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JULIUS SPRAUVE SCHOOL
Determination
by Miriam Jones, Grade 9
“It’s a very funny thing about life; if you accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” This was said by William Somerset Maugham. To me I think that this means to never take anything less than the best, and to always strive for the best.
In our present time, one of the major keys for surviving life and being successful is to have the determination to accomplish your goal. Let’s say for instance your dream is to become a lawyer or a forensic detective. In order to obtain that knowledge, you have to be focused and willing to work hard and do your best to achieve your goal.
Especially in a career like being a lawyer, or a forensic detective is a big challenge that that person has to do to become what he/she wants. To me to be determined is to never give up, and keep trying, until you reach your goal.
One good example of a person who had strong determination to get what she wanted was my Aunt Shawna. She made a promise to herself that she was going to finish high school, go to college, and become an air traffic control specialist. She began to work towards becoming what her dream was. She was determined to do the work, and what she had to do to become an air traffic control specialist. Some of the things Shawna had to go through to become what she wanted first started with attending classes for the specific occupation. After that, she had to spend long hours studying and making sure she understood everything. Once she passed the class and graduated from college, she then had to attend different classes also pertaining to air traffic control. After two more years of training, she finally completed the course and was given a job to start out with for beginners. Since then, she has been transferred to more popular airports in California.
My image of someone being determined and focused is someone who works hard for what they want, and who shows their gratitude to others who offer a helping hand. That person should do whatever is possible in their power to achieve the goal they have set for themselves. To have a strong value of determination is one of the best gifts a person could have.
Determination is the key to pursue goals in your life. The way I feel about being determined is that is takes you places no other virtue can. Believing in yourself, and achieving your goals is the strongest act of faith.
Ivanna Eudora Kean High School
Friends
by Brandon Rhymer, Grade 9
A friend is someone who cares about you and respects your ways. I expect my friends to help me in times of need. My friends should be honest, kind and have manners. The same things that I expect from my friends are the same things they should expect of me.
As a teenager, my friends have never gotten me into trouble. But, I remember one time in the third grade when my friend got me into trouble. It was recess, and we were playing tag. He ran across the playground circling every obstacle, trying to evade me. As he got tired, he did the next best thing and tried to climb a tree. While climbing the tree, he held on to a branch that broke. The large piece of branch fell to the ground with him. A teacher saw what happened and reported us to the principal’s office for vandalizing school property. Our punishment was a week of garbage duty.
Since elementary school, I have not gotten into any trouble. As I grew, my friends became more positive and focused. Instead of doing things that may get us into trouble, we help each other with things that challenge us. In school, I help my friends with some of their schoolwork like Math, Science, and History. I teach them how to figure out problems, including ways to find the answer to a question. If they have technical difficulties understanding or remembering how to do a certain skill or problem; I try my best to find a way in which to help them understand and at the same time retain the information. Some of my friends help me to learn new languages like Spanish or French and the others help me to stay focused. Sometimes we get together and review for a test or exam. It’s always a pleasure to see the results that we get after helping each other.
Having respectable friends have affected my life in positive ways. I do not get into any problems in or out of school. I am focused on my school assignments. In addition, I always try my best in whatever I do. With our great minds, my friends and I stay on the honor roll each year. Because my friends are focused and have a positive attitude, it helps me to stay positive. I do not have time for negative behavior. I would like to complete school with high honors and continue my studies in college.
I have always had good friends and still do. We have our differences, but we are alike in some ways. We are honest, kind and respectful to each other. I admit we encounter a few problems “here and there,” but we always work them through.
Dreams, Goals and Raw Ambition
by Zaid Sewer, Grade 11
A dream is defined as something hoped for. When one dreams, one is usually foreseeing his or her future. A positive, successful future is what one sees. When we dream, we envision ourselves as the lawyers, doctors, teachers, or maybe just productive members of society that we are striving to become. We should all follow our dreams, as hard as it may seem. The road may have a few potholes, but we should not let these potholes ruin our tires. We should all dream as we did in the ‘sandbox days;” the days when our imagination ran free, the days when we did not think to ask ourselves the ‘what ifs.” Do you remember those days?
We all have the potential to make our greatest dreams into reality, but one cannot achieve such dreams without creating goals. If asked the question, “what is your greatest dream,” I might respond by saying that my greatest dream is to become a music producer. Not only is becoming a music producer my dream, but to become one of the greatest producers alive. I doze off into a fictional present, but a not so distant future when this question is asked. I see myself working on some tracks with some of the hottest artists of the time. I see myself behind my desk with a smile on my face saying to myself, “hey, you made it!”
My dreams may change as time does. After all, as time progresses, new, fresh ideas are made. I refuse to limit myself to one particular dream. Why should I? I was raised with the concept that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Overtime, I have evolved this concept to state. ‘you can do anything if you put your mind to it, but be the best at what you do!’ While following the path to success, there are always negative thinkers, or as the youth call them, “haters.” When these “haters” badger you with their negative thinking, remember that they only pester you because they have nothing better to do. With drive, determination, ambition, and a focused mind, you can overcome anything.
Goals are an integral part of life. The goals you set will determine your success. Goals are the rainbow that leads to the pot of gold. Plan your goals wisely. Review each goal frequently and complete each goal at time. The more you rush the more regret you will have for not “smelling the roses.” Rushing only creates turmoil. The most successful individuals of today did not rush into success, but they took their time and thought of the outcomes of the decisions they will make.
What is Success? If one did not achieve his or her intended goal, would one be considered as unsuccessful? I think not. A wise man once said, “success is happiness”. Once you are truly happy, you are successful. The material items we possess do not measure success. Many of us have said the words “if I had a million dollars, I would be happy” at least once in our lives. Is this really true? Money and material items disappear over time, but skills and dreams last a lifetime.
Ambition is defined as the desire for success. We should all be ambitious. Be ambitious with everything that you do. Ambition is the thin line that separates regret from contentment. It is the wall that divides success from failure. Ambition is the determining factor between ‘what is’ and ‘what could have been’. Lazy people lack what active people have. They lack ambition. This quote serves lots of truth. As an ambitious, successful individual, I will try to broaden my horizons. I will try to look past the great beyond. If I am a music producer, why not strive to own a record label? Why not own a chain of record labels? Should I stop there? These are questions I ask myself, when assessing my dreams.
Dreams, goals, and raw ambition are all correlated. These are the three ingredients needed to accomplish your goals. How can you live your dream without setting goals? Can you achieve those goals without ambition? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the great civil rights leader experienced many hardships before he became a symbol of freedom. He had many dreams. goals, and definitely raw ambition. Dreams, goals and ambition work together like the gears of a clock. When one gear is not functional, the whole clock is not functional. Success can be attained by all. Here are five (5) steps to help one attain success: (1) dream big; (2) think without the “what ifs;” (3) set goals; (4) achieve your goals; and (5) share your success with others. I encourage everyone to be successful in all that they do, no matter what it may be; no matter what the circumstances are. Help someone become successful too. When you help someone achieve their goal, you get a sense of warm-heartedness. Remember, you define your success!
Cosmic Responsibility
by Antonette Boynes, Grade 12
I am a child. I am a human. I am a part of the world. I am the future of it. As an individual, I have an obligation to improve my immediate surroundings. The reason for this is simple. I live in those surroundings.
Witnessing something that is wrong and not doing anything about it is just as bad as committing the crime yourself. For example, if I witness a group of boys beating up one person, and I don’t at least tell an authority, it is just like I was one of the persons partaking in this terrible act. I would not want to be an accomplice to such a thing because I would not want anyone to do such a thing to me.
As an individual, I can protect and improve the world and environment by taking a stand for what I believe in. I believe that since humans are the only animals that can engage in rational discussion, we are supposed to do exactly that. Part of the reason for the decay of our surroundings is our lack of communication. Spreading the word and encouraging others to be responsible and patriotic can improve the world environment. Also, as a cadet in the JROTC program at my school, I am learning the skills required to motivate and lead others in a positive way. I know what honor, duty, and selfless service means. Community service is a major factor of JROTC and has a lot to do with cosmic responsibility. Everyone wants a reward for what they do, but if everyone pitches in as in a community service event, they will see that the reward is much bigger such as cleaner, healthier environment; cheaper, more efficient economy; and a super eco-friendly environment.
Taking responsibility is not an easy task and it takes a lot of courage to do so. Many people being ridiculed or “shot-down” for their beliefs. Others simply go with the flow. And think that change is a waste of time. Taking responsibility requires a strong-minded person who is able to articulate his/her cause. As humans we constantly try to improve our lifestyle – from cassettes to cds to mp3s, from VCR to DVD to HiDef Blu-Ray, and the list could go on. If we have time to improve all these unnecessary amenities, why can’t we improve something that affects us in a more critical way – our immediate surroundings. Why can’t we put our trash in bins instead of littering? Why can’t we use fewer plastic bags when we go shopping? Why can’t we recycle our cans and bottles instead of throwing them away? Why can’t we do any of these things? Why can’t we do one thousand other things that would benefit our world and environment?
Be a leader, not a follower and take the initiative to make things right. Remember, change happens when someone is responsible enough t make the first step. You must be the change that you want to see in the world. As a wise man once said, “If not you, who? If not now, when?” I know change begins with me.
St. Croix Central High School
Friendship
by Gloribel Marie Rivera, Grade 9
A friendship is a relationship combining trust, loyalty, communication, support, understanding and intimacy. A friend doesn’t “stab you in the back”. A friend is a person you can count on through good times and bad, that will be there for you no matter what happens, in other words through “thick and thin”. A friend is someone you could have fun with, someone you fight and make up with. Friends will cheer you up when you’re sorrowful and depressed. Friends will challenge you to attain your original limits when you don’t want to go beyond your reasonable boundaries. Friends motivate us when we’re ready to give in, and they provide for us when life falls apart. A friend is there when all is well and we want someone to share life’s pleasant and memorable moments. A friend encourages you in every single thing you do. They accept you for who you are and what your beliefs are.
Some things to expect from a friend is for them to get upset with you for unnecessary reasons. You should expect for them to ditch you once in a while because, everyone needs their space. You should expect them to not always want to share with you. You should expect for them to stand up for you once in a while during a bad situation. You should expect them to join you when you’re acting silly. You expect for them to try to help solve all your doubts. You expect them to help you escape from big troubles and that escape is often found in humor.
Some times friends get you in trouble. They get you in trouble in many different ways. I have not gotten in trouble, but I know a few people that have because of following friends. There was this boy, he was in school and he knew they were about to search everyone on campus. He had a knife in his bag, so he asked his friend John to hold it for him. When they searched John’s book bag they found the knife, and carried him to the office. The principal asked the boy where he got the knife from and he said he got it from his friend. The principal paged his friend David to the office. The principal asked John if he had given the boy his knife. The boy denied it and said no, so they expelled his friend from school.
Another situation where a friend got someone in trouble was when a girl named Teresa was cheating on her final exam paper. She had a sheet of paper with all the answers. After she wrote the answers on her exam she passed it around the four of her friends, but only three got to finish writing the answers on their exam. The last one with the paper was a girl named Ebony. She was about to write the answers but got caught by her teacher. Ebony ended up with an F as her grade on her exam and Teresa and the rest got A’s.
Friends sometimes help you in different ways. There was this one time when I was younger, I was in my room and the phone rang, my mother picked it up and it was a boy. She came in my room cursing at me and asking which boy is calling the house for me. At that time there was another call, it was my best friend, and she heard the commotion and told my mom that it was one of her friends calling to ask if I had spoken to her and if I knew any way to get in contact with her. I thanked her so much because I knew that it was really a boy that I had liked and she had my back without my having to ask her to.
Success and Failure
by Shernelle James, Grade 11
I knew the test date was near, so I studied extremely hard. I knew that it was the first test and I wanted to make a good impression on my teacher. My classmate, on the other hand, did not even open the text book. I completed the test without cheating and earned the grade of 50%. My classmate who cheated by copying the answers on a small sheet of paper stole the grade of 95%. Naturally, it will appear as if I am the failure and my classmate the one who was successful.
That day I went home, looked over my test, and corrected my wrong answers. The next day, the teacher walked down the hallway and opened the door slowly. She had a stack of papers in her arms, and she placed one on each student’s desk. I knew what was coming and I was prepared. Then the teacher instructed us to begin our pop-quiz. I looked around and scanned everyone’s facial expression and to my surprise, I was the only one who seemed prepared. In about five minutes I was finished. It took everyone else the rest of the class period to complete the quiz. I earned the grade of 100%, whereas my classmate, who had no time to cheat again, failed miserably.
Failure can be tricky, as it is an opinion and cannot be measured; however, it can be defined through out society as not completing an action or task and with a disappointing end result. This previous scenario is not a major situation, but it is a direct example of the difference between failure and success. There should be no scale on which someone can rate success. The following is a story that my father once told me.
There was a young boy who had no feeling in his leg, due to a car accident earlier in his childhood. Children teased and ridiculed him because he appeared different. He was the only boy on the playground with two old sticks hand carved to resemble crutches. He had one true friend, a little girl with a big heart. One day, the little girl fell into a ditch, while walking with the young boy. With no one around, the boy attempted to save her as she cried and shouted at the top of her lungs. The boy stood up on his own two feet for about three seconds, before he fell face down into the field of tall grass. The sound of his only friend’s voice screaming his name reverberated in his head.
The young boy struggled to get back on his feet, but couldn’t. He knew he had to save her for all the times she had stood up for him in the past. He began crawling, using his fingernails to dig deep in the soil as he pulled his body towards the ditch. When he finally reached to the ditch, he extended his arms to his friend. She was so glad to see his face. The boy used all his strength and all his might to pull her out the ditch. He trembled as girl grew closer to freedom. After three minutes of terror for the young boy, his friend got out the ditch.
This prove the saying “success comes before work only in the dictionary” absolutely right. My father ended the story saying that the incident encouraged him to get help in mending his legs to be able to move on his own, and that he ended up getting a surgery. I curiously asked, “How do you know?” He just watched me and smile.
Anytime I am encountered with a challenge that require sacrifice, determination, persistence, and consistency I always bear my father in mind. If he never took the chance, he would probably be on crutches to this day. This goes to show not trying in the only way you can fail.
Personal Responsibility
by Michelle Rivera, Grade 12
The numbers seemed to dance across the page as my eyes seemed to glaze over, going in and out of focus, staring at the book. Numbers, numbers everywhere – numbers that seemed to escape my intellectual grasp and wipe my mind clean of all coherent thoughts – numbers.
Going home – everyday – and sitting down to my homework was a dreaded experience. Each time I would settle to do my algebra homework I would hesitate, procrastinate, complain and let frustration get the best of me. I tried asking my teacher for assistance but she was so very frustrated with me. I assure you that I am most definitely not a slow learner and this is not the quality that she did not like. She was frustrated with the chatterbox I was, that sat in class everyday talking, laughing and giggling. Then when the actual work began I was totally lost.
I had never found a subject that challenged me to the degree that math did and not knowing how to handle that reality and pressure, I shut down. I became a rude disruption to the class, and not only hindered my learning but my classmates’ learning as well. When report cards came, I was a nervous wreck. I knew that I had not been doing my work and that a passing grade in algebra was as common to me as water in a desert.
Upon viewing the card, it was just as I feared. I failed. But what infuriated me was I failed with a 69. Now if there is anything that infuriates people worse than the fact that you failed, especially me, it’s failing by one point. It is the ultimate slap in the face. I then began to chastise her heart and her abilities as a teacher for daring to hurt me so much by withholding one point. I began to hate her. It was her fault, not mine. “She” failed me.
Personal responsibility means that you are able to tear down the rationale that others are responsible for who you are, what has happened to you, and what you are bound to become. To accept personal responsibility means that you acknowledge that only you are responsible for your actions and choices and that you cannot blame others for the choices you have made. Now, as much as we would all like to think that we are infallible and as much as we would all love to blame others for our mistakes or problems in our lives, there is no “you” in responsibility. There is no “they” or “them” in responsibility, but there are several “I”s.
The tendency to place blame is a characteristic that I believe is somehow psychologically embedded within each of us from childhood. Do you remember breaking something because you were running in the house? But it simply could not be your fault because someone was most obviously chasing you. Remember when your mother did not take sympathy on you even though you begged and pleaded with your prize-winning face that was seemingly “mom proof”?
Sure it is “easy” to blame others for our mistakes but in doing that we cannot make real progress. For with progress comes trial and error and learning from “our” error; however, if we insist that it is not “our” error, how can we then progress?
I refused to accept the emotional burden that I had caused my failure and for that I severed a healthy relationship with a teacher who was really nice after all. I now accept that it was my fault and I am fully the one to blame.
Most people neglect personal responsibility because it is perceived as a burden, when in fact it is not. It is a blessing. Many of us cannot wait to escape from the wings of our parents so that we may have “personal freedom”. Responsibility is freedom and the sooner we realize that the sooner we can feel more “free”. Also, there is a great sense of pride and accomplishment when we are recognized for something we did that was great and we never miss the chance to take responsibility for our work and bask in the glory or recognition and admiration. Like everything in life we must take the bitter and the sweet and responsibility is no different.
In the end, we are obligated to strive to always do the right thing and if we do, then accepting personal responsibility will be a joy and not something to loathe or despise. If you just so happen to live a despondent life filled with ill luck and deprivation, then use that as the stepping stone to be a better you; not as an excuse for why you cannot be better. Personal responsibility may at times seem a difficult task but the line between responsibility and irresponsibility is as easily defined as the difference between saying, “It happened” and saying “I did it.”
St. Croix Educational Complex High School
Maturity
by Gemel Joseph, Grade 10
To most people, maturity can have many different meanings and perceptions. Different levels and definitions come with different people, often depending on how the person is raised their peers, or even home conditions. Maturity comes in different ways. It comes at different periods of diverse lives. In some cultures, maturity is based on age. Another factor of maturity to some people is physical appearance. Depending on who you are as a person, maturity can stand for many different things.
In my opinion, maturity is the ability to accept responsibility for one’s actions. A mature person can own up to the fact that they have done wrong and be willing to change it. Maturity is being able to do the right things and make good decisions. One who is mature can go against something because they know it’s wrong and not worry about how the body looks or even age. In fact, maturity comes over a period of time with lessons learned and experiences throughout the life. Maturity is all about choices and understanding.
In my age group, the most mature would probably be those who have gone through tragic situations. The most mature are people who have had bad childhoods and experienced life lessons that most could never dream of. I can talk from experience because I lost my mother to cancer when I was just in my freshman year. This incident has strengthened me for the better. Losing my other has matured me in ways that allowed me to take on the roles of a student, daughter, and mother in my home. I am now more dependable, responsible, and determined. Going through this phase of my life has prepared me for the future and readied me for anything that is to come.
There were times when I have showed a lack of maturity. Before growing and developing into the young woman that I am today, I would be immature when it would come to something I wanted but couldn’t get. When everything didn’t go the way I wanted it to in my life, I would act without thinking. When I was faced with a problem or challenge, I wouldn’t make the right decisions. I would make bad choices and sometimes do the wrong thing and never own up to it or admit fault. Now I am mature enough to accept life the way it is and not complain about it, but try to make it better.
In conclusion, maturity depends on who you are and what you believe. It has nothing to do with how many boyfriends you can get or how many votes you get for prom queen in high school. Maturity comes with time, wisdom, and knowledge. It defines who you are as a person and sets the path for your future. Maturity comes from the inside and shines throughout. Maturity is all about making the right decisions and showing responsibility. Growing is inevitable, but growing up is a choice.
Lead the Way
by Lennox Mark, Grade 11
Everyone has a goal, a dream for himself or herself that he or she may spend his or her entire life striving to accomplish. For most of my life, I had aspired to become an architectural designer. I spent my freshman and sophomore years in high school interviewing persons in that profession and researching that career field.
However, today, that is not the profession that I plan to pursue later on in my life because I know that it is not my true passion. I feel that all people on this earth have a responsibility to help their fellow man in the areas where they see they are lacking. As such, I wish to spend my life advancing and ensuring the well being of the public. However, I didn’t know what career to consider that would embody all of these qualities until a trip to Washington D.C. initiated a series of enlightening events that would change my mentality forever.
In April of 2007, I participated in the Close-Up Program and spent seven days learning about American civics and government by exploring the nation’s capital. It was from that point on that I found my true passion, politics and government. As I excelled during my weeklong experience in the Close-Up program, I began to realize my promising skills as both a policy debater and a public speaker. Moreover, I was enthused by the intricate workings of American government and the complex paradox of politics and international affairs. I gained valuable knowledge about my country that week that not only broadened my horizons, but also intrigued me. Inquiries as to why certain things were happening arose in my psyche. Why is it okay to retain people indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay without solid evidence of a crime or without due process of law? Why are African American, who make up 13% of the population, making up 50% of the people executed on death row in 2007? Why are 47 million Americans currently without any means of obtaining healthcare? I needed to know.
My experiences in Washington D.C. ignited a thirst to explore my new interest, political science, and a quest to pursue the answers that I needed. In this pursuit, I attended the Junior Statesman Summer School that summer at Princeton University where I was able to explore my potential in this field thoroughly. While at Princeton, I took two classes, one in United States Foreign Policy and another in Speech Communication. I also took part in nightly congressional style debates that allowed us to dispute contemporary political issues such as the war in Iraq and illegal immigration. That summer was the cement that solidified my decision to major in political science in my college years. My experiences in the Close Up Program as well as the Junior Statesman Summer School have made me a better person in more than one way. Besides becoming a noted public speaker and debater, I have witnessed how proficiency in advocacy has a major impact on the world and how the decisions of one person can have very consequential repercussions. Many of my questions still go unanswered but I will one day answer them for myself.
I am very determined to make myself as proficient as I can in American government and civics in my junior and senior years of high school. Since my return from Princeton University I have found that I am more interested now than ever about the issues facing us in today’s society. My experiences abroad have shown me that there is so much more that I have to learn and so much more that I want to learn. The level of competitiveness that I found in the programs at which I studied has motivated me to challenge myself more. The world is not going to lighten up for me, so why should I lighten up for myself? I know that to realize my goals I will have to move to the United States. In the mainland, I will have a greater chance of realizing my aspirations for two main reasons. Foremost, too often, as Virgin Islanders, we are reminded of the limitations of our civic rights as American citizens. For example, we are denied the right to suffrage, we are denied the right to run for President or Vice President, and we are denied a voting representative in Congress. As such, there is a staggering borderline to how fully we truly can truly be considered American. Additionally, in the Virgin Islands, the lives of most people are shaped by similar experiences. Everyone grows up in similar neighborhoods, basically attends the same schools, and enjoys the same on island attractions. This has resulted in a general mindset that you can expect the people of the Virgin Islands to have and rarely will you find someone who deviates from it. This type of under representation and mental monotony that I have been subjected to while growing up on St. Croix has in many ways fueled me to strive for the benefits of others.
In retrospect, my home of the Virgin Islands would be a key place to initiate my public service. Wrought with undervalued professions, titular officials, and nepotistic allotment of revenue, my home is in need of a reevaluation of the government system. How is a community to stand when its proletariat is underappreciated and undercompensated? How are we to perpetuate our legacy when the educated youths see fit to abandon their roots and take lodging in the mainland? Continuing along this route, it is imminent that we will regress. However, we can salvage our dear islands and stop the destruction of our delicate infrastructure. Our government’s archaic procedures must be augmented. We must first begin by innovating the education system and ensuring that our youths can compete formidably in the world environment but have the desire to remain on the home front. The criminals who seek to cauterize the flesh of St. Croix must be made to respect our justice system and those who uphold it. Finally, healthcare must be readily and affordably available to all, not to some. Each year, thousands of tourists are attracted to the islands to visit. Let us make it a place where we can live and prosper, let us make it the American Paradise it is known to be.
I am confident that becoming a lawyer or politician will allow me to realize my goals of fighting for the rights of my fellow man. I have witnessed in history how one person’s mastery of the judicial system can alleviate the lives of dozens or even millions of people. In 1841, Roger Sherman Baldwin, an independent lawyer and statesman, advocated on behalf of the African captives aboard the Amistad slave ship and ultimately helped them to obtain their freedom. In 1954, Thurgood Marshall, a prominent lawyer, championed in the Supreme Court the case Brown vs. Board of Education which ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” thus initiating the integration of public schools. These people have made it possible for previously oppressed groups to achieve their true potential. Because of their efforts, I can enjoy the rights and liberties that my ancestors have been denied. I wish to help others achieve their true potential as well.
In today’s world, lawyers and politicians are usually associated with deceit and immorality. They are professions that most people do not trust and do not appreciate. It’s a consensus that these people are lazy or indifferent to our needs. However, when you have been denied a job because of racism it’s a lawyer who will help represent you in the face of your oppressors. When you have become unemployed and cannot feed your children it is government revenues allotted by the politicians you loathe that will allow you to nourish your family. When you are defenseless in the world, when all your rights are being violated, when your sense of security is threatened, it’s a lawyer, a political leader; it’s I who will advocate on your behalf. Mahatma Ghandi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I understand that quote to mean that if we passionately want to see change we must be the ones to bring it about. I understand today that for any of us to truly fulfill our reason for living we have to make a difference in someone else’s life. Being immersed in the field of public service I aspire to change the world into a finer place and revolutionize the ideals of equality and liberty as my ancestors have done before me.
Cosmic Responsibility
By Shanya Hanley, Grade 12
The refreshing air we breathe, the fine green grass which we walk upon and the vast crystalline ocean of the world are some of the commodities in which we enjoy on a daily basis here upon Earth. On the gray area of this picture we witness air pollution, litter and severe consumption of water resources today. Should we be held responsible or is this simply a “natural phenomenon”? Sadly, we play a dramatic role in the depletion of our environment. Personal responsibility to improve my immediate surroundings is one in which I take with pride. Presently, there is but only one world in which we as a human race can survive upon. Therefore, shouldn’t we be responsible and obligated to keep it clean? Close analysis on present environmental issues and benefits of helping my environment have rendered copious reasons why I believe Cosmic Responsibility is one in which we should take to heart.
Unconsciously and naturally, you are now breathing in air be it warm or cool, it is from our environment. This is also the same environment in which mass amounts of toxic chemicals are being released into per second. Cars, large industries and non point pollutants constantly pollute the air in which we breathe daily. Car pooling and stronger regulations on emissions by companies can help limit the amount of air pollution. Before starting on such a high level, it is possible to start at home by using less aerosol sprays that deplete the ozone layer. Mass transportation methods in place of several family members driving can help reduce air pollution at home. We take for granted the many mornings in which we are able to wake up and see the sun. Many states and developed areas of the world are experiencing drastic air pollution to which the sky is congested with smog. My desire to ensure fresh air for myself and my future generations lead me help improve my surroundings.
A paper bag here, a few cans there and soon the once green grass has been engulfed in litter. Recycling and placing trash into their corresponding receptacles helps make our world a better one for tomorrow. Our current garbage disposal practices have been proven to be ineffective. Mass recycling of waste materials can help eliminate unsightly garbage and smells that emanate from the Anguilla Dump Site. The mistakes we create today are sadly the tragedies that occur in the future. Helping to eliminate a small percentage of the damage today can help me secure a clean and healthy environment for the Virgin Islanders of tomorrow.
In June of 2006, I applied and was accepted to the National Student Conservation Association Summer (SCA). SCA is a nonprofit organization geared towards introducing youth of the continental United States to the wilderness and exposing them to the effects of helping their environment. This program is highly involved in the environmental cause of the world and the improvements needed to ensure a bright future. During the summer program, I traveled to the National Park of the Virgin Islands located on St. John USVI. The trails of the National Park were in despondency and the work required to bring them back to their original luster took four weeks and a team of ten dedicated individuals to get the work done. I am proud to say that we were able to complete five trails, estimating at approximately twelve miles of trail. The need to restore the trails were not only so they would withstand strenuous rainfall, but to also provide generations of hikers with workable trail routes. Payment for the work done on St. John was not my focal point, it was the smiles and thanks I received from the many hikers who passed, took pictures and interviewed me during my time on the trails.
Involvement in the care of my surroundings not only helps me become a better person but it also makes me significant part of Earth. Can we solve our environmental problems in one day? Unfortunately, it is impossible but the necessary steps and programs implemented can help reverse the damage that has already occurred. Be kind, be innovative and exercise cosmic responsibility.
Charlotte Amalie High School
Character Builders
by Amara Leader, Grade 9
In life, many people experience life changing events. These events can be used as experiences that would make one a better person not only in his or her home but in the community where he or she lives. However, although at this stage of my life I have not experienced any major life changing events, I have seen a life shattering event happen to a very close relative. This close relative is my aunt and mentor whose life to date is a testimony that obstacles and troubles in life are character builders which are self control, time management and perseverance.
The first character builder, self control, is seen in my aunt’s everyday activities as a full blown diabetic. Everything she eats and does has to be carefully monitored. What seems to be the hardest part of all are the daily doses of insulin that have to be taken with the hypodermic needle. One may ask, what about being a diabetic can build one’s character? It is being able to resist chocolate cake and other mouth-watering desserts. It is eating raw carrots and broccoli just to name a few of the foods so hated by many children my age. Yet in spite of not being on a strict diet, I cannot recall hearing my aunt complain about her condition. Instead she uses her experiences as a diabetic to educate others so that they would not fall victim to a disease which could be fatal if not carefully monitored.
Then there is time management which is the second character builder that my aunt has learned as a result of being a diabetic. Her set time lines for the taking of her medication, is illustrated in her other everyday activities such as attending church regularly and punctually.
Another aspect of her life which supports the statement that obstacles and troubles are character builders is exemplified when she lost sight in her right eye. This occurred while she was pursuing her life long dream of obtaining a high school diploma. At the time she lost sight in both of her eyes. This brought an abrupt halt to the achievement of her goal. After long intensive eye surgery, she regained partial vision, but sadly, it was in the left eye only. However, as soon as the doctor gave her the permission she was once again enrolled in night classes to continue her quest for a high school diploma. It was not an easy task, yet she made sure that her teachers treated her just like all the other students in her class. She used her impediment to motivate the younger students who wanted to drop out. She did not ask them to empathize with her, but showed them the many blessings they had which they were taking for granted. Of course it was not all of them who followed her lead but this did not stop her from reaching out to others.
Finally, the third character builder, perseverance, is demonstrated in her pursuit of excellence in every aspect of school life. Her affliction did not deter her from taking part and enjoying all of the scheduled activities. As a result, there were times when many wondered and sometimes asked her outright if she was faking her poor vision. As a born again Christian and an ardent church member, I have never heard her ask, “Why me Lord?” as so many of us like to ask when faced with every day obstacles and troubles. Instead it seemed as if her affliction encouraged her thirst for knowledge both spiritually and academically.
As a result of her dedication and perseverance in all of her courses, my aunt graduated valedictorian of her class. Those who had never been in close contact with her, got a very good example of her good character traits that special afternoon when she delivered her speech. Her trials, tribulations and reactions have made me realize that the world does not end when obstacles and troubles knock on our door. Instead, they can be used as opportunities to change the negative aspects of our lives. Bearing this in mind, I have made a vow to always do my best in everything that I do no matter what the circumstances. My aunt’s experiences have made me realize that life’s obstacles and troubles can be builders of my character when faced and handled in a positive way.
A World Apart
By Shinnola Alexander, Grade 11
A major crisis occurred in my life at the age of sixteen. At least I thought it was the end of the world. I always thought that I was exempt from acne. Throughout my early teens, my complexion had always been smooth and flawless, and it had somehow lead me to believe that maybe, just maybe, I was one of the lucky few people in the world that never had to worry about getting acne.
The first bump appeared on my face a few months after my sixteenth birthday. I was furious and thought to myself: the audacity of that zit; how dare it try to spoil my flawless complexion! I expected it to last no more than two days. I was wrong. The zit made itself completely at home, and invited a dozen of its relatives to come visit. At first I was devastated. I begged my mother to home school me, but she just laughed, and told me that acne was a part of growing up and all teenagers got acne. She told me it would clear up in time for my 12th grade prom. I did not think that was funny.
I was preoccupied with my acne situation for a long time, and wondered why this was happening to me. I had never really thought about other people’s problems. Before “meeting” Aziza, I had always thought that my problems were huge, while in reality, compared to Azizas’ I have been living the charmed life of a princess. The major crisis in my life was dealing with a mild case of acne, and I thought life had dealt me a cruel blow.
I first became associated with Aziza while watching an NBC news Special Documentary entitled the “Crisis in Darfur” by journalists Anne Curry and Nicholas Kristof. The documentary was captivating, and as I sat spellbound, I thought about my life and how lucky I am to be living in a country where I don’t have to worry about tribal warfare. My greatest worry was acne. Aziza is not so lucky. She is a 17 year old African girl living in Darfur, Sudan. The Arab militia in Sudan, called the Janjaweed with the backing of the Sudan government has embarked on a mission of ethnic cleansing. Their goal is to rid Darfur of black Africans, and claim the land for themselves. They systemically go from village to village, burning, pillaging, killing, maiming and raping the villagers.
Like other women in the village, it is Aziza’s job to fetch firewood. One day while performing the mundane task, Aziza is ambushed by a group of Arab militia. They asked which tribe she belonged to and if they owned any land. They then tied her scarf around her neck and proceeded to gang rape her. They bit her arm and her neck to mark her as a rape victim, thereby diminishing her chances of ever getting married. The Janjaweed told her, “You are black, and have no place here.”
Aziza’s story is not unique. Dozens of women in Darfur and Chad are raped everyday by the Arab militia. It took courage for Aziza to tell her story. Rape victims are usually shunned by their neighbors. Aziza doesn’t know if she is pregnant, but one thing she does know that she has little chances of becoming a wife.
Meeting Aziza has had a profound impact on my life. Since then, I have wrestled with many unanswered questions. Why do people commit such horrendous acts of atrocity against each other? What drives a seemingly sane person to pick up a gun or machete and start attacking his neighbor? How can a man feel no remorse when he hears the dying pleas of another human being as his own machete connects to the flesh of this person over and over. The people of Darfur are killed simply because they are black. They are called slaves, and told that they have no right to exist. The saddest part of the whole saga is that they are killed by black people themselves, the Arab militia.
As I watched the documentary, the tears flowed down my cheeks unbidden. I saw young children who had watched their parents brutally murdered before their very eyes. I saw hopelessness and despair all around. The struggles that I face everyday are nothing, compared to the life of Aziza. I have a house to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and I am able to attend school every day. I have learned to be thankful for the things that I have taken for granted in the past, to cherish every moment, and try to help others in any way that I can. My heart goes out to Aziza and to the countless other women like her who have to live with the stigma of rape for the rest of their lives. I pray for these women, whose only crime was being born black. Once proud and beautiful, they are now a shadow of their former selves. They huddle in refugee camps, uncertain of their future.
I pray that one day these people will find absolution, that they will be able to return to their homes, and reclaim the inheritances. I pray that they will be able to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and put them back together again. Most of all, I pray that like the people of their sister nation Rwanda, they will be able to forgive those who have so cruelly torn their lives apart. It is the only way that the cycle of violence can be stopped.
This new awareness of Aziza’s situation has taught me to be thankful for the freedoms I enjoy every day, for the small things in life, like running water and electricity. I no longer worry about the acne. I am more worried about Aziza. Even though I do not know her personally, I think about her and pray that she will one day be able to return to a life of normalcy. At 17 years of age, it is too early to give up hope.
Solo Pilot
by Virgil Campbell, Grade 12
“St. Thomas Ground, This is November eight six Victor Bravo requesting takeoff clearance,” I stuttered through the headphones. “November eight six Victor cleared for takeoff,” responds Ground control. As I now apply force to the right brake pedal and push in the throttle, my eyes wander rapidly and my heartbeat accelerates as I now cross onto runway 10 in that 172P Cessna. Remembering what my flight instructor taught me, I align the Cessna with the centerline of runway 10 and my mind is a blank. Now my adrenaline rushes as the throttle is pushed in full and there goes the airspeed indicator for the 25 kias, 30 kias, 50 kias, takeoff! “VVVVVmmmhhh” is all I hear as that 200 hp, 4- cylinder, 4 stroke engine drowns out the silence in the cockpit. I am now higher than any other object on the island of St. Thomas, while viewing Charlotte Amalia Harbor from 12,000 feet above. The sun is out and the water looks clean and green as I soar over this island paradise. I now prepare for my crosswind leg at 180 degrees south. As a young man growing up in a highly technological world, I am still prone to changes from a developmental aspect. Sometimes I wonder, “What have I benefited as a result of this flying experience?” I think completing my first solo flight at the age of 17 years was a big success to me, but the processes I learned and the values I gained are so much more important. So, as a result of my flight training, I have grasped the importance of responsibility, good decision-making and proper time management since I am a solo pilot through life.
The first important value I learned was responsibility. This trait was continuously exercised as I went to flight school. I had the responsibility of being on time for my lessons and executing my tasks appropriately. Examples of this would be able to make sure the aircraft was airworthy and that all components would be effective during the flight. I am grateful because I now apply this training to my everyday life and environment. Events such as going to school daily, giving my time and resources to community through volunteering and upholding my morality demonstrate my maturation in being responsible. In addition, I believe it is my responsibility to motivate myself to advance no matter the obstacle.
The second most important trait I mastered while in fight school was good decision-making. Decisions are the essence of human reasoning and they also determine actions. Sometimes when in the cockpit of the aircraft as I’m in the cockpit of my life, the decisions I make affect my course, altitude, and velocity to a certain degree. Now, through life, these previously mentioned concepts can positively or negatively affect my goals in my life through the decisions that I make. Examples would be having the right attitude, career goals, being honest and polite to people, and giving a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. All of these are life decisions that will determine my altitude as I plan to soar to a successful and productive future.
Now, my third most important trait valued as a result of flight school is good time management. Time is of the utmost importance in any arena of life. Good time management can only add to a person’s productivity. Poor time management on the other hand can have negative effects on someone’s productivity and success. I learned this through flight school by planning ahead. After school I would negotiate how much time was needed in a week to attend flight school and participate in other extracurricular activities. As a result of this experience, I now find it easier to prioritize events and manage my time for the benefit of my productiveness.
In conclusion, I must admit that one may gain understanding or better morals through doing something extraordinary or rigorous. I have the traits of responsibility, good decision-making, and time management through my extraordinary experience of attending flight school. After I completed all my training hours, I successfully executed my first solo flight using these preceding traits as guidelines to my success. As in flight school, so in life; I continue to soar.
(Editor’s note: Mr. Campbell had the opportunity to take flight lessons because of his membership in the Civil Air Patrol.)
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