Kecoughtan High School

Hampton, Virgina

Teacher: Emma Flood

 

 

 

Is It Time For Local Communities To Initiate
A Rite Of Passage For American Youth?

By Jessica Williams

 

Today in the United States, the role of American youth is essential in the development of the community. This role is constantly being challenged because of the expectations and pressures that American youth perpetually must confront. The coercion and anxiety that youth of the society must experience is not only because of the pressures stressed by adults, but also because of the tensions from peers. American youth should have a rite of passage initiated by local communities to help them develop a sense of responsibility, a sound understanding of basic American values and morals, and a basis in understanding the elements of cultural diversity.

 

Responsibility is an important aspect of a person’s life. Having a strong sense of responsibility will give youth a sense of duty and prepare them for the challenge of the ‘real world.’ In Career Advice for Kids: Play More, Barbara Moses says, “Rather than pressuring children to prepare for a particular job, parents should help them identify and nurture their areas of interest and ability. Encourage them to choose an academic path that personally engages them, rather than trying to second-guess the future…market for jobs. Instead of pressuring a child to pursue a certain career, a parent should support and encourage the child to focus on the career of their choice. The home and the school are two institutions that must assume the responsibility of guidance and support for a child. Parents and teachers have a profound influence over students. These adult influences should guide, support, and give encouragement to show that the parent cares about the success of the child. Family is another aspect that presents the adolescent with a sense of responsibility. Depending on how an individual is brought up will depend on how well-rounded they are. If someone is brought up with a good family background then that person will usually become a caring responsible and honest individual. Therefore family cannot be eliminated as an important factor in an individual’s life. Society is one of the many important factors to also have a great deal of influence on a child’s life. This influence is limited to how much exposure and influence that a parent lets society have on the child. “Regardless of the values held in adult society, in the adolescent community video games, ice skating, partying and drinking are equivalent,” says Patricia Hersch. Just as society has influence, so does the surroundings of friends. All of the influences and teachings to children give them an understanding of values and morals.

 

The values of society and the world around them should be instilled in children to give them a sense of responsibility. It is essential to be “morally grounded” and have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. This should be taught not only in the home, but in the surrounding of the educational environment, at school. It is important to learn these values and understand them so that the adolescent shall progress in the future. This is because knowing how to distinguish right from wrong in serious issues such as sex, drinking and smoking will get an adolescent prepared for the real world. This is also viewed by Patricia Hersch in A Tribe Apart, when she says, “Adolescents no longer live in a protected sphere. They read newspapers for current events [and] watch the news. The woes of the world belong to them too.” Having morals and believing in them will help a child in understanding misconceptions about prejudices of different types of people.

 

Adolescents need to have an understanding of the values of cultural diversity. If a parent teaches a child the morals of…society and keeps their child morally grounded, then that child will understand the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Parents should teach their children how to treat different types of people and make [them] understand that it is okay to be different. There are many people who discriminate against other people just because they are different. But if people are taught that criticizing someone is wrong, then [they will] realize that it is wrong and that there are people just like them. Trying to adapt to society and the criticism that comes along with trying to fit in is an aspect of life that everyone must face. This has brought more and more people to understanding the values of cultural diversity and has brought different communities together by understanding each other. People have come to realize that everyone is essentially the same and that no one is better than the other.

 

Once an adolescent learns and understands the values and morals of today’s society, then they are one step closer to becoming a better person. This also goes for taking on responsibility. Young Americans know more than…people…assume. They understand [the difference between] right and wrong.