East Middle School Essay Contest Winners and Finalists

Slowly saving small environments

2010-05-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

How many people can honestly say that they try as hard as they can to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle? Not many people can honestly say that they do. And even less people do the three R's at all.

Every day people throw away tons of useless trash, slowly cutting away our oxygen and chasing animals away from their homes. My idea will save some animals' homes and save many beautiful environments.

SSSE, that would be the name of the program.. It stands for Slowly Saving Small Environments. This program would be represented in as many schools as possible. Many people could say that schools could not pay the funds for this program. But those people would be wrong. The only funds the school would have to pay for would be for a fence that goes around the enclosure to protect unwanted visitors from coming in.

This program would be all natural except for the surrounding fence. The only openings in the enclosure would be in the front for students, teachers, and parents to come in through. Although the enclosure would have a rather large opening for air dwelling animals to get out through. You may say that the program would not be natural because of the fence, but this is only thinking of the animals for it is there to protect them from anything that could possibly harm them unnaturally. Plus all of the animals could get out if they wanted to. The flying animals could get out through the opening at the top, and smaller land-dwelling animals could get out through the small holes in the fence.

The SSSE program would also be an advantage for students and teachers. Each week one student would be assigned to make sure no harm would come to the plants or animals. Each day a teacher from each class would send a couple of their students down to the enclosure to play in the enclosure at the same time caring for it by feeding the animals and watering the plants. All of the students could only stay in the enclosure for a certain amount of time. At this time, they would be excused from any homework assigned while they were in the SSSE. All students would only be allowed to go on the walking trails and any place their teacher said they could go, never being allowed to harm or touch the animals unless advised to by a teacher.

Many people would say that the program should not have animals such as hawks and lizards together. Well, those people would be wrong because these animals live together naturally in the wild and we cannot change that. Hawks are natural predators of a lizard just as a lizard is its natural prey. If the program changed this then it would not be considered natural at all.

The SSE program would only take a small amount of the school's land so there would still be extra land. Many people would enjoy this program and slowly, but surely, all the schools would be saving animals and their environment.

Think of the consequences

2010-05-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

You are coming home from work. It's dark outside and all you want to do is get home and see your wife. You get home, get your keys and as you are about to unlock the door, you hear your wife scream.

You fumble with your keys, but the door is already unlocked. You run and see your wife on the floor dead with the neighbor kid standing over her with a gun in his hand. He runs away; you run over to your wife and call the police. You thought you could trust the kid so you gave him a house key the previous summer.

Does he deserve the death penalty for the crime? He is only 15.

Teenagers should never get the death penalty. Teenagers have their whole lives ahead of them. They can turn their lives around even if they have to go to prison.

A teen goes to jail for killing someone. He goes to court and is given the death penalty. He is in jail for a month and realizes what he had done and begins teaching kids about what he did and how they are worth more than jail. The teen inspires many and still has to die.

The teen could have graduated from high school and gotten a job, but he had to die because of one mistake.

A teen should not be given the death penalty because of a mistake. The teen could turn his life around and become good. He could get a job, graduate from high school, or go to college.

Teens can do anything they set their minds to. We should educate kids on the effect of committing a crime. Think of the consequences before you take action.

Smoking: the unseen epidemic

2010-05-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

Are you good at math? Well, here is an equation for you: 1 = -11. Give up? Well, it stands for this: For every cigarette you smoke, you are expected to lose 11 minutes of your life. Are you surprised? Don't be.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, 50 of which can cause cancer. Tobacco contains carcinogens, which cause cancer, tar, nicotine (which is more addicting than heroin and also reaches your brain four seconds faster than heroin and can cause your heart to race) and smoking tobacco increases your risk of heart disease, and worst of all, countless types of lung disease. A woman taking birth control pills cannot smoke or she will risk increased blood clots. No wonder smoking is dangerous. But alas and sadly, not even all of these health risks are enough to prevent people from smoking.

Smokers are at an increased risk of having lung collapses, complications after surgery, and they are at a large risk of having their peripheral arteries collapse, which can lead to amputations. Every time you breathe in toxins from cigarettes, lung cells actually die! Smokers are at high risks of strokes and heart attacks, too. However, all of these effects aren't noticed very quickly after you start to smoke, which leaves smokers feeling fine and having plenty of time to get hooked.

Some more immediate effects, though, are yellow, nasty teeth and horrendous breath issues. You will have thinner, more wrinkled skin, which is also discolored. The hair becomes slightly brittle, too. Women's voices can become as deep as a man, and turn gruff, as well. Your lung capacity will be lower, making you get out of breath easily. Obviously, smoking will affect you now, and in the future.

Sadly, when you smoke, you are not only risking your life, but also the lives of everyone around you! That's right; secondhand smoke is a killer. Regardless of how much you are exposed to it, it's very dangerous and there is no risk-free level of it. Not only that, if you are anywhere in a building with a smoker, there is no way to remove absolutely all traces of secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,400 deaths from lung cancer, and 22,700 to 69,000 deaths from heart disease each year.

Asthmatics experience 20 percent more asthma attacks due to secondhand smoke, and young kids receive hundreds of thousands of respiratory sicknesses and ear infections due to secondhand smoke. According to the EPA, about 50 to 75 percent of children in the U. S. have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood. If these facts weren't enough then listen to this: There are more than 4,000 chemicals in secondhand tobacco smoke, and at least 250 of them are known to be harmful, and around 50 can cause cancer. Arteries are damaged by smoke immediately after smoke enters the bloodstream, as well. Just because you are not the one doing the smoking does not mean you won't feel the ill effects of the tobacco.

Not only do cigarettes have a sickening effect on your health, but they will have an astronomical effect on your finances! If you smoke just one pack of cigarettes a day, it will end up costing you $1,460 in a year. Through 40 years of smoking, you will have spent $58,400 on just cigarettes alone. That's one expensive habit! Not only that, you will have to pay more on health insurance, about four times more than a non-smoker on life insurance, and the amount you are paid for selling homes is much less due to the terrible odor. Smokers will have to visit doctors more often, and they will miss more work. An athlete who smokes can pretty much kiss his/her career goodbye. Studies have also shown that smokers receive four to 11 percent less income than non-smokers.

Not only does smoke kill many people by its toxins, but cigarettes are also the leading cause for civilian deaths in fires. These facts do not lie! Smokers are 6.6 percent times more likely to experience a house fire, and cigarettes are the cause of 55 percent of house fire fatalities.

Sadly, not only adults smoke. Most people start as teenagers, but a few start much younger. Their families introduced them to smoking at young ages when it was thought to be "cool" to smoke. The young kids weren't wise enough to realize that there was anything wrong with smoking, and the effects were much worse on them than they are on adults.

As you have learned, cigarettes cost you a lot and you have to pay that with your money, time, and life. When you smoke, you trade a few minutes of "bliss" for a lifetime of cancer, ruined appearances, and various health issues. Smokers pay thousands of dollars to basically kill themselves. Smokers are at high risk for many diseases, and many other various health concerns. So just remember, if you want to throw your life away, just smoke, because one cigarette = 11 minutes of your life. But before you do, consider this: the Lord gave you your life, don't waste it.

Ignorance in America

2010-05-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

In 2008, Barack Obama won the election and became the first black president. Two years later, we still see Facebook groups praying for his death. As I write this paper, a group of people in my communication arts class are debating whether Obama is a Muslim terrorist who wears a Kippah on his head. Unless you are one of the many ignorant Americans, you will know that makes no sense in any way.

Ignorance is like a disease. By not educating your opinions and understanding people around the world, your close-minded and ignorant thoughts can spread as fast as a wildfire.

The damage affects us in every way around the community. Ignorance can make people feel unwanted and offend them, and on the other end, ignorant people look uneducated and like dirty donkeys.

On our many trips to Europe, people from around here ask, "Why leave the country? Where would you even go?" This leads me to slapping myself in the face and losing hope in my generation.

In order to fix this disease, it all starts with education. I can name many students who can't name the seven continents or who don't even know who our first president was! A well-rounded person who knows his or her history and is educated will not sound that way. History is the single most important subject and schools should help make history and social studies less of lectures, boring videos, and endless note taking.

Ignorance and stupidity is how the world perceives America. In order to make a change in our image, let's make an effort within ourselves to learn about cultures and educate ourselves.

The death penalty needs to be put to death

2010-05-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Why do we kill people who kill people to show people that killing people is wrong?

The death penalty is total hypocrisy. If murderers are condemned to death, they themselves are being murdered. Wouldn't that make the ones who are condemning murderers, as well? When a man kills another man because the man had done something that is considered bad or evil, he is still considered a murderer. Shouldn't the same apply for those who are killing through the death penalty?

Many people will argue that the death penalty should be enforced because murderers don't deserve to be in this world any more. They say that those people have had the chance to lead lives, but ruined it when they decided to take others' lives, and they want them to suffer for it. But isn't condemning them to death making it easier on them? People seem to think death is the ultimate punishment, but it is not.

Dying is easy and it is an easy way to get out of the crap hole lives prisoners have dug themselves into. Living their lives would be a much worse punishment. So if you think about it, the death penalty is not really much of a punishment. Murderers deserve to be punished and the best way to make that possible is to make them live their miserable lives.

Others will argue that precious money is being wasted to fund prisons. Well, that may very well be true, but that does not give us the right to kill off the inhabitants. Taxes also go to people on welfare. Not all, but a lot of people receiving the money don't deserve it because they are sitting on their butts, too lazy to get jobs, but we are not killing them. There are many things tax money is supporting that most people don't agree with, but they aren't using death as a budget cut,

The death penalty needs to be put to death. The hypocrisy of it is sickening. If you believe that the death penalty should be enforced upon those who have killed, remember that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Thankful for what you have

2010-05-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought yourself unlucky? Unlucky because you didn't get something you wanted? Maybe you didn't get to over to your best friend's house or you didn't get the new x-box game you wanted.

While you are sitting in your room mourning about these minor details, a memory pops into your head about when your siblings were fighting over a game they got for Christmas, that they were supposed to share. You remember that your parents tell them to calm down, and one of them says, "I want my own game." You think to yourself, "Why do they have to be so impatient? Why can't they share?" You finally realize how impatient and selfish you were being yourself.

That night as you watch a television program, it talks about kids all around the world who are dying from starvation and diseases. You learn that a lot of kids have to survive on their own without parents. You remember the time your grandfather told you and your siblings stories about when he was a boy, in the country where he was born. He told you about how some kids never even got a chance to finish school. Some had to go off at nine or 10 years to get jobs to help support their families. They would often help their parents work on their farms and do anything that was needed. You never thought, even once, of how unfortunate they were until this moment.

You decide to explore more on this subject. You learn that children hide in fear of their lives in certain countries. They would love a chance to live a life like the people over in what they refer to as the world of freedom and opportunities, more commonly known as the United States. They would say a treat is a mere meal, warm clothing, and a roof over their heads.

So here I am, writing this paper, and as I wrap it up, I would like to say that the next time you think of yourself as unlucky, for whatever other reasons, think of the others who are far unluckier than yourself. Be happy and thankful for what you have.

If babies had a voice

2010-05-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

Month One: Hi, mommy. I'm comfortable here. I'm not ready to leave.

Month Two: Mommy, I love you. When I'm out, I want you to love me and help me grow.

Month Three: Guest what, Mommy? I grew hair. It's soft and fine. Aren't you proud of me?

Month Four: I'm a girl. I want to be your little princes. I love you, Mommy!"

Month Five: Mommy. We are we at the doctor's? What is that evil man saying? What is an abortion" What is that needle for? OWW! OWW! Mommy, it burns. I can't get away from it.

One hour later: Mommy, I'm an angel now. I met this man. His name is Jesus; he told me what an abortion is and why don't you want me? I love you, Mommy!

If babies had a voice this is what they would be saying. If mothers would stop and think about what they are doing, they wouldn't be killing these babies that don't even have a chance at life. This is wrong and everyone knows it. If they know it, then why are they killing innocent lives without a second thought?

God knew everyone before they were even in the womb so why would you take the life of a child who hasn't even experienced life? Having an abortion is equal to killing some random person on the street> it is wrong any way you look at it. This act of violence should be outlawed.

A night of regrets

2010-05-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

One day two people decide to have sex. Knowing all of the consequences of this decision, they still decide to take that chance. So, after the two people have sex they just normally go about their lives. The girl goes back to her sports, friends, and life, and the boy does the same. The "normal" routine continues for a few months until the girl finds out she is pregnant.

The girl has to go home and tell her family that she's pregnant. She also has to quit her sports and might have to redo any of the schooling that she might have to miss by having her child. She has to raise a child on her own because of decisions that two people made. All the guy has to do is deny that he had sex with her and no one can prove it until the baby is born. The boy can go along with his normal life as if nothing ever happened.

The girl has so many consequences due to that one night's decision and a lifetime full of regrets. The girl has a child that she has to bring into the world all by herself. So many things have to happen to the girl, but only one thing happened to the boy- he got a night of pleasure and a night of enjoyment. He has no regrets.

The boy gets to go back to his life and tell his friends that he got to have sex with a girl and he was so good that he got her pregnant. To him, it's probably just another notch on his belt, another girl to add to his list.

The girl has her life changed for her, the way people look at her and think of her will all be changed. The girl that we all once knew and loved has become an adult in nine months. She has completely had her life's course changed for her. Now some obstacles have been placed in her path that would not have been there if it were not for that one night of pleasure that turned into regrets.

Absolutely nothing has changed for the boy. He can choose to take on the responsibilities of being a father if he so chooses. Nothing will force him to turn into the adults he needs to be. It is all his choice. If the boy chooses, nothing has to change for him. He got a night of pleasure; she got a night of regrets.

When to thank a veteran

2010-05-10T05:12:00.000-07:00

Eyes wet, hearts aching, throat dry with a big lump right in the middle. Gunshot after gunshot "bam" right through the heart, "bam" another. When is it going to stop? As I tell myself, don't cry, don't cry, as I turn my head toward his broken wife, weeping with a folded triangle flag. This is what I felt and witnessed at a World War II veteran's funeral. When they played the sweet harmony of "Taps" verse after verse. Music note after music note wrapping around my head, squeezing it tighter and tighter like a boa constrictor until finally death, slow and painful.

So right about now, you are asking yourself, why on earth is this 14-year-old describing something so awful? Well, let me tell you, I felt all 21 gunshots that day and even though I was not the one lying in that navy blue, polished casket, I should have been.

Why, you ask. Well, a young boy marches out onto a half-littered, moistened, fog blanketed field. Gun cocked, adrenaline pumping, tiny droplets of sweat rolling down his face. Anger building up ready to ambush his enemies, head held high, along with many others he calls his brothers. Fighting for America, seeing bullet after bullet slicing through his friends, his family. Pushing through somehow, God next to him, helping, getting him away from the devil's reach and bringing him home to us in Joplin, Missouri.

Now, who is this very lucky man. Veteran Lawrence Fickle. He lived behind my house since the beginning of time. Every August 6, I would make a one layer carrot cake to take down to this hero on his birthday. You know, the worst part, as a hero, a veteran, and a godsend. I never once out of all of my years ever thanked the poor man. Now it is too late.

So please remember there is never a good time to thank a veteran, except all of the time. Don't wait until they are six feet under you, six feet too late. So this is a memorial to you Lawrence, a personal thank you. Someday, I will get to tell you as I walk through the pearly gates to the golden land, as you wait there and greet me. Glowing like an angel!

School budget cuts

2010-05-10T05:03:00.000-07:00

The times are getting tough and that means the Joplin R-8 School District has to make budget cuts.

Everything is on the line: Quiz bowl, journalism, elementary orchestra, sports, etc. However, a real question remains, what should be cut?

Every year, the school district spends $250,000 toward new textbooks in a different subject/grade. However, in only two of my five core classes do we actually have checked out textbooks. That's money wasted on brand new communication arts and reading textbooks in my classes.

Textbooks are good tools, but teachers should be able to look in them, get the curriculum, but not completely rely on them. At other grade levels, such as high school, we might use them more.

As for now, what is the point of spending more on textbooks that are collecting dust? Let's keep some of the textbooks, but how about selling off the unused ones?

Another area we could save money on is all of the landscaping and making our schools look pretty. Everyday, we look at our school and there are workers who are just making it look worse (The bushes are just gross.) The school district is so concerned with looking nice compared to other schools (maybe they should worry more about our budget).

Lastly, the one thing everybody would agree to get rid of would be Acuity testing! Eight times a year we take these tests. Instead of preparing us for MAP and our future, most students learn to hate standardized testing and rage against public school education.

Acuity testing is an awful waste of money )tens of thousands of dollars). In fact, the only people who have proven that it works are the people who make it and are making all of the money off it.

Budget cuts suck and so does this recession, but making these choices would help this school with its financial situation.

Dropping out: the worst decision

2009-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

By HUNTER MILLS

Dropping out of high school could be the worst decision you have ever made. High school dropouts do not make as much money as people with high school diplomas. During high school, teens are starting to build the person they will be and the type of worker they will be. If a student drops out of school, this process will stop and they will turn into a person they don't want to be. A high percentage of people who drop out end up in jail and with a criminal record.

This is a serious problem that should be dealt with and will be dealt with. Joplin High School should initiate an incentive program to help decrease the dropout rate at their school. With this program, the school would simply offer scholarship money and other money to students with at least a C average. This program would start after a student's freshman year. You may think that this would not work for some students, but for them other incentives would be given.

Another way to handle this epidemic of dropouts is to have each student meet with the counselor twice a year to discuss what that student is doing to prevent himself from dropping out or not graduating from high school. Once again, dropping out of high school is a life-altering decision. If the student's parents did not graduate high school, the odds of the student graduating high school are very slim. So maybe the goal is to not only help the students, but also to help the parents. The current dropout situation is a mess and it needs to be dealt with.

Stop dropouts

2009-05-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

By DREW WELCH

Thousands of students drop out of high school every year. One student drops out every 29 seconds. How can we stop this? Most students want more interesting classes and more engaging teachers. Teachers' personalities should be checked before they can even think about teaching.

There should be more interesting classes, so that students would have something fun to do during school. The teachers should all have good personalities. Some teachers are boring and don[t have outgoing personalities. All teachers should be required to have at least one fun assignment every week. In science classes, there should be a lab experiment every week. In reading, we should play a fun game where you learn, too. There are a lot of ideas that don't take more than five seconds to think of.

Most students who drop out feel like they don't matter. They think that if they don't matter, their education doesn't either. Bullying is a big reason for this. Kids get bullied and they feel smaller than dirt. They can also be abused at home, and that makes them feel even worse. Teachers should pay closer attention to bullying. When they see it happening, they do hardly anything about it. Teachers should at least report if it they see it. The Joplin School District is trying so hard to stop dropouts from happening, but they don't realize the small things that you can do to help stop it.

We need to make more interesting classes, get better teachers, and do a better job at stopping bullying.

Students should be paid

2009-05-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

By CHANCI MCGOWEN

"That's it. I quit!"

This is what many kids at Joplin High School say about school. There are many ways to reduce the dropout rate at JHS. The government could lower the graduation requirements. If students didn't have to complete so many classes then they might not get so discouraged and drop out. The school could also find ways to get students more involved. They could require students to join clubs and sports. Students who are involved at school are more interested in attending.

The school could also offer classes on-line. Sometimes students don't mind the work, they just don't like to attend school. They could still get their credits and never have to attend.

Alternative schools are very popular with students who don't like to attend regular school. Alternative schools are usually located away from the regular school. They have a small enrollment and students are given more attention. This keeps the students interested in what they are learning.

If it was possible, the government could pay every student for attending school. They could get a monthly paycheck for every day they attend. I don't know how it would happen, but I think students would attend if they got paid.

Reducing the dropout rate at JHS

2009-05-14T14:06:00.001-07:00

By HEATHER COPELAND

Most kids can't wait for the school bell to ring at the end of the day, while others don't even show up to school and don't participate in the typical daily routine of the average teenager. The kids that I am referring to are the high school dropouts. Although the dropout rate has decreased in the past 30 or 40 years, it is still a major issue that our entire nation has to face.

Half of the kids that drop out are almost completely unaware of the path that they have chosen to start a life. In Missouri, the total number of dropouts for the year of 2008 was 12,034 students. For the school district of Joplin R-VIII, there were 135 dropouts. It may not be too high, but it is still a serious matter. For every one of those students, another high school diploma was not being handed out.

Some of the precautions that would be necessary to take are maybe more schoolwide activities. We should get more of our students involved, so they don't feel the need to drop out. We should also have a class that explains the negative outcomes of dropping out of school. Most schools don't have the time or the extra money for these things, but it is still a good idea to try and change things around a little.

Students need to be aware of the life that lies ahead of them after high school. They control their future, and even though the rest of us can't force them to stay in school, we really could help them choose the right thing to do. Education is a necessity and it is very important to educate our high school students. It would be a great goal to try and prevent dropouts. In the long run, is it really worth it to quit school and give up on your education?

Let them drop out!

2009-05-14T13:56:00.001-07:00

By THEA VOUTIRITSAS

Everyone is so worried about how to stop kids from dropping out of school. All I can say is, let them drop out There is absolutely nothing you can do You can make whatever programs you want. You can even pay them to stay. Take my word for it, it's not going to work. Kids are going to drop out, regardless of what you do or say.

My advice to you is to just give up. Just cut your losses and go. Quite while you are ahead. Don't worry about those kids who drop out. They will fall into their places in the adult world eventually. Trying to get them to stay is a lost cause. Trust me, giving up now is the way to go.

Those students who stay in school can move on and become doctors, lawyers, architects, and all the other white collar workers of America. Let the kids who drop out just go. They are probably a distraction to the more studious people anyway. Save yourself the worry and the money of trying to make them stay.

Once they turn 16, there's nothing you can do. Just get good teachers and cram as much useful knowledge into their heads as you can while they are here. Try to instill good morals into them, too. And if you can't do that, it's best to just let them be.

Trying to control them is just going to make them want to leave even more than they already do. Besides, you can't control them, so just stop trying. Just step back and let the youth and future run amuck about the country. One day, reality will hit them, and they'll grow up.

Make the classes more interesting

2009-05-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

By TERA HALL

A way we could help solve the high school dropout rate problem is to try and make the classes more interesting so that you have their focus. The majority of all the dropouts say that they quit because they grew bored or tired of learning the same way and the same things for so many years. So if we find a way to make things more interesting for the students, then less will quit and the dropout problem will stop.

We could get different classes together so that each person can learn at their own speed and they don't face the problems of the other students making fun of them because they learn slower. All people learn at different speeds so if we can set our classes up so that all of those people are at the same level of learning, it would help stop students from dropping out.

Some of the kids drop out because the kids are undisciplined. The teachers ignore the kids and they get so out of control. The kids get tired of dealing with the drama so they quit and try to get in a more stable environment.If we could get the kids under control, the others would stay in school. If you take the steps to achieve these goals, your dropout rate will decrease.

How to decrease high school dropout rates

2009-05-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

By RONNY WADE REDDELL

High school dropout rates are too high in the United States. This has far reaching consequences to both the people who drop our and America. It can seriously hurt the students because they get a lot less money than people who graduate at least high school. It's also harmful due to the fact that, nationally, about 48 percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts. We need to come up with something that will help people stay in school.

There is not going to be any plan that is going to be completely successful, but we need to try to do as much as we can, because most high school dropouts have lives nine years shorter than graduates.

I have come up with a few suggestions and/or plans for persuading kids to stay in school. One idea that might help persuade people to stay in school is telling them what's to come if they do not graduate. Maybe it will scare them enough to convince them not to drop out.

However, there are several reasons students drop out. There are some reasons where we can't really do much about it or help them. There are kids dropping out because of pregnancy, helping the family, children, etc. There are some things that we could probably do to help them stay in school.

Dropout prevention

2009-05-14T13:35:00.001-07:00

By VICTORIA THOMPSON

Do you know Joplin's dropout rate is higher than the state average? Well, it is and we need to figure out how to stop the dropout rates from increasing and we need to try to stop it as much as we can. Joplin's dropout rate is 6.6 percent, while the state average is 4.2 percent. We need to bring those rates down! Some ways we could do that are to make school more stimulating for the students, get parents involved, and have more after-school activities that people would want to do. Let me explain.

We need to make school more stimulating. If students are bored, why would they want to stay in that boring place? I know it won't and can't always be fun, but we need some more stimulating days. Ways to do that would be in science, to have more experiments. In communication arts, we could have more discussions take place, and maybe read newer book choices. Simple things like these could help reduce the dropout rates.

If we get parents involved, then they can help their kids at home. If the parents are involved, then the kids themselves might feel more compelled to get involved in school and not drop out. Also, parents most likely to have more power over their children than the schools do. Getting parents involved in some way, whether that be calls home, or letters home, or maybe more PTA meetings, might help our students stay in school.

More after-school activities would be something fun for kids to do so they don't drop out. It could also keep them away from drugs, which sometimes leads to dropouts. More after school activities such as band, orchestra, sports, and quiz bowl would help a lot of kids to stay in school. If the kids enjoy the activities, then they won't drop out, because you can't be in the activities unless you go to the school. it would definitely help out.

So we need to make classes stimulating, get parents involved, and have more after-school activities. Doing all of this will help lower our dropout rates. We need the rates to drop now! Let's lower Joplin's dropout rates from 6.6 percent to at least the state average!

There are so many things we can do

2009-05-14T13:33:00.001-07:00

By ALYVIA WARSTLER

I believe that there are many things we can do to lower the number of dropouts in the Joplin R-8 School District. Basically, we could reward kids, teachers could spend one-on-one time with each kid, and students, as a school could encourage their classmates and sit with lonely kids at lunch. Good things like that. There are so many things that we could do. It's a wonder why so many people drop out.

First, when a student enrolls in kindergarten, the school district could put a savings bond in the bank. As the student goes through school, the savings bond will mature. When it comes to graduation day, the student will get cash in return. If the student drops out, though, he or she will not get the money. If local businesses pitch in and help fund this project, it will be possible.

Next, teachers could spend one-on-one time with each kid. This would hopefully fulfill the feeling that some kids might get of being unimportant. The teachers could discuss their grades and question them about how school is going. If the student ever seems a little bit down, teachers could give them a pass to go to the counselor and talk with them. I think this could help to decrease the number of dropouts in the Joplin R-8 School District because the teachers won't really overlook people.

Last, to lower the number of dropouts in the Joplin R-8 School District we can, as a school, sit with lonely people at lunch and encourage them to join clubs and get more involved. I think that if kids join clubs they will be less likely to drop out because they will feel like they have something to do with the school and student body. If kids encourage them, they more than likely will join a club than if they just sat alone. Also, if students sit with lonely students at school, they will have a friend and have a good reason not to drop out, because the fact that there is someone they can spend time with throughout school. This itself could help a lot.

Finally, there are so many things that we can do to lower the number of dropouts in the Joplin R-8 School District. First, we could give rewards, like a savings bond when a student graduates. Next, teachers could spend one-on-one time with each kid. Last, we can, as a school, sit with lonely people at lunch and encourage them to join clubs and get more involved. There are just so many things that we can do to lower the number of dropouts in the Joplin R-8 School District. Hopefully, someday the number of dropouts will drop dramatically.

The power of positive influences

2009-05-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

This entry is a finalist in the 2009 South Middle School Essay Contest.)

By SALENA PEREZ

Many people drop out of school early for many reasons. Reasons such as being bored, not being able to go, drug problems, getting pregnant and so much more. I don't think a lot of people could do much to prevent this except maybe for encouragement.

Some students would rather have encouragement instead of texting privileges or better lunches. Encouragement can be helpful just as much as anything else. School isn't about bribes. But letting a student know that they can do it and they will is much better than punishments.

Someone who has positive influences is more likely to succeed in school than a student who is negative because people never tell them that they can do it and graduate. I also think that if students are failing a class, they can have a teacher help rather than the student who has to ask a teacher. Some students feel uncomfortable in that position under pressure. I know teachers have many students to worry about but some students need a teacher who will let them learn and be creative and have fun.

Making students comfortable and having a constant positive and encouraging attitude toward them will make them feel like they can and will graduate. It will make them feel successful and have a huge impact on the Joplin school dropout rate.

Sit with lonely kids at lunch

2009-01-26T05:36:00.000-08:00

The importance of an education

2009-01-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

By KATE STAUFFER

Education is the knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from schooling. Education allows people to be more productive and more responsible in their life. Three ways to make children stay in school are parent involvement, alternative schools, and work study programs.

Most kids are influenced by their parents. Parents need to teach their kids the importance of an education at a young age. Parents need to make sure their kids attend school everyday and complete all the work. Education and learning are not all a teacher's responsibility.

Having a good family environment and home life makes learning easier on kids. Some kids have trouble learning in traditional schools so they might be better off going to an alternative school. This type of school would provide smaller classrooms, more individual attention, and different teaching methods. This school could also provide classes to those students who need to make up credits so they can graduate with their class.

The school could offer a work study program for those students who are not planning to attend college. They could take the required classes at school in the morning and work at a job in the afternoon. These work hours could replace the elective hours for graduation requirements. If students did this they would need to being this process their freshman year.

Getting a high school education is important for everyone in order to have success in life. It is the basis for life long learning. Students, teachers, and parents all need to work together to make sure kids finish high school.

Make classes more interesting

2009-01-26T05:25:00.000-08:00

By MIRANDA MURPHY

To reduce the number of dropouts in the R-8 School District, they need to reduce peer pressure, make classes more interesting, and give classes for student parents.

To reduce peer pressure, the teachers can make the students feel like they're their own leader. I think the students follow their friends because they want to fit in and they don't feel like they are important enough to say no. Peer pressure plays a big part in a dropout's decision.

Making classes more interesting is easy. Bright colors and posters in a classroom makes it more fun to be there. Learning is easier when it is taught in the form of a race. Students won't want to drop out of school if they enjoy learning what they are taught.

By giving classes for student parents, it lets them know that they aren't alone and that they can be a parent, and a student, too. The students would learn how to do schoolwork, and take care of their child. Then they would be less stressed about school and wouldn't drop out.

These are all good ways to reduce the number of dropouts in the R-8 School District.

Treat all student fairly

2009-01-26T05:21:00.000-08:00

By BAILEY KLEEMAN

To lower the dropout rate in the Joplin R-8 School District, we should treat all of the students fairly.

The Joplin R-8 School District has noticed the number of graduates is very low at this point, they are asking for our help to think of ideas to lower and reverse this cycle.

First, we should treat all kids the same. Second, we should try to make an effort to discipline children instead of giving so many warnings. Third, make sure kids are rewarded for good behavior. Fourth, we should help the students that struggle with certain subjects. Fifth, try to make teacher-student connections.

Next, try to make sure every student is in an extracurricular activity. Furthermore, we could try to make the purpose of going to school more relevant, by telling what could happen if they don't graduate and have to go back to school to get their GED. Last, bring in people who have dropped out then had to go back to get their GED to get a decent job. So if we try very hard we might achieve this obstacle we are unfortunately faced with.

As you can see, we could do much more to solve this problem.

Extracurricular activities can help kids stay in school

2009-01-26T05:14:00.000-08:00

By ETHAN CRIDER

The dropout rate in Joplin is increasing rapidly. Kids don't think school's important. We need to show them that it can be fun. I think the solution to the dropout rate is to motivate kids to join extracurricular activities.

I am in extracurricular activities. Writing club gets me motivated to get up every Monday and go to school. Clubs are a great way to have fun and learn at the same time. You can also make a lot of new friends. There's a club for everybody.

Therefore, clubs are a great way to help kids stay in school.

Next, kids can join Student Council. Student Council plans what we do with our funding. Student Council is really fun. It's for everybody- sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.

Last is my favorite. You can join school sports. I can't because I'm only a sixth grader. I'm going to join basketball. If you join sports, you can make lots of new friends. When you do well, you feel really good about yourself.

Finally, extracurricular activities are a great way to help kids stay in school. Sports, Student Council, and clubs are a great way to make new friends. There are many ways to lower the dropout rate. The dropout rate is serious, but it can be fixed.

Stress

2008-04-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

By SHANE ELLIS
(This essay took fifth place in the annual SMS Essay Contest.)
One of the biggest problems facing teens today is stress. I know this from first-hand experience. Last quarter, I cracked under pressure. The stress caused me to have to go to the doctor and get medicine for depression and anxiety. As a result, all of my school work suffered. My grades dropped a lot.

In the teen years of people's lives, they are already going through changes. Stressful things like homework, popularity, and what not are even more stressful to a teen than to an adult or a child. We are going through hormonal changes which cause stress on the body and mind by itself.

There are some very simple ways to lessen the stress. You could cut back on homework. Having over an hour and a half of homework in middle school, or two hours of homework for high school has been proven to have negative effects on children. Giving more class time to do homework would help a lot. This way, if you get stuck, the teacher can help you. Shorter assignments would still make sure kids knew how to do the work, but would cause less stress.

Relieving stress in school will cause teens to have fewer problems in their lives.

Teen pregnancy is an obstacle

2008-04-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

By TAYLOR CAMDEN
(Taylor Camden's essay took first place in the SMS Essay Contest.)
The biggest problem facing teens today is pregnancy.

Kids grow up and become teenagers. Teenagers grow up and become adults. Adults are supposed to go to college, get a good job, get married, start a family, etc.

If a teenager becomes sexually active, she risks getting STDs and getting pregnant. Teens who become pregnant usually have to drop out of school, and get a job at the nearest McDonald's. Let's face it. Having a kid at 14 and working in the food industry isn't exactly the teen dream.

I'm not saying that teen pregnancy is an absolute disaster, but it is an obstacle. I'm 14. I want to grow up and be a special education teacher. I want to find the perfect guy, get married, and maybe someday have kids.

If I got pregnant tomorrow, I would have to drop out of school to take care of my new baby. Since I cannot get the education, I cannot get a degree so I can't get that job. Dream number one- crushed.

Facing the cold truth, most guys would not date a woman at 20 who has a six-year-old. Dream two, three, and four- crushed.

We have all sung this same old song many times before:

"There's a boy and a girl sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First come love,
then comes marriage,
then comes a baby in a baby carriage."

Until about 30 seconds ago, I never really understood that song. It means that people are supposed to have children as adults. Considering you cannot get married until you are an adult. The people in this song seem happy. They are in love, they are married, and they have a child.

I have never understood why someone would risk everything for just one night. I do not think I would ever be happy asking myself, "What if I had never gotten pregnant?"

When teens get pregnant, it is not the end of the world, it's simply the end of the life they dream of living.

Fitting in

2008-04-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

By TORI THOMPSON
(Tori Thompson's essay placed ninth in the SMS Essay Contest.)
The greatest problem facing teens today is trying to fit in. I say this because that it all it seems people are trying to do. Take, for example, the groups we have in school. It seems everyone always wants to be in a different group than what they are in. Like, some people, who might love band, won't be in it, because they want to be in a different group other than "band geeks."

Some people want to be preps, so they won't be in band or do well in school, because they don't want to be "band geeks" or "nerds." We, as teens, let our groups and labels control who we are and what we do. Honestly, I just want to be myself and be a "band geek!" I have just seen it take control of my friends, and it is scary! The hardest part about it is they go slowly, so that they can stab you in the back, just so they can fit in.

Trying to fit in is a huge problem, because it turns people into backstabbing jerks who do not do what they want and don't follow their hearts. Following your heart and doing what you love is important in life, so that you can love life, and live it with your actual friends. Not the friends who you try to fit in with, as in not the backstabbing friends.

When most people try to fit in it is not pretty. I have seen it turn the nicest people into heartless jerks. I could probably say this a million times, that trying to fit in isn't always the best and would probably never be heard. That does not stop me from still saying what is on my mind. My last point to this is, if you don't fit in, or are not popular with other groups, chance are you are popular on your own.

I will say this a million and one times and only get heard once, but I will keep saying it. Fitting in isn't always good; following your heart is the best thing to do. Be friends with people who won['t stab you in the back, unless that's what you really want. Just remember you fit in with your group and your friends, what does it matter if you fit in with everyone else?

Teen pregnancy

2008-04-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

By CAROLINE DUTTON
(Caroline Dutton's essay took third place in the SMS Essay Contest.)
415,408- the number of teens pregnant in 2007 alone. Teen mothers-to-be not only have to deal with the physical aspect of having a child, but also the social, financial, and intellectual things that occur with becoming pregnant. Teen fathers are blamed, ridicules and surpassed as deadbeat parents. Having a child can not only change your life, but in some cases, ruin it.

I think that teen pregnancy would be the biggest problem or concern for today's teens because so many young women are getting pregnant and having no place to go or boyfriend to talk with. The few places they can go are already jam packed. To prevent his, I also think more school clinics should offer birth control without parental consent. This would cause a lot of controversy, but in the end, it's worth it.

Socially, pregnant girls get made fun of and called names. Teen mothers have no childhood because everyone has closed them out, or they give it up for their children. Society has not only accepted teen pregnancies, but also outcasted it. In Hollywood, it is normal to cast a spotlight on teen mothers, teen sex, and teen pregnancy. But in reality, when teens come to school pregnant, not only do the classmates treat them differently, but so do teachers and faculty. I think it's time people realized that if we have more options, and make contraceptives available in more places there won't be as many girls getting pregnant.

There are lots of choices for anyone who is pregnant. You can give it up for adoption, but that could be as hard as keeping it. There is also abortion in the first months of pregnancy. All these choices have different effects. Some teens who choose to keep the child realize they cannot afford the child. People who give their babies up for adoption are often left worried something will happen to their child. And teen mothers who choose to undergo abortion have trouble with depression for killing their child.

All in all, pregnancy is something we face in today's teen society. It's a growing concern with teen adolescents that are not abstinent. The charts are continuing to decline. So be smart, and choose to know what is ahead. The only way that is 100 percent effective contraception is abstinence.

Relationships

2008-04-21T05:31:00.001-07:00

By MOLLY BAKER
(Molly Baker's essay finished fourth in the SMS Essay Contest.)

The bell rang; it was time for third hour. Susie was in the corner crying. I went over to ask her what the problem was. She replied with a sobbing, hard to understand, "My boyfriend broke up with me." This was the second time in two weeks. She was only in eighth grade. She had totally been "all over" boys since sixth grade.

Relationships are one of the greatest problems facing teens today. If you think about it, relationships can lead to many other problems.

First of all, being together with someone can cause drama. Remember all of the drama in middle school. Fighting over the boys and girls because they think they always have to be with somebody. People get in fights because they want to go out with somebody else's boyfriend or girlfriend. There is constantly drama because of relationships for teens today.

If somebody is in a deep relationship with somebody else, and one breaks up with the other, the one broken up with is very sad. He or she may get depressed because they think that is the end of the world. When teens get depressed, they may slack off on school work and their grades start to slip, which is not a good thing.

Teens are very emotional. A boyfriend may cause a girl to not be herself, just so she can try to impress him. They can get themselves into things that they may not know how to get out of, or may be very hard to get out of. They become emotional and begin to slit their wrists, all because of one relationship.

You may hear people say things like suicide, or drugs, or lying is the problem. But what makes them do that stuff? What makes that stuff happen? The answer is relationships. Teens do not just go around lying or doing drugs or killing themselves just because they feel like it. There is always a reason, a reason for everything.

Picture this: A boy breaks up with a girl after a long, interesting relationship. The girl is heartbroken, and goes home and lies on her bed, crying her eyes out. She makes a wrong decision and commits suicide. Why does she do this? Without her boyfriend, she feels like she has no reason to be on earth. This is a big problem.

In addition to everything else, relationships can break up friendships and most of all, parent and kid communication. This is not all relationships can do. They can cause pregnancies, which lead to dropping out of school.

Now you understand what the real problem facing teens today is. It is clearly relationships. Teens should be careful with the choices they make concerning relationships, and guard their life, because they only have one.

Bullying

2008-04-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

By RAYCEE THOMPSON
(Raycee Thompson's essay took second place in the SMS Essay Contest.)
Have you ever been bullied online or at school? I have and it happened fourth quarter of my sixth grade year. I remember it was like it was yesterday...

Jennifer and I had been friends, but then she turned on me. Her bullying caused me to lose friends, my self-esteem, my faith in the human race, and my hope for a future. It was terrible and I know that every teen at some point in time deals with some form of bullying. Bullying has a permanent effect and, of course, I sadly know...

Jennifer convinced all my friends that I was no good and that I had said bad things about all of them. Within a month, all my friends had left me. I didn't enjoy anything anymore, like going to the movies, shopping, or going for walks, since I had no one to do those things with. Sure, I had my mom, dad, and sister, but it just wasn't the same.

I felt miserable. Jennifer's words were getting to me. My old friends and Jennifer would tell me, "No one likes you, but everyone else is just afraid to say it." They would also tell me, "No one will ever like you because you are fat, ugly, dumb, and annoying. You should just kill yourself." I believed their words and thought that since they were true I should just go away. I didn't have a lot of self-esteem before, so it was no surprise that I was willing to give into what they were saying.

Every day was painful for me. I felt that no one cared or even if they did they couldn't help me. Sure, my family stood behind me, but that didn't matter to me at all. I felt the whole human race was falling apart day by day. I would look around me or on TV and see the war in Iraq, murders, and burglaries. I felt so helpless and I started to sleep on my weekends to get away from it all.

Next, I started to care less and less about school. Mid-terms came in and I was barely passing any of my classes. I had nothing that I loved any more, nothing to look forward to or anything. I thought to myself, "I guess I shouldn't go to law school or even college for that matter since I am so dumb and worthless." My mom started to get really worried, since I did not have an interest in going to her study groups or talking about my future.

I will always remember this event, but I try not to dwell on it. Bullying has had a permanent effect on me and other people I know. I guess the only positive effect of bullying is that you realize how much your words have an effect on someone so you do not bully people or tease them.

Now, just imagine you are getting bullied, but you have a family that could care less if you are dead or alive; how would you feel? That's how most teens feel today. Like they say, "Today's family is school." Sad to say, but there are parents who do not care about their kids anymore and some schools don't do anything about bullying. Most people just say, "Get over it, you are overreacting."

I do not know what I would have done in the situation with Jennifer had it not been for my family. I had lost my self-esteem, friends, faith in the human race, and my faith in the future. Bullying is the greatest problem facing teens today. It leave painful memories with them and sadly, some of them can't take it so they take their own lives. I just hope that someday people will realize how much their words affect other people and stop, saying cruel, harsh words.

The problem of obesity

2008-04-21T05:10:00.000-07:00

By BRITTANY FRISBIE
(Brittany Frisbie's essay took 10th place in the annual SMS Essay Contest.)
The doughnut wrappers lay crinkled on the floor. Reaching for another package of doughnuts, Lucy turns on the TV. The only thing on was a show on overeating. Lucy flips through again. Nothing but skinny models and healthy food. She felt taunted by them and turned the TV off. Then she started crying.

Today, teens face the worldwide problem of obesity. All the skinny models are causing those who "think" they aren't perfect to try to become perfect. When they fail, they become depressed, causing them to gain weight. The skinny people are the real problem. But people of today don't see what causes the problem. And what causes the problem is what actually matters.

People should like themselves the way they are. If you are unhappy with yourself, try looking at the good points of your life. If you really think, the good points will outnumber the bad. That is what life is all about.

Many people today can help. If people would accept those who are larger than them, everyone would feel accepted. And, if everyone is accepted, they will be at peace with their bodies. The war will be over, and you will be happy.

If you are still unhappy with the way you are and how you were made, then you need to see a doctor. If you have a health problem, you can begin to worry. But if you don't, you have NOTHING to worry about.

So, accept yourself for who you are and don't let anorexic models ruin your life.

Rumors

2008-04-21T05:09:00.000-07:00

By RACHELLE HUGHBANK
(Rachelle Hughbank's essay took eighth place in the SMS Essay Contest.)
Imagine walking through the halls of South Middle School. Hundreds of people looking at you, and when you walk past some one the snicker, you walk up the stairs, its worse up there, it seems like everybody is now upstairs, you go to your locker, on your way to T.A., someone trips you, the reason; Someone told them that you were talking about them and that you wanted to have a fight.

What happened here? Rumors, they spread like wild fires, during passing time between first and second hour, a rumor could be told and if it’s a bad rumor – which most are- it will be known by almost everybody by passing between fourth and fifth hour.

This is a big problem with teens today because it can make students treat kids horribly (I.E. getting bullied). People are always told that whenever someone starts a rumor or bullies you it’s either 1.Because they have a crush, 2. They tease someone about what they don’t like about themselves. Students that start rumors are only causing trouble for other student peers, because someone can tell a rumor and put another student’s safety on the line.

There is no way possible to eradicate rumors because there will always be something or someone that will always try to make life a little bit harder for someone else, even if that other person has done nothing wrong to the other person. This is a problem that we as teenagers must learn to live with because it will always happen no matter how much we don’t like it or how much it hurts.

Judgment

2008-04-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

By SARAH KESSLER
(Sarah Kessler's essay won fifth place in the SMS Essay Contest.)
As teens walk the hallways of their schools, they see many different kinds of people. We see the preps, the Goths, the geeks, and the just plain, “normal” people. We see people for what they look like on the outside, and what we don’t realize is that inside, they might not be exactly who we make them out to be. The human race has been guilty of judging others since time began, but just because this fault has existed for centuries, doesn’t make it right.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” These words from the Bible (Matthew 7:1) speak only the truth. I’ve been alive or only 14 years, but I have learned that if you judge others, in turn, they will judge you just as harshly. No one can possibly know everything about another human, so is it really fair of us to assume the character of a person?

No you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “I don’t judge other people.” That’s a nice thought to think, but I can guarantee that it isn’t correct. Everyone has judged others. Even thinking or saying something as simple as, “I don’t want to sit by him, He’s so weird and annoying!’ or “He’s nothing but a preppy jerk!’ is judging another being.

This is why judgment is such a problem. We judge others without even realizing we’re doing it, and it’s nearly impossible to stop. Judging does nothing worthwhile. It only destroys the feelings and reputations of others. So why do it?

Self-Image

2008-04-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

By VICTORIA MITCHELL
(Tori Mitchell's essay won seventh place in the annual SMS Essay Contest.)
Every time I look in the mirror, I don’t know what I see. I stand about five foot six. I’m not skin and bone, but I’m not what you would call fat. My brunette hair lies over my shoulders and isn’t much longer. Across my cheeks there are light brown sports, I think they’re called freckles. Ever day I apply make up to cover then.
I’m ugly.
That’s how I see myself. I know I’m not the only teen facing this. It’s a problem and its called self-image.
The girls at school have caused this to happen to many others and me. We see ourselves as outcast; we don’t belong because we aren’t pretty. They call us ugly and make fun of what we wear, so when we look in the mirror we see what they see, not what we should see. My parents tell me I'm beautiful, I wish I could believe them like I did when I was young. But, I simply see myself as ugly.
Self-image is a problem that is hitting teens all over the United States. It can cause depression, self-mutilation and maybe even suicide.
There is a solution to this problem; everyone must simply say everyone is beautiful. Then when everyone wakes up in the morning, they can look in the mirror, smile with a big grin and simply say, “ I am beautiful.”