"People lose sight of the important things in life, caught up in trying to make a profit and moving up the business ladder, or simply trying to get the mountain of bills paid. Slowly but surely our families are deteriorating and our society is crumbling. Evidence of this corrosion is everywhere: in the news, on the radio, and in the newspapers. Headlines scream of disaster, gossip, murder, and chaos. With a million and one things going on at once, it's easy to lose sight of what's meaningful in life."
Nina Tang, Pioneer High School, San Jose, California

"The media does not want to know what an average family had for dinner last night or how much their electric or water bill was. That is what I think is wrong with society today. Many times people are so bogged down with bad news that they do not even want to hear the good news. The truth is, today's society would be much better off without all the printing of bad news, and they could use more good news."
Brian Toon, Lexington High School, Lexington, Illinois

"Perhaps Americans could comprehend their responsibilities better if they studied ancient Athens [where] people were punished for neutrality or apathy. … What right does a person have to complain if he does nothing to improve the situation? Congress people come and go, but the power of the people remains, if exercised. When a citizen replaces apathy with action, then and only then, can he rightfully criticize."
Rebecca White, Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma