How do we learn to be responsible? For a seemingly straight forward concept, responsibility is a complex web of actions and ideals that if handled properly, result in the state of being responsible. But what does that mean? If we choose to act in a manner that helps us or our families, while at the same time harms another person, is that being responsible? Can we ignore the rest of the community, the nation, or the world, as long as an action is beneficial to us?

The paragraph above, written by staff member, Ann Navarro, and the excerpts below, are drawn from a 1996 Foundation book and is the result of one of our nationwide Responsibility essay contests.

"If we could get volunteers to start in another state and keep extending this program, we could have a nation-wide organization of everyone working together. This cooperation and building of trust, and talking about problems, could eliminate some of the irresponsibility of our nation."
Ramona Lazanis, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington

"I think I am beginning to learn the responsibility I have in making things better for others, not just myself."
Melissa Wadle, Newell-Fonda High School, Newell, Iowa

"Responsibility is a very important thing for me. I live in a house full of responsibilities with only one person to accomplish all of them. I do all of the chores, raise money for the family, and help my parents get along. I know responsibility takes a lot of work, but our nation needs to understand what it's about and what it takes to achieve responsibility for our nation's success want to say thank you to everyone in our nation that has been responsible and kind to others. Being responsible is being trusted and counted on. If our nation only knew what a better life we would have if we stopped our whining and accepted the responsibilities of life. The only way our nation can achiever success is by loving one another, knowing right from wrong, and living our lives to the fullest without stepping on people to achieve that success."
Alicia Erickson, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Under the direction of James Campbell, students at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale have created a program called 'Vital Choices for Young People'. It's main focus is on young children up to the third grade. Kids are most impressionable at early ages, and things they learn will stay with them the rest of their lives. Campbell says the program teaches kids that 'choices they make have consequences', and that there are alternative ways to dealing with stress other than turning to drugs and/or alcohol. It also encourages kids to talk to trusted adults about thing that bother them."
Heather Cameron, Carbondale High School, Carbondale, Illinois

"I am a volunteer on the Community Education Committee. I video tape events they put on for the community. I am an editor for the school yearbook. I was a crew member of last year's play, and held one of the lead roles this year. I participate in three varsity sports and have school, a family life, and a social life on top of all that. I am no stranger to responsibility. If a charitable cause needs help, and I have no prior obligation, I have no qualm about helping. I can only hope in this era of broken homes, people are able to get the ethics they need to be responsible citizens somewhere."
Brain S. Henriksen, Luck High School, Luck, Wisconsin

"Students from George Middle School in Portland, Oregon, worried about the water near where many fish live. The children realized when it rains a lot, the sewers overflow and pollute the water around the fish. Students worried about the pollution because their families eat the fish. They then took responsibility by writing the mayor, talking to the community, and even participating in a government study of the problem."
Cody Diekhoff, Delavan High School, Delavan, Illinois

"In the town of Piedmont, South Dakota, sixty students at Stagebain Elementary School raised money for a drug sniffing dog. This dog was to be given to the Meade County Sheriff's Department so that police could apprehend drug dealers. The children reached their goal of $8,500 and showed their community that they cared about the effects of drugs in their community."
Andrea Gaynor, Center Christian Academy, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania

"In this society, teenagers are mainly looked at as 'problems to society.' In some cases that is true, but some teens are more responsible for helping than most adults. One example is Sarah Pollack. She came from a wealthy family and was promised a new car for graduation if she could earn two college scholarships. She earned the scholarships, but instead of getting the car, she set up a scholarship fund for her underprivileged, but deserving classmates with the money for the car. This goes to show that not all teens are trying to disrupt society."
Mark Sutton, Rock Hill High School, Ironton, Ohio

"In Berkeley, California, Molly Wetzel, a management consultant and mother of 15-year-old son Peter, began the San Francisco Street Community Group. After Peter was robbed by a drug dealer at gun point, Wetzel decided that something needed to be done to punish these dealers. She and fourteen of her neighbors filed suit against the landlord of a crack house not far from their neighborhood. The landlord, then put under social pressure, evicted the tenants."
Dee Dee Hsin, Carbondale Community High School, Carbondale, Illinois

"On the 'Oprah' show one day, they were discussing good things people have done. One of those was a man who sold T-shirts on a corner. Kids were always stopping by to borrow money. This took place in the 'lower' part of town. The guy told the kids if they would sit there for an hour and learn chess, he would give them money. Now, he has these kids going to chess contests and doing quite well. He gave them confidence and made them proud about what they could achieve."
Jodi Welsh, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"There is a family owned restaurant in Chisholm called Valentini's Supper Club, the family makes it a tradition to help. On Christmas day, for the last four years, they have opened their restaurant, prepared and served their food to anyone, for free. Most of the guests were elderly or people who didn't have enough money for a Christmas dinner."
Alex Hastie, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Another example of responsibility happened in Parker, South Dakota. Noble and Bernadine Voagen are foster parents being honored because they have cared for troubled kids for more than 40 years. They were licensed for foster care in 1956. They had two daughters by birth and adopted three of their foster children. The rest came into their lives briefly, received food and warmth and love, and moved on. It was mostly babies and pre-schoolers that would lift their lives for decades. The couple is still licensed, but limits care to providing breaks to other foster families."
Tonya Olson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"Ever since the sixties moral education has been looked down upon as indoctrination. The children of the nineteen sixties are the parents of today, and their children possess their rebellious spirit. Some children might feel as though adults have no right to tell them what to do. After all how can parents think to control their child's instincts when in their own day they threw caution to the wind and went wild.

Many experts agree, however, that the fundamental values of our society are universal. Such values are: tolerance, honesty, respect, and diligence. These social guidelines require no allegiance to any particular group, be it religious or otherwise. Schools are starting to realize that teaching someone fundamental values is the same as simply teaching them to get along with other people. Some schools now require that a student perform a certain amount of community service in order to graduate. This way, when the person graduates, he or she will be familiar with the idea of contributing to society The price of excessive freedom stemming from the youthful rebellion of the sixties is catching up to the nation's youth. [Young people are facing] the break-up of families, education dilemmas, and the ravages of criminals when one least expects them. However, it is a wonderful time for [us] because for the first time in many years we are learning that responsibility and service are liberation's in and of themselves. Responsibility is the means by which individuals build self-worth, and only then do they have the strength to act for the whole nation. [We] may have played with fire, but now at least we have knowledge of the fire and the will to extinguish it."
Ian Fricker, Carbondale Community High School, Carbondale, Illinois

"If the people of a democracy do not see reason in having responsibilities, then how can one rule itself with full capacity and also compete in a global economy?"
Christopher Shawn Crow, Valley Springs High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas