This I Believe, by Tyrone

This I Believe

I believe that men should have more awareness about abusive relationships. When men hit women, it makes women feel bad, but it makes them feel hurt and bad. I have a relative who was abused way back. It was so bad she got her finger shot off. That’s why I’m writing about the abuse of women by men and trying to make them stop the violence on their women.

I learned that men abuse their women because somebody might have messed them up when they were younger, or they might not have had a father in their life. The people who want healthy relationships should have trust and have respect. There are three types of abuse: physical, which involves slapping and hitting. Emotional, involves teasing and bullying. Sexual involves a relationship where you are forced to do something that you don’t want to do.

People can get help if they need help on their relationships. They can get help by going to a teen crisis center of some where else that will offer you counseling. There is a show called Maury that shows where you can get help. When I see that segment, I get mad because they shouldn’t treat there women like that in the first place. They should treat them like they want to be treated, not like dogs. If my family member is being abused, I am going to say something and go to the police to get some help.

The reason I feel so bad for these women is because they are getting hurt bad and they are not supposed to. They should be treated like human beings and like women. You may argue a lot, but you should not put your hands on your girlfriend. I learned from this essay that you should always love your women and not put your hands on them. Just talk to them if they are getting you mad and talk about the situation. So, I encourage all the men to not hit your women and women take up for your self and don’t let them hit you. And especially, get counseling!!!

This I Believe, by Maria

Has anyone you love ever died from cancer? I believe that the human body is a gift. When people are hurting themselves through actions that they chose to do, I question why they would do something that they know can harm them. My grandma died from cancer because she had been smoking since she was really young, maybe fifteen or sixteen.

About a year and a half ago my grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer. Within a few months of diagnoses, her body was completely taken over by cancer.

I hadn’t seen my grandma for at least two years and I didn’t think her cancer was as bad as it was. I had a lot of friends who smoked and my brother smoked so I was around it almost all of the time. I figured my grandma looked like them except with no hair since she was on chemotherapy. When I went to visit her, I barely recognized her. She looked terrible. She only weighed about 74 pounds. We could see her bones sticking out and it looked like her skin was hanging off of them. She was so weak that she couldn’t stand up without help and she barely ate anything. She couldn’t talk very well because it took to much energy out of her. I will never forget how she looked and how she sounded that day.

Five days after we left her house, my grandma, Shirley Ann Schmid, passed away. She had cancer for over a year and a half and even though her body was being eaten away with cancer, she was still smoking three to four packs of cigarettes a day.

It’s really hard to see people I love hurting themselves by doing something that could hurt them and possibly cause them to get cancer. I think smoking causes more harm to the human body than most people realize. After seeing how smoking affected my grandma and everyone who loved her, I truly believe that the human body is a gift. We should take care of it as best as we can and not do anything that we know can cause harm to us.

This I Believe, by Gerald

What do you believe in? Everyone believes in something different, whether it’s everyone should have flowers on there graves to people can wear hats in school. There are a load of things people believe in, I believe that everybody in the world has the same opportunity as everyone else. I hear people all the time talking about how they can't do it, they never had the chance or the opportunity to do anything, which is a big lie, because every single man and woman in America has the chance of a lifetime to do whatever it is they want to do.

Some people jump all over opportunity, and some people don’t jump on the opportunity. Then, they complain when they don’t get that same opportunity again. Opportunities don’t come around often, sometimes never at all. But, when you get the chance to do it, get on it and never stop. Yea, I know that people have problems, people might not have a lot of money, the biggest house, or live in the best community or whatever but the people that do had the same opportunity that you have and they made the best of it. That should be motivation for you to do it too.

An example of equal opportunity is when I had basketball tryouts, and I worked real hard over the summer working on my game doing drills and exercises like that,. This other guy who didn’t practice got cut because he wasn’t in shape and hadn't worked on his game. He told me that he didn’t have the chance that I did, I said, "Yes you did. We did the same drills, we did the same work outs, we did everything the same: you just didn’t seize the opportunity like I did to do your best." That’s what I’m talking about. You make the best of your chances.

The poorest kid in America could become the richest man ever if he puts his mind to it and takes all the opportunities he gets, and has a little patience. I’m going to make something of myself and take all the opportunities I get. That's what I believe in.

This I Believe, by Kyle

I Believe Essay

I believe that everyone has a good side to them. Even though it is sometimes hard to see, it is there. Most people don’t believe this though. People can be really bad at times, and you could thing they’re the worst thing ever. But deep down, they’re often a good person. Sometimes people are faced with difficult situations where they might have had to make a bad decision, but that one bad decision doesn’t have to characterize them completely as a horrible person.

After Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, a lot of people were forced to steal and loot goods, but they were doing it for a valid reason. FEMA wouldn’t provide what was needed in this disastrous time so the people of New Orleans had to take the situation into their own hands. Many people might have stolen food in order to provide for their family, but that shouldn’t make them bad people.

I try not to be too judgmental towards people. Just because you make one mistake, you don’t have to be a horrible person. A lot of people do bad things, and I’m not saying they have good reasons for them. But, I really believe that everyone has had some good in them at some point in them. I don’t think it’s fair to just categorize everyone as a bad person without even knowing them. It seems really unfair, nobody likes being judged like that, so why do it?

This I Believe, by Dustin

Friendship

I believe in friendship. A Friend is somebody who can talk to if you have problems, someone to hang out with and they make everyday better. Without friends, I don’t think the Earth would be a very good planet on which to live. Friends can help you even when family cant and they are with you until the end. It wouldn’t be a good life without them. When I’m upset, I can always count on my girlfriend, Elena, my best friend, Phil, or my friend Burgess to cheer me up; they’re they coolest people a man can ask for.

Friends usually tend to know more about you than anyone else because you are able to tell them things you wouldn’t feel comfortable telling anyone else. If people didn’t had friends, everyone would be stuck up, stubborn miserable people who are angry with one another. Some people are shy, and they have a very hard time making new friends. I was like that when I started school at OHS, but in time I got to know a lot of really cool people who I got along with. I tell the shy kids to just try talking to groups of individuals, and eventually, you will find the crowd you fit in with. This advice usually helps them. I have ended up being good friends with most of the people with whom I talked.

I met Phil at the beginning of the year through Elena. We became good friends. Now, I consider him to be one of my best friends. I’ve known Cameron and Vincent ever since middle school. I definitely consider them to be two of my best friends. They’re both very unique, and are both very awesome people who are fun to talk to. Friends are a great thing to have and without friendship, the world would be a terrible place where nobody would want to live; this is why I believe in friendship.

This I Believe, by Zavien

I Believe In Me

Have you ever been put down by people telling you that your not to going to get anywhere in life? I’ve been put down by lots of people in my life. Yet, do they know that putting me down is doing nothing but making me stronger in life? Sometimes you are the only person that you can trust over anybody else. That’s why I believe in me as a person.

Sometimes people put themselves down and, that’s why they never get anywhere in life. That’s the main reason why we have so many failures in this world. If you believe in yourself it shouldn’t matter what others say to you. Letting people just sit there and judge you can cause you not to have control over yourself. I’ve had times in my life where my teachers would tell me that they are more than positive that I was going to fail their class. Like always I proved them wrong. I can’t believe that teachers could say something like that. They are the ones who are supposed to encourage you when you are doing wrong.

I suspect that one of the reasons people tend to out me down before they get the chance to know who I am because I am a young black male. Statistics show that 90% of black males are either in jail or dead at 25 years old. That makes me feel that society is just setting us up to fail. That’s the main reason that I don’t believe in statistic. There are some black males out there who are 25 or older and are successful in life. Most people have others that inspire them, but I honestly inspire myself. So whenever someone puts you down in life don’t stress it. Just ignore it and believe in yourself and you will get far in life. I believe in me because I can do anything that I set my mind to regardless of statistics in the world. I trust myself as a whole to know that I can make it in life no matter what my race, religion, or age is. Believing in yourself will set a lot of goals, letting you have a good job, and getting you far in life. I believe in me.

This I Believe, by Matt

This I Believe

I really don’t know what to write about. But I’m going to write it on some friends that have changed my life. There are four guys that I’m writing about, Bill Hopkins, David Hopkins, Stephen Hopkins and Tyler Hopkins.

IT all Started With Bill Hopkins, David’s dad, and Stephen and Tyler’s grandpa. Bill lived eight houses down from my parents and I. That is were Tyler and myself always stayed every Saturday nights. We were just little kids. (like ten years old) We would stay at Bill’s house on Saturday nights. We would watch hunting videos. We would wake up on Sunday mornings and go to Church.

Bill and his Family were always in to hunting. Especially Rabbit hunting. Bill unseated that I go along hunting with them one Saturday. I told him I would, but I would have to check with my parents to make sure it was fine with them. So Bill called my dad, and asked him if I could go rabbit hunting. My dad told him that I could. I was so ready, I couldn’t wait until Saturday.

Finally it was Saturday morning, time to go rabbit hunting. It seemed like a year went by! But it was only a night. We loaded up and off we went. Bill, David, Stephen, Tyler and myself, little did I know, that day was going to change my life. We hunted all day Saturday, we had a good day we killed four rabbits. I had a awesome time, know I wonted to go every weekend.

I started going every Saturday, that I wasn’t working with my dad. Do you know how everyone looks forward to Friday I look forward to Saturday, so I could go rabbit hunting. When rabbit season ended I had nothing to do again. I would always bug Bill about when rabbit season was coming in again. He talked Stephen and Tyler in to taking me coon hunting on Saturday night. I thought he was crazy. Going hunting at night. Only little did I know how much fun I was in for! Steven and Tyler started letting me go with them on the weekends coon hunting. That’s when I feel in love with the sport.

I have been hunting with them for years. I had never owned a coon dog until about a year ago, because I had always hunted one of Stevens dogs. I was hunting a Bluetick female named bell. I told Steven and Tyler that I wonted a dog like her. Little did I know what Steven and Tyler for my birthday that was coming up in a few weeks. Steven had called and talked to my dad, and asked him if he could give bell to me for my birthday. My dad told Steven if that’s what he wonted to do, than that was fine with him. Well my birthday came around and I had a party at my house and Bill, David, Steven, Tyler came to my party. I opened all my girtfs, and I didn’t have one from Steven and Tyler, witch was weired. But I didn’t care cause they always took me hunting. Then Steven called me outside, and walked me to the back of his truck and in the dog box was bell. Steven said happy birthday Matt. I said Steven stop playing. He said that that he was for real, she is your dog. I didn’t know what to say! I was ‘SHOCKED’ and happy.

As I got older I started hunting her in some compactions hunts to win some money, and some trophies and free stuff. It took a while to learn the rules and how to hunt in the hunts. It took a while to win my first hunt but it happened, when I was 15 years old. To this day I still hunt with David, Steven, Tyler. Bill has got older and is not able to hunt anymore. David, Steven, Tyler are the best friends a guy could ask for. My dad and mom say that they are my second family.

That is what I believe in and something that has changed my life.

This I Believe, by Brittany

This I Believe

I believe that every child should have a parent that cares for them. I believe this because I grew up without both of my parents as a child.

The first three years of my life I was with my parents. We moved to Brooklyn, New York. My father started selling drugs, and my mother developed a habit of doing drugs. I think every child should have a parent who cares, and one who takes care of them, because if you don’t you’d probably feel like me. I sometime feel like nobody cares, feeling like nobody loves you, feeling like you’ve done something wrong as a child that made your parents not want you and feeling like you can’t love because all you’re going to do in the end is get torn away from that special person that you truly do care for and love.

After about two or three months, my parents moved to North Carolina and abandoned me with my two brothers with my grandmother on my father’s side. When she figured out that they weren’t coming back, she called the police. They took my brothers and I and put us into foster homes. I stayed for a year, but my brothers were picked up within two weeks, because their grandmother on their father’s side came and picked them up.

When I was four I moved in with my foster mother named Brenda. She had a son named Michael; they made me feel like I was a part of their family as a daughter and a sister. We did a lot of things together as a family such as going to the mall to shop, and going to my favorite fast food restaurant whenever we wanted. We also went to Universal Studios & Disney World; I was so excited because it was the first time I’d ever rode in a plane. After we got back to the house from our last trip, about a week or so later, I was literally taken by strangers that called themselves my “kin folk”. It felt like I was being torn away from the only family I knew. When we got back to North Carolina, I moved in with my so-called “great grandmother”, she made me feel special and she made me feel like I was a part of her family (our family). She continued to make me feel appreciated, and happy. But after about six to seven years of living with her, she started to get sick. She could no longer care for me the way she could when she first got me. So, this meant I had to either go to foster care again or get tossed around again. This time, I got tossed to my grandmother on my mother’s side. Again, I felt as if I were being torn away from somebody I really loved. Since, I’ve been with my grandmother, I’ve been to eleven different schools, I’ve had over at least fifty to sixty different teachers, and who knows how many different classmates.

This I Believe, by Pedro

This I Believe

Since four years ago, I had believed that “Words hurt more than a punch”. One example of this belief is when my girlfriend would tell me a lot of stuff that made me feel I would rather have died then lived. Even now when I and my girlfriend get mad we say a lot of hurtful things. Another example is when my father is mad for some reason; he tells me a lot of stuff.

One example of words hurting is when my father is mad for some reason. This might be because his job made him angry. He comes home and wants to discuss it with us. One day, I stepped in front of him, and I told him that he needed to stop or we will leave him. He was angry and he was yelling at me and I didn’t pay attention, but in my mind I was almost crying. We stopped arguing and we started talking. He was telling me that he was sorry and to forget all that he said to me, but I really never forgot what he told me. I know that my father is not like that but that day I didn’t know was happening with him, but I knew that he was just not thinking. In any case, he always says that he loves us; me, my brothers, and my sisters and of course, my mother.

Another example is about 4 years ago, my girlfriend and I both split up and she called me that night. She said to me a lot of things that I personally didn’t think that she would say to me. I was sad and thought about all the things that she was saying to me. It was devastating and the only thing that I could do was think about what she was saying to me. Because of that, I could not sleep and I could not eat anything for about three months until I realized that it was the past and I had to move on and start a new life. But, even now, I still think about what she said to me and sometimes I cry, but later I realize that what I am doing is wrong. So I start to think about other things. I know if I want to forget this, I have to know how to forgive the other person. Forgiving can be a positive thing, for example, when I talked with her and we gave each other another chance and now we are both happy.

My girlfriend and I love each other, but when we get mad we both say things that hurt each other and we both know that it will be difficult to forget it. We both feel bad when we say things that are wrong. We both feel sorry towards each other, but I sometimes want to go running from wherever we are and not come back, But, I know that we are just playing with each other.

One of the things that hurts me is when she calls me and plays that she doesn’t love me. I don’t like that because she reminds me of when she told me all the bad things that she said to me in the past. These are some examples from my life of how “Words hurt more than a punch”. It can still hurt even when the person is playing with you. I know that if you want to forget all about this, you have to stop thinking about this first, and then think about something else in order to forget all what you are thinking.

This I Believe, by Josh

What’s good? I believe that bad stuff sometimes happens to good people. I believe this because bad stuff happens to good people all the time. But, because of this, I believe even more so that we must let people know how much they mean to us every single day.

When I was in the 3^rd grade I lost my grandfather. He died from an unexpected heart attack. I say unexpected because he was the one that always ate the healthy foods, and he always kept the healthy snacks and things. My grandfather and I were very close. We did everything together. He bought me everything that I wanted when he was living.

Another example of bad stuff happening to good people includes when my cousin was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was riding his brother’s motorcycle when he lost control of it and wrapped himself around a tree. This happens because of someone threw sand on the road. But I wonder why did he have to be the one to get killed when there were three other motorcycles riding with him? If he were here now I would ask him, “What were you thinking riding that motorcycle?” He and I were mad cool. I looked up to him because he was a respectable person like my grandfather.

Then, on Thanksgiving of 2005, my great aunt choked on a piece of turkey after chewing the meat up properly. She was the one who went to church everytime there was a church service. Why is she not here with us now? She died at her daughter’s house in her kitchen. Now she’s in heaven. Although I moved away from Chapel Hill, we also had been close like she was my best friend. She was always there for me when I needed somebody to talk to.

All I am saying is that everyday good people are not supposed to be the one’s who have to suffer through the bad things in this life. Only those that do the bad things should suppose to suffer through the bad things. That’s only a fair punishment for everybody. I have not learned anything yet because I still think it’s not fair for good people to die.

This I Believe, by Heather

This I Believe

Have you ever been in a situation where you did something that you didn’t mean to do? I have and it’s not a fun situation to be in. It can be heart breaking and cause a lot of pain. I feel like everyone should deserve a second chance depending on what they did.

My name is Heather Salmon. I am a junior at Orange High School and I am sixteen years old. I have had a lot of drama with boys and friends even family in my life this year at school and at home. I have done so many things that I didn’t mean to do. I have gotten second chances just because I told the truth, but that doesn’t mean everyone gets one.

I have many stories about given someone a second chance, one which wasn’t too long ago. It was actually just before my school got out for spring break! I had gotten mad at my best friend for doing something that I thought was wrong. I had heard that she was messing with the guy that I had been kind of talking to. I became very angry at her and I suddenly stop talking to her. This went on for about a week. Everyday after second period, she would come up to me at lunch and tell all the stuff that the boy was telling her. Her knowing that I liked him, I didn’t believe her. We didn’t talk at all. When lunch came, I sat there and ate my food and didn’t bother to look at her. We had never gotten into an argument of any kind or had been mad at each other. At that time I really didn’t care because I thought she had done something very wrong. Come to find out, it was the boy that I was talking to that was going behind my back and making me look stupid by telling her that he liked her and a whole bunch of other stuff. Over spring break we didn’t talk at all. Just a couple days before it was time to come back to school, she e-mailed me on myspace and asked me if we could just forget about everything that had happened because she hates not talking to me and hanging out with me. I wrote her back and told her that I would love to forget about everything that had happened because I miss being her friend also. We haven’t really spoken that much since this event occurred. I know from this experience, we will never be best friends again but we will definitely be friends and still hangout and do stuff we used to do. I had given her another chance because she deserved one.

Which comes to conclusion, I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. People make mistakes in life that aren’t meant to be made. I have made many of those mistakes just like everyone else. No body in this world is perfect. Like one of my friends said, “Things happen and we have to move on in our lives and forgive the person for whatever they have done.”

Hurricane Katrina, by Whitney

Hurricane Katrina: a Tragedy
(based upon a poem by Anne Bradstreet, inspired by Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke)

At two in the morning while I was asleep,

Shortly there would be nothing to keep,

I woke to storms with wind and rain,

Which I could not comprehend in my brain.

That loud noise like bombs exploding,

And the sight of shores eroding,

I opened up the door to see,

And wondered why God sent tragedy.

To what I had known as my home,

When suddenly I realized I was not alone.

When in my house flood waters did seep,

I watched in horror as they got deep,

And when I saw they were not stopping,

I prayed that help would come a knocking.

As possessions went floating by,

I had to look up and ask “Why?”

Although it was Hurricane season,

In my mind I could not reason.

For I know God owns it all,

But as for me I could only ball,

For everything I thought was mine,

Was ruined within just a few moments of time.

As thoughts and possessions continued to drift,

My spirits sure needed a lift.

No more walls, no more floors,

No more windows, no more doors.

Everything was floating in the streets,

I looked on in disbelief.

Where my pictures once hung on the wall,

The rising waters took them all.

No more memories here to make,

But the old one’s you can’t take.

Hopes and dreams are shattered now,

But God will bring us forth somehow.

Possessions gone, but life remains,

We’re all players in the game.

The game of life,

Love, faith, toil, and strife.

For we don’t know what tomorrow holds,

But we must push to achieve our goals.

Look to the future, not the past,

Knowing all the while you may come in last.

Take tragedy as an opportunity,

To unite with your community.

No more stuff to tie you down,

All you need is your family around,

For life with no one is in vain,

If all your focus is on things.

Look above for what matters most,

And not about possessions boast.

Live well, laugh often, love much,

So your life will reflect such,

Keep the faith for He is just,

And He loves us all so very much.

This I Believe, by Chelsea

This I Believe
(based upon NPR's "This I Believe" series)

As human beings, we make mistakes on a daily basis. Some people make larger ones than others. You’re not a “weak person” for making them; you’re only weak if you don’t find the strength to forgive yourself and to fix the problem. As a high school student, I make many mistakes. As a teenager, I’m stuck in an awkward stage, torn between child and adult. When stuck in this stage, a teen wants the privileges of an adult, while still holding the heart and experiences of a child. As teens, this makes us more liable for mistakes. John Wooden once said, “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” John could not have been more accurate. That brings me back to my belief. Any one can make mistakes, but I believe that a strong person forgives their self and fix the mistake. I believe that I am a strong person. Here’s why.

The summer after my sophomore year in high school was awesome. I had my “summer love”, I went to the beach countless times, and living out on our family boat would be an understatement. As Summer approached its end, I met Wes. Wes was your typical “bad boy”, tattoos up his arms, piercings from head to toe, high school drop out, 20 years old, and he lived in the neighborhood next to mine. Needless to say, he was not my parents’ favorite. There is a saying, “Misery loves company.” Wes was the misery and I was his company. It wasn’t too long after we started dating that the trouble began. I would tell my parents I was going to work early, and instead I would sneak in extra time with Wes. I loved the time we spent together. But, all of those times, I was in fact late for work, and it cost me my job. However, I didn’t stop seeing him; I still snuck over to his place everyday after school, which didn’t last long once my dad caught on.

My dad eventually had Wes’ whole neighborhood watching for my car, and waiting with my dad’s number to call. They definitely did. At the time, I didn’t understand why my dad was trying to ruin my life. I felt betrayed, annoyed, and couldn’t stand my dad anymore. Of course the fun with Wes had to end. A 20 year old guy was not going to stay with a 16 year old girl. The relationship ended, and so did my parents’ trust in me.

Wes was not my only issue; so were grades. I had dropped from an “A/B” student to a straight “F” student. Studying was not an activity that I engaged in. Getting suspended didn’t help. I found myself in a distracting drama, which caused me to stop paying attention in class, and then hide every interim from my parents.

One night, after going through all of this for a good four months, I sat down with desperate hopes to pull myself together. I felt as if nothing was going my way, and that it never would. But then I thought to myself, what is sitting around and moping about it going to do? If I could prove to my parents that I am capable of being their reliable daughter again, and if I could keep myself away from Wes, and maybe even again be a straight “A” student, then I could pull myself out of this hole. So that’s exactly what I did. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t a quick process, but I did it.

Now, looking back on all of my accomplishments, I’m so proud of myself. I’m not proud that I dated Wes. I’m not proud of failing classes. I’m not proud of what I did to my parents. But I’m overwhelmed with joy that I found the strength in myself to bounce back. I am again a straight “A” student. I have nothing to do with Wes. I have a strong relationship with my parents, and I am closer to God. I found a lot of strength in going back to church, and am soon receiving my First Communion and Confirmation. Needless to say, I’m not just back to being the “Old Chelsea” but a “Better Chelsea”. I often hear my friends say, “I give up, there’s no hope for me.” It makes me angry because I know they can bounce back, but some of them just choose not to. So, this is my life, and it’s a perfect example of my belief. You’re not a weak person for making mistakes; you’re only weak if you don’t forgive yourself and fix the problem. I strong person never quits on themselves. They find the strength inside them to fix their mistakes.

This I Believe, by Bianca

This I Believe
(based upon NPR's "This I Believe" series)

So many people are against gay people and I wonder, why? They are just like you: but, they just love the same gender. I believe very strongly in gay and lesbian marriages. I believe people should be able to love who they want to love, not who the world wants them to love. So many people are killed every year because of their sexuality and the fact that they don’t live the way others live.

Sometimes I don’t understand why the law makes it a big problem for people to marry who they want to. I’m angry because we have a book of constitutional amendments that states that we have the right of freedom to do basically whatever we want. But yet we can’t marry who we want. It makes me so angry when I hear people talk about how much they hate the gay community. The gay community hasn’t done anything wrong to them, only to be themselves.

I believe in gay and lesbian marriages because I am bisexual myself, which means that I very strongly support the gay community. I also support this belief because I have a lot of gay friends. I notice that in the South, people aren’t as open about the gay community as they are in the Northern cities. Even if I wasn’t gay, I still wouldn’t have a problem with the gay community. There’s nothing wrong with being gay. All it means is that you like the same gender: you’re still the same on the inside.

There’s this show that I watch called “The L Word,” which is about the lives of women who are lesbians. It shows how much love they have for one another regardless of the fact that they are the same gender. Gay couples have the same issues as couples of the opposite sex. The series is a very good example of what goes on in gay/lesbian relationships, their lives and the issuse that they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This show reminds me why I believe people should be able to love who they want to love, not who the world wants them to love.

This I Believe, by Alix

This I Believe
(based upon NPR's "This I Believe" series)

Have you ever sat and really thought about the world? Have you ever wondered what it has come to be and what it will be in the future? In the world today, so many people take little things and turn them into huge ordeals. Why waste so much time on the things that shouldn't matter when you could be cherishing the things that should matter. This is why I believe in a bigger picture.

As human beings living on Earth, we all know that wars break out, people kill each other for almost pointless reasons, and people complain about how their lives are terrible or how this world is coming to nothing. We go to war over other people's past and fight each other's battles, while we could be reminiscing on the things that are actually right in our lives. Not only should we do that, but we should look at the world in a completely different perspective.

Often, I look around and see how many people do not care about what is happening around them. The truth is that I used to be one of those people who didn’t care very much. One day I realized that I should have paid more attention to what depends on the way I live. I now know that I should keep in touch with the world I live with, not caring about the little things in life that don't matter, such as arguments with teachers and pointless fights with the girls at school with whom I might not get along well with. Everyone should live with the knowledge of politics. This way they can look at the bigger picture of the world, rather than the latest gossip going around school. The problem is that people don’t care about the world around them enough to watch the news or read the Sunday paper.

Someone very important in my life once talked to me about, not his struggles, but the people around him who live less fortunate lives. He asked me how I would feel if I were in another person's position; what would I do if I were mentally disabled? What if I were a starving child in a third world country? What if I had no family to be by my side and to support me? Life would be so different. I thought about it for a while and realized how many things I would be missing out on; I didn't even know how good I had it until his questions brought this to my attention. I have been separated from my sisters and father most of my life, and I have never stayed in one place for more than three years, but that matters less than the things I am able to do now. The opportunities I have in my future suddenly became so cherished to me. I became more grateful for the family I have and the friends who care for me.

So tomorrow morning when I wake up for another day at school, I won’t groan about how I don't want to learn today. I will simply tell myself I’m doing it for the bigger picture. I’m working hard to make my dreams come true and to become whoever I want to be. I glad that I am able to do so. Don't let other people distract you from being yourself and doing what you want to do. Problems in the world that we go through can be tough and even heartbreaking, but remember that there is always a way to pull through; just think positive. I now look at the world with my glass half full, trying to make the most of everything that comes my way. I know I can still be pessimistic at given times, but I am working on it everyday. I want to be someone who lives life to the fullest; I want to do my best and achieve as many of my goals as possible. Everyone should take a moment to relax and think about their place in the world and take a good look at their own bigger picture.

The Levees Broke, by Joe

The Levees Broke
(inspired by Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke)

On a hot summer day,
My home city was in the way.
No one knew what was heading towards us,
But it hit us like Big Yellow Bus.
People thought they could stay,
But instead they all just floated way.
People thought the storm they could fight,
But were proven wrong on that hot summer night.

The levees broke.
Every thing became soaked.
People's houses being over taken,
Then day came and there was a sad awakening.
All of the beautiful homes were crushed;
The devastation was making FEMA rushed.
People waited in the attic,
Panicing and becoming static.
Seeing their family dying from the heat,
Having no water or food to eat,
Sitting there watching dead people float by,
Having nothing to do but look to the sky.
Then the day came when help arrived,
But many of the people had died.
People sitting at the dome,
Just praying to go home,
Not taking any showers,
Feeling like nasty cowards,
Seeing friends who are dead,
Man, that was such a dread.

Then they said, "You got to move,"
Most people wanted to refuse.
Then came the time when they said,
"You're going to Texas where there are beds."
People were happy and full of joy,
But wishing they were chill'n with the boys.

President Bush finally came;
People looked at him and thought he should be ashamed.
It took you three weeks to get here;
I bet you were in such a rush to get here.
People are mad at him, but he does not care,
All he wanted to do was just appear.
It was all for publicity.
But really should have been for our city.

They say they blew up the levees that night.
This made the people rise and fight,
People stealing stuff ,
Who could stop, them surely not us?
Hurricane Katrina was the biggest disaster.
We will always remember the ones who died.
On that one hot summer night.

This I Believe, by BJ Riley

This I Believe
(based upon the NPR "This I Believe" series)

Have you ever had anything that happened to you, that you thought was going too be the worst thing that ever happened? Well I have. That’s why I have the belief that everything happens for a good reason. There have been many things that have gone on in my life that made me to start to realize this belief. I didn’t always see this but through time I have come to see more of it.

My mom did not stay with my biological father. At first, one would think that this is a bad thing. He was a really difficult man, and if my mom had stayed with him, then I would not have turned out to be the person that I am today. I really think that if they had stayed together, then I might not even be in school. Or I would be in school but I really would not care about the work that I have to do.

Another reason that helped me see this believe, is that this past wrestling season, I wrestled for about two weeks before I got injured. So I sat out for about a month, then found out that I would have to have surgery that would put a end to my wrestling season. This felt like the worst thing that had ever happened to me. It was the worst for many reasons, first of all I would miss out on a lot of things like getting 100 wins, and the state duals which our team won this year. Although I felt frustrated I still trusted that it happened for a real good reason. For instance maybe next year will be the year that I can win a state championship.

I really feel strong about this belief. There are many reasons why I belief in this, and I shared two of the reasons with you. I hope that once you read this that you can find out that this is true and you could start to believe the same.

This I Believe, by Caty

This I Believe

I believe the simple life is possible. The modern world that we live in is too technological. I want to go back to the days when family dinners were had every night and televisions were in black and white. Those were the simple days and I would like to believe in them.

The new inventions are taking time away from quality family time. Personally I go out to dinner for my birthday, but that only comes once a year. TeVo has led to the demise of family time. My family spends massive amounts of television. I should probably work on eliminating a few more hours of shows. If we were to meet in the middle with them watching less, we could probably work out dinner a couple nights a week. I talk to my parents, that isn’t the problem, but I would like to have more family dinners. I believe that it would keep more families together and more kids out of trouble. We may not sit around a table every night but, my parents are super involved. The way my parents keep an eye on me has really paved the way for my future. It’s shining bright because of them. Seeing your child on a day-to-day basis helps keep an eye on them without prying into their lives. If such a problem arose, parents would see a quick change, rather than maybe catching a change over a gradual period of time. If some parents cannot handle keeping an eye on their kids, I just cannot understand why they would have them.

Cell phones are the plan makers of America. I can understand needing to keep track of your kids, but now some parents would rather buy a cell phone for themselves than feed their own children. I’m positive that my parents bought me a cell phone to know where I’m going and who I’m with, not to jabber with every person on earth. Cell phones are the gateway drugs that lead into automobiles being the serious problem.

In the old days, kids would have to walk or bike to their friends houses. I believe more kids would opt to stay home. I know that if I had to walk anywhere today, I definitely would stay. Cars used to be such a luxury. Having a family car meant you were truly blessed. Now it is rare to see a sixteen year old without one. I do have a car that my parents bought me but I like to think that I earn it and do not abuse the privilege of having one. I think if we went back to the days before the new inventions; most families would be a whole, teenagers would not have such wild behavior, and the youth of America would have a more promising outlook.

The days before the internet entertainment and high technological communication industries didn’t exist are the days we need to return to. With more and more progress makes for more and more problems. Maybe if we slowed down a bit, we could better handle the problems that hit us in the face everyday. I believe that we should slow down and lead the simple life.

This I Believe, by Carter

This I Believe
(based upon NPR's "This I Believe" series)

Has a parent or guardian ever told you a quote or a saying by which they want you to live? Well, my father told me a saying that I try to live by everyday. I believe in always doing the right thing.

My name is Carter Holleman. I am seventeen years old and a junior at Orange High School. Throughout my seventeen years of life, my father has always told me for as long as I can remember, “Always do the right thing and life will be much easier.” Although this rule seems easy, it is not.

I have many stories I could tell about this saying that my father preaches to me, but one sticks out in my head. It was freshmen year of high school, and I had to write a paper on how I thought dogs became man’s best friends. I mostly worked on this project at school but was suppose to work on it at home. Not wanting to do anything at home, I wrote the paper in the library in about twenty minutes. A week passed and the project was due on Monday, and it had to be typed. So being the teenager that I was, I waited until Sunday to type my paper. Whenever I type a paper my parents always check it. You can guess my father’s reaction to the paper. He got really frustrated and very angry with me. He took me to my room and ripped the paper in two and asked “Why did you procrastinate?” I told him the typical teenage answer, “I don’t know.” Needless to say he argued with me some more, then said,” I always tell you do the right thing the first time then life will be much easier. Rewrite the paper and do it right.” I obeyed my fathers instructions and did the paper right.

I ended up making an A on my project and showed my grade to my father. He said,” See what doing the right thing does? Trust me Cater, do it right the first time and life is simple.”

Now in my junior year at high school, I still live by the saying my father told me. I have messed up a little bit, but I always bounce back. Life does seem simpler following this rule. “In the future” I will pass my fathers wisdom on to my children. I believe in doing the right thing the first time.

This I Believe, by Tracy

This I Believe

I believe in true love and second chances. Everyone deserves true love and a second chance. When I was thirteen years old and in the seventh grade, I thought that I was in love. I was so sure that I had found exactly who and what I wanted. Everything seemed perfect. Then my “true love” started treating me very badly. He called me names and he pushed me, he made me think, that I couldn’t do better and that I was ugly and worthless. Everyone told me that I deserve better, but I thought I was in love so I didn’t listen. I let him control my life. I did anything and everything that he told me to do. Finally, when I was sixteen years old, he ended our relationship. He wanted someone “better”.

I went into a huge, very bad, mental state of depression. I quit eating, I started cutting myself. My grades dropped. I didn’t care about anything, and I certainly didn’t care about myself. I started hanging out with the way wrong people, and doing very wrong things, but I didn’t care. I lost total sight of what was important in my life, and it was all because of some stupid boy. There were other reason’s involved, but he was the main reason. My parents, family, and friends were all very worried about me. My parents sent me to a doctor, who then placed me in a hospital for a week.

I went on doing bad things and hanging with the wrong people for about a year, until about four months ago. That was when a miracle walked into my life. His name is Robert Hill. He goes by, “Robbie”. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. He helped strengthen me, and he helped me straighten out my life. He told me that he believes in me and that means the world to me. He helped me realize that the way I was living my life was no way to live. He encouraged me to see that I can be someone and make something of myself. He showed me what true love is and taught me that second chances happen.

He brought the good back out in me and so much more. He is the reason that I get up and can look forward to my day now/ he is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I don’t know what I would do without him. I can’t see myself without him. And the strange thing is, I don’t depend on him like I depended on the other person, he just guides me. In fact, we kind of guide each other.

I hadn’t had anyone treat me like he does. He reminds me of how much I mean to him every day, and that I am important, and that I can be somebody. He is so good to me, and that is why I love him so much. He is the reason why I believe in love and second chances. He has showed me that there is always room is your heart to love someone else, and when you think that you can’t go on without someone, you really can. You just have to be strong and willing to move on. You can’t dwell on the past, you have to always look forward to the future. There is someone out there for everyone, you just have to be strong and not stop looking until you find them. Don’t ever give up. You never know, that person might be standing right in front of you, waiting for you to let them in.

Upon the Flooding of My House, Chloe

Upon the Flooding of My House

(based upon an Anne Bradstreet poem; inspired by Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke)

In the break of day when I took rest
There was a pounding of my chest
I listened to the thundering noise
As the leeves broke with dreadful poise
With the frightful sounds of “Water!” and “Water!”
Please let no man know of slaughter
I stared up to the light of sky
Where my heart to God did cry
With hope of strength in my distress
That FEMA has left me in horrible mess
I finally break free of my space
And stare as tides engulf my place
When my house did shake and fall to ground
I blessed His name and gave a sound
My treasure now float in mold
As I watch them turn to old
‘Twas not mine but His own
For that he wish is unknown
The ruins were there no longer kept
And there sufficient last I left
And when the ruins I did past
A sadness sorrow in my eye did last
Here and there people did die
Awaiting permanent a place to lie
Here stood that chair, and there that chest
There lay that store I loved best
My many things in mold lie
And them have no more shall I
Now in my house I shall not sit
Not at my table to eat a bit
No more stories by thy fireplace
Nor things retold of time and space
No more lights shall shine in thee
Nor shall there be a child born in thee
In silence, FEMA thou lie
A tragedy for you and I