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