1996-1997 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
1st Rachel Wachter 
2nd Vanessa Vesperman
3rd Denise Gard
"Bill Kellogg also found his own way to help people that really needed it. He was very distressed by the fact that applicants for employment at his South Side plant in Chicago could not read well or follow written directions. One day he overheard District School Superintendent Hamilton McMaster talk about how difficult it was to get additional competent teaches in inner-city schools. When Kelloggg asked if he could help it was suggested that he go to Chopin School to help the teachers.
When he got there he was appalled by the vandalized library with
very few books left and even less unbroken window panes. Kellogg immediately volunteered
to teach a day a week at Chopin School and his offer was immediately accepted. Now he
drills his students on vocabulary, actually makes them think about what they read, and
teaches the lesson that hard-work leads to a better life. Kelloggg volunteered to take a
day a seek away from running his company to further children's education in a public
school."
Vanessa Vesperman, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A big problem in America is the money gap between the rich
and the poor. Many of the rich realize this, George Soros gave $50 million to create the
Emma Lazarus Fund that helps legal immigrants become citizens. Lin Arison gave $40 million
worth of stock to the Miami Beach's New World Symphony to help educate young musicians.
Samuel and Aline Skaggs gave $100 million to establish the Skaggs Institute for Chemical
Biology which will study new approaches to pharmaceutical design."
Gina Walejko, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"The Fox River has become very polluted and needed to be
cleaned up, so seven companies agreed to pay $10 million for cleanup. This will allow them
to start the process and decide the best way to do it. These companies are taking the
responsibility of helping clean the river. They didn't have to do this, but they
did."
Alyssa A. Hrubes, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Anheuser-Busch will stop airing beer ads on MTV. The action
is a visible attempt to prove to legislators and industry critics that it is serious about
not marketing to youths. I think that this is a very responsible thing that Anheuser-Busch
is doing. They are putting the well being of the nations youth over their profit margin. I
think that Anheuser-Busch should be congratulated and other brewers should follow their
lead. Alcohol kills thousands of teens each year."
Todd Messling, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"I believe the only way we are going to be able to fight this
irresponsibility taking over our nation is to get up and do something. It doesn't have to
go as far as requiring people to sign an agreement, but wemust do something. 'You can lose
out on a lot in life by not taking risk or making commitments. There is the idea that the
only way to achieve real happiness is to lose yourself in the service of others', comments
Bill Bradley. It is only then that we might get over this loss of responsibility and
values. There may be a great deal that's wrong with this country, but there's also a great
deal that's right!"
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A teen in court in Odessa, Texas had an adult only as a
judge. Lawyers, jury members, and also defendants are juveniles. Program coordinator
Natalie Rothstein says that the goal is to give teens a more-than-textbook look at the
criminal justice system with hopes that they don't ever experience it first-hand. They
hope to teach the kids that breaking laws does not end with easy judgment. Some say that
the kids are stricter than adult jurors."
Dennise Edge, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Kids need to care about things and they will learn to if
everyone helps out. Not only the parents, but the community, teachers, and other family
members."
Alyssa A. Hrubes, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"The last example or responsibility that I found is not of a
great feat that someone did. This story is more about a community bonding together to lift
everyone's spirits. In Nome Alaska, the ground is frozen all year long, making it
impossible for any trees to grow. After the holidays each year, people haul their
Christmas trees out onto the frozen sea and bore a hole in the ice to stand the tree in.
This creates a miniature forest that gives people a place to enjoy trees, the community,
and something that bonds everyone together."
Vanessa Moffett, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"The court system has made it too easy for people to get away
with crimes and claim it's not their fault."
Vanessa Vesperman, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Just look at all of the ridiculous lawsuits that we see
today. A kid sued his parents because they wouldn't let him have a peanut butter and
marshmallow sandwich for lunch (Marcus). There was a prisoner who claimed that the
Department of Corrections planted an electronic device in his brain. It's lawsuits like
these that cost our nation some $81 million annually and continue to tie up our legal
system. Good is also being done in the courts. The amount of the settlements and awards
involving Wayne County employees, roads, and buildings have been cut nearly in half.
County attorney, Nathan Pardi, credits the slowdown in litigation and resulting awards to
favorable high court rulings that limit the kinds of cases in which governments can be
sued and legislative reform of state insurance laws."
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A boy was walking down to his local grocery store when he
witnessed two dogs breeding in a neighbor's yard. He reportedly became nervous and scared
and ran home. The boy's parents sued the neighbor for exposing the child to a sexually
explicit situation. His parents wanted compensation for the emotional problems caused to
the boy by the exposure. The family was awarded $25,000 in damages. The parents claimed
the money was for psychological damages caused to the boy. An 80 year-old woman was
arrested and is awaiting sentencing for doing what she thought would be her daily good
deed. The woman spotted a couple of parking meters on which the time had expired. She had
some extra loose change that she didn't need, so she decided to help the owners of the
cars out and feed the meters. The woman was immediately arrested for preventing an officer
from completing his job. She faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of $5,000. I think
if the woman wanted to help another person out that is her business. People should be
allowed to help others without the fear of being arrested. While outside in his garden, a
man spotted a fire in his neighbor's kitchen. He ran to the window with his garden hose
and extinguished the flames. The neighbor then sued the man for $2,500 for water
damages."
Sam Marcum,Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"The Ashland, Wisconsin School District agreed to pay
$900,000 in damages to a gay former student. Jamie Nabozny charged that the administrators
in the schools he attended did little stop years of abuse against him by classmates from
the time he entered Ashland Middle School until he dropped out of Ashland High School as a
junior. The administrators denied Nabozny's claims that they were aware he was gay and
argued that because of this lack of information, they could not be guilty of refusing
protection based on his sexual orientation."
Shannon Small, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"In Milwaukee a couple years ago, a clever defense lawyer
used 'cultural psychosis' as a scapegoat. A teenage girl had shot and killed another girl
for the leather coat she was wearing. The defense lawyer used the scenario that the
inner-city conditions made her think that problems are solved by the use of gunfire. The
problem with all this is that you can't run a society, or cope with its problems if people
are not held accountable for what they do. Our society is now explaining our actions away,
and we aren't taking the responsibility of our wrong doings. Our problem can be considered
a moral issue. Lawyers can play a big part in the 'everyone is a victim.' Lawyers
shouldn't be able to pull lame excuses like 'cultural psychosis.' Judges shouldn't even
allow this in their courtroom as a defense."
Kristen Shields, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"People all over the world are finding that they do have
obligations to fulfill. Take for example the three hundred parishioners, clergy, Boy and
Girl Scouts, and students who assembled 4,000 sandwiches for the Patrician Society
assistance center. Take, for example, the hundreds of students businessmen, senior
citizens, and others who joined forces to restore historic 170-acre Dapolani Park in
Honolulu. Take, for example, Samantha Kraft, 7 and her mother, Cheryl, who knocked on
neighborhood doors to collect used eyeglasses to be given to those who can't afford them.
Take, for example, the 500 volunteers who gathered in a warehouse in downtown Nashville to
collect, box and distribute supplies and 35,000 pounds of food for 22 homeless
shelters."
Rachel Wachter, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"In a tiny community on the Lake Superior 'a crew of Santas
has already completed its rounds, delivering a fruit basket to every one on the one
hundred or so families here and a toy to every youngster.' The group leader, who owns a
restaurant, 'tucks away proceeds from its annual summer pig boil to finance the holiday
spree.' this year was the sixth consecutive holiday season for this gift of Christmas
goodwill among neighbors. An elementary physical education teacher 'spent Christmas day in
a refrigerator box huddled near a charcoal burner so others in the city might not have to
do the same. His 24 hours of homelessness were an effort to raise money for homeless
programs in the city.' His day, which raised more than $1400, was one of many things he
has done to raise money during the last seven years. He has also 'organized golf outings,
a basketball camp, a carnival, and even a petting zoo,' all of who's proceeds go to
homeless shelters and programs. For the twenty-first consecutive year, the Madison Metro
bus line offered free rides on New Year's eve. 'The whole idea is to provide a safe way to
travel on New Year's eve.' Free bus rides are among several programs aimed at keeping
drunken drivers off the roads and making the city safer. A lawn company service owner
'donated a 'Tickle Me Elmo' doll to the children's cancer ward at University Hospital.' He
bought the doll at an annual Christmas party fund-raiser for $8oo, all of who's proceeds
go h the Empty Stocking. This same man has displayed numerous acts of generosity before,
such as 'paying bills for people anonymously' and raising money for a gym.' His comment on
the donation was, 'I only hope my donation will inspire others.'"
Denise Gard, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Another good example of people taking responsibility for
themselves and others is the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, a
nonprofit group in New York. This group has helped disadvantaged minority students start
400 businesses in the past five years. These teenagers-often surrounded by poverty and
drugs, unemployment and despair - see business ownership as a way to make money and help
their communities. Most important, though, is that they see it as a way to move up,
without relying on someone else for a job. The third and fourth graders at Dodgeville, a
city just ten miles from my hometown, have proven to be responsible. They chose to forget
their customary Christmas gift exchange and, along with sharing some field trip money,
raised $250 to adopt a family through the Iowa County Department of Social Services. By
adopting a family, they were able to pay for new clothing, some games and books, and
tickets to a holiday movie. The students will never know the identity of their adopted
family members, but they can be certain that someone had a happier Christmas because of
theirgenerosity."
Kelly Tucker, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A new program called STEP (the Senior Tax Exchange Program)
will attempt to bridge the gap between fixed incomes and growing school taxes. This
program will get more senior citizens involved in schools by paying them to read to
younger children, tutor, or work on grounds keeping. This benefits the elderly and the
children by bridging the age gap and it provides another source of income to the
elderly."
Sam Marcum, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Mary Mueller and her seven sisters bring joy to elderly
people through their singing. When their dad was in a nursing home, they'd visit him and
sing with him. One day they noticed how much the other residents enjoyed it, also. After
their dad passed away, the sisters, along with their mom Hazel, continued visiting nursing
homes. They all realized their gift could be used to help others."
Jody Berg, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A 9 year old boy named Sam Stackhouse seems to know all
about responsibility. [He] and about 30 other protesters march down a street in Chicago.
Their goal was simple-they wanted Toys 'R' Us to remove violent toys from their shelves.
Sam was not only looking out for himself, but for children everywhere. He realized that if
kids play violent things, they may grow up to think violence is all right. Sam probably
does not want to grow up to have to face violence."
Danelle Houghton, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"A woman from Miami helps other women who cannot care for
their babies by adopting them and taking them in. She now has 39 disabled kids. Most have
down syndrome. Many are profoundly retarded.This woman is helping out mothers who don't
feel they can care for a retarded child. She is giving these children a better life than
they would normally have. She shares her love and helps to make this country a better
place to live."
Todd Messling, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Anne Lusk, a single mother of two, of Stowe, Vermont founded
SingleVolunteers Turned off by personal ads, dating services and blind dates. Anne wanted
to find a more meaningful way for single people to meet, and so she started this group
that allowed singles to get together through charity work. The 125 members get to know
each other by clearing trails, cooking at halfway houses, and building houses for habitat
for humanity. This is another person who is not only not hurting society, but, along with
fellow volunteers, is helping it. Another example of a responsible person is Elliott
Protnoy. In 1992 he hounded K.E.E.N. or kids enjoy exercise now. This weekly program pairs
volunteer coaches with mentally and physically handicapped athletes for activities such as
tennis, soccer and basketball. It has served more than 150 children with the help of more
than 400 volunteers."
Vanessa Moffett, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
"Oseola McCarty washed clothes for well-to-do families of
Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She saved every extra penny she earned and in 1995 she donated a
large part of her life savings, more than $150,000, to the University of Southern
Mississippi. The Osela McCarty Endowment Scholarship is to help low income black families
with the high price of college."
Joel Langfoss, Iowa-Grant High School, Livingston, Wisconsin
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