Youth is the time for reflection. But young people expect something more than discussion from adults. Many feel too many adults substitute talk for action. A large number of students came up with their own solutions in a variety of areas. The following excerpts are representative:
"We
can start after-school programs to get the kids off the street, such as: basketball camps, talent shows,
etc. Personally, I could start a club in school for kids who have been abused, live with a single
parent, or have had to face the death of a close friend due to gang violence. Basically, this would
be a group for anyone who wanted to talk about a certain [problem] that might make them resort to violence."
James Landy, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"[Re: a] library in some financial
difficulty. A service could be offered that helped people fill out their tax forms during tax season.
Another service could be a place where people would help kids write and proof-read school papers. This
would also be offered at the library where librarians or other volunteers could help children. This
service would only require a few volunteers to offer a few hours a week. It would only be temporary
and could quickly provide materials the library needs."
Stephanie Brown, New Providence High School,
New Providence, New Jersey
"First we could set up a volunteer sign-up in wildlife service
offices, banks or other big businesses. These volunteers could not only curb poaching, but put the
ill-gotten meat to good use with a bonus of free meat given to any volunteer who catches a poacher.
This would encourage more people in need to volunteer, being an inexpensive way to get food for families.
There are also a large number of people who cannot afford to purchase weapons or tags, or are unable
or unwilling to shoot an animal, who would benefit greatly with a gift of meat. Once a poacher is
caught, a volunteer could radio the police, like a neighborhood watch except the target is a poacher.
Severe penalties on poachers are already in place. 1) The big problem with those penalties is that
they do not teach the poachers what they do is wrong. 2) I think once a poacher realizes why poaching
is so terrible, then he will cease to poach. First, the penalties should stay the same: loss of license,
heavy fines, and a jail term, with the addition of some public service. Second, they should be out
in the forest for a set amount of time seeing what poaching does to our wildlife population. They should
observe the animals and be taught to respect them."
Kris Hampton,Wallace High,Wallace, Idaho
"My
personal solution would be to create a survey to be passed out to all A.I.S.D. students, starting at
the sixth grade. I will interview counselors around Austin and will come up with questions to be written
on the survey. These questions will be about their family background and what steps could be taken to
help them develop a sense of belonging, and happiness in their life. This survey will be anonymous,
and I will raise the money to develop the first set of "practice" surveys. The money will be raised
by either car washes or setting up a small baby-sitting center at my house for parents around my neighborhood.
If there is a positive response from the children who want help, then I will go to a state coordinator
for education and for their help in making the surveys available to all students, beginning in the sixth
grade."
Angela Romero, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"It is crucial that more people stop trying to find people to blame, locate where lies the actual fault, and start taking initiative towards teaching and nurturing good, responsible deeds. In many cases, a dependable and caring group of people can give a person enough incentive to do something wonderful with his or her life. The future community center could enhance a supportive atmosphere. The community center would be set up by the means of charity from parents, schools, the city, and any willing contributors.
To include a physical description of this place or center, the volunteers would create a colorful, free-style environment to enhance a friendly atmosphere. A few, small rooms containing two or three recliner chairs in each would be the place for private conversations for the ones who need help in resolving some of life's inconveniences. This center can be [available] to any young person, or anyone who wants to paint, play pool, listen to music, read, socialize, etc. Perhaps this could be a place for recruiting young, community volunteers. Productive activities might tend to drive the young people away from some of the madness that comes along with sex, drugs, and violence.
If enough donations, funds, and
volunteers come forward, including our own input, I think that things might turn around in any community.
People of the community who can work together, have a good time, and deviate from irresponsibility
will advance the future in the right direction. I notice that people my age tend to fall into trouble
when there is nothing to do and no one to talk to, so an activity/self-help center could be successful."
Patra Thipkhosithkun, Carbondale High School, Carbondale, Illinois
"I
would also organize meetings for parents who are not receiving child support to be held at a local library.
These meetings would be support meetings for the parents and people could contribute ideas that could
solve their problem, and they could then give their ideas to law makers. It seems that people with authority
listen to a group of people more than a single person."
Kathryn Rudd, David Crockett High School,
Austin, Texas
"My solution to the problem would be to redo the teaching process
at school. If the teachers in school see kids with pretty bad home lives before they drop out all
together, teachers should sit down and tell these kids they are very specialand can do anything they
put their mind to. A friend of mine had parents who were divorced, and his mother didn't seem to care
what time he got home, or how often he got detention. The teachers didn't seem to care, so he eventually
just dropped out, and now he washes dishes for minimum wage. I always thought my parents were mean because
I couldn't stay out late, and if I got detention I was in big trouble. Nowadays I thank my parents
and wish that more parents did the same."
Ronald Scheffler, Barnesville High School, Barnesville,
Minnesota
"This misconception about sexuality can be reversed by creating school-oriented
counseling groups. In these groups teenagers could openly discuss their sexual questions and problems.
Guest speakers would be brought into the groups to answer the questions of the students and offer expert
opinions. These speakers could be physicians, gynecologists, psychologists, and volunteers from Planned
Parenthood. Through the counselors office, students would be given the chance to participate in one
of these groups. Each group would consist of approximately ten same-sex students. The sessions would
be held during homeroom classes twice a month."
Kimberly Reed, David Crockett High School, Austin,
Texas
"Can America be beautiful if we keep pitching things out our car windows?
Even my own street and my own school are cluttered with trash and debris. School administrators even
closed the vending machines for a time in hopes that the students would realize how damaging and ugly
their litter wasI am personally going to strive to make a difference. Perhaps in our schools we could
contribute to the beautification of the grounds if students could serve their detention time by picking
up litter and monitoring the area. Other students might be interested in getting extra credit in a
class that they might want to bring up their grade point average in, and would also want to help the
litter situation."
Kraig Lee Hodge, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma
"Many
groups offer unique solutions to crime and criminals. Among them is the Texas Youth Commission at the
Giddings State Home and School, a maximum-security correction facility, which takes criminals into therapy.
The therapy forces the inmate to examine what he or she has done and why. They learn to feel empathy
for their victims by role playing. According to the October 11, 1993, issue of Time only one of the
116 killers to pass thorough the program has killed again. The Minnesota Sentencing Service Program
puts nonviolent offenders to work in communities. The cost of the program is offset against earnings
and reduction in prison costs. The work restores the criminal's sense of dignity because the inmates
feel they are giving back to society. Also, Minnesota gives their inmates an education. Thirty-five
percent of the prisoners are illiterate and must take a reading class while they are incarcerated.
Furthermore, to combat juvenile crime, 24 states have adopted a teen curfew."
Amanda Brown, Barnesville
High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"There should be boot camps for juvenile
offenders. Prison should be made to be a place where people are scared to go. This fear should drive
them not to commit their crimes."
Michael Hutchison, David Crockett High, Austin, Texas
"I
have come up with a five-step process to the clean-up of an area. Whether it be a dirty, unkempt park,
a polluted river or stream, or a worn down and graffitied part of town, these steps can be applied.
First, set an example. If you talk about doing something, but never do it, nobody else will either.
Second, put some work into it. Dedicate a certain amount of time to working on the clean-up project.
By this time people will have started to notice what you are doing. You may be able to recruit some
more help. Third, encourage the city to help. Once you have an area cleaned, you'll need the city's
help to keep it that way. Fourth, don't stop once you've finished the initial clean-up. Keep it clean
and continue to improve the area. Fifth, expand. If by this time you are able, take on another project.
The more you accomplish, the more people will notice and get a similar idea, or help in the preservation
of the cleaned area. These steps should lead to an improvement in your environment, and by taking on
the responsibility, it will help improve you as a person."
Michael Gammon, Eureka High School,
Eureka, Illinois
"To solve the problem of people dumping oil down the drain,
a neighborhood task force could be assembled. This task force would go around on the weekend to every
house in the neighborhood and collect their used motor oil. Once all the oil is gathered, one person
could take the oil to a dump site or a recycling plant. This would solve the problem of oil being poured
down the drain. The money gained from recycling it could be used to beautify the neighborhood."
Chris
Hare, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma
"Every work place should provide
on-premise child care. The mother could have lunch with their kids. Back 20 or more years, well educated
women were teachers. Now these smart ladies are lawyers, doctors, etc.: "government has to allocate
for the void left by working mothers."
Mother is very important in a child's life."
Ashley Wilson,
David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"Home visits, by not only nurses, but
also counselors and caring citizens, would definitely turn the table on [child] abusers. It would give
needy families the sense that someone cares and is listening to their cries for help. We should start
with task forces in every community reaching the home of high-risk families and branch outward from
there. This program would stop the abuse before it starts. The cost would be high, but I'm willing
to bet when compared to what America spends annually on defense, the cost would be minimal."
Laura
Evert, Barnesville High School, Barnesville, Minnesota
"A solution, I think,
to this growing problem would be a credit card type, instead of coupons. The people can charge their
food on their credit card. Each person's card could only be used by the holder and it would be in a
national computer so you could always keep track of how much is taken out and how much is left. This
would eliminate the selling of the food stamps and cut the cost of printing and mailing of the food
stamps. It would also insure that the food stamps are used for food, and not for drugs or anything else,
which is the intention of the program."
Alexander Aldaco, Aubrey High School, Aubrey, Texas
The following are obvious but concise bits of wisdom that caught our eye concerning issues of the importance of volunteerism and the possibility for young people to make positive change:
"Even
the government can be irresponsible."
Alicia Dothager, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic,
Illinois
"Solutions are easier said than done."
Mike Smith, Kinsley High School,
Kinsley, Kansas
"When you feel you are already late is the time you can be the fastest."
Joseph Lee, South Kent High School, South Kent, Connecticut
"There is always
a risk in anything that we do."
Ramona Lazanis, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington
Christie may have struck to the heart of society's problem:
"As society has shifted its values,
so have the individuals within it. There is no longer a clear line between the acceptable and the unacceptable.
With so broad of a spectrum it is no wonder at all, that Americans are confused about many things.
Irresponsible behavior stems from many areas, one of these being confusion. When confused and put up
against decision making, one will generally go with their instincts. These instincts, for the most part,
lead in the right direction. But what about the times that even the instincts are confused? Usually,
when someone is confused, it means that they are lacking adequate knowledge in a particular area. As
a nation, we seem to be so confused about so many things that it is beginning to affect our actions."
Christie Brady, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois
Erik believes young people can help:
"The young people of Topeka know what is going on first hand. Instead
of trying to use statistics which are either out of date or averaged for the whole nation (thus rendering
them irrelevant to a specific community), the youth themselves should be asked for input. They may not
have all of the answers, but through their ideas officials may be able to make a better informed decision."
Erik Pollom, Seaman High School, Topeka, Kansas
Examples of Good Deeds
"Though
it seems that there is so much selfishness and greed in the world, possibly we see what we want to see.
For every citizen that takes advantage of the judicial system, devises schemes to get rich at the expense
of others, or uses the welfare system as an excuse not to work, there are many citizens who not only
take responsibility for themselves, but also shoulder the responsibility for others. The builders, flood
relief workers, benefactors for terminally ill children, and local heroes inspire us all to get involved
to help make our nation a better place to live."
Carrie Brock, Niantic-Harristown High School, Niantic,
Illinois
Carrie reminds us why role models, White Hats, are so important:
Individuals Who Took The Initiative
"Adrian Thomas, a drug store owner in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, decided to put an end to the selling of tobacco products in his store. Adrian's employees and family members loaded $2000 worth of tobacco from his store and took them to the parking lot to be burned. After the burning Adrian commented, 'You cannot put dollars and cents above good health.' " Shonny Waters, Froid High School, Froid, Montana
"Annette Allyn Day, a typesetter in Atlanta,
Georgia collects donations of household goods. Operating out of her home, she distributes them to formerly
homeless people who are just getting resettled into housing."
Jackie Gensler, Big Spring High
School, Newville, Pennsylvania
"George Sam, an ex-cop, created SAFE: Schools Are For
Education, to clear guns from Chicago schools."
Jenifer Roosevelt, Carbondale High School, Carbondale,
Illinois
"My soccer coach is a doctor and a good man. He has two daughters and one
son. They have also adopted three sexually abused children. They have taken three children that are
emotionally and physically damaged and turned their lives around by showing and giving them love and
support. One of their adopted children is so emotionally damaged that she must stay in a special home.
They still support her and take care of her and show her love, which gives her a greater will to strive
on and live."
Skip Miller, Armwood High School, Seffner, Florida
"Ruth Brinker, a
grandmother in Los Angeles, volunteers for Project Open Hand. She spends many hours a day feeding and
cheering up victims dying of the AIDS virus. She thinks these people are dying of lack of love and
care, not AIDS."
Katie Wettstein, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois
"Here are some
people who are taking the responsibility for themselves and others. After having survived a life-saving
bone marrow transplant, Daniel Lindsay was determined to see what he could do to aid others struggling
with leukemia and similar blood diseases. With the help of several of his classmates, Lindsay organized
Project Life. It's goal is to get members of the campus community to sign up as potential bone marrow
donors. The undertaking has been a dramatic success, with more than 1,100 students and teachers now
registered. Through the bone marrow donations, the group has so far saved two lives."
Rocco Troiano,
Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York
"An idea of Arthur Ashe's has been implemented
in Virginia, called Virginia Heroes. This group has successful people in the community give kids direction
to their lives by helping them decide what they want to be when they grow up."
Jenni Tarner, Big Spring
High School, Newville, Pennsylvania
"In Cleveland, a volunteer group provides weeklytutoring.
It is called project Learn. Another group working for literacy is called Literacy Action, Inc.
This program in Atlanta reaches out to help those adults and children who have not learned to read,
or those who have not learned very well. It was founded by Mrs. Mary Hammond in Virginia, when one
of her children could not read. The goal was fairly simple; they would provide a tutorial service
in reading to those who could not afford it. They get people startedand then point out tools for people
to go beyond the program and further their literacy."
Louis VanAlsfine, DeForest High School,
DeForest, Wisconsin
"Of all acts of responsibility, my favorite is where a man took
matters into his own hands and saved the life of a seven year old boy, who was being attacked by a malicious
gang of youths."
Amber Irish, Freeman High, Rockford, Washington
"Felipe Aguel, who
is an 18 year old senior, started a club at his high school called "Save a Senior". Aguel was just a
tutor at his high school until he started this club. He advertised with a television announcement service
that was broadcast each morning. The "Save a Senior" club was made so that seniors that had bad grades
could get them up and earn enough credits so that they could graduate. For the first time in his high
school history 100 percent of his senior class graduated."
Erica Haines, Phoenix High School, Phoenix,
Oregon
"One girl heard the suggestion in an Honor Society meeting to take [the] elderly
and disabled to the grocery store. Even though the Honor Society decided they didn't want to do that,
she went out on her own and got the names of people who needed help. [This girl] now takes older people
to run errands quite regularly."
Angela Jennings, Walters High School, Walters, Oklahoma
"I
read in the Reader's Digest of a man in Naples, Florida, who read about several eleventh grade black
students who failed a high school mastery test required for graduation. Concerned, he decided to volunteer
at an after school tutoring program. He later started his own program at his home on Saturdays and
helped all involved to get into college, which in turn helped keep them off the streets."
Kevin Neubauer,
Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho
"Andy Lipkis began a volunteer organization called
Tree People, which in the past fifteen years has planted over 170 million trees, not just in the United
States, but all over the world."
Katie Wettstein, Eureka High, Eureka, Illinois
"Herman
Wrice declared war on the crack and cocaine problem in his neighborhood and school. He was a coach in
the neighborhood and one of his champion players was hooked on cocaine. He went directly to the dealers
and threatened them. It was a small victory but someone had done something for the children. He set
up different functions for the kids to do instead of drugs."
Jennifer McLaughlin, Valhalla High School,
Valhalla, New York
"The town of Burlington, Colorado, has desperately needed a town
doctor for many years. They had spent nearly $50,000 dollars to persuade a doctor to settle in their
town. The town once had a chance to apply for a federal program that would assign a doctor to their
town. This sounded good but as soon as his obligation was fulfilled he would probably leave the town.
Then a man by the name of Harold McArthur came to the rescue. McArthur offered to pay for the college
education of a local student, if he came back to the town to work as a doctor. McArthur took it upon
himself to solve one of the town's major problems."
Neal Bobzin, Centerville High School, Centerville,
South Dakota
"David Kenney and his friend were playing with David's father's gun.
The gun went off killing David. Since her son's death, Susan Kenney has been working to educate schools
around the Naugatuck area. She also teaches community adults about firearm safety. She has started
GRIEF: Gun Responsibility In Every Family."
Joe Parker, DeForest High School, DeForest, Wisconsin
"My
dad told me about a local town leader in Seattle who gives personal counseling, on his own time, to
troubled students who are caught up in gang violence."
Jason Tenhonen, Wallace High School, Wallace,
Idaho
"A hair designer gave free haircuts at a local grade school."
Amber Irish,
Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington
"Individual volunteers are also very special
people in the homeless community. Carrie Laninberger, a fellow student is one of those special people.
Carrie volunteers her time in the various shelters around the Madison area. She has also done community
work in both New York and Washington, DC, through her church. Carrie has also attended several conventions
and workshops to do her best in ending the problem of homelessness."
Kelly Gradel, DeForest
High School, DeForest, Wisconsin
"A woman donated money to buy more fire detectors
for the Little Shelter (for animals) since the others were ruined in a fire."
Linda Cheung, Central
Islip High School, Central Islip, New York
"And then there's my cousin Bob. He lives
in New York City, often hailed as the rudest, unfriendliest city in America. I can't think of two more
inappropriate words to describe Bob̉he is the most giving person I know. Bob works a full-time job
to support himself, and brings homeless children into his apartment for warm blankets, hot food, and
a little slice of love."
Leah Fuller Bates, Blue Ridge High School, Blue Ridge, Texas
"Helen
Kilapatrick is one of those people who make a difference by themselves. She got sick of the vacant
lot by her house, in Newark, New Jersey, being used as a store for drug dealers. She went to the police
to ask for help, but they could do nothing, so she took matters into her own hands. She and some neighbors
got together and turned the lot into a garden. and set up a neighborhood watch group. Today there are
five gardens that Helen has set up all through Newark. Last year her gardens produced $50,000 worth
of vegetables. Helen sends a ton of vegetables each year to churches and missions."
Chris Beeler,
Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington
"In Chicago, George Sams, an ex-cop, has
cut down on youth violence, during and around school, tremendously. In June, 1990, Sams was appointed
the director of safety and security for the 410,000 students in Chicago's public schools. With the
help of his former police comrades, Sams has organized and introduced SAFE: Schools Are For Education.
Ever since SAFE was introduced, there has not been one single shooting, in the district, during school
hours. His success has influenced other major cities to [copy] his program."
Patrick A. Sampson,
Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas
"On his own free time, he [a successful lawyer
in Southeastern Wisconsin] brought his tools to a condemned building and renovated it to provide shelter
for homeless in his town."
Kenneth I. Dunlap, Antietam High, Reading, Pennsylvania
"Lately
we have been having a lot of snow around our area. This has made it pretty difficult for people to
get around. I have a neighbor who seems to always be there shoveling our drive after it snows. He
doesn't just shovel ours, but he shovels many others around my area. This is really helpful to me because
both of my parents work so I'm usually the only one home. It helps especially when I go to school and
come home to a clean driveway. My driveway's pretty long and I know that I would have ended up walking
in it (deep snow) quite a few times if it wasn't for him."
Tonya Koutson, Centerville High School,
Centerville, South Dakota
"My father is an example of someone who watches out for himself,
and other people, too. He went to Florida after Hurricane Andrew. In Florida there were many crews
helping to clean up. My dad went to the Everglades to manage a crew. He stayed for three weeks, and
would've helped longer if possible. Helpers there battled many things, very large mosquitoes, dangerous
animals, no electricity, extensive heat, things many were not accustomed to. My dad also had a language
barrier to overcome; his crew spoke Spanish. In these situations one can find many responsible individuals
eager to give "their all" to help."
Lindsay Mannelin, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota
"James
Ownby is a perfect example of a giver. In 1969, he founded the organization "Good Bears of the World".
This program gives out teddy bears to lonely and traumatized children and adults. The only thing James
gets out of this is the warm feeling inside that lets him know someone else is happier because of him."
Ryan J. Csaftis, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon
"My father, Otto Aliffi, is
a good example of a citizen taking actcut the cost of printing and mailing of the food stamps. It would
also insure that the food stamps are used for food, and not for drugs or anything else, which is the
intention of the program."
Alexander Aldaco, Aubrey High School, Aubrey, Texas
"Then
there are the Charlie O'Connors of the world. This man dedicated his life to the schoolchildren of
Dumont, N.J. Besides coaching most of the sports offered in the school system, he also was the crossing
guard. He gave every child a dollar on their birthday, and it was considered good luck to give him high
five as you passed him in the street."
Darrell Stoller, Eureka High , Eureka, Illinois
"A
Medford man fixes and rebuilds bicycles for needy children. Over the years he has rebuilt over three
hundred bicycles for bikeless children around the Rogue Valley."
Josh Alner, Phoenix High School, Phoenix,
Oregon
"A boy in our community died of cancer. Before he died, when he was too sick
to go to school, his teacher did something exceptional. She tutored him every night and spent time
with him, she gave her free time to care for a dying student."
Lindsay Mannelin, Deer River High School,
Deer River, Minnesota
"Frances Sandoval, the mother of a fifteen year old son who was
stabbed to death when he tried to break up a gang fight, is the founder of Mothers Against Gangs (MAG).
Today the group has over 700 active members, and a flock of outside admirers."
Marshall Best, Lincoln
County High School, Eureka, Montana
"Louis Greenwood, the co-founder of the Alliance
Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM), prowls the suburbs of Chicago with a dashboard video camera, cellular
phone, a CB, and police radio, looking for signs of drunk drivers. In this programs, anyone who gives
tips to the police that result in a drunken driving arrest can be immediately rewarded with $100. AAIM
has given out over $30,000."
Nicole McConnell, Prairie High School, New Rayman, Colorado
"In
Berkeley, Molly Wetzel formed the Francisco Street Community Group, because her fifteen year old son
was robbed by a drug dealer. The group filed suits against the landlord of a crack house and won, getting
$2,000 apiece."
Jamie Dorman, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas
"There is a
woman in Dayton, Ohio, that watches what our government buys and what we pay for it. Her specialty
is stirring up competition among government agencies. Jo Brewer has saved the taxpayers over 10 million
dollars in five years. She has saved money everywhere from the space shuttle to the President's communications
system on Air Force One."
Neal Bobzin, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota
"One
example of a woman helping out in her neighborhood was in Spokane, a few weeks before the Christmas
of 1993. Her three next door neighbors all had Down's Syndrome and were blind to some degree. Their
house was a disaster. Broken windows let extremely cold temperatures into the house. Every room had
the scent of the several cats and dogs the family had. Overall, the living conditions were horrible.
The kind neighbor brought people from the community to the house to install a heater, fix windows, and
clean up. The end finish was a clean, healthy, safe environment for this family to live in."
Leslie
McFarlane, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington
"Consider Opal Hodgen of Eagle
Point, Oregon. Opal visits a Jackson County foster care home for the elderly, telling stories, reading
poetry, calling the bingo numbers, and just talking to the residents. Opal has also given her time
[to] the Jackson County Library System, [an] outreach program, visiting adult foster care homes. and
speaking with residents about the good old days. Opal is another of the good people [who have] taken
responsibility for helping others in the Rogue Valley."
Zac Moody, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon
"In
1978, a retired meteorologist decided to volunteer at an after-school tutoring program in Collier County,
Florida. He felt that more could be accomplished in a smaller group and extended an invitation to a
handful of kids. He soon had a regular group of four elementary age girls meeting Saturday afternoons
for tutoring. They are now successful college graduates and give credit to him for the inspiration
that changed their lives. This man proves that one person who cares can make a difference. He taught
the necessity and rewards of hard work and discipline."
Sara Peterson, Deer River High School, Deer
River, Minnesota
"Pat Newbury, owner of five McDonald Franchises in the Seattle area,
made an agreement with some employees. He agreed to pay them regular wages while they did their homework
at work for one hour. He also have them points for good grades. These points could then be exchanged
for money for college tuition and books."
John Sander, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois
"A
couple in Sams Valley, Oregon, has taken on the responsibility of raising children with disabilities,
who were abandoned by their own parents. The Tapperos', who have one biological child, have adopted
six children."
Mary Conway, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon
"Patti Malkin
walks dogs and feeds cats for their owners, who are bedridden with AIDS. Paul Phillips organized a
pie auction to help pay for the surgery of a child with congenital problems. Gwyn Helie answers calls
on the hotline at a Transition House, which is a shelter for battered women and their children. Sylvia
Wright volunteers at a soup kitchen. Mary Tyler started a shelter for homeless people."
Kim Mandragona,
Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York
"Ruth McGirt, a part-time nurse, heard gunshots
in the street in front of her Philadelphia home. After checking her kids, she rushed out to the street
to find two policemen lying next to their squad car. She immediately began performing CPR on one of
the police officers who had no pulse and wasn't breathing. Two other police officers arrived and the
three of them worked on the injured men all the way to the hospital. One of the officers died in the
hospital but the other survived. The two police officers who arrived late on the scene attribute this
fact to McGirt. Instead of lying flat in her home to avoid being shot, Ruth McGirt rushed to the street
to help and saved one man's life. She said she wouldn't do anything differently if faced with a similar
situation in the future."
Michael Gammon, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois
"Christmas
Cheer is a non-profit organization that helps needy families in the Rogue Valley around Christmas time.
It started in 1987 when a parent decided to make a difference and help raise money for a couple of
needy children. Today the organization has grown to be able to help sixty-five needy children and families.
The founder, Brenda Slawson, has given generously of her time and should be applauded for her efforts.
Because of Brenda's determination to help a few needy kids, many families and their children will be
able to have a better Christmas."
Jason M. Hayes, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon
"There
are many examples of individual citizens acting responsibly. For example, look at the story of Earle
Fisher and Al Mengo. Four or five times a week, they volunteer their time to the Harlem Hospital. They
feed, diaper, rock, talk, and sing to the babies in the pediatric ward. Many of these infants are [without]
parents, addicted to crack and HIV positive. Earle and Al are just two of the three hundred individuals
who donate their time to Harlem Hospital."
Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota
"Peter
P. Smith, who operates the country's largest network of private aid to the homeless, is an example of
another successful organization. He recently opened shelters for homeless people with AIDS. Statistics
show that nearly 100,000 people will occupy these homes by the year 1995."
Jodi Hitt, Post Falls
High School, Post Falls, Idaho
"A high school student from Oklahoma, named Carter Bell,
in addition to the pressures of his senior year, started a program for the prevention of child abuse.
The program, A Child's Garden, was opened with the planting of a tree. He received $1,000 dollars
form the Hitachi Foundation for outstanding public service. He gave the money he received for his good
deed to charity."
Jera Chandler, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma
"In
1981 a self-made millionaire named Eugene Lang strode to the podium of the Harlem elementary school
that he graduated from a half-century before, to deliver a commencement address to the assembled sixth
graders and their families. As he tells it, he impulsively threw away the bootstrap bromides he had
prepared, and instead offered to pay the college tuition of every student in that class who went on
to finish high school. This offer inspired 50 of the 51 student to graduate from high school. This
also inspired other benefactors to step forward as well."
Adam Parker, De Forest High School, DeForest,
Wisconsin
"Rantine McKeason, along with some of her neighbors, have organized marches,
sent out flyers, gone to the city council, arranged neighborhood drug patrols, boarded up old crack
houses, and changed an abandoned lot into a playground."
Jenny Crowe, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois
"Gertrude
Lewis volunteers her free time to go and take care of abandoned babies with AIDS. Recently, she has
taken one of the ill babies of her choice as her own. She knows the child will not live much longer,
but while he is still on this earth she wants to give him the good life he deserves."
Danielle
Johnson, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York
"There are many responsible high
school students who are lending a helpful hand to our society. Angela Badger, a health occupation student
at Battle Ground High School, assists in her high school and elementary school health rooms. She also
teaches first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to local community groups. Betsy Radigan operates
Project Safe Summer, a project aimed at [steering] youth away from vandalism and other negative activity
during the summer. Her efforts helped create community sponsored events that served 345 at risk youths
in grades first through eighth in Portland. Both of these girls are helping their peers, the ones who
tend to look to someone their own age, who they can relate to, and help them understand and change for
the better."
Rosa Garcia, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon
"Flo Wheatley
makes sleeping bags and distributes them with her husband to homeless people in nearby cities. Flo's
organization, My Brother's Keeper Quilt Group, visits churches to promote the bag business."
Martha
Harrison, Garnet Valley High School, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
"In 1987, Mark Miller,
a middle income businessman, read a missing child leaflet; his curiosity led him to call The American
Association for Lost Children. [He] found that they were a non-profit organization committed to finding
lost children for no fee. He began studying for his private investigator's license so he could help
the association. Since then he has helped locate thirty-three missing children. When he was asked
why he gave up his comfortable career to find missing children, Miller stated that he just wanted to
help people."
Sandra K. Aschenbrenner, Colby High School, Colby, Kansas
"Many local
volunteers went out Saturday, February 5, hoping to register ten thousand new volunteers in Travis County
this year. One of these ten volunteers was a woman by the name of Vera Givens, who is black, and was
hoping to increase minority votes in primaries. She went from door to door in East Austin to sign up
voters. And while some people were willing to register, others were not cooperative. Givens has participated
in such drives for more than ten years. She does so out of a sense of community and citizenship. She
is one of many that help solve the low voting rates and help to increase the interest in political issues.
By doing so, these people help to make the public more aware of current issues. And not only are
these volunteers to be recognized, but also educators who teach and strongly urge those of age to register.
A very good example of one such person would be Ms. Dobbs, an economics teacher at Crockett High School
in Austin, Texas. In a matter of one school day she encouraged twenty people to fill out their voter
registration cards. And not only did she do this for the students themselves, but also for society
as a whole. Each and every one of these people makes a significant difference to how and by whom our
country is run. Registering and voting is merely one of many responsibilities that people tend to
neglect. Although it could quite possibly be the most important decision concerning our lives."
Carmen
Gloria, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas
"A single lady named Marie is 65
years old. She now travels from house to house in her large city home and talks to teenage girls who
are pregnant. She not only counsels them, but also teaches them how to care for a child. She checks
on each of her girls periodically, offering them the love and support that is lacking in many of their
lives."
Angelina J. Morrow, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma
Examples of Good Deeds: Businesses With A Heart
"One example of good responsibility is the advertising agency of J. Walter Thompson. The employees of this agency attended Christmas parties at such locations as New York's Palladium night club. For most top level executives attending a Christmas party of this nature is better than getting a raise. But, this year the employees of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency worked in soup kitchens, renovated low-income housing, and wrapped Christmas presents for hospital patients instead. This is a prime example of common people coming together, in a responsible manner, to do something good to benefit others.
Another
example of good responsibility in the corporate world is the "Body Shop."
The "Body Shop", a British-based
cosmetics firm, has built its reputation by refraining from animal testing and avoiding hyped beauty
claims. Sales during the past decade have grown an average of 50 percent a year. This example shows
the responsibility of the corporation for their actions in making and distributing the product. As
well as the responsibility of the consumer for recognizing and buying the product.
A third example of good responsibility is the corporation of "Ben & Jerry's Ice-cream". The executive leaders of the company got together and decided to do something good to benefit their community. they decided to place cartoons on the sides of their ice-cream cartons. What's so responsible about cartoons painted on ice-cream cartons, you might ask? They weren't just any cartoons; they were cartoons encouraging consumers to contact activist organizations and take an active part in government. This shows another great example of a corporation showing the responsibility to inform their consumers.
A fourth example of good responsibility is shown to us by the Xerox corporation. Xerox is highly
regarded for its responsibility to the company and to the community. A company as large as Xerox doesn't
become a powerhouse in its field by being irresponsible. What could Xerox do for the community, you
might ask? Besides their countless billions of dollars being regenerated into the community and their
endless leadership, they also provide another important aspect. Xerox allows employees with three years
of service to take a leave with full pay to do community work."
Marvin Scott Verbeck, Deer River
High School, Deer River, Minnesota
"The famous ice-cream maker, Ben and Jerry's
Homemade, has introduced a new flavor called Rain Forest Crunch made with brazil and cashew nuts taken
from the rain forests. These products were purchased from "unspoiled regions in an effort to keep them
that way."
Kristi Meyer, Seaman High School, Topeka, Kansas
"In order to give back
something to society, Xerox, since 1971 has sponsored a program that has granted almost 400 employees
up to one year of paid leave to volunteer for a nonprofit agency."
Matthew Grandon, Valley Springs
High School, Valley Springs, Arkansas
"Little Tikes has also contributed to the improvement
of childcare by designing and building stimulating childcare centers on-site of their company. Little
Tikes discovered that the care center was not only needed, but was also good for business."
Kirsten
Sinkola, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota
"When cleaning up the Exxon
oil spill in Alaska, Proctor and Gamble donated Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean oil off of animals.
That was a terrific example of someone who really had nothing to do with the incident, but helped shoulder
the responsibility."
Jeremy Lattimore, Deer River High, Deer River, Minnesota
"I heard
From a relative that a local pub put on a supper, and that all of the proceeds from the food sales went
to one of the part-time workers who had been unable to work for over a month due to back problems."
Kerri Knutson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota