were going to have a contest
where a person would create a series of pictures of Wallace for our sign. The winner would
get his/her name put on the sign. The entry fee for this contest was to be five
dollars."
Margaret Reynolds, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"The reduction in costs results from paying for the revisions over an extended
period, instead of all at once. This would alleviate part of the funding obstacles.
Networking will also help this. In conjunction with the school, the hospital, the city
library and court system can be included to help spread the cost and reduce the burden on
the taxpayers of Kinsley."
Davida Eubank, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"If we get rid of officers [patrolling the schools] taxpayers won't have to pay
for them anymore. Also, with the money that is saved, the schools could direct the money
towards other things like enhancing after-school programs. The money could also be used
for repairing or remodeling the school itself."
Rachel Antonio, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
Students in West Virginia planned to muster volunteers:
"How could we possibly fund such an extravagant project? For starters, we planned to
ask for donations from local and private organizations such as the Kiwanis Club, Alumni
Association, and School Improvement Council. On the county level, funding could come from
the County Commissioner and the County Board of Education. Diana, Ramona, Harmony and I
began to flip through the pages of a West Virginia Blue Book and with the help of our
government teacher, we chose the committees that would possibly fund such a project."
Daronna Bowles, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia "A
decision was reached to round up volunteers to do the work. Salaries were way too
expensive to hire workers. The group felt that the people of the community really wanted
to see this park come to life and they believed they could come together and make it
happen. Two local engineers were contacted and were more than happy to help out."
Patti Reed, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"Many residents of Meadow Bridge own farming equipment and would be willing to
donate such equipment in building the park. Also, many have vocational talents which could
contribute to the work funding. In my opinion, volunteer services which could definitely
be of use are often ignored. Ron Patterson is a highly trained engineer, Thomas Acord is a
skilled welder, and many of the school's vocational students would be willing to share
such skills as masonry, carpentry, and other mechanics. If people were hired to do
these jobs, the park would no longer be economical."
Ramona Acord, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"Those helping their community could be given memberships to the natatorium
[swimming pool and gain the] personal satisfaction of knowing they contributed in building
the only park in Meadow Bridge."
Audrey Brandstetter, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
Using volunteers to cut costs was a common suggestion:
"Dix Johnke, a local farmer, volunteered to donate the gravel to fix the driveway at
the beach. For campfires, we decided to build our own with small rocks as a ring. To get
community support, our class felt that advertisement in the local paper would be
sufficient. The class thought that we could ask the community to donate materials like
lumber, nails, and grass seed. The Garden Club, Centerville Boosters, and other various
community organizations, offered to donate materials and time. The Garden Club offered to
organize materials and volunteers, as they are mostly retirement age women."
Stacey Thompson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"We were a little dismayed, but decided that the Wallace business community could
greatly benefit from our work, and decided to propose that they help pay the bill."
Chris L. Carignan, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"I'm sure we could easily get parent volunteers to come in once a month and watch
over a couple of classes."
Rachel Antonio, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"I think we can boost the incentives of this project by providing volunteers and
donators a free lunch on the day they work; we could have it set up like a raffle. We
could have a prize set aside for the person who does the most work or donates the most
supplies or labor. I feel that we can get the city involved more by listing in the local
paper some of the ways this project can help the city. For example, the clean parks bring
more people here from other towns (almost like a small tourist area.)"
Pat Lee, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"The community said that they would feel safe with a neighborhood watch system.
People would have to be willing to volunteer their time in order for this system to work.
In a small community, like Ramsey, this system would work because everyone knows each
other. In a larger community, people would have to be very cooperative and make sure
everyone has their neighbor's phone number."
Christa Rosenberger, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"People in the community could volunteer materials, and their services through
working to help build and establish a recreational area on the desolate land owned by the
school. Machinery could be donated by people who have it. Workers would not only come
from volunteers, but perhaps we could work with the Health and Human Services and give
training to the needy people in the community."
Lisa Kincaid, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"Good things come to those who wait. I really think that everyone will work
together and no one will care how long it takes as long as we get it done."
Jillian Harbert, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
Cost cutting was on everyone's mind:
"The city of Medicine Lodge, which is the county seat, could cut expense by having
the Sheriff Department take over the inefficient Medicine Lodge Police Department. With a
decrease in taxes from cutting these unnecessary expenses that have little or no return,
Barber County could afford to advertise to more companies and businesses and they would be
more eager to come to a county where they would not be paying for useless programs with
the money that should be profit for them."
Matt Ricke, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"We can even do like they did in the old days where they had school kids as hall
monitors and let them help keep their own school under control and keep the kids from
getting too wild. The students with off periods are usually ones that are excelling in
most of their classes and they seem responsible enough to control their school's
maintenance and keep them in line."
Lisa Bonin, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"There are those who believe that one way to increase efficiency and lower taxes
is to consolidate city and county government. Because many of the jobs are the same,
bringing them together could greatly decrease costs and cut out the unneeded
services."
Janet Diane Lay, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"We found that it would be cheaper to get wood posts and some metal sheeting
[rather than have] the Highway Department make the signs. We decided that this could be a
job for someone and we could [also] hire someone to make and put up our signs."
Margaret Reynolds, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"By using the needy to help build the recreational area it would lower the cost
because the salaries paid to the needy helpers would not be as high as the salaries
required to pay certified and licensed workers. Using the needy would benefit the
community in other ways too. It would give the needy a purpose and possibly the training
needed so that they could find jobs, support their families, and not be dependent on the
state and federal government. [This] could lower taxes and benefit the community as
well as the [entire country]. I feel that this proposal is a really wonderful idea. The
community wanted a recreational area, and they felt it was important. Perhaps the
recreational area would even lower the crime rate." [What about the 'certified and
licensed workers?']
Lisa Kincaid, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
Students saw problems in their communities:
"Just because Salem is a small, rural community does not mean that it cannot have the
problems of a large city."
S. N. Ball, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
"Centerville is just like your average small town: quiet, friendly, a few assorted
businesses. Centerville is not without problems, however. The streets are bad, the water
system is worse, and there hasn't been a real student hang-out place since the Slack Time
pizza parlor closed in May of 1994. To find a possible remedy to one of these problems,
the junior class took on the Harry Singer essay [project]."
Luke Johnson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"The mayor of Ironton, Ohio, told us of the problems he faces when it comes to the
protection of Ironton. The funds he has to work with are inadequate, resulting in only two
patrol cars protecting our community around the clock. This may seem laughable but it is a
very dangerous situation. We wanted to help our community, yet not raise taxes to an
undesirable rate."
Ginny Scott, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"When I-90 went through Wallace we always had the tourists, but now that the new
freeway has been built, hardly any tourists stop in to look at our beautiful shops."
Christina Houchin, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Local police are needed very much in Ramsey. I had a wreck about two weeks ago,
and it took 45 minutes for the police to get to the accident site two blocks from Ramsey
High School."
Jennifer Austin, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
So the students became problem solvers:
"My own example as an alternative would be to have more community services [handed
out] for misdemeanor convictions. There needs to be more work in elderly homes and
charitable organizations. There could be more work on cleaning streets and roadsides. People who break the law should have to give back to the community in some way. This
way 'white collar' crimes would be discouraged."
Matt Thompson, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"In Illinois, we have what is called 'high sulfur coal.' This means that when
used, it emits harmful chemical into our air. Government has decided that 'low sulfur
coal' is better. Thus, instead of using our own resources, we are forced to buy foreign
coal. My proposal is that we bring in the technology needed to reduce the sulfur in our
coal. This way we could keep our mines in business, and jobs would come back to us. We
wouldn't have to retrain the coal miners to learn a brand new job because this is what
they already know how to do."
Elizabeth Hope Angelly, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"So if you are a concerned citizen and want more protection on your streets, do
not be afraid to pay higher city taxes. Without some savings, grants or downsizing going
on there will be higher taxes to pay."
Eric Adams, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
The project required alternatives to raising taxes:
"This year at Ramsey High School, the American government and sociology classes
participated in an activity to better the community. The [class] surveyed the community
and [uncovered] needs that tax money did not [alleviate]. The class looked for laws
that stood in the way of accomplishing the objective. They then figured out ways to raise
money for the project without raising taxes."
Brandon Luster, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"Depleting funds and budget cuts in all levels of government are causing everybody
to look for new and innovative ways to solve community problems. The more conventional
ways of raising funds for community improvement projects are becoming less and less
effective. People are becoming less willing to pay taxes for community services and more
cynical of the system that manages these funds. For this reason citizens are looking more
to the private sector to get community projects accomplished. I feel this is when the
innovative and creative ideas come together. When a community comes together to solve a
problem or make a project, they feel very strongly about it. They also might feel more
secure in the fact that they know where their money is going, see the progress and, more
importantly, are less likely to take the service or project for granted."
Doug Heckart, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"The thought of taxes going up is very unpleasant for everyone, so throughout this
paper I, along with my class, will give alternative methods to [obtain] services needed
by the community."
Kris Franklin, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"In the spirit of Vice President Al Gore's Reinventing Government proposal, the
students of the Centerville junior class looked for ways to save money and stretch
resources in their local government. In short, the students worked together with the
community to come up with many ideas to achieve this goal."
Spencer McCombs, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Medicine Lodge is the typical United States small town. To help us survive in the
modern world, we must be willing to sacrifice some of our small town beliefs in order to
attract new businesses to town. Helping our economy grow is the only way we are going to
be able to keep the services we have in our town. With hard work and some thought on
economic matters, we can accomplish this task without raising taxes."
Heather Poland, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
The project turned out to be a unique learning experience for participants.
Students learned something about public relations:
"[Our] American Government class also published an article [in the] local town
newspaper letting everyone know that we would appreciate cooperation in this survey and
listing the results of the first survey. This also gave others the opportunity to let us
know how they felt and [express] their opinion on what our community needs most."
Jillian Harbert, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"We came up with ideas to get public awareness ... such as flyers, posters,
billboards, signs, radio commercials, and public rallies. Then we all got together and
wrote a letter to the editor of both the Camden Chronicle and the West Tennessee Journal.
On April 17th we also decided to go to the County Commission's meeting prepared to ask
questions."
Nora Morgan, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"We have to buy a lot of equipment and hope the companies that sell equipment will
give us a discount in trade for advertising. The pool tables will cost us the most and we
want to talk to the company and offer them the opportunity to sponsor a big pool
tournament and also [to get] free advertising in our recreation center."
Jamee Nerdin, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
And something about law:
"Once we decided what we were going to do, we had to figure out how to do it. This
led us to call an attorney. Mr. Ben Simpson generously donated about twenty minutes of
his busy day to explain ... the law and restrictions on hanging flags. We also discussed
liability insurance in case someone was injured while [hanging] the flags. He told us that
since Washington Water Power uses cherry-picker trucks to hang up the flags during
Christmas, their insurance would cover accidents."
Matt Davis, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Next, the two classes talked to a volunteer lawyer. He told us about the
restrictions and regulations that coordinated with the alternatives."
Amy Ertel, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"As a class we were worried that there [might be] a law that would prohibit us
from getting a police officer. I talked to our mayor and he informed us that there was
nothing to worry about. As long as the officer was qualified and as long as we did not
break any laws in getting the money."
Jillian Harbert, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"When our classes researched the laws to confirm we could do this legally, we
found you cannot do something if you do not have the proper training. For example, the
neighborhood watch program: the volunteers could not take the law into their own hands and
try to apprehend criminals. (Volunteers) would have to call professional police to respond
to the problem. With the recycling, the people who donate their materials could only drop
them off. They could not smash the materials using the heavy machinery. Professionals
would take care of the additional work."
Andrea Hortenstine, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"When discussing laws, there are two major categories, criminal and civil.
Criminal law is a proceeding of the state against one suspected of a crime and civil law
settles disputes between two or more parties. (Torts) are concerned with the prevention
of, or compensation for harm sustained by a person through the unlawful or dangerous
activity of others. The law of tort regulates an individual's behavior ranging from
physical attack and dangerous negligent conduct to violations of damage to one's social
reputation. Tort suits are brought by injured people as private plaintiffs. Presently
under common law, torts are distinguished between those that are intentional and those
that are negligent. So even someone who was not intentionally trying to break a law
could do so by trying to take the law into their own hands."
Dana Engle, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"To be sure that we were within our legal bounds, we invited a lawyer to visit our
class and explain our legal rights. [He] explained how we had to contact the Highway
Department and get the ok from them. He also explained to us the act that Lady Bird
Johnson put into effect on highway advertising. This law stated that you cannot put signs
just anywhere; they have to be legally approved and the Highway Department is the one that
regulates this. In addition to these obstacles, we also had to find our private land,
compensate the owner for it, and find a way to get the spare time to actually do this
project."
Chris L. Carignan, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"A student from the class called a local law office and asked for the
definitions of the following terms and if they would effect us in any way with the project
that we are doing. The student found out that sovereign immunity is a term that came from
the common law which meant that the king is sovereign and that he cannot be sued. This is
the same with the state; the state cannot be sued unless given permission. Therefore the
school, which is a part of the state, cannot be sued. She also found that the meaning of
strict liability was concerning things that are manufactured; and the term tort law is
based on the concept of negligence and reasonable care. The student also asked whether
the school insurance policy would cover anything that might happen, or if it was in the
city's policy. She found out that since this project was not being done during school
hours, the school would not in any way be liable and that yes, it was in the city's
insurance policy."
Carrie Peterson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
They encountered unemployment issues:
"My AP English class conducted two polls concerning the unemployment problem in
southern Illinois. The first poll [directed] questions to businesses. When asked whether
they had laid off employees due to government or budget cutbacks, the majority replied no.
Two more questions were asked in reference to whether businesses would help with the
unemployment problem; yes and no answers were about equal. The final question asked if
they were willing to work to bring jobs to the area. Nearly all those polled replied that
they would. The second poll concerned individuals. From the poll's results, twenty-nine
were coal miners, and about half had been affected by cutbacks. Two questions concerned
taking advantage of opportunities at community colleges or job corps. The majority replied
yes to college, but no to job corps. The final question showed that on average, each
person knew fifty people who were laid off."
Amy Molinarolo, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"One thought was privatization is going from government funded programs to privately
owned practices. We ran into one major dilemma here: the displaced worker problem. In
order for us to privatize government programs, [public] employees would have to lose jobs.
They could of course be hired by the private business, but with a major pay cut and
considerably decreased benefits. This was not thought to be the most feasible
decision."
Ginny Scott, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"Due to the new legislation which will eliminate welfare within three years and
the opinions of the people who were interviewed, we believe that it is necessary to train
welfare recipients in job skills. This essay will prove that both welfare recipients and
jailed individuals would benefit from a job skills program. By being trained in necessary
job skills, it would be possible for these individuals to assume jobs previously done by
volunteers. Although this program might increase government spending at the beginning, in
the long range, it would reduce cost to government. When a person is removed from the
welfare rolls, or is released from jail, never to return, this reduces expenses. A person
who is earning a salary would return part of the salary to the government in the form of
taxes.
" Laura Vaught, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic, Illinois
"I believe the easiest workers to cut would be the county workers. Although there
are a few times a year we need all of them, the rest of the year they are an unnecessary
expense. If we could have part-time help instead of full-time help, or lay off one-fourth
of the people who are currently working for the county, it would save Barber County
thousands of dollars every year. The only difference would be instead of having one guy
digging a hole and three people watching him, there would only be two watching. A problem
with laying off county employees is again, the displaced worker problem. If people who are
laid off have to move, it makes the tax burden greater on the people who are left in the
county. Another problem would be finding enough people to help in emergencies, like snow
and ice storms, when they have to clear the roads."
Matt Ricke, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"Our alternative of consolidating all city and county government, unfortunately
does displace a few workers. According to the employment agency, about thirty-five workers
would be displaced. They also said that this would [reduce salaries] which would lower tax
income."
Jolene Ann Bruce, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"If our alternative were to be instituted, it would result in little or no job
loss. It would actually create jobs, as well as generate a large amount of money. The only
possible areas that jobs could be lost is in other advertising markets, Our plan could be
so effective that it weakens other marketing mediums [which] could result in possible
layoffs due to lack of business. If anything our plan would create jobs among the
companies that sold and distributed magnetic signs. There would also have to be people to
attach them to the vehicles, another new and necessary job. It's a new and original
idea that should be looked at very closely."
Brad Naegele, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
They became acquainted with consequences; intended and unintended:
"What impact would the displaced workers have on the community? Would [revenue
decrease and the need for services increase?] The Employment Office said the average cost
per person would be $20,000. There would be an average of 35 displaced workers, which
means a lot of people out of jobs and more people on unemployment. Workers Comp said that
it wouldn't cost them a dime; they only pay for someone hurt on the job."
Kari Hegreberg, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"It has been said that for every job terminated, five other jobs are affected. For
instance, when a mine closes [truck drivers, engineers and construction workers lose jobs
right along with coal miners.]"
Elizabeth Hope Angelly, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The size of our town would be a disincentive; we do not have much to offer. We
would have to cut taxes greatly to attract new businesses; this means displaced workers.
The new businesses may not create enough jobs for these workers. Without proper schooling,
these workers may not be skilled for the new jobs that the businesses would bring
in."
Sheryl Ott, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"We realized that there would be no real danger of anyone losing their job. But
the fact that we could, maybe, be creating jobs, made us want to do this exciting topic
more than ever."
Owen Cotter, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"'I've had to go from making $11 an hour to $4.25 an hour working at Wal-Mart,'
said one former employee of the Sahara Mine in Saline County. Many of the people that our
class polled made similar statements about their job situation, prompting us to decide
that the major problem in our area is unemployment resulting from the shutdown of many
coal mines."
Jenny Hankins, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"In the case of cutting teachers, privileges will be lost to the students. The
loss would be the student not being able to take the course that might bring an advantage
to him or her later in life. Another issue would be the unemployment of the former
teacher. Cutting the teacher might help in solving one problem, but it would add to
another."
James Goebler, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"Some unemployment is caused by people just not being able to find a job, while
other unemployment is caused by people's way of life or skill being discontinued. This is
obvious when looking at the small family farmer who has been put out of business by the
big farmers and the government; or the factory worker whose factory has moved overseas. To
combat this type of unemployment, the government has developed a program called the
displaced worker program. In this program the government will furnish individuals with an
education or the training required to get another job in a new area."
Dana Engle, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"Programs such as condom distribution could backfire and encourage students toward
sex. Many feel that since [others], provide free condoms, passing them out at school would
only be misunderstood. Several churches and parents could protest."
Amy Mitchell, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"If we were to combine the police and fire departments we would have to [train]
policemen in fire fighting and first aid. ... [We] would be better off sending the
firemen to police training. It would be cheaper because all they would have to learn is
[one skill.] So you would cut out most of the policemen now working, [in an attempt to
cut] costs. Other displaced workers would be the office people who would be cut at least
in half because you wouldn't need fifty people to do the work if twenty-five could do it
janitors would have one, not two buildings to clean. There may also be some
salespersons displaced because the police departments buy cars from dealers and if there
are less policemen there will be less need for new cars. This is basically a chain
reaction."
Terry J. Gould, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"After being transferred to seven different offices, the county commissioner's
office finally answered our questions. They said they would have to consolidate services,
like police, fire department, and finances. City court would be doubled or maybe upgraded
to justice court. ... After being transferred twice the city commissioner's office finally
talked to us. They said they would have to pay off all the cumulative costs, like vacation
time. It would have a great impact on the community. The displaced workers could draw
unemployment for a minimum of 26 weeks and a maximum of one year. After that they could go
on welfare."
Kari Hegreberg, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Recycling will not take jobs away, in fact, it is going to provide jobs for
police officers. The classes thought that recycling might affect a local citizen who
collects cans, but decided it would not affect him because he collects from trash cans
and ditches. The community would be getting cans, paper, or plastic from people
donating the recyclable materials, not from trash."
Amy Wonnell, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"The citizens polled [showed a willingness] to take advantage of all available
opportunities including educational training at the local community college. Close to one
third of the people polled were ex-coal miners and one half of the people claimed that the
government cutbacks had affected their jobs. The average [respondent personally] knew of
fifty unemployed people."
Kelly Gorman, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"Why would people have so much resistance on placing ads on these cars? They say
it is because people will lose their jobs, but then we called Workman's Compensation and
they said that there was no way that placing ads on cars would put anybody out of work. In
fact, it could possible create more jobs for the public."
Heather Braten, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
Students developed group skills:
"By working together, the class was able to develop an alternative plan and get
experience at being on a decision-making committee. The experience will enable them to
make important decisions in the future in a mature and complete way."
Becky Ward, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"The more we found out, the more we began thinking differently. We all worked
together and helped each other see the [various] aspects of the problem and we all [had]
our own personal views."
Melanie Burr, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"All in all, through the conflicts and doubt, we cooperated and came to a
solution. We worked out all of our problems and together decided how this can all
work."
Tara Edman, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Now that we knew what the people of Wallace wanted, we had to decide which idea
our class wanted to pursue. We all came to class with pros and cons about each idea. One
by one, we eliminated the ideas that didn't have much support from the community. We were
left with the following projects to choose from: increase the advertisement of Wallace,
add a city park in Wallace, and raise money for the city pool. As a lifeguard, I was
trying my hardest to push the others to choose to raise money for the pool. My persuasion
didn't work and the pool was the first to be crossed off the list. As a class we then decided
that installing a city park would be too hard because there was no place in Wallace to put
it. We discussed increasing the advertisement of Wallace and decided that was something we
not only wanted to do, but it was also something that we could probably do."
Angela Bailey, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Resistance came from within our group. We took votes on who wanted officers and
at first everyone agreed. Then we flipped over to not having officers and again we all
agreed. Then we voted on which to choose and the group became split on the decision."
Joyce Compton, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"Next as a class we analyzed and interpreted poll one and poll two. Together as a
class we produced 89 areas that we felt could possibly be an alternative for funding in
government. We spent several days discussing the positives and negatives of the 89
options. After we researched these areas we [narrowed] the 89 options down to the most
realistic and vital eight. My seventh period class voted four times before arriving at
an agreement."
Jennifer Johnson, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Coming up with a project that everyone agreed on was the hardest part of this
process. We spent ten days reviewing numerous ideas. Potential projects we discussed
included: starting a community center, building bike trails, putting a fence around the
park, making repairs and improvements to park facilities, and putting up a welcome sign.
From vote results, our class chose to build a community center."
Jessica Lounsbery, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"For the last twenty minutes of one class, all the students did was brainstorm for
potential success stories and solutions to the problem. When the time came to write our
rough draft, a majority of the students knew how they were going to compose their essay to
get across the point that our school system needs a better sex education class and parents
need to communicate with their young adults."
Elizabeth Garnett , Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The process we used was to get ideas from all the classmates, narrow each one
down, and then work from there. We worked with about four or five different ideas."
Patrick Carlson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"After two days of debating, which was frustrating and maddening, it made us
realize this is a huge problem and solving it will not be easy."
Sravanthi Devabhaktuni, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"Deciding upon an alternative project for this essay was the most difficult part.
Not because the students didn't have good ideas, rather because there were too many good
ideas."
Becky Ward, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"The act of working together can show friendship and service. Not only is this
essay a grade, but it would be a joy of service to accomplish it."
Spencer McCombs, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"We decided that to pursue this project any longer would cost more money and take
up more time than we had. If we had the time and funds, this project could be
accomplished. I feel this project brought my English class closer than we were when we
started. I learned a lot of things about people that I didn't know before, such as their
opinions on things and how they go about accomplishing certain tasks. We agreed and
disagreed on things but through many compromises we made it through our troubles and came
up with fantastic ideas. We had fun going uptown and talking to people together to find
out questions we had about our community. This was a great project in my eyes."
Donnie Hulsizer, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"One group had to poll the community, another had to come up with ideas to help
better the town, and another had to come up with incentives and disincentives."
Travis Andersen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"[Upgrading] education was the number one [topic] picked on the survey. We, as a
class, then brainstormed a list of items relating to education. [We came up with]
attendance, discipline, the selected school officials, more variety of classes and better
communication. Each student picked three areas and named the merits, the demerits and then
gave possible alternatives. In groups of five we listed the merits, the demerits, the
alternatives and a purpose for each activity. The topics picked were library use, more
variety of classes, update of school facilities, and ITV [Interactive Television]. Before
voting on one topic, Mr. Dunn and Mr. Swager, school administrators, gave information on
all topics. We voted on the topics and ITV won."
Kellie Gartung, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Imagine you play football on a team; however, this time you are the only player
for the team. You, who are a fairly good player, are expected to play against eleven other
sizable men. You have to be on the defense, not to let the other team score, and you also
have to try to score for yourself. Could this be done? Of course not. You would be
destroyed. This same thing often times follows in school and in other activities. In order
to get something done, you often have to work as a team. In our class project for this
Alternatives essay, we had to work as a team. As a team we had to divide up the workload
and work together to complete the project. This included calling community members for the
poll, determining a proposal for our essay project, and researching the project to
determine the legal aspect."
Carrie Peterson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
They struggled with communication problems:
"We encounter conflicts of opinion in government every day. Many people are convinced
that their opinion is the right one and all others are wrong. It is not a matter of right
or wrong. It is a matter of what will work best to benefit the people most. Many members
of the public have thoughts and ideas to improve government. [Through] class research [we
uncovered] some of these ideas."
Sabrina Skinner, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
Is Sabrina correct? Is it really..."a matter of what will work best to benefit the people most?" The issue is crystallized in Sabrina's earlier sentence: "Many people are convinced that their opinion is the right one and all others are wrong." The problem, not addressed, is that some entity has to define benefit. This, of course, leads to Sabrina's "conflict of opinion."
Lisa, below, doesn't seem to think it matters very much, at any rate:
"Our elected persons will do what they want regardless of what we ultimately think.
We are the public, but we can't all be heard. Most people wouldn't know the first thing to
do to get in touch with our officials in charge of making these decisions."
Lisa Bonin, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
Shayne backs up Lisa with an example of his own from Tennessee:
"By comparing the results of Groups I and II, we can see that there is a lack of
communication between the people and the leaders. The people wanted a new library, but the
leaders thought that the funds that would be cut would be the funds set aside for the new
library. This lack of communication was the stepping-stone that led us to the first step
of implementing our proposal to build a new library, which is increasing community
awareness."
Shayne Holland, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
A Kansas student has his own example of the public's inability to communicate with
officials:
"The elected officials polled said that recreation is definitely something this town
needs, but recreation programs were the first ones they said to cut if they did not get
the needed tax money. They contradict themselves."
Keri Cline, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Lesleigh found the same problem in Austin, Texas:
"There were many obstacles in our poll that we tried to overcome. It was very hard to
contact the politicians because they never had the time to talk. When calling them we
talked to their secretaries and got a second-hand answer of the politician's views. They
asked us for our addresses and told us that they would send us answers later. 'Later,' was
not the word we wanted to hear. We wanted to have answers to simple questions, but found
out that politicians often talk in circles and could not give straight answers."
Lesleigh Welch, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
Rebecca, in Meadow Bridge, West Virginia, was disillusioned:
"Ten elected officials were also asked to participate in the polling, but they
refused to speak to the students conducting the polls. Numerous excuses were given such as
they were in a meeting, they were out of town or they were on a break. These excuses from
officials, including Jay Rockefeller, Bob Wise, Gaston Caperton, Nick Rahall and Robert
Byrd, led the students to believe that they were not as interested in their communities as
they had proclaimed to be during elections."
Rebecca Mullins, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
So was Joyce in Austin, Texas:
"Other resistance came from school board members and other elected officials who gave
us the run-around and wouldn't give us straight answers. The officials wouldn't answer our
exact question and would change the topic. It was also pretty hard to reach the school
board members. When tallying the poll results, we realized that the public community is
uninformed and did not know all the information about Zero Tolerance. When the resistance
is high, like it was, and the straight answers are few, like they were, then it makes it
hard to complete research."
Joyce Compton, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
They practiced interviewing techniques:
"In an interview with a co-sponsor of a youth activity center in Hawthorne, Nevada, I
learned some of the things that helped and hurt the center and also some of the effects on
the community. I interviewed Michael MacKenzie, Jr., formerly of Hawthorne, Nevada, on
Saturday, December 3, 1994. At this center, he had video games, pool tables, and other
activities for students to do to keep them out of trouble. The community effects he saw
were fewer crime-related problems involving teenagers and a sense of self-worth felt by
the teens. When his center in Hawthorne shut its doors, he noticed that half of those
teens returned to their old lifestyle. He did not volunteer the reason why it [the center]
closed."
Tabitha Stanfast, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
"Before we could do the projects, we called different organizations to check if
everything would be legal. We called the Game, Fish and Parks Department. They told us to
call Lewis and Clark Park Department. We spoke to Jeff and he told us to call Nancy Klutz
of Centerville. She told us to talk to the city of Centerville because the parks are owned
by them and it is not state property. We then found out the legal status. A classmate
talked to Michael Myers, a local lawyer. Pat Lee spoke to the Mayor of Centerville, Ben
Bjordal. D. J. Bryant spoke to the Garden Club, Boosters, and the Rotary Club to see if
they would be willing to help. They all promptly agreed to help organize and complete the
project."
Jeremy Smetana, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Our interviews with Mayor Tordiff of Ironton and Mayor Dean of Huntington went
quite well. We discovered how the government worked with the many different unions and the
bureaucracy [in general]. The mayors told us a lot of things about our towns that we never
realized [before]."
Anthony Allen, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
No one can say the students from Rock Hill High didn't try:
"In beginning our search on saving money and stretching resources, we held many
interviews with city mayors, lobbyists, media persons, and more importantly, we
communicated with the public. There was, as expected, resistance to our ideas of
privatization and volunteerism. A main concern was unions with collective bargaining used
as their ammunition. Mayor Tordiff of Ironton made it clear that a volunteer would not,
could not perform a 'city' job because of protection from the American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees. Mayor Jean Dean of Huntington, West Virginia, [said] in
opposition, that volunteer enthusiasm wears out quickly and thus, eventually, its success
would be minimal."
Amy M. Lynd, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"Actually a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Police
Department turned out to be the biggest problem. Ironically, our proposal was destined to
failure because of the very bureaucracy that we set out to alter."
Meredith Chapman, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"We polled public officials about what measures could be taken to improve safety.
Many answers were given but the one who really helped us out was Mayor Jim Tordiff of
Ironton. We thought more along the lines of privatization, taking publicly owned
businesses and turning them into privately owned ones. Mayor Tordiff told us that if this
were to take place that many people would lose their jobs and that we would run into an
unemployment problem. Volunteerism was also discredited when Mayor Tordiff explained the
insurance problems we would face. If someone is volunteering for the city and he were to
be injured, the city could be sued. Downsizing was also on our minds; logically people who
are being paid unnecessarily could be cut off. Mayor Tordiff was displeased with this idea
because so many employees would lose jobs. Our preliminary ideas were basically shot down
by the mayor."
Dusty D. Ross, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
Adult readers might get the impression that Mayor Tordiff was putting these students down. But like a lot of young people, Dusty saw it differently. He saw Mayor Tordiff as "one who really helped us out" by pointing out the flaws in the class proposal.
The students in Idaho had a different experience with the mayor of Wallace:
"The mayor of Wallace said that it was a good idea and that she was behind us all the
way."
Christina Houchin, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
Students hosted public officials and absorbed an enormous amount of information:
"We decided [to] write about something which we feel strongly [about and] which
interests the community as well. Therefore we invited several panels of speakers to
address the way the local tax dollars are spent and to give their views on how the tax
money could best be put to public use. These panels included our mayor, several county
commissioners, a city manager and other influential individuals of our area. These members
spoke on tax-supported services now existing in our community and ways they felt these
could be better managed in order to cut expenditures while still providing the same level
of service."
Bryan Bennett, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Marsha Haxton, the Kinsley city manager, stated that out of all the local taxes
we pay, 73 percent goes to the city. Most of this money is used for bills, maintenance and
buildings. Once this amount is taken out, there's not much left to divide among the
several community services that are tax-supported. For example, the library asks for $12
million, but the city can only afford to give it $6 million. Mary Fox, a member of
economic development, reported that 90 percent of the money that economic development
receives comes from the Kansas lottery. This group helps the hospital, the Emergency
Medical System, Home Health and the Midway Clinic."
Beth Schaller, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"A county commissioner, Richard Froetschner, and the county clerk, Pam Meadows,
explained how the tax dollar is valued as well as how it is used. Mrs. Meadows discussed
the ways in which the tax levy is figured to meet the necessary budget. Each subdivision
is required to file its budget in August to meet budgetary needs. Mr. Froetschner helped
us to understand the need for taxes. The American Disabilities Act required
advancements in our community [which] required tax dollars."
Micha Renee Habiger, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Edwards County services 30 organizations with its tax money. These areas include
administration and buildings, roads and bridges, health care, public safety, law
enforcement, and other miscellaneous services. Ann Merrick, local health care volunteer,
stated that most departments would not exist if it were not for volunteers. The help of
the auxiliary, which is a money-making organization for women, writing grants and the
Edwards County Health Care Foundation, make our community strong and provide many services
for the public. Bill Inman and Margaret Schnoebelon, local PRIDE committee members,
stressed how important it is to have volunteers in a community. All the money made by the
PRIDE committee goes directly back to the community. The 'Twice as Nice' shop, a
second-hand store that PRIDE operates, provides income for community needs. Streve Seibel
and Judy McKinney talked to the class on the importance of recycling and how we need to be
involved on an individual basis. Recycling also helps to reduce the taxes that all
individuals pay."
Justin Huslig, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
They learned about the real world in Idaho:
"[Classmates] went to a local museum and talked to John Amenson, who deals with our
type of situation daily. He told Kristi and Shelly that it was an excellent idea but that
he knew lots of people who tried to help historic Wallace by advertising and said they
always ran into a brick wall. Mr. Amenson agreed that receiving donations for coffee and
snacks was excellent but, it would probably not bring in enough money to fund [our]
project."
Kristi Olson, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"We all liked the idea of having a huge billboard along the highway showing off
our great town, but when we found out that one billboard sold for $20,000 we decided
against it. Instead we chose to make smaller signs on our own and put them up ourselves.
... We had to decide what material we could use that would not weather very quickly. After
talking to a few hardware stores and building companies, we decided to make them out of
wood and aluminum. We [discovered] oil paints would weather [best and] the posts would
have to be grounded in cement, which would cost us $55.00 a yard."
Maria Hegbloom, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"I never would have thought how much a company or business has to go through just
to advertise their product. I also learned if you are going to do something which seems as
if there is no end in sight, take the time and effort to do it right. Even though we
did not follow through with the billboard idea, we tried as hard as we could to be
successful. It was just impossible with all of the money we needed and the class would
have graduated before we could obtain all the [required] permits. We are not going to put
up the sign but we did learn a lot from our encounters, thanks to the project."
Brad Juelfs, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
There was no hiding from reality:
"As you can see, it takes more than just bringing in new businesses to our town to
make things run smoothly. We must first solve the small problems that we already have,
then we must choose which businesses our community would benefit from the most and if we
want to [remain] a small, safe community, or if we would like to bring in newer, more
exciting things."
Christy Summers, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"A fourth group of students contacted a private contractor. His rates were
unbelievable and he was not willing to negotiate."
Patti Reed, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"In my final analysis, I have come to the conclusion that with all the rules and
regulations, there are advantages and disadvantages of living in a small rural town in the
Midwest. The disadvantages: fewer people [and less] funds available for community
projects. This, in turn, carries over into keeping the facilities going once they are
built. Also, many people have to commute to other areas because there aren't enough
in-town jobs. On the other hand, the advantages include lower crime rates, more affordable
housing, lower taxes and a better learning environment for students because of smaller
classes and better student-teacher ratios."
Paula Tenderholt, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"Our choice for an alternative might not have been the best, but this process was
a good indicator of how things really work."
Phill Balsley, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
They encountered obstacles:
"Having ITV at Kinsley High School presents certain obstacles that need to be
explored. The first obstacle is obviously, money. The cost of the necessary equipment and
installation is between $25,000 to $30,000, plus an additional $12,000 to $16,000 annually
for on-line service and maintenance. One possible way to help cover costs, is through a
state grant. This could be accomplished by proving the benefits ITV would have at KHS.
Another way to help cover the cost of ITV would be to go through the community, state the
problem and get donations. A second obstacle relates to the public's knowledge of ITV
[interactive television] itself. It is possible that a wide variety of students as well as
teachers have never heard, seen, or had hands-on experience with ITV. One solution to this
problem is to present a workshop that involves the students as well as the teachers and
instructors. This workshop could run during the first week of the new school year and
would be designed to educate everyone about ITV. Another way of educating the students
would be to bring in other students from Dodge City, Ulysses, or Lewis who have had
previous access to ITV. By having students teach each other, they might learn and
incorporate ITV faster."
Melissa Kuhn, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"The third obstacle that ITV produces is that the school is not equipped with the
right instruments for setting up ITV. One would need to have a camera, a monitor, a fax
machine and other major equipment. Most of this equipment [is costly] and ... funding
would come from [staff reductions.] If a bond were passed, part of that money could be
used for equipment and people from the community [might make donations.]"
Ginny Paddock, Kinsley HS, Kinsley, Kansas
"What if the benefits which we expected out of the system aren't satisfactory, or
what if there are none? Sure, we looked at the cons, but we got so wrapped-up with the
pros that the cons were put aside. The obstacle here, then, isn't really to overcome
the benefits, it is to overcome the expectation of this system, giving us, and all other
patrons, satisfactory benefits. Since the patrons will be paying for it, the benefits must
be good."
Aracely Loranzo, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"We thought about not changing the government programs at all, but getting the
public to help themselves. In other words, we thought about volunteerism. This seemed to
be a good idea, but we ran into some problems in this area too. Law suits are inevitable
when it comes to volunteering, if things aren't controlled."
Ginny Scott, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"The recreation center would have a few hurdles to overcome. One of the hurdles is
the cost of $2,150,000. This includes the cost of bills, employment, the lot, the
building, pool tables, video games, all of the other equipment, and a paved parking lot.
We realize this is quite a bit of money especially for a town the size of
Harrisburg."
Mary E. Giles, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"In ... checking our research and talking with the Fire Marshall of Helena, Montana we found that the police-and-fire-station combination was tried in Pullman, Washington and also Great Falls, Montana and both tries were unsuccessful. Some of the other disincentives were:
We [also] encountered some resistance within the offices of the state officials that we
called. Some of us got the 'run around' and kept getting transferred; ... others talked to
people who acted like they did not have time to answer one question. Other forms of
resistance would be:
1. Laws were a major resistance we faced.
2. Department policies were another resistance, because they would have to be changed.
3. State status states that you have to have a paid fire department in a class 1 city.
(Helena is a class 1 city.)"
Mandy C. Caretto, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"[Re: Combining fire and police services] The disincentives are numerous ...
unions would object, this approach ... would be less efficient, the training budget would
sky rocket and the morale would fall. There would also be a loss of jobs, and there are
costs associated with any reduction and force. The citizens of the community would resist
this change because they would feel that they were getting one-half of a service and this
service involves their protection and safety. My guess is that the public at large would
not want this change."
Joe Adams, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"We did come up with a few possible disincentives. One would be people might be
reluctant to drive the 'sloganmobiles'. They might think they look tacky. The signs on the
vehicles might be distracting to other motorists while driving. They would want to look at
the cars while they are driving along. The fact that the cars are already 'written' on
might attract vandalism. People might just take it as an open invitation to write on them.
They will think nobody would notice as easily. Another point discussed was that there
would have to be more government control because the type of wording would have to be
controlled. This could be time consuming. Our alternative could have a negative affect on
some people. It could hurt other media advertisement which could raise costs for other
people. It could also hurt small businesses because larger businesses could afford to
spend more on vehicle advertisements."
Roni Graham, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
Meredith, below, suggests that government cooperate and deregulate:
"But if alternatives are ever to be met, if government is to be reinvented, there
must be more [than] community activism; there must also be more government cooperation.
Regulations and red tape must be reduced. The government must make it easier for people to
become involved and make a difference. The dishonesty, distrust, and dislike perpetuated
by our wasteful government must be replaced by a new government based on understanding,
faith, and trust."
Meredith Chapman, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
Students, and the citizens they polled, were frustrated by the red tape and what
sometimes seemed like mindless, endless regulations:
"It seems that our attempts to make government better were met with the government
bureaucracy and red tape we set out to overcome. Alternatives to government will never be
reached unless concerned citizens, such as our class, are allowed to make a difference.
The government must change before people can ever be expected to make a change."
Shawn Burke, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"There are so many regulations that it really gets frustrating. Jim Butler, the
director of state and local government regulations for Ashland Incorporated, [discussed
some of these problems with our class.] He informed us that even corporations get
frustrated when dealing with regulations and sometimes even give up. For example; OSHA, an
important agency started with very good intentions now has so many regulations that
companies who would otherwise be very willing to expand and create more jobs, won't."
Ginny Scott, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"In Poll 2 we discovered there are many steps we have to take to ensure safety. We
would have to have the area surveyed. Every step we took would have to be inspected in
construction of the building. The kitchen in the concession stand would have to be
inspected and we will have to buy safe play equipment and anchor it properly. We will
have to provide adequate parking and handicap accessibility. People may object to [such
a large] building."
Reed Langdon, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"When people could give us an answer, they couldn't back it up by giving us the
numbers. It was always, 'department policy' or MCA code' but nobody could give us the
numbers so that we could look up the laws ourselves."
Heather Braten, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"The plumbers, electricians, and carpenters would have to be licensed."
Bethany Fox, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"From the city ordinances in the library, Mandy's group learned campfires were
legal in town."
Jessica Lounsbery, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
The students from Montana were especially frustrated by regulations:
"The laws to run these services are different. State statutes say there must be a
paid fire and police department in a class #1 city (Helena is a class #1 city). In talking
to the Fire Marshall he said, 'Pullman, Washington tried and it didn't work. Great Falls
tried it in 1970 and it didn't work."
Jess Mortensen, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"I called the City of Helena motor pool and the man I spoke to there said you need
management authorization to place advertisements on the sides of cars. I then called the
Governor's information desk, [and was directed] to the highway department, then
transferred to the motor pool. [There I was informed of] a regulation that doesn't allow
advertisements on motor pool cars. The law is [part of the] federal advertising
code. I called the federal highway administration and they told me to call [the] G.S.A.
motor pool. The man that I talked to [simply] said 'you just can't do it.'"
David Vanisko, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Almost everyone they encountered simply said it was Department policy that there
were to be no personal ads on the cars, but bumper stickers were all right. This created a
conflict that was obvious and curious to the students. Bumper stickers are personal; what
was the matter with personal signs? Students were told, that according to a state law,
state vehicles could not be used for personal recommendations. The students figured that
this law could be changed if it were shown that this alternative could make a significant
difference. Most of the resistance was found when students questioned the law. None of the
departments [were able to produce] any document stating the law."
James H. Kaczmarek, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"There were a lot of department policies that we ran into, but we were never told
what they were. When we asked, no one gave us a direct answer. The Department of
Transportation's policy said that only the state/city seal, state/city flag, or bumper
stickers could go on the cars. We ran into the code of federal advertising, but was not
told what it was. There was resistance on the phone. Everyone would get transferred
more than five times a call."
Denise M. Lamb, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"In fact the state motor pool didn't even know how many vehicles were in the state
fleet; we had to find this out from the state insurance adjuster. The little information
we did find had to be pieced together from the more than forty different people we talked
to while playing telephone tag through department after department. Pardon my saying so,
but it was kind of ridiculous to be met with such a subtle wall of resistance while trying
to find some very basic information."
Justin C. Trafton, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
The incentive to be less-of-an-economic-success did not escape the students in
Harrisburg, Oregon :
"Many grants require that 51 percent of the population earn a moderate to low income.
Harrisburg has only 48 percent of its population in a moderate to low income
classification. Our status is a hindrance to receiving grants."
Deanne Heckart, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
They learned from the experience of others:
"Reaching out to other cities who have also built recreation centers for their communities
will help us [learn from] the loopholes and obstacles they faced in building their
centers. By using the same contractors, we may save a step and money in each stage of
planning."
Michelle Knutson, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"Some examples of funding government this way [combining small town and county
governments] comes in the form of Butte-Silver Bow and Anaconda-Deer Lodge. These two
city/county styles of government are doing just fine to this very day."
Scott Sutton, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
They learned about inspiration and the importance of role models:
"I think we should be proud that we have people that are willing to take an extra
step to [improve] our community with their time and resources. If [more residents] had
ideas like these and carried them out, I think our town could be one of the top
communities in the state. I think this will encourage other towns to do the same thing and
follow in our footsteps to better and improve their community."
Travis Andersen, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"If Meadow Bridge succeeds in this project, it could inspire surrounding
communities to also join in and enhance their community. It also would make good use of
what is right now wasted land, and would get something done about the flood problem that
exists in that area of the community."
Laura Claypool, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"A neighboring town had volunteers build a community center two years ago from
donations and grants. It has meeting rooms, a kitchen, and it features a basketball
court also used for volleyball, dances or bazaars. It was a very successful community
effort, saving tax money and providing advantages for the public."
Jessica Lounsbery, Centerville High , Centerville, South Dakota
"We figured this could be done as a community project, since past projects have
been successful when the entire community helped out. One such project was the building of
a new library adjoining the school. Many donations of money, time and ideas helped the
project get off its feet and later become a success. Another project was improving the
boulevard. Again, people pitched in by planting flowers and trees, mowing the lawn
frequently, and donating money to purchase new lamp posts."
Carmen Pederson, Centerville High School, Centerville South Dakota
"Three years ago volunteers and donations helped build a new athletic complex
which included a football field and track in our city."
Shawn Manning, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"Volunteers are vital to the growth of Barnesville. An organization called 'Main
Street' is continuously working on ways to improve services. There is also an economic
development corporation which has been responsible for bringing new businesses. One
community goal is to provide services that will attract new residents. The results have
been positive. By doing everything that they can for their community, the residents of
Barnesville are continually improving their quality of life."
Jamie Nelson, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"The class began working on the library project by looking at possible things
around the country that had successfully been built. I personally thought my church's
youth building was a prime example. This building housed a fully-equipped gym, with a
kitchen and a walking track. It also provided a place for my friends and I to stay during
most times of the day. Volunteers work for a specified amount of time to keep the place
going. The cost of this building was over $1 million and was paid for with donations and
soup-supper sales."
Joseph Watts, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"We feel that our project can become reality due to other successful, local
projects ... [other] dreams became realities through hard work and determination. We feel
that the same can happen to us if we work hard enough and stay determined enough. The
advanced American history class then feels, 'If we fund it, they will build!'"
Rob Florence, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"Although we have had opposition and resistance, working together can get [people]
what they want. Even though this volunteer unit may not work in our town or community,
providing others with ideas may help another community."
Krista Lambert, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
"In doing our part to become upstanding citizens and good neighbors we followed
the example of others and at the same time became role models ourselves. We drew attention
to feasible projects while pursuing our own project alternatives." [Edited]
Ellen Holmberg, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
But in the course of learning, Angie, below, discovered that examples of past
failures can wield a powerful influence for good, if the information is used wisely:
"[The success of the project depends on] ... the amount of participation from the
people of Salem. It is highly possible that the center could be a passing fad, like our
cinema in Salem that closed from lack of support. It could be very successful in the
beginning, but draws in less and less of a crowd as time goes on. Some people would get
bored with the center, unless the committee is constantly changing it to keep it
interesting. It would be extremely difficult for one group of people to keep enough new
ideas and funds going to entertain all types of people."
Angie Lundy, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
In northern California we have jumping frog contests, artichoke and garlic festivals and every kind of Day you can imagine. In the excerpts that follow, students share the Days that are unique to their communities:
Peace Treaty Day
"The citizens of Medicine Lodge have shown the capabilities of working together to
improve the economy and appearance of their town. Every three years, Medicine Lodge
remembers the Peace Treaty that was signed in this area with a pageant and numerous other
activities. Almost every citizen of Medicine Lodge is involved in the Peace Treaty in some
way, either by promoting the event, organizing the activities, or taking part in the
parades, pageants, and nighttime shows. The Peace Treaty boosts not only the economy but
also community spirit and involvement. In the months prior to the event, city crews and
volunteers work to improve the appearance of Medicine Lodge and prepare for the thousands
of visitors that will soon flood the town. When the weekend of Peace Treaty finally
arrives, citizens are proud to show off their town and their heritage. Community
involvement does not stop when the Peace Treaty is over though. The Beautification
Committee works year-round on projects to improve the appearance of Medicine Lodge, such
as installing planters in the downtown area or cleaning the area around an abandoned
building. Another example of citizens working together to beautify Medicine Lodge is the
efforts made annually on Make a Difference Day. Each year, groups and individuals
volunteer a Saturday afternoon in October to work on city cleanup and community service
projects. Medicine Lodge citizens have proven their ability to actively support positive
changes for their town."
Jenny Dafforn, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Potato Day
"One example of a successful community project in Barnesville is the Potato Days
Festival. This is a festival where the whole town gathers to celebrate its successful
agricultural history. Everyone dresses up and participates in many of the events. It
took the community awhile to get everything going, but when they did, it was a
success."
Michelle Quiggle, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
They questioned:
"What legal problems will this present? What material do we make the signs out of?
How do we fund this project? I could clearly see this project would be more complex than
any of us thought in the beginning."
Jared Watson, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Do volunteers need to sign a release form? When do we do the work? How do we
attract volunteers? Who would purchase supplies?"
Jessica Lounsbery, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Are alternatives the answer? Yes, if they are done right. Our class is exploring
ways to save money and stretch the resources of our local governments. Many alternatives
have been discussed within our class and community. All the ideas are good but will they
work for us?"
Shannon Harrah, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"In recent polls conducted around our community and the surrounding communities,
my senior English class discovered that ... the people in our cities felt that police
protection and emergency services were the most important public services we have. Our
city officials also felt that police protection and emergency services were vital to the
well being of the public. We all may agree with this, in fact, but the question remains,
how will we compensate for increased service without [more] funds?"
Ginny Scott, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
They analyzed:
"While formulating our class proposal, many problems were revealed that we did not
consider initially."
Heather Poland, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"We did find out that you could put a bumper sticker on your state car if you were
driving it. Isn't a bumper sticker a form of advertising? I see a contradiction."
Justin C. Trafton, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"The positive aspects ... outweigh the disincentives by a long shot. For a short
period, of course, things would be more costly and confusing. In the end, however, the one
department would run cheaper and more efficiently than the two previously separate
departments. Once laid-off workers quit collecting unemployment, ten to twenty fewer
salaries could save tax payers $200,000 to $600,000 a year. Buying new cars would at first
cost more, but in the end there would be fewer cars needed for less officers when they
have to be replaced. A new facility would have to be built in order to house both
departments; however, both of the old departments could be sold to private individuals or
organizations for business or other purposes. A single facility would also take less money
to maintain. [I therefore conclude combining] Helena police and fire departments is a
feasible way to save Helena taxpayers money while still providing them with safe, quality
service."
Bill Cox, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"A new business such as a bowling alley, a skating rink, or a movie theater could
possibly be a good business venture in this town. There is no other form of entertainment
in Medicine Lodge. The closest town with something to do is at least 30 miles in any
direction. There are some problems with attracting new businesses: there is not enough of
a tax base, a housing [shortage] could raise [our] crime rate, and school facilities [are
inadequate]. [New business] could also cause a tax increase. Medicine Lodge is a
largely rural community. A business dealing with agriculture would be an option for
someone wanting to start a living here. New businesses such as a recycling factory that
would bring need for workers and other communities to our town would also be a good
business to start. Providing job training in conjunction with Pratt Community College
would help solve problems with unskilled laborers."
Keri Cline, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
They became familiar with new terminology:
"Going from government-owned to private is called privatization. This means letting a
business such as BFI takeover when our garbage men retire."
Eric Adams, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio
And new technology:
"Interactive Television, is the transfer of an almost instant audio and visual
message sent to and from a location by light waves through a telephone cable. This form of
communication is mostly used in schools as a new form of education. Students are to master
their daily lessons from an instructor on the monitor, while being [proctored] by a class
instructor, and sharing this experience with others from another town."
Ginny Paddock, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
They discovered incentives and disincentives:
"However, along with incentives there are disincentives. These include the time
people have to take to deliver the recyclable items to the recycling bins. In both the
neighborhood watch program and the recycling program, the community will have to find
volunteers to donate their time to collect the recyclable items and to patrol the
neighborhood. In the case of the neighborhood watch, it can be a nuisance to people if
they are having a visitor and their neighbors are calling them and warning them of a
stranger being at their house when it's only a visitor. These are only small problems and
they won't cause much harm."
Amy Ertel, Ramsey High School, Ramsey, Illinois
"A time incentive would be that some of the workers from the community would work
faster so that they could use the recreational site. Another incentive would be that the
value of the real estate in Meadow Bridge would increase with the building of the park. A
disincentive would be that if the value of the land increased, the area property taxes to
be paid would increase also."
Bethany Fox, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"There were eleven incentives. The first major incentive was, of course, the
construction of a new library; the second was the creation of more jobs, such as
librarians, library aides, janitors, architects, construction workers, landscapers and
pavers to construct a new parking lot; third, increased parking; fourth, increased room
for books; fifth, room for a new genealogical society; sixth, a better working
environment; seventh, more area for people to work and study; eighth, preservation of the
foundation of the original junior high school; ninth, less congestion; tenth, more meeting
rooms; and the eleventh and final incentive was that the new library would be a showplace
for the community in which the community should, and would be extremely proud."
Scotty Harris, Camden Central High School, Camden, Tennessee
"What may seem a good idea on the surface, however, may have some disincentives.
The town would have to contribute money and time; two valuable commodities in a struggling
economy. Many businesses are trying so hard to keep their own heads above water, that they
have little energy to spend on others: a sad comment on society, but, nevertheless, the
truth. Another problem could be that the town will get its hopes up and nothing will come
of it."
Delana Boatright, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The disincentives of this project, as with many others, would be just getting it
off the ground, getting it started and getting people involved."
Pat Lee, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Incentives for people who donated things could be a personal award and their name
on a bronze plaque on the wall. Also they could receive free pool privileges for a
specified amount of time. The Meadow Bridge natatorium and baseball park could be named
after the late Kevin Hunt. He was a beloved member of our school before being killed in a
tragic car accident. This park is the kind of thing Kevin would have wanted for the
community. It would be very helpful to young and old alike. It would keep the young people off the streets and out of trouble. It would also give some of the retired people of
the community the recreation they deserve. They have been active members of our community
for many years and its time to give them something back."
Kevin Harper, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
And the need to make tough choices:
"We have concluded from our research that we need to increase [our] tax base before
we will be able to offer enough tax incentives to attract a new business. However, to do
this we must be able to raise enough money.There are only two ways of doing this: to
cut programs or to raise taxes. Although neither idea is very attractive, we must go
through some discomfort before we will be able to enjoy a prosperous town."
Angela Ricke, Medicine Lodge High School, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
"In conclusion, the wishes of the public do not correspond with a logical solution
to the public school funding problem, nor do they adequately address the problem of
violence in schools. There is no way to cut the budget in the proportions the district
requires and to stop the violence in schools. Austin Independent School District is either
going to have to pick funding or safety, or find a way to increase the funding available
so spending cuts are not a necessity."
Alison Faden, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
They gained new respect for compromise:
"As you can see, there are equal pros and cons to this situation. More research
should be done on this to work some of the disincentives out and to provide more
incentives. I believe this is a very effective idea and is worth [having] the people in
power look into [it]."
Emily Greene, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"In conclusion there would be a lot of barriers to overcome for our alternative to
work. Lots of hard work and open mindedness would also be a big factor. It would be easier
in a community that would be just starting out, or a smaller community. For any
alternative to work people have to be willing to compromise or it will be impossible to
change the government."
Bryan Apple, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"Now it is up to the [voters] and the legislature to make a decision and decide if
the financial [savings] overcome the risks. Combining the police and fire department does
not have to happen [all at once]; one agency with different departments is a milder
alternative that also [would have] positive effects on the county's budget. In spite of
the different opinions that exist about this proposal, an evaluation should be considered,
in the best interest of the people."
Piotr Stipa, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
The students in Harrisburg, Illinois learned caution:
"Several ideas ... need [to be] examined more closely. A combination of [well]
developed ideas [may bring] success. ... The process takes time and patience."
Kelly Gorman, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"So, what else can we do that we haven't already done to solve the unemployment
problem in our town? Our class ran in circles trying to find an answer that would solve
the entire problem. We finally decided, after a heated debate, that we must work to
alleviate a few of the symptoms at a time."
Brad Ross, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"It will take time and the efforts of many people to solve this problem."
Damon Lampley, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
Others learned when to pull back:
"Street improvement was too difficult and expensive to consider; it also had too many
legal complications. Better snow removal was a very close choice until the class found out
what it would cost to hire, train, and employ extra workers for the city."
Shannon McDonald, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Our class also considered building an off-road bicycle and snowmobile trail. This
idea was immediately opposed because of the liability involved. After some discussion, we
also felt that if we were to do this proposal, there would be a land purchase involved.
Since this is a project to stretch and conserve resources, our class decided that this
would not be a feasible plan."
Stacey Thompson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Efforts have been made to bring in new industries and failed because we lack
water resources and efficient ways of transportation in and out of our town. The
possibility of a big job-supplying industry coming into our area seems unlikely because of
these deficiencies."
Amy Molinarolo, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Illinois
"The size of our community, the lack of resources it has, and other impossible
barriers, such as money and space, would not make this project impossible, but [would make
it] unlikely."
Harmony Burwell, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"At first, our class liked an idea for renovation of the theater downtown, but we
decided that, since the theater had not been used for a number of years, it may not be
structurally sound. The class also decided that if the building was safe to use, the owner
may not be willing to approve the idea, especially if he was liable should any accidents
occur."
Stacey Thompson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"Next we made a list of problems we might encounter. Some facts we needed to find
out included: funding, size, furnishings, maintenance, support, volunteer work and
supervision. After discussing this list, we took another vote and [decided] this project
was too involved. We didn't want to give up on our goal, but we needed to be
reasonable."
Jessica Lounsbery, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"In my opinion I do not think there is any way a combined police and fire would
ever work. We need trained policeman to protect each person and keep traffic in order. We
need trained firemen when our house catches on fire. As the fire marshal said, 'When a
bank robbery is in progress and a house is on fire how do we decide who will go where?'
Let's just leave it the way it is; there is nothing wrong with how these two departments
are currently run. ... Even though there might be a 25 percent savings the efficiency and
quality of services would get worse. The cut back in 10-20 positions would leave people
unemployed and put more people on welfare. No matter how the idea is looked at the outcome
always seems to be negative."
Coletta Vonada, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"I found that by researching this alternative that it just wouldn't be safe. The
alternative is a good idea but I just don't think that we would be getting the savings we
hoped for and there are better alternatives out there that [may] save us more money.
Saving money is what the people want and I just don't believe that this [alternative] is
going to [do it]."
Amy Evenson, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
They sharpened research skills:
"The next group's job was to find out what kind of license would be needed. They also
found out the reasons for the license and if there were any exceptions. One license they
would need for sure, is a building permit. They also inquired about the need for
insurance. They [learned] insurance was very important because [without insurance] if
someone gets hurt the [city] would have to pay for the hospital bill and medication. They
also had to talk to the planning department to figure out how the park would be set up
with the natatorium, arboretum, baseball/softball field, playground (slide, swings, monkey
bars, and the merry-go-round), and a fitness trail."
Brandy Roberts, Meadow Bridge High School, Meadow Bridge, West Virginia
"Insurance analyst, George Harris, was a big help. He gave us exact numbers
and figures. We asked him how many vehicles were in the state motor pool and he told us that
there were 1,628 passenger cars, 38 buses, 2,067 trucks, and 1,010 heavy trucks. When we
called these places: the Department of Commerce, state and city motor pools, the Motor
Vehicle Department, and the Office of Research and Information, we were told that the law
in Montana [declares] a state vehicle will not be used for personal reasons. Then we
called Sign Works in Helena to get an estimate on what a pair of 12" x 24" signs
would cost. They gave us a price of $125 to make a pair of these advertising signs to put
on the cars. Then we did some more research and found out that it costs $1,500 to rent a
billboard for one month. We would only have to charge $200 a month for rent. If we could
put 4 signs on each passenger car, bus, and truck (we are excluding the heavy trucks) we
could make $75,528,000 in revenue a year. [This would] only cost the people $325 a
month."
Heather Braten, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
And discovered a practical need for math:
"If you take every passenger-vehicle the state owns and put one-thousand dollars
worth of ad space on each vehicle, the state would make $1,628,000 a month. If you put
fourteen-thousand dollars worth of ad space on each bus you would make $532,000 per month. If you put two-thousand dollars worth of ad space on each regular-truck you would make
$4,134,000 per month. If you put eight-thousand dollars worth of ad space on each of
the states heavy-vehicles you would make $8,080,000 per month. That's $172,488,000 per
year for the fleet. This would pay the cost of maintaining the vehicle [and leave] money
[for the] general fund. Please keep in mind that these figures are our projected figures
and would vary from month to month. Even if you only [leased space for a month, you would
earn] $14,374,000 which probably would pay the maintenance cost for the fleet. Business
people would like this because they would only have to pay $325 for the first month and
$200 for each additional month. That's very cheap advertising compared to a billboard
which is $1,500 per month, and can only be seen if you happen to drive by it. Everybody
knows that TV is not cheap; neither is print. So this is a cost-wise way to
advertise."
Justin C. Trafton, Helena High School, Helena, Montana
"The new plan [requires] one or two full-time directors and several part-timers.
With four workers and three pieces of machinery for nine hours, it would cost
approximately $120 per hour."
Tonia Cook, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"Family memberships, with a maximum of six people, would be $40/month.
[Memberships] would help pay for electric and heating costs. Individual memberships could
be set at $10 per month to help cut down on other costs. Since we know that not everyone
can afford to pay even $5 a month, we would have to [subsidize low-income] members."
Tabitha Stanfast, Salem High School, Salem, Missouri
"Installing ITV in Kinsley High School comes to an initial cost of $807,000. [This
includes] $576,000 cost for fiber networks and terminals, $4,000 for coaxial cable
terminal electronics, $171,000 for interactive classrooms, $41,000 for teachers' training
and project coordination and $15,000 for miscellaneous expenses. If Kinsley High School
could network with eight other schools (Bozel, Lewis, Macksville, St. John, Stafford,
Hutchinson, Langdon and Hutchinson Community College), the cost would be divided equally
among each school. Then each school would have to pay only $89,667. The cost for yearly
operating costs is $44,500 for personnel (directors and in-school coordinators), $3,600
for maintenance of ITV equipment in the classroom, $2,000 for travel, seminars, and
miscellaneous expenses. Then again, if KHS would divide the cost equally with the same
eight schools, it would cost only $12,011 for each school. Some possible ways for
overcoming the cost obstacle for KHS could be to come up with different fund-raisers for
the money. The best way to save and use the money would be to forget the new schools that
are planned. If the school board would table the new school plays, the board could use
that money for installing ITV, then they would have the money for necessary purchases.
Another way to get money to install ITV could be to raise taxes on the school books, the
lunches, and other possible areas."
Angie Chamberlain, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Students in Oregon discovered that possibilities exist within the tax code:
"The cost of the land may be reduced if the land owner can be persuaded to sell at a
discount because of the great benefit to the community. The difference [between] his
original price [and his selling price] may be a [charitable] tax write-off. Corporations
and private citizens may also contribute in donating to this community service as a tax
write-off."
Michelle Knutson, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
"If the town owns the [proposed] center, taxes would be saved. Also, declaring the
lot where the center is located a recreation district, would change the tax base and
decrease any taxes the center would [otherwise] pay."
Nicole Hughes, Harrisburg Union High School, Harrisburg, Oregon
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