Laws of Life

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CHARLOTTE AMALIE HIGH SCHOOL


Traits of a Good Friend
by Sadiyah Ali, Grade 9

Peer pressure pushes many of my fellow classmates today to change their daily lifestyle to suit others. It may not have a physical effect only, but it can also affect you mentally. I may never give into peer pressure because I will never change my looks, personality or habits to suit my fellow peer group. I am a person who leads and not follows. No one can change me and my striking personality, for I do not believe that one must be changed to suit someone else. Therefore, I have resisted peer pressure to the extent of my personal appearance, my daily habits, positive attitude and behavior.

As a young Muslim female, I am faced with the issue of changing my personal appearance to that which is not common in today's society. I look around and I see my peers who choose to wear less rather than more and myself who wears more rather than less. I am at the age, as my other peers, where I do want to look my best and attractive at all times but I am faced with the predicament of going against my religious beliefs. I, however, have chosen my religion over vanity and my life has not changed a bit. This appearance change can range from my headdress, to my clothing, make-up and shoes. As a Muslim, I must dress modestly, appropriately and respectively, following the Islamic dress code. This includes my head to be covered with a headscarf, which is also known as a hijaab. My attire should include clothing that covers my body excluding my feet, face and hands. Even though the 9-11 attack had made the Muslim women stand out and more prone to criticism, my mom never once thought of changing her attire to fit in with the crowd. It was her strong will that inspired me to also travel the same road irregardless of what my friends thought. My true friends are still my friends today even though I have chosen to change my dress style. Several teenagers question me about my attire and the answer is simple: it is required in my religion to avoid anyone having inappropriate thoughts about me in a lustful manner. It also keeps up the tradition of how my ancestors dressed in the Middle East over 2,000 years ago. Yes, I may have been teased and troubled by others in my school, but it is not enough for me to give up my faith for someone else's opinion.

As part of a society which has a great number of people affected with peer pressure, a change in behavior is usual. A vicious bully can change into a pleasant young adult with the right guidance from peers: This behavioral adjustment, however, is not always positive. In fact, it normally results in an increase in physical contact with others, such as combative actions. Most teens, unlike myself, would persuade their friends to do these such things. Good friends, in my opinion, would never persuade their friends to hurt themselves. I think my friends would rather help me improve my lifestyle with the uncommon, positive peer pressure.

As a Muslim, we are known to be quite peaceful people, if you exclude the 1% who are terrorizing us today. This is so because we are taught that everyone is equal and thus must be treated with kindness and respect as they should do onto us. I follow these guidelines to make me the best person that I can be and find it very easy not to succumb to peer pressure. Another major problem caused by peer pressure is in the change of habits, whether good or bad. All too often I have seen that a person would adapt a bad habit, like smoking or doing drugs, because they have seen a family member indulging in it or one of their friends. Tobacco is a general drug used by teenagers as it is the easiest drug to obtain. I have also seen that those who want to go further, drugs like marijuana, heroine and crack are normally used. I think that if these peers had good friends to guide them away from the vice, they would not have ended up with the problems arising from this bad habit. Good friends, in my opinion, would encourage me to get more involved in schoolwork, helping the community in any way possible and getting involved in more after school activities. My peer group consists of teenagers who strive to excel in school and that influences me to be the best that I can be, physically and mentally. This peer group of mine does not only strive well, but has a positive attitude about everything that we accomplish. My peer group knows better than to give into negative peer pressure because they know in most cases it will ruin our lives. As I described my peer group before, you would notice that I have probably picked the best kind that you can obtain. The choosing of your friends is a vital decision in life that everyone must make. Friends are the ones that support you whenever necessary, even if it is 3 o'clock in the morning. They are the ones that convince you to do right and prevent you from doing wrong.

Peer pressure is more widely spread than many think, in good and bad. It may even be affecting people that you never expected it to and ways never predictable. Since there are good and bad peer pressures, it is my duty to choose which one to follow. Either way, I should set a limit on what I choose to do and make my life suitable for myself, as I am a young, female, Muslim.

Can You Handle Disappointment
by Simfoni Nibbs, Grade 10

"Finally!" I exclaimed, as the dreaded school bell rang signaling the end of the school day. As I bolted my way through the crowd of students and approached the gymnasium, I anxiously anticipated the arrival of volleyball practice. Little did I know I would be struck with some dreadful news! The head coach called me aside during practice and explained in a calm manner, "Simfoni, you're a committed and dedicated player with enough team spirit for the entire team, and I've seen great improvement in you since playing junior varsity volleyball. However, we've already chosen our twelve players for this year's school league, and I'm sorry, but you didn't make the team. You can still practice with us and better your skills in order to be ready for next year, though."

Instantly, I was heartbroken, and I felt as if the burning passion within me to play volleyball had suddenly been ripped out and shredded into a thousand bite-sized pieces. All my hopes and dreams of becoming a professional volleyball player were crushed in that one moment! Sometimes, things don't always turn out the way I want them to, as was the case in this experience. Clearly, I was disappointed. How did I cope with this disappointment? I continued to attend practice in order to improve my skills and, being optimistic, believed that I would make the team the following year. At every practice, I thought about a quote once said to me by a volleyball virtuoso: "With optimism, you see the rose and not its thorns, but with negativity, you stare at the thorns unaware of the rose." The years have gone by and, not only have I matured emotionally, but I have also developed a more effective approach towards dealing with disappointment, and have strengthened my ability to see the positive side of every seemingly negative situation.

Just as the body goes through physical changes with maturity, so too has my response to disappointment. Had I experienced the disappointment of not making the team four years ago when I was younger, I might have cried until my eyes got swollen, as I did some years ago. For example, on December 16, 2005, I really wanted to attend "Miracle on Main Street" but couldn't because my mom had just caught the flu. Her illness had single-handedly killed my Christmas spirit. I tried so hard to hold back the swelling tears by sitting alone in a corner, but I just couldn't. I literally cried for six consecutive hours, until I eventually cried myself to sleep. Later that night, I awoke with a sharp pain in my stomach and a serious headache. Before I could make it to my parents' room to alert them of my feelings, I vomited three times, which startled them awake. At that stage in my life, it seemed as though crying was the only way I knew to handle my disappointment. I eventually realized that crying did not make matters better. In fact, crying sometimes made matters worse!

Now that I am fifteen years of age, I have developed my own method of preventing disappointment from getting me down. As such, I am able to face any dilemma head on! First, I calm down and give myself a day or two to think about the situation. Next, I discuss the situation with someone I trust and am very close to, such as a parent or a close friend. Then, I ask myself, "Is this really worth getting angry or upset about?" After all, disappointments don't last forever! Lastly, I think about what I can learn from the experience. I don't judge myself for failing because I realize that failing at something does not mean that I am a failure. It merely means that I need improvement!

In addition to developing my approach, I have also developed an exceedingly optimistic view of life, which has proven to be a valuable asset in overcoming disappointment. This has enabled me to turn failures into achievements, to expect the best possible outcomes, and to see possibilities in whatever seems negative. I have learned to accept the underlying principle of the old adage, "Every disappointment is a blessing in disguise". We cannot go back and create a new beginning but we can, however, bring about a new and desired ending.

In conclusion, my response to disappointment has changed as I've grown and matured. From sitting alone in a corner and crying, to thinking my problems through, I've developed my own method of dealing with disappointment. Through experience, I've learned that optimism is the key to conquering disappointment, and that nothing can be done without hope and confidence. In fact, disappointments do to people what thunderstorms do to the atmosphere; they come with a blast but do not last. Getting knocked down is not what matters. It is the rebound from the fall that is most important. What really counts is the ability to turn disappointments into achievements! When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind; not with it!

Making It a Greener World
by Nicole Ramdhansingh, Grade 11

As simple as reusing a shopping bag or planting a tree may sound, it makes a major difference in our world today. Lately every supermarket or convenience store has signs posted up saying “Go Green” But do we really know what going green really is and how much it affects the world we live in. Green living promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle in three key areas: cutting down on physical waste, restricting energy consumption and seeking greener means of transportation.

This contribution first has to start with myself and the island I live on. I would like to make my home a greener one. I will start by reusing plastic shopping bags and using canvas shopping bags. I will start buying a reusable water bottle and stop buying plastic disposable bottles. I will turn off lights when leaving a room, and not turning on lights at all for as long as possible- opening curtains and enjoy natural light. I will take five minute showers instead of baths and reuse scrap paper. I will use cloth napkins instead of paper, and unplug unused chargers and appliances.

These actions may sound pointless to you but in reality they will make a major difference. There are major benefits as to why we should consider recycling. 100,000 sea turtles and other marine animals die each year when animals mistake plastic bags for food. A plastic bottle does not go away it will sit in a land field and never decompose.

Around one-third of all household waste is paper. 14 percent of landfill space is taken up by newspaper alone. Keeping paper out of landfills is important because decomposed paper releases methane gas, which is a potent greenhouse gas. Water that is used in the shower, bathtub, dishwasher, bathroom and kitchen sinks and the laundry as well as outside faucets make up anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of residential waste water. This water could be reused for a multitude of purposes including: watering yards and gardens and filtering septic systems. In the United States 4.39 pounds of trash per day and up to 56 tons of trash per year are created by the average person.

Little contributions make a major difference in the world we live in for example in March 2002; the Irish government imposed a 15-cent tax on all plastic shopping bags. During the 17 month period following introduction of the tax plastic bag use dropped by 95 percent as consumers switched to reusable shopping bags. Since then other nations have followed their example and on Jan 1, 2010 Washington D. C became the first city in the United States to implement a similar policy.

The Green Living lifestyle ties in closely with the Locavore lifestyle. Locavore eat only food grown within a 100-miles radius for economic as well as environmental reasons. On the economic side, eating locally supports area farmers. Eating locally fits into the green living lifestyle since produce often travel hundreds or thousands of miles before ending up on a supermarket self.

My contribution to the world is to start taking more pride in our natural resources. Eighty percent of the worlds natural resources are wasted each year and are placed in land field for years to come. If everyone takes baby steps in recycling we can make the World a greener environment.

18 Plus 5 Equals Where I Will Be
by Shawntay Henry, Grade 12

I believe that there is no achievement without goals. Goals, whether short or long-term, guide your life; they tell where you are going, and how long it will take you to get there. "Goals are dreams with deadlines," that once you miss, you give up the opportunity of fulfilling your dreams. As a result, I have set prominent goals for myself in the next five years, which I am determined to achieve. Rather than saying, "I plan to or I would like to", I say, "I will and I am going to" because I believe that I have the determination and the intelligence to accomplish any goal within any time frame.

Imagine, in the next five years, I will still be attending High Point University, in the process of acquiring my master's degree in Broadcast Journalism. While I attend school during the day, it's lights, camera, and a whole lot of action during the night on the set of America's most popular TV stations. I see myself as a very poised, intelligent, confident, articulate host interviewing a multitude of significant, talented, and intelligent individuals from all around the world. My education, experiences, and accomplishments thus far, has alluringly cried out to my conscious mind that I am well suited for a career in Broadcasting. My outgoing, vibrant, and warm personality has the ability to welcome any individual and make them feel right at home. I believe that these character traits play a pivotal role in the field of Broadcast Journalism. TV is broadcasted to hundreds of thousands of viewers nationwide, and I would like my guests to feel as comfortable as possible, especially if this is their first time on national television. All in all, I am determined to work hard to become one 'of the best hosts and journalists in the nation; thus allowing me to be listed as one of the youngest, most successful African American journalist in the nation.

In addition, I am currently preparing myself for the Journalism field as the President & Host of Graffiti Street, the only teen talk show in the Virgin Islands. Graffiti Street permits me the opportunity to strengthen my public speaking skills, as well as, the ability to think fast on my feet. There was a time I spent an entire week diligently preparing for a show that was scheduled for a specific production day. I had done all the research, formed my questions, created an opening and closing, and performed a mock show at home with my mom in preparation for this show. However, when I arrived to the studio, the producer informs me that the topic has changed. My mouth dropped as if a brick had fallen on my toes. As I'm sitting in the hosts' chair, butterflies build in my stomach, my hands start to vibrate, and my throat begins to feel dry. I know that it is the job of the host to always be prepared, no matter what, but the transition in topic caught me off guard, and I was not prepared for what was to come. Despite my nervousness, I still had to fulfill my duties as tile host, and the show turned out to be a success. I must say, it was one of the best shows the cast and myself did since our very first production on Graffiti Street. Through this experience, I learned; "Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from winning the game."

Furthermore, as the 1st runner up for the Miss Addelita Cancryn Pageant in 2006, the 2008 National Poetry Out Loud Champion, and the Miss Charlotte Amalie High School Queen in 2009, I must admit that I am in love with the stage. The stage is a reflection of my personality and says a lot about who I am and where I am from. As a result of my love for the stage, I decided to vie for Virgin Islands Carnival Queen 2010, which will provide me the exposure and experience I need that can be applied to my future endeavors as a Broadcast Journalist. When I look at myself in the mirror and envision my future, I see the next Oprah Winfrey, but in reality I am just the host of Graffiti Street. However, I will wholeheartedly continue to use Graffiti Street as a stepping-stone towards building and molding myself for Journalism.

It is said by entrepreneur, E. Joseph Cossman, that "Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal." I must focus on the direction of where I am going in order to pursue my goals that are set before me. If I lose sight of my goals, then I've lost sight of my future, and no future means no success. As a result, I am yet to experience an encumbrance or cannot think of an impediment that may be preventing me from pursuing my goals that I am due to accomplish in five years. Now, I'm not saying that there won't be any at all, I'm just going to view them from a different perspective. Rather than viewing them as obstacles, I will view them as stepping-stones to make my dreams a reality. Overall, many may view five years as a long time from now, but before you know it, it will be the year 2015 and Shawntay Henry will be hosting a popular TV Show. Maybe, as the years go by, I might have my own TV talk show, but for right now, I will be content with bettering my skills for my own talk show.

St. Croix Educational Complex


Should We Care?
by Jirah Famucol, Grade 9

Peer pressure is a problem among the teens around the world. Despite all the good values that parents teach their children, they still give in to peer pressure. As a teenager in today's generation, we care about what our peers might think of us. This can be good sometimes, but not all the time. Teenagers can be easily influenced by their peers, therefore they do what they think is right because other teens do it. It is important for teenagers to develop a connection with each other, but sometimes they simply rely on their peers' opinion.

Being concerned of what our peers think about us can be helpful sometimes. Our peers can help us improve ourselves, develop our self-esteem, and they can tell us the qualities that we lack as a young adult. However, it is hard to find a teenager in this generation that has a good influence on others. Rather, most teens have a bad influence on their peers. They teach them how to smoke, drink, and do illegal activities like taking drugs and committing crimes.

My peer group is a mixture of good and bad teenagers. The good teenagers are the ones who are willing to help others, build-up their peers' self-esteem, and teach them how to be a productive member of the society. However, the bad teens are the ones who think life is a joke. They have no idea where to go, what their purpose in life is, and have no goals to reach. Instead of making sense out of their lives, they make their personal problems a reason to smoke, influence others to do things that are destructive, drink, and take innocent people’s lives.

I have been influenced by my peer group before and I have done things that I regretted afterwards. I was born in a generation where teenagers talk back to their parents, have no respect for themselves and others, fail and skip school all the time, have sex at an extremely early age, and curse every single time. I am blessed to have parents who know the difference between right from wrong and they taught me good values based on God's word that can help me overcome life's challenges, especially peer pressure. I thought people in my generation knew what they were doing, but I found out I was wrong.

All in all, we should not always care about what people think of us, especially our peers. Following our peers can lead us either to trouble or success. It depends upon the company that we surround ourselves with. Bad company will lead us to failure and good company will lead us to succeed. We should not do things only because we want social acceptance or to impress our peers. We must listen to our parents and follow God's plan for our lives. We have the choice to follow who we want and we can not blame others for our decisions. We are responsible for the success and destruction of our lives.

Laws of Life Essay
by Lanique Rivera, Grade 10

Have you ever asked yourself, "What makes a friend?" Personally, I always wondered what makes a true friend; what is the difference between a friend and an acquaintance. Is it the jokes and laughter that you share, or is it the good times and memories that you create? Maybe there isn't a perfect answer to this question, or the answer may vary. Let's explore some options.

An example of a friend to other people may be someone that keeps your secrets. In today's society, if you are doing something wrong you expect your friend to support you and not say anything or "rat" to anyone about what you are doing. The electronic and prim media provides almost daily reports of crimes that occur, some in broad daylight in the presence of multiple witnesses, but when questioned, no one has seen a thing. In our own community, allegiances to friends contribute to the continuing problem of an ever increasing crime rate. To some, this is the mark of true friendship. But is it? Should a friend show complete loyalty even when you are wrong, or should a friend be honest and tell you what is right, even when you don't want to hear it. I can only tell you what I would want my friend to do. I would want my friend to tell me that I am wrong and encourage me to do right.

To others, true friendship is someone who has your back, who is willing to fight for you, to support you in all that you do. Still others may define friendship as the person who is their "boy", their "girl", their "posse". To support these friendships, individuals must abide by the code. This unwritten law has become the bible on how friends should operate and guides our daily lives. However, these friendships are often fragile and can fall apart anytime one or the other feels that their friend has not lived up to these expectations. There is very little forgiveness in this code anytime someone feels that they have been "crossed." We live by these unwritten rules every day and consider these individuals our friends. But is that the criteria we are looking for?

When I explored my own definition of friendship I came up with a few criteria that were crucial to my definition. I expect my friends to encourage me, to be "real" and open with me, to trust me, to never put me down, and to be there when I need them the most. What can my friends expect from me? They can expect that I will always be there for them, keep their secrets, have my shoulder to cry on when they need it, to hang out with them, to have their back and to know they can depend on me for anything. For example, if they call me at 2:00 in the morning and tell me they need me there will be no if, ands, or buts, not even a why, the only thing you will hear is that I'm on my way. This is my code of friendship. But is this the true definition of a friend.

My mom always tells me that it is not good to keep company because they can get you into problems and they can also "bum" you. When I say "bum" I mean that they can be your friend one day and your enemy the next. Friends can be there for you but they can also be two-faced. A friend has gotten me into trouble before; at least I thought she was my friend. For example, my friend wanted something another girl had and asked me to go get it for her. But the interaction didn't go very well and I ended up arguing with the girl. After getting in trouble, my friend didn't want to talk to me and I didn't know why. I later on found out that she said I wasn't friend material because I had not obtained the item she wanted and she didn’t want to be friends anymore. I was the same girl that got in trouble for her and now she didn't want to talk to me. What could I do but leave her alone. Later on I figured out that she wasn't talking to me, but about me, and had encouraged others not to speak with me as well and that really hurt, She was supposed to be my girl, the same person that I shared my laughter, tears, and everything with and now this happened. Now I understand what Jab Vince had to say in his song "Watch Ya Friends", The chorus says, "Watch your friends what you smoke with and run jokes with. The only friend that me love is the one up above. Keep him closer to me that a brother". Everything happens for a reason.

But these misplaced friendships can also help you in a special way? To me all relationships, even bad ones, help you in some way. They can teach you that not all relationships are friendships. They can help to you to learn some hard lessons so that you will make better choices in selecting a friend. So while these relationships might not last they can still have an impact on your life. So who should I consider my friends? While writing this essay I think I finally figured out what the definition of friend is and who my real friends are. So here it goes. A friend is someone who knows that you are not perfect and accepts your faults and your weaknesses and loves you in spite of yourself. Who will forgive you for any mistake and still love you, someone whose love and kindness is never ending. When I was a child I would hear my mother sing a song that had been taught to her by her mother and her aunts. Many of you may know this song. The title of the song is "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". "When I reflect on my new definition I know who my friends are. God is my friend. Jesus is my friend. I am thankful that my parents have seen fit to instill in me this basic belief. It serves as my compass and guide. It gives me comfort to know that there is someone to whom I can turn. On this earth my parents and my family are my friends. These are the people who will give me unconditional love and support, who will be there for me no matter what, who will counsel me when I have done wrong but will also forgive me. To my family, thank you all for being my friends, for being willing to confront me when I needed it, to correct me when I am wrong, to support me, to forgive me, to love me. I love you all. I am glad that I listened to my mom because the only friends I have is God and my family. That's who is really there for me and that has turned out to be the best choice that I ever made.

When I’m Angry What Do I Do?
by Shaunté Baptiste, Grade 11

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” This quote to me means that if you spend your life being angry all the time, you’ll miss out on the joy, and wonders that life brings. When you’re angry, it is best to find a healthy way to release that anger. Finding a healthy way to release that anger is not the easiest thing to do but, if you release that anger in an inappropriate way, you could wind up hurting someone physically, or emotionally. Most importantly you can hurt yourself.

A lot in life makes me more annoyed than angry, but because I don’t express that annoyance in a healthy way, it turns into anger. There are several ways of which I tried releasing my anger in a healthy way but only a few seemed to work; breathing in deep for seven seconds then releasing it out for another seven. This works by making you feel light headed thus forgetting about your problems. This doesn’t work for me all the time because I’ve actually held it in so long that I felt like I was about to pass out.

Another one I’ve tried was the angry letter. It works sometime especially when you’re actually going to give it to the person, but that seems to not work very well. It is not very nice to hurt other people’s feelings just because you are angry, “Speak when you are angry – and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret,” quoted Dr. Laurence J. Peter. This method works best if you don’t deliver to the recipient. In my opinion this method isn’t really effective because I think about all that person has done to me and then I get more upset.

The best method that I use to get over my anger is reading a book. It sounds funny, but when I read a book I often pretend that I’m in the book. Exploring new lands, making new friends, conquering beasts, or fears, and even solving mysteries, what ever happens in the books my imagination takes me there. I also do it when I’m sad, because pretending to be somewhere just for a while can help with the many trials and tribulation that life often through at you. Truth is everyone is different, so other methods might work for you.

The thing that you must always remember is never act upon anger, for you might just make the biggest mistake of your life. Find a healthy way to let out anger, because if you keep it in you’ll just be hurting yourself. You can try doing something you really love. You can try planting, taking a walk, or other activities that you love.

My Future Goals in Five Years
by Gemel Joseph, Grade 12

As kids, we all knew that famous line, "When I grow up I want to be a...". I personally have wanted to be everything from a lawyer, police officer, firefighter, doctor to even Superwoman. The options were limitless and my imagination ran wild. As I grew up and become more mature, the options became more realistic of course, but more specifically, they were deduced down to what I felt was most important. Today, I now say, "When I grow up, I want to change the world." Mahatma Ghandi once said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." To me, two of a human's methods to change the world are to learn and serve. Education is never ending and the commitment to serving others as well as the community should be vital parts of each one of our lives. From the time we are born, we learn new things from how to wiggle our fingers and toes as babies to driving a car and raising young of our own as adults. We also perform duties for others, our environment, and the world from the simplest of actions like picking up a piece of trash thrown on the ground to influential changes such as feeding a third world country. The search for knowledge and serving provides a being with much more satisfaction than just that for themselves. These actions help others, change lives, and make imp acts. Seeking knowledge and committing to service have been major and important steps throughout my path in life. With these two integral parts, I have always been able to stay on the right track and keep headstrong toward my goals of leaving the world a better place than I found it. Continuing with these actions, I will make a difference in the world in my near future even if there are some hurdles and obstacles along the way.

To obtain wisdom and knowledge in five years, I would like to attend a four-year medical school to earn a degree in Pathology in hopes of becoming a certified Forensic Pathologist after receiving a Bachelor's degree in Biology from a four-year university or college. I want to grow while learning, become confident and secure in our society, and succeed not only academically but also as a person of character and morality. In junior high and high school, I have always been in the top of my class and an honor roll student. However, seeking knowledge goes farther than just getting good grades and performing at the top. I have made sure that I will continue to seek knowledge in the future by going beyond high school textbooks, being willing to learn about different cultures, beliefs, and diversities, and trying new things no matter how difficult they may be. I think outside the box and go beyond the standard way of learning. One of the ways I have done all these things is by enrolling in two Advance Placement classes, AP Biology and AP Calculus. I would never describe these classes as easy, but I did not back down and took up the challenge to take the courses. The classes are rigorous, detailed, and provoke my mind to think in new ways that provide enrichment and wisdom. I engage myself in numerous activities and organizations to meet and learn about others and their different backgrounds, lifestyles, and cultures. I am a member of the Delta G.E.M.S., a school based organization funded by the Delta sorority initiated for young ladies like myself of different ethnicities, races, and backgrounds to Grow and Empower Myself Successfully. I am also a member of my school's National Honor Society where members perform community service, learn and interact with each other, the vice president of my school's Class of 2010 Student Government where I communicate with co-officers and other members of the class to plan and host fundraisers and class events, and the secretary of my church's youth group. In addition, I am a member of the National English Honor Society’ in my school and the National Society far High School Scholars.

I believe that in this world we should give more than we take. I would like to help others in my future by opening several centers for teens that have no one to turn to at home, mentoring girls growing up, and providing my service to the community. I know that I will influence young girls to make the right choices about the pressures they face and make a change in their lives. To instill the habit of service and to ensure that I fulfill my future wish of serving others, I have been a participant in numerous community service activities on my island. I have voluntarily tutored remedial students during lunchtime with the National Honor Society as a service to my classmates in school. I have volunteered at a local elderly home in my community, where I performed office duties, tended to the needs of the tenants, and worked with AmeriCorps Volunteers. In my Biology 1 course, I participated in many beach clean-ups on the island with my teacher and classmates as a service to our environment. I have volunteered at local Agricultural Fairs with my island's 4-H Club, working with children and animals while learning about agriculture. Performing these duties for my island and humankind give me the satisfaction of knowing that I am doing my part in this world and I will continue to do so.

In life, many obstacles and hurdles that can either break us or make us invade our paths to our dreams and goals. Individuals display strength, willpower, and perseverance when they overcome these obstacles. Weakness and failure manifest when one lets an obstacle defeat them. On my path towards knowledge and service, lies the obstacle of insufficient funds from my household to receive the best education that I can. I currently live in a widowed-parent household with one sole income. My father works hard to put food on the table and make ends meet, but it will be extremely difficult for him to fund my college expenses. However, with my strength, willpower, and perseverance, I will not let this stop me. I will try my best to receive help for college costs from various sources such as scholarships, grants, and student loans. I will also look into work-study programs and an opportunity to work for my education. The obstacle of inadequate sources of income will not stop me. I believe that nothing is impossible, no matter how difficult to attain or achieve it may seem. I will make the impossible possible.

Service and knowledge are integral parts of life and in a sense, life itself. By helping others and learning, I have been able to come to the place where I am today. These experiences have given me the benefit of giving back to our world. I have been able to interact with others, learn, expand the horizons of-my mind, and assist my fellow brothers and sisters. I now stand as a strong, enthusiastic, sophisticated, and steadfast young woman ready to embark on another journey in my commitment to service and yearn for knowledge in life to college. My journey towards knowledge and service is nowhere near the end. Like the late great Michael Jackson, "I'm starting with the woman in the mirror". This woman is determined, this woman is something, and this woman is bound to make a change in this world.

St. Croix Central High School

Laws of Life Essay
by La-Shawn Tyson, Grade 10

On a scorching hot summer afternoon I saw a colossal amount of waste at , Rainbow beach. The heat from the sun spread the stench of the waste like wildfire. It was so unbearable. Many of the waste fell into the water. Some of the fishes in the water died due to the pollution. After seeing this awful sight I knew I had to do something about it. So then I told my friends and family about what I saw. They were as disgusted as I was. We then called the Governor of the Virgin Islands and he said that he didn't knew of the waste on the beach. He thank me for the call then called the department of waste management. And then the problem was dealt with, or so I thought.

Weeks later I return to Rainbow beach. And saw that there was more garbage than before. And stench was even more horrible. This made me very angry. I called back the governor and told him that the beach looked worst than before. He said he was meaning to call but he is filled with paper work. (I could understand but this is a public beach were thousands of people come to everyday.) So I told him to do not bother I am going to deal with it.

It didn't seemed like a good idea to deal with it myself put I was sick and tired of how the beached looked. Animals were dying due to the pollution. I couldn't just sit back while that is happening. The next day I grabbed some garbage bags and headed to the beach at eight o'clock. The scent is still unbearable but I started to work anyway. At twelve o’clock I was very tired and the beach was clean up just a bit. I knew if I wanted Rainbow cleaned up I would need help.

I knew if I asked my friends and family to help with the clean up they would say yes but this is a immense job that would need a community's help. That when I got the idea to organize a beach clean up. In order to organize this cleanup I would need help from local trash removal businesses and hundreds of determined people ready to clean. So I called in some favors and the local businesses were amazed that I was organizing such a big cleanup. The trash removal companies gladly said yes and reminded me that there is going to be hundreds of people there (they hoped they knew what I was doing).

All I had to do now is get the word out about the cleanup. I tried everthing fliers, emails and newspaper. I knew that many people listened to the radio everyday. So I asked a very popular radio station on St.Croix if I can use fifteen minutes of air time to broadcast what I am organizing. To my amazement I was granted permission. And there I was ready to go on air to spread the word of the cleanup all over St.Croix.

I was now on the live air talking to callers left and right, answering their questions. I was very scary but I kept calm. One of the callers made a great point, asking if there will be food. I said no I haven't thought of that and she that she is a food vendor and would be happy to sponsor food for the cleanup. This was too good to be true, I had businesses sponsoring a cleanup for a beach that I organized by myself without a problem. O.K. the date was set, the Beach cleanup day came.

Rainbow beach was filled with vendors, trash bags, huge garbage bins, and Hundreds of people ready to make a difference. I just many people dug down into the garbage and kept on picking up the waste like it was nothing. By this rate the garbage would be cleaned up in no time. There were so many people here. I was amazed to see the Governor. He so amazed of what I had done alone. That he awarded me a medal, not for cleaning up the beach but for bring the community together. There were local news at the beach the capture the sight. I knew I definitely going to be remembered for this. The beach was almost sparkling when we were finished. Fishes can now swim safely, the animals were safe.

After the cleanup I was thanked by people left and right about what a great job I did putting the cleanup together. My name was mentioned everywhere now, And all I did was bring the community together. I just shows when a community comes together NOTHING is impossible.

Laws of Life Essay
by Cherea Scotland, Grade 11

My mother once told me, "Controlling your temper is one step towards controlling your life." Anger is a very strong emotion. Sometimes, it is the hardest feeling to control. Some people become enraged quite quickly and easily. I tend to get angry for several reasons and have made mistakes from acting in anger, but I now understand how to suppress this feeling of aggression.

Ignorance occasionally triggers wrath in me. It upsets me when someone insults another individual without logical reason. In my opinion, stereotyping is a very common form of ignorance. I have heard someone say that all African Americans are loud and ghetto. That inaccurate statement causes me to measure that person's intelligence. I found it to be lacking. Ignorance belittles one's character, and it causes others to look upon one in a negative light.

Next, lying is another action that makes me irate. I think that the truth should always be told. Fibbing causes hurt, and it is not fair to all involved. It doesn't help to foster long-lasting friendships either. When people lie to me, I feel betrayed, and I mark those individuals as untrustworthy. Falsifying the truth gives one a bad image. It is irresponsible to lie. "Honesty is the best policy" is a saying by which all should live.

Finally, when I see someone being bullied, I become infuriated. I feel that those who torment others for their enjoyment have an inadequacy of self-confidence. Bullies boost their own self-esteem by degrading others. However, this is never an excuse for horribly interfering with the lives' of others. As a child, I remember scolding my peers whenever they teased someone. It is morally wrong to use a person's fears or insecurities to make oneself feel powerful. I am very defensive towards individuals who are bullied because I personally have experienced the pain they feel. I had an accident in the third grade that left a permanent scar on my face. Many of my classmates took it upon themselves to tease me and remind me of it everyday. My beaming smile and witty comebacks belied my hurt feelings. When alone, I would cry and wonder what was wrong 'With me. As I got older, I realized that I was not the one with the problem. The naive children who picked on me needed guidance.

I have a few ways of handling my temper such as listening to music, thinking of calming words and positive thoughts, and envisioning the lives of people who have harder problems than me. When I listen to music, I start singing along and dancing. The negative energy is released, and I am smiling by the end of my musical session. Some words that allow me to remain calm are family, mommy, shopping, dance, fashion, and beach. All these things make me happy and bring back wonderful memories of my past. I think positively by keeping an open mind and reminiscing on joyous life experiences. There are many people around the world who are struggling with their lives. As I picture the life that these people have to live, I become thankful that I am in a better position. Who am I to complain and be upset about little things when there are people who have never even experienced happiness? I should relax and have gratitude that I am alive and well.

I have made a couple blunders in my life because I acted in anger. A couple years ago, I got into a discussion with a female classmate. The discussion soon turned into an argument, and I resorted to violence. I started yelling and pushed her out of my way. After being sent to the office, I sat and thought about my actions. I felt terrible. Violence is never the answer to a problem. No matter how heated a situation may become, it is not okay to forcefully put one's hands on someone. I sincerely apologized to the young lady, and she forgave me. Another anger-induced mistake I have made was screaming at my little brother when he broke my phone. He had already apologized, but I was so mad that I overreacted. Feeling a bit guilty, I decided to sit and talk to him about the whole ordeal. I explained how I felt to him and said I was sorry. He told me he forgave me, and he repented once more. In situations like this, one should really think before acting. I could have avoided hurting someone’s feelings if I did this. Now, I always analyze a problem before responding negatively.

Although I get angry for many things and have acted in anger in the past, I honestly try to control my rage. The methods I choose to overcome this rage help me to think clearly. Ignorance, lying, and bullying are bad things that I try to avoid. Past experiences with anger management have caused me to be a wiser individual. In the future, I plan to help others cope with their fury and make intelligent decisions. Anger is a dangerous tool, but if dealt with correctly, it can be almost harmless.

Laws of Life Essay
by Evanna Mills, Grade 12

True perfection is a figment of the imagination; a mere image conjured into the minds of the ignorant and simple-minded. As human beings, we are expected to make mistakes and are entitled to them because no man is without faults. However, this does not mean that we do not pay dearly for the mistakes that we have made. Thus, we cannot hope for reprieve from our actions. Fortunately, in regards to my situation, the outcome of my careless actions was favorable and we were able to emerge unscathed. One of the worst choices that I've made was a result of my irresponsibility, negligence and poor judgment. Not only could it have left my family without a home, but it could have taken the life of my youngest brother as well.

It was a regular Saturday afternoon and like every other Saturday, the residence was abuzz with life. My parents were out, two of my younger brothers were playing video games, one was on the computer, and the youngest boy was running around the household energetically. All was as it should be. As the oldest in the house at the moment, my job was to make sure that the house was clean and up to my parents’ standard. Knowing my parents, that standard was near unattainable, but I did my best and performed the chores that were bestowed onto me.

Finally completing my tasks and making sure that the children were fed, I ventured into the kitchen and sought sustenance. I decided to prepare a veggie burger and took out the ingredients necessary to create my meal. It didn't take long before I had everything that I needed before my eyes. Cutting the tomatoes and washing off the lettuce and cucumbers, I poured a liberal amount of oil into the frying pan. I turned the stove on and left the oil on the stove thinking that I would come back within several seconds to check on it. Turning off, I strode into the bedroom and immersed myself in the works of Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Now, it didn't take long and I wasn't entirely sure what was happening until the tell-tale smell of smoke suffused my lungs and my eyes burned with the over exposure to the gray haze. Suddenly alarmed, I rushed into the kitchen only to find the frying ablaze with flames. The vast orange flame extended to the ceiling, touching the roofs and leaving black marks in its wake. For a moment, I was frozen in shock as I stared at the fire. I could hear the shrieks of my brothers and the slam of the door as they raced out of the house. Still, I stood, unmoving, as the flames gradually began to expand.

My shocked-induced stupor was brought to an abrupt end when the shrill scream of my baby brother clawed at my eardrums. The little boy was standing less than two feet in front of me, watching the fire with fearful eyes and screaming at the top of his lungs. The sound spurred me into action. I raced forward and grabbed him, running outside and shoving him into the hands of one of my brothers before running back inside. Although it was probably foolish, I took hold of the frying pan's handle and threw the thing into the sink full of water.

Again, that was not the smartest thing that I could have done. I wouldn't learn until weeks following the incident in Chemistry class that water didn't actually put out fires. If anything, it caused them to flare and grow rapidly. The fire rose and flared, the hot oil splashing unto my hands. I eyed the raging fire carefully and took a kitchen cloth and beat at the flame. It ebbed slightly and I took the opportunity to turn the knob, trying for the water once more. The fire died and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I took a gander at my hands and the pain from the oil's heat made itself known, but I paid it no mind. My eyes took in the black-marred roof and the soot covering the walls and tiles. Within a few minutes of further inspection, I realized that minimal damage had been done. A few things were burnt, but I wasn't too concerned. I was just happy that the fire hadn't escalated to uncontainable proportions. Slumping with relief, I barely noticed when my brothers came back inside. They cheered my success, but I failed to see the victory. None of us would have been put in this position if it weren't for my carelessness.

In the hours to follow, I took my time cleaning the soot-covered tiles and the even darker roof. Some of the areas were beyond help. However, I managed to get the kitchen to a much better state. My brothers resumed their previous tasks as if nothing had happened and Ikept the baby close by. When my parents came home, I went up to my mother and gave her the whole story. She shook her and went inside without a word. The wordless gesture spoke volumes and I silently gave thanks that the house wasn’t rendered to ashes.

Conclusively, I honestly don't know what I would have done if the outcome had been different. Since then, a vast amount of scenarios ran through my head and none of them were particularly pleasant. As a result of my carelessness and stupidity, my family’s home was almost lost and my brother’s life could have been taken. I am thankful that the situation played out as it did. I am fortunate because there are those who weren't as lucky as I. They never got a chance to reflect on their mistake because a simple blunder on their part ended their lives. The lesson was simple: Be aware of your surroundings.

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