1997-1998 Harry Singer Foundation National Essay Contest
Responsibility: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, And What That Means To The Nation
Kinsley High School, Kinsley Kansas
1st Jeff Carlson 1st Kurth Lancaster
1st Joseph Rodriguez
1st Tyler Huslig 2nd Jeremy Burr
3rd Nick Klenke
Alcohol
"Binge drinking can cause alcohol poisoning. This happened to
15-year-old Brian Ball. Sadly, binge drinking brought him to his death in two days. He was
vacationing in Maryland when he went to a party. He downed 26 shots of vodka at 50 cents
apiece. He died, in two days, merely to $13 worth of vodka."
Danielle Schmitt, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"According to a survey, the age for experimenting with
alcohol drops as low as nine to ten-year-olds. Publishers are trying to reach to
that age level and even younger. Publishers are publishing coloring books, picture books,
and affirmation books for children as young as four. At many nursery schools, Boggles the
Bear preaches alcohol prevention to three and four-year-olds. Many people blame alcohol
advertising for teenage drinking. But the past decade, Anheuser-Busch has spent more than
$100 million on 'responsible drinking' ads and community outreach programs."
Danielle Schmitt, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Guns
"Roy Williams, the Kansas men's basketball coach, after
losing in the NCAA Tournament, stayed positive and ignored the critics who called him and
his team 'chokers.' In one game, a fan from the opposing team verbally abused one of his
players; Williams ran over to his player and helped him out of the situation. Tracy
McGrady, a 19-year-old basketball player, after signing an $8 million dollar shoe
contract, donated a percentage of the money to charities. Michael Jordan, whom some
consider the best basketball player ever, puts on a 'Jordan All-Star Game' every summer
and the proceeds benefit those with cancer. Eric Davis, a professional baseball player,
now battles colon cancer. Davis talks to groups and individuals about cancer and other
related topics. Tiger Woods likes being a role model. He avoids drinking and partying. He
says he is an individual who makes his own choices. Responsible acts are more positive and
should make more of an impact."
Tyler Huslig, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Many of my fellow students in high school give
younger children the wrong image of high school life. The older students frequently convey
the message that high school is full of drugs and alcohol, that these items are exciting.
Not only are older students sending bad messages, but these children are also living in a
country where the divorce rate has increased 200 percent in the last 30 years. When the
children cannot look up to their parents, they often idolize sports figures. Yet, many of
these sports figures do not want to be a role model for these children. My challenge as a
high-school senior is to mold myself into a positive role model for these younger
students."
Joseph Rodriguez, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Many other good role models exist for young women.
Heather Whitestone was found to be deaf at a very young age. The doctors told her parents
that she would probably never develop skills past a third-grade level. In 1995, Heather
won the Miss America Pageant, recognition for millions of disabled persons worldwide.
Courtney Conway, also a good role model for young women, was an honor student in high
school where she also excelled in track and field. Courtney is now a cheerleader for the
World Champion Denver Broncos."
Joseph Rodriguez, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"To meet my challenge of becoming a positive role
model for younger children, I must take three steps to become [the] person I want to be.
First, I must examine my life and decide to change…The second step is to make a
commitment…The third step involves making contact with the younger students [so] they
can see how different I am--a positive difference. They [will see] that I have a healthy
sense of humor, but not a dirty one, [that] I am good at sports but I do not have a bad
temper. [This way] will help the younger students set positive goals for themselves.
I will encounter many obstacles while reaching toward my goal [but]…I want to
be a light for children in need. The community will also gain as I interact with [these]
children…With changing attitudes and better role models we can make our community a
light in the dark."
Joseph Rodriguez, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Children need to learn the negative aspects of gangs
and drugs. Many professional athletes are setting bad examples for children. High school
students need to set good examples and teach young children right from wrong…Young
children look up to high school students and dream of being like them someday. Every time
we see these children, we need to say 'hello' or 'how are you today?' High school students
make young children feel good about themselves. Some high school organizations sponsor and
help at grade school events. Every year, high school students at Kinsley High School
volunteer to help the grade school students at the Little Kid track Meet. At this meet,
the high school students run and assist the little kids with their events. The children
are always overjoyed that they have had the chance to 'hang out' with high school
students. Having high school role models teaches responsibility to the younger children
and to the role models. With more positive high school role models, we can reduce the
growing number [of] problems that children face."
Trevor Kurth, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Honesty
"A homeless man, Gary Foster, found an undesignated check for
$5,000. Foster has a wife and children who have no home, but he returned the check and was
not even thanked by the owner. A local pastor heard about the story and offered Foster a
chance to speak and gave Foster a check for $1,000."
Joseph Rodriguez, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"A high school student's outlook can be shaken by
irresponsible actions. An example of a student's irresponsible actions is noticed in a
recent poll of academically top-rated high school students. The poll found that a majority
of the students admitted to cheating in order to help keep their grades up."
Nathan Haskell, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Parenting
"Some parenting classes should be mandatory for every student.
All students should know what actions to take when they themselves become abusive or if
they become aware of an abusive situation. Not all families are the perfect families, but
[an abusive family] is certainly the most imperfect type of family."
Alicia Bartlett, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Parents must realize how traumatic divorce is for their children. Families are often torn apart. One-parent homes are created. Children resent their parents and custody battles occur. Parents must be more responsible in their marriages and decide that they will stay together so that their children do not have to experience the pains of divorce…Being a parent requires a lot of responsibility. Parents have a duty to educate their children about drugs, sex, money, prejudice, religion, and all other matters they will experience in life. This is to be done from the very start. Responsible parents make responsible children.
If a child sees a parent lying or stealing, the child believes this action to be appropriate. As children grow up, parents should give kids a little room to allow them to make choices on their own and learn from their mistakes. For example, if a child breaks something and is required to pay for the damage, he will learn to be more careful and show more respect for the property of others. Also, parents must set rules and guidelines for their children to follow. Simple punishment for breaking a rule can teach a young child to obey. A child will develop respect for authority and laws.
Parents face many obstacles while trying to raise children.
A child may become corrupted by peers, television, or music. Parents need to keep a close
watch on just what actually enters the thinking of their children. A lot of hard work that
was put into teaching a child good behavior can be lost to these powerful forces. In
today's world, children need to be monitored closely to make sure that they do not become
corrupted by negativity. Another obstacle a parent might encounter would be the reluctance
of a child to learn the importance of responsibility. In this case, a parent needs to sit
down and talk with the child about the way life is. Whether we like it or not, we must
learn responsibility because the world requires it. As the child grows up, he will see
that being responsible will get him far in life. We must pay bills, have a career, and
handle ourselves within relationships.…if this teaching process is implemented by
many parents, we [may] find…a more responsible society forming. There might not be as
many problems in the world if everyone practiced responsible behavior."
Nathan Haskell, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Peer Pressure
"Peer pressure results in students' drinking or even
having competitions to see who can become the most inebriated or not pass out first. Every
weekend someone either provides the alcohol or the place for a party. We have had many
parties broken up by the police, resulting in the ticketing of minors for possession of
alcohol. If we approach this problem at the elementary or grade school level, it might
have an effect when the students come to high school."
Danielle Schmitt, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Often people's decisions are influenced by the input
of others. Staying strong with our decision is the way to go, most often producing the
best possible outcome."
Tyler Huslig, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"A homeless man, Gary Foster, found an undesignated
check for $5,000. Foster has a wife and children who have no home, but he returned the
check and was not even thanked by the owner. A local pastor heard about the story and
offered Foster a chance to speak and gave Foster a check for $1,000."
Joseph Rodriguez, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Personal Commitment
"In order to show responsibility, I need to take risks, be
a leader, not a follower, and act appropriately to avoid irresponsible behavior…My
leadership skills will improve if I become more open-minded. I need to accept ideas from
others as well as be open to all opportunities…my attitude can improve by accepting
nothing less than my personal best. I need to have a strong will to succeed, and be ready
to face challenges in life. I can prepare myself by taking these steps and using them to
the best of my ability…My peers can be an obstacle. My peers would rather see me
destroy my body on the weekends through alcohol and drugs than condition my body into
shape so that I can excel in sports. I show responsibility by going against this
opposition and being my own leader.
Responsibility gives me three benefits. First…I will
learn to trust my judgement and believe in the best that I can do. Second, my elders and
peers will come to see me as reliable, loyal [and]…as a person who has convictions of
high value. Third, the younger children will want to be like me when they are older
because I continue to be a good role-model for them…In conclusion, taking on
responsibility involves risk, criticism, and brings self-satisfaction. Responsibility pays
life-long dividends."
Jeff Carlson, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"I need to make the community people more aware of incorrect pesticide use and help the public realize the role of pesticides in our environment. First, I can hold an informatl meeting with the farmers so they will sense the importance of government regulations and government policies on the use of pesticides. Second, I can hold an informal meeting for the community, especially those who purchase groceries. This would help to let the people know the possible dangers in their groceries. I can tell the citizens some ways to protect themselves by washing fruit and other protective measures. Third, I can hold an informal meeting for animal owners. In this meeting, I can warn pet owners about the dangers of pets playing in fields. This was a relevant topic during the corn-growing season of 1997. My grandmother took her dogs out to a circle of corn and let them play in the water holes. At the time, she did not know that the corn had been sprayed with ParaQuad, a deadly pesticide. The dogs [drank] from contaminated water holes. They had also run among the plants so the chemical was all over their bodies. Luckily, neither my grandmother nor the dogs were harmed physically, but my father and I spent about three hours washing the dogs and making them drink lots of water. In a meeting, I could help prevent this action from happening again.
In farming and ranching, responsibility to the land is
vital in conserving the land and not spreading pesticides around the earth, so generations
to come can enjoy the environment. Some of the obstacles that will hinder me will be that
many people will not see pesticide use as an issue unless they have already had
misfortunes with pesticides. Also, it will be difficult to publicize the meeting and find
a positive response because pesticides are used so frequently in our community. With the
base of the local economy riding on mostly agriculture, it will be hard for me to convince
farmers to use fewer pesticides. If I can persuade them to think about the dangers, maybe
the public will take more efforts to protect the earth. Everyone must accept and share the
responsibility for dealing with pesticides."
Jeremy L. Burr, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"To be good at wrestling I have to be responsible on
an doff the mat; this includes going to all the practices, working hard during practice,
making weight at weigh-ins, and being a good sport during matches whether I win or lose.
Next, I try to involve the seventh graders in activities. Every year, Kinsley hosts a JV
wrestling tournament. This is the chance to involve the young students. They can help be
timekeepers or run bout sheets from table to table. [Finally], I can be a role model on an
individual basis with a seventh grade wrestler. I can show him that…wrestlers who act
with responsibility are the most respected wrestlers…[When] seventh grade wrestlers
have learned how to be responsible in the wrestling room, this action will carry over to
everything that they do…The young are the future of our country. We, as high school
students, must set good examples for the younger students so they can also become
responsible adults."
Kurth Lancaster, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Responsibility
"During the summer of 1997, a circle of feed for our cows was
partially sprayed with a defoliant and the feed was killed. Action was taken to contact
the aerial sprayer and find the type of defoliant used. It was determined that the
chemical would cause the pregnant cow to abort. With this in mind, the applicator took the
responsibility to reimburse our farm for the feed damaged. The applicators must also take
the responsibility to test winds and drift hazards to prevent the spread of the pesticides
over a large area. Van Schuermann, Collingwood Grain [assumes] responsibility for the use
of pesticides that are purchased through him…When I first heard that many chemicals
banned in the United States are used in Third World countries, I did not rally care. Then
I realized that many of the fruits and vegetables that I eat are grown in these countries,
sprayed on fruit and then the fruit is shipped to America for consumption. Many Third
World countries spray their crops with deadly chemicals while the workers work in the
field. In this case, the United States must take the responsibility to protect American
consumers."
Jeremy L. Burr, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Our community, Kinsley, Kansas, is a community of
1,800 people where too few volunteers try to accomplish too many tasks. As a personal
contribution, I could get together with my track teammates and go to schools and talk to
area children. We could discuss the difference between responsible and irresponsible
behavior. Our goal is to become positive role models for younger students. To do so, we
must follow three important steps. First, while competing on the athletic field, we must
show good conduct and attitude. On the athletic field is where most of the children will
see us in action, especially the track team. In Kinsley, recently fans have stopped
watching us, due to the negative attitude that some players show. Second, we can help out
on Saturday mornings with Mrs. Lewis, who is the physical education teacher. The Saturday
morning event involves helping out the young children playing basketball. Helping out
children at a young age is important. Influencing them to do well should start as soon as
possible. Third, we could help out with the little kid track meet, an annual event here in
Kinsley.…When I help out at the elementary school with the physical education
classes, I try to lift their self-esteem as often as possible. It is important to let
children know that I do not settle for average. I go out and do my possible best. I use my
talents and potential, since potential is worthless if I choose not to use it. Overall, I
want to make an impact on children's lives. Having responsibility is important when
dealing with children."
Tyler Huslig, Kinsley High School, Kinsely, Kansas
Student Opinion
"In clearing up Edwards County, we need to consider taking
these three steps: Focusing upon what other cities are doing, noting the efforts that
local individuals are making with recycling, and coming up with an incentive so local
individuals will recycle more fully…Seattle [a city that] ran out of landfill space,
has taken actions by recycling. Seattle has saved millions of dollars by recycling and
encourages other cities to recycle to conserve landfill space. Seattle has cut waste by 55
percent, more than twice that of any other city. Second, we need to note the efforts that
local groups and individuals are making to keep the local area cleaner. To the west of
Kinsley, the Rotary Club has adopted the highway and collects the trash on this two-mile
stretch twice a year. To the south, the Lions Club cleans that section of the highway. The
coordinator of the local recycling center, Pete Castaneda, has built a machine to crush
glass at the center. Third, the community needs to continue providing incentives for the
public to recycle and to maintain a clean environment. The high school baseball team
needed a pitching machine. The City of Kinsley, as well as the local Lions Club, made
contributions for purchasing this machine if the team members cleaned up the two-mile
stretch of highway south of Kinsley. Local Boy Scout members have a similar incentive. By
cleaning up the City Park, the Scouts earn credit towards their Eagle Scout honor. Members
of the local youth group participate in a youth auction for recycling purposes. Area
adults buy the services of the youths; the youths in return clean people's yards. The
money gained goes to help finance a youth ski trip."
Nick Klenke, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"Volunteers offering free babysitting once a week
would reduce stress at home. This could improve mental health in the children and in their
parents alike. Another factor to look at is cost efficiency. Childhood diseases can be
prevented with vaccinations. In the long run, treating disease before it occurs is much
cheaper for the United States."
Monica Wilson, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"We have to educate our children now to prevent drug abuse in the future. We have to make younger children aware of the dangers of drug abuse. The first step in doing this is to take federal money away from DARE. DARE officials say that DARE will survive without federal funding. We should test this theory by putting the money into a more qualified program, such as Life Skills Training. Several evaluations have shown that LST does reduce the rate of teenage drug use. LST uses homeroom teachers and peers to teach Life Skills. LST focuses on the immediate negative effects of drug usage, while DARE focuses on the long term. LST uses role-playing and problem solving exercises to make its point. We should also have former drug addicts speak to the students. The former addicts can relate their experiences and show students how drugs have negatively changed their lives.
One obstacle to my solution is that legislators and President Clinton support DARE. When President Clinton introduced the 1995 Drug Control Strategy, he surrounded himself with children wearing DARE T-shirts. At his swearing in as Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich invited the Power Rangers, DARE's National Teen Ambassadors, to the ceremony. In [contrast], we must show legislators that LST works better than DARE. Legislators will then see that the money is better spent. Some people may question if the LST program promotes interaction with the police as the DARE program does. Yes, the police still interact with the students, a necessary move in order to build trust between the students and the police.
One benefit of my solution is that we rid ourselves of a
program that does not deserve money. DARE began receiving money from the government in
1986 with a $140,000 grant. DARE received more money when Ronald Reagan signed the
Anti-Drug Abuse Act, a $1.7 billion law that says schools must include drug education as
part of their curriculum. DARE was repeatedly mentioned in the bill, inferring that
schools that implemented DARE would receive more money. Another benefit is that we are
implementing programs that are working. A research group compared DARE with other programs
in the area of drug use. On a scale of 0 to .6, DARE scored .05. Peer programs scored .4.
Peer programs also scored higher than DARE in the areas of knowledge, attitudes, and
skills. Another benefit we will gain is that our children will be better educated about
the dangers of drug abuse and they will have the ability to say no."
Sarah Brake, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
Teens
"We need alternate choices of entertainment for junior
high and high school students. My town put in an arcade, a popular place for junior high
students. The high school students still use the parking lot where a lot of drinking
occurs. High school students would appreciate a non-alcoholic dance club."
Danielle Schmitt, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
"In the United States, people show irresponsibility by
not caring about the teens. Evidence exists that the major contributor to the deaths of
teens has been the failure on the part of the communities, parents, teachers, and friends
to understand that so many vulnerable young people are in trouble. In 1987 four teens, two
sisters and two young men, killed themselves by sitting in a car and died by carbon
monoxide poisoning. All four were considered to be 'very troubled.' This is
where…society knew that these children were troubled; the public should have helped
the teens.…Many teens will not admit that they have a problem and need help…the
containment of severe stress -the bottling up of one's problems without communicating them
to others -contributes to a chemical imbalance that impairs one's ability to function
normally and induces a feeling of hopelessness.…It is our responsibility as a
community and as a friend or classmate, to try as hard as we can to help them…Many
associations exist out there to help. One is the Yellow Ribbon Project [operated by] a
nonprofit organization that helps to prevent teen suicides. The Yellow Ribbon organization
receives profit from the sale of the book, Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul.
A boy's parents designed this program after the boy committed suicide. The yellow ribbon
stands for someone who is willing to help. Teens are a key to fighting teen suicides
because most youths thinking of suicide turn to friends. When a friend comes up to us with
signs of depression and possible suicide, the following steps should be taken: 1. Listen
hard. 2. Be honest. 3. Share your feelings. 4. Get help for them. In Los Angeles,
California, many schools have become a leader in teen suicide prevention by making a
counseling video that soon will be available across the United States."
Alisha Shevon Heyen, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
White Hats
"In Kansas, Job Corps students and staff contributed more
than 5,000 hours of free service to their communities in 1996. These students gave back to
their communities, showing a great deal of responsibility."
Nathan Haskell, Kinsley High School, Kinsley, Kansas
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