1997-1998 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Responsibility: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, And What That Means To The Nation
Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
1st Jill
Lacombe
2nd Jessica Jones 
2nd Justin Ducote
3rd Tara Dufour
3rd Sarah Bordelon
"Have you heard the expression, 'Give and thou shall
receive?' In a small town, kids found out that the local fire station was having trouble
receiving money for supplies desperately needed. These kids woke up early one morning,
went to the road, and held a roadblock. They collected hundreds of dollars. In
appreciation, the fire department gave the children a certificate and a fire tee-shirt.
The children felt that they had part of the responsibility to help the department in the
job they needed done most."
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Blame
"In the world today, there is no room for accidents. Citizens in the community
are being sued for outlandish reasons."
Natasha Jeansonne, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Consequences
"Susan Haas plays guitar for her church's folk singing group. One day, Haas
leaned her guitar against a wall during a break in her performance when it fell and broke.
She could not afford to buy a new one. Two years later, a church member handed Haas an
envelope that had been left for her after mass. Inside the envelope was a
two-hundred-dollar gift certificate from a local music shop and a card that read, 'Thank
you for the years of joy your music has given to so many people.'"
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Stella Liebeck bought her coffee at the McDonalds' drive-through.
When she received her coffee, she put it between her legs, pried off the lid, and spilled
it in her lap. This caused her to have severe burns. A jury ordered McDonalds to give her
$3 million, but the judge cut the award to $600,000. McDonalds appealed but settled the
lawsuit for an undisclosed sum. In this situation, Liebeck failed to admit that it was her
fault for spilling the coffee that caused her burns. Instead, she blamed McDonalds for her
accident and received a sum of money. Is this ethical? In a way, Liebeck was rewarded for
her irresponsibility and clumsiness. This is where we, the people, come in. Is it so
difficult to see that if Stella Liebeck would have just taken her time or maybe even
gotten down at McDonalds, she would not have spilled her coffee; therefore, she would not
have burned herself."
Natalie Riché, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Not enough people consider the consequences to their actions. If
people would stop and think of the consequences to their actions, there would be fewer
irresponsible actions taking place."
Marcy Gauthier, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Definition
"Responsibility is the ability to meet obligations or to act without superior
authority or guidance. It is also being held accountable for one's own actions as defined
by the Webster's Dictionary. To many people, the word responsibility might as well
be written in a foreign language. In today's world, it is always the other person's fault.
No one is ever accountable for their own actions."
Alyssa Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"The definition of responsibility is: 1. The state, quality, or
fact of being responsible; 2. Something for which one is responsible; duty, obligation, or
burden. Some people take responsibility to the extreme while others cannot begin to
comprehend what the word means. People who take their duties to the extreme tend to be
called perfectionists. Those who take their duties too lightly are called slackers. No one
is born with the notion of how to be responsible. This is taught from the time a person is
a child and it is a lesson that is never ending. Even adults learn new lessons in
responsibility. Responsibility is, more or less, a promise that a man or woman will do his
or her duty."
Kenneth Moreau, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Responsibility is a condition, quality, fact, or instance of being
responsible. A responsible person is able to distinguish between right and wrong and to
think and act rationally, and hence, be accountable for one's behavior. Responsible also
applies to one who has been delegated some duty or responsibility by one in authority and
who is subject to a penalty in case of default. Being responsible is being mature and able
to handle more than one duty at a time."
Janae Buchanan, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Education
"On March 21, in Uniondale, New York, one school district began a
six-day school system. Although the classes were not mandatory, many students attended.
These students set an example to kids of all ages across the nation. This example shows
how important school should be in a person's life and that Saturday mornings can be spent
doing more than watching cartoons and eating cereal."
Travis Gaspard, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana"In Louisiana,
some time ago, a bill was passed that required ninth and eleventh grade girls to be taught
the symptoms of and ways to prevent breast cancer. Recently, two nurses visited a number
of local schools and lectured on ways of preventing breast cancer and on ways to catch the
deadly disease in its early stages. Their efforts may one day help save another female's
life."
Carla Phillips, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Elderly
"Most people in the world probably think that senior citizens wouldn't be able to
help younger kids, but they can. There are many organizations where older people help
younger people. The Foster Grandparent program is where seniors pair one-to-one with
younger kids who are disabled or disadvantaged and talk to them about different things.
The Green Thumb program engaged older adults in certain community service projects. There
are many programs that involve senior citizens because many people feel that they are more
experienced in many situations and are available most of the time to help out someone in
need."
Kara Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Many good things are being done by people because they are
starting to realize that a good life is based on responsibility. For example, a few elders
in a community were tired of being rejected and ignored by retirement plans that weren't
sending them enough money. These elders got together and recruited more and more elders to
the group. Every Saturday and Sunday night, they cooked a dish and brought it to the
community center. They called it 'The OLD Pot Luck Supper.' These people could eat
an enormous meal of a variety of foods and not have to spend the little income they
get."
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Irresponsibility
"A father preaches to and warns his children not to smoke. Yet, while he
preaches, he starts coughing and he lights another cigarette. He always complains about
lack of breath and chest pain, yet he continues to smoke and set a terrible example to his
youngsters. This, in a way, could be responsible or irresponsible. It is being responsible
because he is showing his kids what harm it causes to your health, yet he does not try to
quit. This is setting a bad example. This is irresponsible behavior because he is
contributing to killing himself and the second-hand smoke hurts his family."
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Psychoanalysis suggests that links between behavior and biology
reinforce the theory that we are guided by genetics, not forces. Could this theory explain
our nation's lack of responsibility, or is this theory yet another example of us making
more excuses for our lack of responsibility?"
Jill Lacombe, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Every day we see a society cluttered with irresponsibility. On
rare occasions do we notice a sprinkling of goodness and responsibility in those around
us."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"A final example of irresponsible behavior is that of a man who is
more dedicated to his job than he is to his family. A 29-year-old corporate lawyer arrives
home from work at 2 a.m. His wife and children have long since been asleep, but he has
been at the office doing some late work on one of his cases, as usual. His son has tried
to reach him at the office all afternoon. He wanted to tell his dad about his home run in
the little league game. He also wanted to ask his dad why he wasn't there to watch. The
young boy receives a message from his father's secretary that his father is very busy
right now and that he should call back later. The boy hangs up. He has heard this many
times before and has no intention of calling back this time. He'll tell his dad about the
game this weekend, hopefully. The son knows that his father's job is very important to
him. The father is acting very irresponsibly by not showing his family that they are more
important to home than any job."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One night, four underage friends decided to try out their new fake
Ids at a local bar. They got in and drank nearly all night with no problem at all. On
their way home, they caused a head-on collision [that] nearly killed the other driver.
When the other driver said that he would be pressing charges, the parents of the four
friends argued that it was not their children's fault. They argued that the bar was at
fault because it let in people underage and allowed them to drink."
Travis Gaspard, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"She was from a small town where everyone knew everything about
everyone else. At least, that's what everyone thought. Three years before she died, Jane
Doe contracted the HIV virus. Within the remaining three years of her life, Jane
participated in sexual intercourse with four young men. Everyone knew her, but did not
know about her little secret."
Travis Gaspard, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"In the United States, there are laws to prevent irresponsible
people from doing harm, but these laws are often bent or broken. In the case of the Mayor
Marion Barry, he should have been removed from office immediately, no questions asked.
When parents fail to set an example for their children, it is a sad thing, but when
elected officials set that kind of example, they need to be relieved of their
duties."
Elizabeth St. Romain, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"The media has begun to promote the practice of safer sex. From
commercials to pamphlets to billboards, everyone now has the resources to know how to
prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis,
Chlamydia, and the deadly AIDS virus. If the resources designed for prevention are there,
why are the rates of people having these diseases still rising? The answer is
irresponsibility. It's pitiful the way men, women, and teenagers, who think they are grown
enough to have sex, are hurt when they come from the doctor's office with the news they
have tested positive for one of the above diseases. They are quick to blame the person
they had sex with in giving them the disease. What these people fail to realize is that
they were given the opportunity to use condoms or practice abstinence, but they chose not
to seize the moment. Their irresponsibility will cost them the children they may have
wanted, or even worse, their lives."
Carla Phillips, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Injustice
"A fifteen-year-old boy is working at a store. He decides to steal
alcoholic beverages. When he is caught he fears the punishment, but is let off very easily
because he comes from a good family. A sixteen-year-old girl receives a speeding ticket in
a city. The police office is rough with her until he realized that she is the mayor's
daughter. Instead of receiving a ticket and proper punishment, she is let off the hook.
These examples show that our system is failing us. It is proving that if you know the
right people, or come from a good family, you can get away with more than you
should."
Derek J. Veade, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Kenneth Curtis shot and killed his girlfriend in 1987 and then
shot himself in the head. He suffered a brain injury and was declared unable to stand
trial. He was ordered to undergo an annual psychiatric evaluation. The order was
overturned in 1990. In November 1993, Curtis enrolled in Southern Connecticut University.
The state had even paid close to $1,000 toward his tuition. But, he was incompetent to
stand trial."
Sarah Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"A teenage girl sees bruises on a child that she is baby sitting.
She thinks the parents are beating this child. She calls social services to make a report.
When the parents were investigated it was shown that they did not beat their child. He had
a disease which caused bruises or busted veins to appear on his body. This had been
undetected. The parents then sued the teenager for the accusation even though she was
trying to help."
Derek Veade, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisianna
Media
"We never hear as many good things as we hear bad things. Bad news always travels
faster. The good things never interest people. We, as a country, need to refocus ourselves
and observe the many wonderful things people do every day…Even though there are still
numerous irresponsible people in this world, there are also those who care and make
responsible choices. There need to be more of these caring individuals, and they deserve
much more recognition than they are receiving. We just need to be more observant of the
noble things people do and stop recognizing the unethical things that are done."
Megan Lacour, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Parenting
"In about 40 states, some type of 'parental responsibility'
legislation has been formed. Parents can teach their child right from wrong, but that
doesn't mean that their children are always going to listen. Some children don't care what
their parents say. Who cares if their parents went to jail because of something they did?
If authorities want children to stop breaking the law, punish them. By punishing the
parents, the children don't learn anything…If the children are punished and take the
responsibility for their crime rather than the parents, the children have a better chance
of realizing their mistakes and not doing it again."
Erin Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"All around the United States there are laws being passed to make
parents more responsible for their children's actions. There are different laws in every
state; in Louisiana parents can be found guilty for 'improper supervision of a minor' and
can be fined up to $1,000 and imprisoned for six months if their child associates with a
convicted felon or drug dealer. These laws all began because states began using compulsory
education laws that would hold parents responsible for ensuring school attendance. These
laws have expanded criminal codes to make parents liable for a broader array of offenses
by their children."
Kara Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One solution to the problem of teenage pregnancy is for parents to
take the responsibility of showing their children right from wrong. Parents should enforce
curfews, have their children check in regularly, know where their children are going, and
what they are doing. Parents should know their children's friends and where they can be
reached. A child's parents should show their children other activities to do such as
playing in local sporting events, going to an arcade, movie theater, or just a place to
hang out with friends. This would lessen the chance of that child getting into trouble or
having sex. If parents took more responsibility for their children and knew more about
their children's actions, more teenage pregnancy could be prevented."
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Most young criminals are in jail because their parents don't want
to be bothered with their children, so they let them do as they please. Now, in some
states, the parents are held responsible. It's an incentive to make parents parent. If
they spend a night or two in jail and pay a fine for something they didn't even do, it may
make them pay attention to where their kids are. In fact, that's what lawmakers are
counting on."
Elizabeth St. Romain, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Responsible Acts
"An example of responsible behavior is that of a mother who gets a call at work
that her daughter is sick at school. The mother leaves work right away and spends the rest
of the day tending to her sick child. The mother knows that, first and foremost, her child
is her responsibility."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"The park had become an eyesore. It was overgrown with weeds and
much of the playground equipment was either rusted or broken. The community came together
to help clean up the park. They fixed and repainted the old playground equipment as well
as added some new equipment for the children to play on. The park is now an ideal place
for parents of the community to bring their children. It has also become a popular hangout
for teens of the community. The members of the community were responsible enough to notice
that with a little initiative and unity, they could easily make their neighborhood a
friendlier place to live."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"A final act of responsibility is that in which a friend acts in a
responsible and caring manner by speaking up and advising another friend when they seem to
be doing something that is potentially harmful to themselves."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"A 13-year-old girl told her friend that she is going to take her
mother's car for a drive before her mom arrives home from work. The friend advises the
girl that she shouldn't do it because she doesn't have her license, she is uninsured, and
her mother isn't home. She also said that if something would happen that the 13-year-old
girl and her mother would be in some really serious trouble."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Mrs. Jodie Tassin, a teacher at Avoyelles High School in
Moreauville, Louisiana, is showing how her Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science
classes are all pitching in for recycling by bringing in discarded newspapers and many
other paper items for a recycling project to help conserve our natural resources."
Lauren Moreau, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Personal
"As an individual, I believe that there are many things that I can do to fulfill
my responsibilities. One thing would be to set an example for my friends and fellow
classmates by setting my morals and goals high. One way I could do this is by taking full
responsibility for my wrong doings instead of making excuses…Teenagers also have a
responsibility in their school. The students of a school are a direct reflection of the
teacher, faculty, and staff. If I fully prepare myself for my schoolwork and do my best in
school, I could fulfill my responsibilities as a student at Avoyelles High School. Another
aspect of school responsibility is participation in clubs, sports, and activities. These
organizations help promote and better the school, and also help produce outgoing and
well-rounded students.
All of these are responsibilities that the people of my generation
overlook. Many see them as possibilities -rather than opportunities or responsibilities.
By being a major part of my school, family, and social group, I can fulfill my
responsibilities now, and better prepare myself to do so as an adult."
Jill Lacombe, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Next door to my house there is a pasture that is overgrown with
brush and weeds until it blocks the view of the highway from my driveway. This is
considered a traffic hazard. It is also considered as an irresponsible act upon the owner
of the property. To solve this problem, I contacted the Highway Department to see if they
could clean up the side of the road. I was told that it was not their responsibility and
that I had to get in touch with the owner of the property. I got in contact with the owner
and informed him of the problem. He responded by cleaning up the lot. This did not last
long. Eventually, the lot was overgrown again. I got in contact with the owner again and
was told that he did not have time to clean up the weeds and brush. I then took it upon
myself to take the responsibility of cleaning up the brush on the side of the road. If I
ever come across any other hazardous situations on land, I will try my hardest to solve
them, or get help from others to get the site cleaned up."
Justin Ducote, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"For a week during the summer every year, several adults and young
adult counselors from Johnson City, Texas travel to Arkansas to help with cerebral palsy
children. A camp there specializes with the care of handicapped children. I was
asked to go and help with the counseling this upcoming summer. I am seriously considering
going to help out in Arkansas. My aunt and uncle are the directors of this amazing
program. I want to help with the kids so I can actually see how thankful I am for being
healthy and not handicapped."
Tara Dufour, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"When I was in the fourth grade, I wrote a letter to a soldier who
was stationed in Saudi Arabia. I was shocked to discover one day that Sergeant First Class
Reed Curtsinger had sent a response to my humble attempt to brighten his lonely stay so
many miles away from home. Much to my surprise, Sergeant First Class Reed Curtsinger's
reply letter was just as ordinary as mine was. He seemed interested in things happening in
my life. It made me realize that although he was an important military official, he still
needed a little girl's hobbies and interests to cheer him up a little. It made me feel
really good and important."
Tara Dufour, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
The Problem
"An 11-year-old, fifth grade girl goes home after school every day
to be welcomed by an empty apartment. She does her homework, cooks her dinner, and cleans
up all by herself. Her parents are divorced. Her mother lives in another state and her
father will not return home until about 9 p.m. Her parents, who are possibly aiming to
teach her some responsibility, are only instilling in her a sense of fear and abandonment
by their display of irresponsibility."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Teenage mothers often have poor eating habits, smoke, drink
alcohol, take drugs, or do not receive prenatal care. This increases the risk of their
babies being stillborn or born with health problems."
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One out of three teenage mothers drop out of school and do not get
a job. This leaves them to depend on their parents or go on welfare."
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Juries order large awards because they identify with the
plaintiff's effort to get what they can while they can. Compassion for others has a great
impact on juror's decisions to help people who have been hurt. This is not always good,
especially for people who just want to get the "best deal" out of their
misfortune."
Natalie Riché, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Responsibility
"Responsibility means being able, when called upon, to answer for one's own acts
or decisions. It is also being able to choose between right and wrong. Being a trustworthy
person also means being a responsible person."
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Whatever happened to personal responsibility? This is a hard question to answer with certainty, but some professors and philosophers have suggestions. Although their opinions differ slightly, each suggests that the loss of personal responsibility is a result of the American dream turned to chaos. The country was founded on the ideal of individual liberty, but has reached a point where those individual freedoms overpower the welfare of society as a whole.
When Stella Liebeck spilled hot coffee in her lap, she blamed McDonalds. This caused haywire among the courts, the McDonalds corporation, and probably her family -and was directly caused by her lack of personal responsibility.
I think that our problem may be simple selfishness. Small daily actions
we take that go unnoticed are what make up America's loss of personal
responsibility."
Jill Lacombe, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"I believe [responsibility] is what you're obliged or expected to
do. Everyone, generally speaking, is looking for a shortcut to find the quickest way out
of doing their job in life. Responsibility takes a lot of conscious effort. It takes the
ability to discipline oneself. Being dependable makes others feel secure knowing they can
rely on you for anything."
Jessica Jones, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"To me, responsibility is something a person must be mature enough
to possess, such as the courage it takes to own up to certain mistakes you've made and the
wisdom and acceptance to learn from the mistakes you have made. Although it helps to be
sorry for wrongs you have done, it shows maturity and responsibility to learn and take the
blame when it is rightfully yours."
Tara Dufour, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One of the most important parts to being responsible is knowing
how to make good choices in your life. First, in order to make a good decision, you need
to know all the facts about the things that you are considering."
Tara Dufour, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"If more people today would take responsibility for themselves and
their actions, our society would stop losing its moral values and people could make a
difference in each other's lives. People need to start making careful distinctions between
objects of compassion and products of the victim's culture."
Natalie Riché, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Responsibility is illustrated daily and is a very important part
of becoming an adult. As life gets harder, people try to find ways to make it less
stressful. Sometimes, they leave out important morals in accomplishing this and the most
common one left out is responsibility."
John Volentine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Working people and their employers need to be responsible people.
The employers have workers depending upon them. The employer has to provide fair wages and
make sure that the workers have a safe working environment. If these conditions are not
provided, the workers will either leave and find another place of employment or will go on
strike until these conditions are met. This would cause the employer to lose money and
could even ruin the business. If the employer is a fair person, the workers would be
satisfied and the boss would make a larger profit. Being responsible can be beneficial in
terms of making money and earning respect. Most people respect employers who are honest
and treat them fairly. The more a person is respected, the less trouble he or she will
have with other people. The worker has a responsibility of doing the job to the best of
his or her ability. If a worker neglects to do the job properly, that person might be
lowered in station or lose the job entirely. People who do not take their responsibilities
seriously will not last long in the real world."
Kenneth Moreau, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"A tremendous display of responsibility is to be a donor. Teri
Majewski donated something that is dearer to her than money. This 34-year-old mother of
two went 'beyond the call' when she was asked to donate a quart of her bone marrow.
Majewsi, an American Bone Marrow Donor, had signed into the registry ten years earlier. By
Majewski's kindness and courage, her willingness to endure a painful procedure in hope of
saving the life of a perfect stranger was a remarkable sense of responsibility. This
courageous woman's efforts helped to begin saving the life of a young patient dying of
leukemia."
Natasha Jeansonne, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"In 1984, Lynn Carr lost her job and was forced to live on the
streets of St. Charles, Missouri, with her five-year-old son. They lived for a week out of
their car and began staying with friend after friend. Carr began working toward a high
school diploma and making cheesecakes in her spare time. The cakes were pretty good, so
Carr offered them to several restaurants in which they sold pretty fast. Later that year,
she met a man at church and they were married shortly after. Carr began selling the cakes
from their home and soon she opened her own company. All of the women that Carr hires are
welfare moms or high school dropouts. As the women make the cakes, they listen to
motivational and self-esteem tapes. Carr wants to start a learning and daycare center on
site."
Christine Brummett, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Role Models
"Chantelle Kimble had maintained a straight 'A' average throughout
her entire high school career. For her hard work and dedication, she has received many
scholarships and awards for college. She is now majoring in politics and is doing a great
job. Chantelle's efforts in school have shown her responsibility throughout the state. She
is looked upon and admired by many people… Jill Lacombe, a 16-year-old Avoyelles High
School student, has spent many weekends at a religious retreat called TEC. This retreat is
volunteer work only. She takes time out of her weekends to help others…After the
destruction of their high school gym, several teens organized a roadblock to raise money
for paint and a new sound system. They spent countless hours working to make their gym
look as it did before. They had their first opening night of the new gym two weeks after
the destruction occurred. Everyone was amazed at what a good job the students had done.
These examples of maturity and responsibility can help people understand
what it means to be dependable and focused on helping others. There are many other
examples of people taking responsibility for their actions. Hopefully, they can be a guide
to help others realize what they need to do in order to make America a better place to
live."
Jessica Jones, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"I try as much as I can to take credit for the mistakes that I make
and learn from them. People should learn that it is okay to make a mistake and it will be
appreciated if you stand up and face the consequences. You will become a better person and
feel like a more capable human being. Being irresponsible only shows that you are a person
who does not care about the results of your actions. Life gives you a lot of choices and
making the right ones are great but when you do make the wrong ones, make sure you always
face up to them and responsibility will make you a better person and citizen."
Sarah Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Sex
"I don't think that it is right that the parents make schools
responsible for teaching their children about sex. Schools can never solve many of the
problems that lead to teen sex because only parents have that kind of authority."
Kara Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Solutions
"I have the solution to the problem of drinking and driving. The
goal is to stop all people from drinking and driving. The steps that should be taken to
achieve this are
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"An example of irresponsibility was stated earlier in which a father, who is also
a corporate lawyer, neglected his family in order to excel at his job. Several steps could
be taken by the father to show his family that they mean more to him than his job does.
The father will have to make compromises in regards to spending less time at work and more
time with his family. The father could start by committing himself to being home to have
dinner with his family at least three nights a week. Hopefully, in time, he could work up
to being home for dinner four or five nights a week. He could also make it a point to
write down in his daily planner all of his son's baseball games. The father could make an
agreement with his son that he will try his very best to attend as many of his son's
baseball games as is humanly possible. These are just a few steps that the father could
take to prove to his family that they are a very important part of his life."
Danielle Soldani, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Everyone can learn how to take responsibility by helping out someone in need.
With all the various programs all around, there are many opportunities that people can
take advantage of to show that they are responsible."
Kara Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"I believe that once someone is proven guilty, they should be denied appeals.
Also, harsher punishments would make prisoners and everyone else think twice about
committing a crime."
Lindsay Kay Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"There are so many problems in society that it is very hard to identify one
solution. One absolute solution is for Americans, citizens in other countries or just
human beings as a whole, to take responsibility for their actions. The more responsibility
there is from people the better society will eventually become."
Carla Phillips, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"The best solution that could solve any one of these problems could be solved by
giving a responsibility course in high school which would let children learn the risks of
some crimes and also let them learn about life."
Natasha Jeansonne, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
Teens
"Have you heard the expression, 'Give and thou shall receive?' In a small town,
kids found out that the local fire station was having trouble receiving money for supplies
desperately needed. These kids woke up early one morning, went to the road, and held a
roadblock. They collected hundreds of dollars. In appreciation, the fire department gave
the children a certificate and a fire tee-shirt. The children felt that they had part of
the responsibility to help the department in the job they needed done most."
Travis Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Teenagers of today are in dire need of punishment and rewards. Children seem to
get away with murder a lot of the time, but there are still good children that are given
no respect for the good they do…Most teenagers are not bad, but a lot of them are
judged unfairly because of the name that the bad ones give us."
Derek J. Veade, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Every day when they get dressed, it's the same thing. Little plaid skirts, a blue
shirt and the most horrifying socks and shoes you've ever seen. They are the students from
Frederick Douglas Academy in Harlem, New York. These kids are forced, every day, to wear
the exact same thing they wore the day before. Some parents may say it's a lot
easier on them, but to the students, it's chaos. When the students see each other, they
feel like they are constantly looking into a mirror. They feel that a little variety and
style would go a long way."
Amy Ann Rachel, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Volunteering doesn't only help out the community, but it also aids the
volunteers. Ten ninth-graders from McCluer High School became part of the volunteer
program to end teen pregnancy. This program keeps teens off the street where there is a
high risk of pregnancy and drugs. The teens work everywhere from dealing with crack babies
to cleaning up roadside trash. This program takes young teens and turns them into mature
responsible young people of the community."
Natasha Jeansonne, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
White Hats
"After school, 17-year-old Jenny Simmons is going to the nursing home. No,
she is not going to visit her grandmother, and she does not have a job there. She is going
to visit the elderly and read books to them, voluntarily. She wants to make them happy and
she wants to let them know that someone still cares for them."
Jill Lacombe, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Marcia Cortez, a 15-year-old California student, has provided a day care center
for the weekends. This gives the parents a chance to get away and relax. Maria has bought
new games for the children to play and provides them with snacks. Her day care center has
proved that she is mature and responsible."
Jessica Jones, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Mary Leonards is a young woman from Louisville, Kentucky. She owns
a 5-acre ranch that has hardly been used. Mary thought it would be wonderful to provide a
free summer camp for children who are less fortunate than others. She gives them horseback
riding lessons, and takes them swimming and canoeing in the lake. This way she could help
others and get use out of her land. The kids all have a real nice time and are
appreciative of Mary's generosity."
Jessica Jones, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Tom and Maryanne Potter take in troubled boys as foster children
and teach them about raising livestock, gaining skills, self-confidence and love."
Sarah Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"George Munoz, a former teacher and principal, dedicates his time
to teaching a 40-hour English class at community centers and service centers."
Sarah Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Project Zero is a program run by many people throughout the world.
It is a pilot welfare program designed to get everyone receiving welfare a job. Volunteers
give free haircuts to welfare recipients who want a job. They also provide free child care
for parents on welfare. Many people volunteer to drive people to and from their job
interviews. This is a good program because it tries to get as many people off of welfare
as possible. It teaches responsibility because there are older people teaching young
people about helping out."
Kara Lemoine, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Dr. Lorraine Hale and her mother, Clara Hale, founded the Hale
House in 1969. It is a refuge for the infants and toddlers of drug addicts. They offer
nutrition, chiropractic medicine, massage, and above all, lots of love. Hale's staff is
also employed to help parents improve their parenting skills once they are reunited with
their children."
Lindsay Kay Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Jill Ernster was diagnosed with leukemia the first week of her
junior year. When she learned that the Grand Forks seniors lost their dresses for the
upcoming prom in the flood, she sent her own prom dress to the Grand Forks High School.
Her mother attached a note saying that "Jill had been hospitalized and ended up
missing her own prom."
Lindsay Kay Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Joan Kroc, also known as The Angel, flew in to survey the area for
herself. "It looks like a war zone with no bodies," she reported in observed
sorrow. After her tour, she pledged $15 million to be given to the flood-stricken
households. The Angel's money enabled the families to buy desperately needed clothes and
food."
Lindsay Kay Bordelon, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Nick Mangeris, founder of the Kaire Network Marketing Company,
felt that he should help families in Byelorussia who were devastated by the meltdown at
the Chernobyl nuclear power station. He sent over $50,000 in vitamin supplements to
Byelorussian families. The vitamins should help strengthen the immune system of Chernobyl
survivors allowing them to live longer, healthier lives."
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One day Margaret Herring was headed home when she crossed a dump
truck. A cantaloupe-sized rock fell, bounced off the pavement and struck her windshield at
a speed of nearly one hundred miles per hour. Noelia Guajardo and Marlon McAllister saw
what had happened and pulled over to help. Joe Corcoran, a registered nurse, was driving
along when Guajardo flagged him down. She told him that they needed help because someone
was hurt. The rock had hit Herring in the head and exposed part of her brain. Deputy
Sheriff Francisco Gonzalez was driving by when he noticed the accident. Gonzalez called
for an airlift and Herring was airlifted to the hospital where she was treated. Four
months after the accident, Margaret resumed her full-time duties as an Air Force captain,
thanks to the immediate help she received on the roadside."
Edward Couvillion, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"Being a donor is a spectacular deed which is respected by all.
Another helpful way of becoming a responsible individual is to be a volunteer. Steven
Wellner, a 41-year-old crossing guard, learned this by becoming a volunteer for a new
program called Project Zero. Wellner, along with numerous other volunteers, became a
driver to help out welfare recipients. The volunteers would drive people to job
interviews, helping them to get off the welfare program. This good deed decreased the
number of welfare recipients from 119 families to 49 families. This act of responsibility
took time and dedication, but it was a superior improvement of their community."
Natasha Jeansonne, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
"One afternoon, Marshall Cohen saw a group of teenage boys hanging
out at his family drugstore. Cohen, a weight lifter, rented a storefront and filled it
with weights. He told the boys that they could work out for free if they went to school
and didn't fight or use drugs. Today, over 500 kids work out at Lift for Life Gym; half of
them are girls. Cohen donated $10,000 and began coaching the kids in weightlifting. 'In
1997, twenty-one of his lifters took medals in the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympic
Games in Charlotte, North Carolina.'"
Christine Brummett, Avoyelles High School, Moreauville, Louisiana
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