Rockridge High School

Taylor Ridge, Illinois

Teacher: Barbara Downey

 

 

 

Rite of Passage

By Cassie Flynn

Grade 12

 

 

Do we really need a rite of passage today in our society? I believe so, at least to some extent. Many problems such as violence in schools, drugs and alcohol, teen suicide, prejudice, and sexually transmitted diseases are issues teens and young adults have to deal with everyday. As our consciences become more obscure and we cannot decipher between right and wrong, a thirst for a rite of passage arises in America today.

   

Violence in schools today is a major dilemma facing today’s youth. Cases like the Columbine, Colorado and Jonesboro, Arkansas, massacres are incidents of school violence. Students are killing other students without fully realizing the consequences. Many kids are afraid to go to school, for fear of being a victim of school violence. Alcohol and drugs are also a problem for the youth of America. Many teenagers feel peer pressure to conform by drinking or doing drugs with other teens. Today, kids are abusing illegal substances without realizing it is wrong. Another key trouble with our youth is teen suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among kids ages fifteen to nineteen. Teens are not aware of their importance, so they believe their life is expendable. Many teens take their own life and never know how much they are missed by their family members, friends, and classmates.

   

Young adults also face many troubles. Even after all Americans have been through, many young adults are still greatly prejudiced towards each other. Many universities are still the breeding place of racism. Sexually transmitted diseases are another main problem facing college students and young adults. AIDS, Herpes, and Syphilis are just a few of the many diseases going around today. People are living for the moment and are not clearly thinking about the deadly consequences.

   

We do have many answers for our problems today. Schools have clubs and activities to keep students associated with positive things. These programs help keep teens on the right path. Many churches have youth groups to teach teens about God and to keep them away from negative influences. There are also teen hotlines, where kids can call and talk to other teens when they are having problems. They can talk to other teens that may possibly be going through the same troubles.

   

Young adults also have support meetings to talk with others if they are having problems of their own. They can receive help from people who have gone through the same predicaments. There are also health clinics where young adults can go to be educated about safe sex. They can also receive free contraceptives and useful information to protect themselves.

   

Although we have many alternatives to the negative lifestyles of teens and young adults, I believe we still need more. I think we should teach children in our schools at an early age how to deal with their anger and depression. Many children are never taught how to handle their negative thoughts. They grow up like a time bomb, waiting to explode. This program would help children manage their frustration in positive ways, rather than turning to violence. I think we should also require high school students to participate in a high school/elementary program. Once a month one high school student would talk to one elementary student about whatever they wanted. It would be beneficial to both students. The elementary child would feel wanted and have respect for the high school student. The teenager would realize they could play an important part and maybe make a difference in one child’s life. Both students would leave the program feeling better about themselves and realize that they are important to society in their each and own way.

   

I believe we could also improve the atmosphere around college campuses and help the lives of young adults. I think colleges should cut some of the costs or give more benefits to students who volunteer to work in health clinics. This way college students can obtain accurate information about safe sex and how to protect themselves. They could also have a hands on experience trying to help people make the right decisions. I think colleges should also have anonymous hotlines for students who are having severe problems. I believe people who have gone through similar events and can relate to the person in need do the best counseling. They can give possible solutions to the problem at hand and maybe help the person in need know there is hope. I also believe that young adults and college students can have a positive influence on teenagers. If young adults could volunteer a fraction of their time to help at an after-school program at a local high school, many problems could be eliminated. High schoolers would have someone to talk with and look up to, while the young adults would feel a sense of accomplishment. It would teach both students to look past mere differences and see the person within.

   

I believe that we do not need an actual rite of passage; however, if we try these suggestions, we may possibly abolish some of the problems. With hard work and dedication, we can help ease the tribulations teenagers and young adults face today in our society. If we ban together, we can give our children a safer and more content world.

 

Rite of Passage Questions

 

A1. I think what Margaret Mead was trying to say is like the Army recruiting commercial, "Be all that you can be". I think she was trying to state that every person should live up to his or her own potential.

 

A2. I believe that all of these issues are still issues today to some extent. The importance of language spoken in the home is important because family is still a major influence on children. They help shape the child’s personality, values, and morals. Familial pressure on children is still an issue today as well. Children feel an enormous amount of pressure to achieve certain goals that have been set for them by their parents. Although misconceptions about race and color are not as great as they were in the 1920’s, they are still somewhat evident. Many people are still prejudiced toward others of a different race than their own. Separating children from knowledge of birth, love, and death is still apparent today. Many of the problems we have today are a result of parents not installing this knowledge, which is essential in order to eliminate problems, into their children.

 

A3. Yes, I do agree that culture is man-made. I think that all cultures were at one time or another made by men. The definition of "culture" I found in the dictionary.

Culture: Cultivation, tillage The act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education

 

A4. In her writings, Margaret Mead was advocating a greater knowledge and control over the civilizing process

 

A5. I do not think many teens would openly come out and say they want adults to set boundaries for us, although I think subconsciously we all would like some. We feel safer and more appreciated when adults care for us by setting boundaries and structure.

 

A6. I have seen many examples of events concerning drugs and alcohol among students at my school. I have been to a few parties where I have seen kids in my school drinking and smoking cigarettes. I have also witnessed kids chewing tobacco in public. I have even seen some of my peers smoking pot in public or at parties.

 

A7. I think if we expose our children to different types of cultures than their own at a younger age, we can maybe someday wipe out the racism, stereotyping, and prejudging that goes on toady.

A8. I do not think I personally would be relieved to just go to class and learn. School is more than just learning facts that are taught in class. It teaches you valuable skills needed in life, such as teamwork, responsibility, and learning to deal with all kinds of people, not just your friends. I would definitely not be happy going to a single-sex private school or being home-schooled. I think public schools expose teenagers to all different types of kids. It teaches them to look past insignificant differences and appreciate every person for who they are.

 

A9. I do not agree with the quote from Pete Seeger: "Schools are like prisons because they don’t teach you how to live." I believe it is the total opposite. Schools teach kids many values that help them in life. It installs the knowledge of teamwork and a sense of responsibility, not to mention essential education, into each teen.

 

A10. I think the bottom line: "we can lecture kids to our heart’s content but if they don’t care what we think, or there is no relationship between us that matters to them or they think we are ignorant of the reality of their lives, they will not listen", is absolutely correct. Parents can lecture us all day long, but if they did not teach us at an early age to respect their authority, we will not take them seriously.