Ami Millender
(Motivational Essayist)
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Dan Neumann (Editor): This is Ami Millender, who goes to the same school as Austin Jackson. She is in 7th grade, currently, writing this for a competition that, she too, like Jackson, was excluded from by mistake. Welcome her.
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Do the Right Thing!
Parents always tell their kids to do the right thing and stand
up for what they believe. Maybe – just maybe – we should listen to them.
Crystal Meth, Marijuana, Cigarettes, these are just a few of
the many drugs in my small community. Just two summers ago our community had
a Crystal Meth epidemic.
We also had a case, at school, where a girl brought Crystal
Meth to school and shared it with other girls in the bathroom. The girl who
brought the drug to school was referred to alternative school as a
consequence for her actions.
The cases that we see result in more kids trying drugs, which
lead to more kids becoming addicted, and, in turn, more kids getting
arrested. The more kids are exposed to drugs, the less likely they will
pursue an education. The less likely they pursue an education, the more
likely they will end up dead, in prison, on welfare, or creating more
violence.
Another case kids often get involved in is drinking underage.
Many teenagers who drive also drink while they drive. This action causes
wrecks, and innocent people to lose their lives.
I have to say that if all the people in the world would do the
right thing, and stand up and voice what is right, our world would be a
nicer and safer world to live in.
If there were no drugs, kids wouldn’t be pressured to go out
and try them. If there was no violence, then the whole world would be at
peace. Without violence getting in their way, kids would most likely go to
college and get an education.
Why
do people have to be so negative, being against the world and seeing only
faults? Being negative is violence’s fuel. When it runs out, it just replenishes
itself. It works like a car: You turn it on with a little switch and then you
keep it running… negativity over-flowing… and soon the engines are
revved up.
The different gangs are against each other. For what? The colors
they wear? I hardly see that as a reason, but reasons do not have to have a
purpose to them; they fight each other simply because the color they are and the
colors they are wearing. We, as a nation, must put a stop to it. We can all
stand up and voice what we know is right.
I live a sheltered life, but I should make sure I know what
violence is out there. From now on, I will try my best to do whatever I can do
to put violence to an end.
Parents always tell their kids to do the right thing and stand up for what they
believe in. Most of the time, we are too scared to stand up for ourselves
because we think that the kids in our school will think we are weird. When we
tell our parents that, they give you the
talk that we have a “right to voice our opinions”
blah, blah, blah. We only end up
hearing the blah, blah, blah part, but
don’t tell them that.
When I want to stand up for myself, my parents’ voices (even when I don’t want
them to) ring through my head saying, “Do the right thing! Stand up for
yourself!
Set the example!
Be the leader!”
I want to encourage, not only me, but all the kids around the world to listen to their parents and to always do the right thing. If there is not a parent you can turn to, find someone. We can all do the right thing and stay away from violence, drugs, and hate. You just have to decide what the right thing is and stick with it.
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Comments:
Dan Neumann (Editor): I respect your admiration for your parents. I share it. They are the teachers who do not teach classes for years, but one child for a life time. Something tells me your English teacher is a bit of both—but that is an entirely separate subject altogether. I had fun time reading your essay, Ami. You have a certain flare to your writing voice that I am sure you will hone. Clarity and organization are two things you need to work on. Also, I wouldn't say most teenagers drink alcohol behind the wheel. I'm a teenager, and I can tell you that's not the case. And – just got to pointing out the obvious here – gas runs out in vehicles, while violence can keep going like the energizer bunny. That is another fact I can tell you as a teenager. And, boy are those gas prices high! Between me and you, if hate cost three dollars a gallon, we would be living in a Utopian society by now. Any who, feel free to submit again.
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