Harriman High School

Harriman, Tennessee
Teacher: Nancy Newcomb

 

 

 

 

The Role Of  Personal Responsibility

In Your Community

By Katie Blair

Grade 10

 

 

Personal responsibility is important for everyone in our community. Each one of us as an individual has an important role to play. We all have a responsibility to give back to our community for what we have received. There are many ways in which our community could improve by unemployment, by proper disposal of hazardous waste materials, family values, and by volunteering in the community.  

 

Unemployment is problem facing our community. Our community has empty buildings just like any other town. Getting industry would create a lot of jobs. Bringing new employers and business into the community would increase the tax base, which could increase funding to schools and other public services for program improvements. Even without out large industry locating in our town we as individuals could help. You could start your own business. Being from the same small town you will know your coworkers well. Showing community pride and by showing a positive attitude encourages outside industry to locate their companies in our community. People who are unemployed have low self esteem. They are not able to put money back into the community.

 

In the past there have been some incidents at several of the plants that surround our community which have contaminated the soil and water. Many of the lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds in and around our community are not safe to swim or fish. You can not eat the fish or wildlife. If you are hunting and you catch a deer you have to call the Tennessee Department Wild Life. They have to come and check the deer for radiation.  Even frogs have been destroyed for being a threat to the environment because they were found to contain too much radiation. The Tennessee Department Wild Life has to check the geese eggs to make sure they are not radioactive. Because of these problems in our community we do not need at add to the pollution of our water by dumping used motor into our sewer system. By disposing of our household waste products properly we are not contributing to the depletion of our natural resources.

 

More and more people are getting divorced than ever before. Divorce does not just hurt the people getting divorce. Divorce hurts the whole family. It also takes a toll on the community. Having a strong family means having a stronger community. If children are hurting because of their home life, then they will come to school and hurt others.  Divorce makes children feel like they are to blame for their parents breaking-up. A lot of problems can come up when children are being pulled between two families.  Children who come from a two parent household do better in school. They are also less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and drugs, or go to prison.  To help solve the problem with the problem of divorce you could marry for love not wealth or pressure from your family.  If you and your spouse are having trouble you could go to counseling. It might help you work through your problems without getting a divorce. Communication is one of the most important things in a relationship. 

 

There are many places where you can volunteer. You can volunteer at your local hospital. You can take patients their snacks and water.  You can bring patients news, books, or magazines to help them pass the time away while they are in the hospital. By volunteer you are helping yourself as well has helping others. You can also help out at the nursing home. You can read to the patients. Taking patients for a walk is fun for both of you. You get to know different people. It means a lot to them and you that someone would take the time to get to know them. You could play chess or checkers with your new-found friends. You could also volunteer at the Roane County Habit for Humanity Chapter. You learn news skills. You can give someone an opportunity to give a family a house who other wise would not be able to afford it. In some cases it may give them the help they need to get off welfare. In some cases having their own house raises their confidence.

 

We all owe our community. No matter how old or young it is your responsibility personal to make the time for improving your community. You cannot get something for nothing.  If you do not give to your community you will not get any thing or very little in return. It is not hard to volunteer. If you do not have the time give a donation it is the least you could do. It gives you a sense of pride knowing that you are helping others in your community. 

 

Answers To Questions regarding The Required Reading

 

Ans. 1- Manus contributed financially in marriage.  Most Americans contribute by time, communication, and commitment.

 

Ans. 2-

married 1 time for 15 years- comprise is the most important thing in marriage

married 2 times for 16 years- you have to be able to comprise and communicate

married 3 times for 5 years-trust

married 1 times for 18 years- respect your spouse

married 1 times for 32 years- have a good sense of humor

married 1 times for 2 years-communication

married 2 times for 10 years- always remember the good times; learn for the bad

married 1 times for 22 years- divorce is expensive

married 1 times for 7 years- don’t live in the past

married 1 time for 33 years- good communication

 

Ans. 3.  “Dematerialize society without reducing the quality of life”.

 

Ans. 4. A worthy goal for our community would be to recycle more.  If you walk down the road you will see cans, paper, plastic bottles, and Styrofoam products.  We have a scrap metal yard. That could take care of the cans but we don’t have a place to take anything else. 

 

Ans. 5- Children that don’t have a mother growing up try to replace their mother. It could be by another person or by a doll.

 

Ans. 6- The United States being a democracy is good for lawyers because it gives them a job.       

Diversity is good for laws useful for lawyer because it also gives them their jobs. We have the freedom of speech and can own land and lawyers keep things straight.

 

 Ans. 7- I don’t think it should be regulated.  It would hurt more people than it would help.

 

Ans. 8- We would greatly benefit from baby boomers retiring. We would have more jobs open  for other members of society.

 

Ans. 9- President Clinton’s anti-poverty act will help millions of people in need.

 

Ans. 10- They both started out with money. They contributed to society by giving people what they didn’t have.  They cared about educating children.