Shine On Fall 2007

Young Leaders
L e a de r s Rising
Rising
A n
ew
and spap
ser er o
f
vic
e-l serv
ear
i
nin ce
g
FALL 2007
Shine On! Youth Editorial Board:
Meet the editors
Youth leadership and
The Girl Who Owned a City
The Shine On! Youth Editorial Board is brand new this year. As a board, we write, edit,
Xain Thornton
8th Grade, Interdistrict Downtown
and plan pages for Shine On! We also brainstorm to discover the topics students want
to hear about. Our work gives Shine On! a strong youth voice. If you like to write, edit,
and create, or want a prominent voice in your society, apply for our Youth Editorial
Board. This is why WE do it:
Dannah Waukazo
Annie Wood
12 Grade, Patrick
Henry High School
th
“I’m into writing and
studying for school, and
preparing for college
next fall. I’m psyched
to be a part of the Shine
On! Youth Editorial Board
because it is so important
to get kids’ voices heard! I
think this is a good way to
get babies’ to teens’ voices heard, and get a broad
spectrum of diversity in
the paper, too. I’ve been with Shine On! since its
first issue. I just love it so much because of what
I learn and what we get to write about.”
)
L
9th Grade, Southwest
High School
“I believe in the importance of youth voice. Teens
are often misrepresented
and stereotyped in the
media, and I believe it’s
our responsibility to show
people we are more than
stereotypes. I want to tell
the stories of real teens
who are making a difference. I’ve been writing for
Shine On! for the last two
issues and I’m excited to be a part of the board
and working with other teen leaders to make
more youth voices heard!”
Want to join the Shine On! Youth Editorial Board?
Send us a letter or email explaining why you would be a good addition to the team.
Include ideas you have for the paper and your past experiences with or interest in
youth art, writing and publication. Send to the same address as general submissions.
I
’M READING A BOOK FOR SCHOOL
called The Girl Who Owned a City,
by O.T. Nelson. In the book, there is
a kid named Lisa and she has to survive
because everyone over 12 has died. She
has a brother and that helps to make her a
leader. She also is one of the smarter kids
and is the one who figures out where food
is, such as in a warehouse.
I am learning to be a leader as well. In our
school, we are doing Urban Stewards and
we are trying to take part in our community
and help lead our world to a better future.
We went out asking people in the street
about the downtown environment and we
are discussing the problems that the people
on the street told us about. This is helping
us to be leaders as kids. What our school is
doing for us is to help us be leaders through
these activities, just like Lisa. ●
Submit YOUR youth leader
book reports to Shine On!
Are there any books you’ve read that
have inspired you to step into a position
of leadership? Share them with Shine On!
Send your youth leadership book report
(200 words or less) for the next issue.
Shine On! wants YOUR
writing and artwork, too!
We accept youth submissions that relate
to youth leadership, service, and servicelearning. There are many ways to be a
leader. Share your stories with us!
Applications are due January 14, 2008.
The deadline for submissions for
our next issue is April 14, 2008.
Inside this issue:
Freedom School letters for change .... 3
Write On! student writing ................ 4
Young Leaders Rising
Everyday Leaders .......................... 5
Editor-in-Chief: Rebecca Dallinger
Superintendent!
An interview with Dr. Bill Green .... 6-7
Managing Editor: Sarah Huff
Life, Liberty and
The Pursuit of Learning .................. 7
Shine On! essay contest ...............8-10
Seward Peace Garden ................... 11
Not your average camp experience ... 12
Design & Production: Kirsten Perry
Youth Editorial Board:
Dannah Waukazo, Annie Wood
Copy Editor: Anne Holzman
Special thanks to: Brenda Eccleston, Janine Freij,
Janet George, Leon Oman, Colleen Sanders,
Jeri Ezaki, Hannah Miller, Nathan Magel, & MPS
Community Education Coordinators, Teachers
and Employees.
Send submissions to:
Shine On! Submissions
MPS Youth Development
Lehmann Center
1006 West Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55408
Inter-district School Mail:
MPS Youth Development
Lehmann Center
Fax to:
(612) 668-3945, Attn: Sarah Huff
Check out more Shine On!
Youth Writing & Art ONLINE at:
commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/Shine_On
eMail us:
[email protected]
More brand-new youth work has been
uploaded with the release of this issue!
Visit our Website:
commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/Shine_On
2
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
Freedom School students
write letters for change
Students at the W. Harry Davis Freedom School chose to take action this summer to
improve the state of health care. They decided to share their concerns and research
with their government’s decision-makers. Here are some of the letters they wrote to
their state representative, Augustine “Willie” Dominguez. Representative Dominguez
even responded, proving that EVERY voice—especially youth voice—
can work towards making important change!
Dear Representative
Dominguez,
time out of your day
Thank you for taking the
orming you that there
to read my letter. I am inf
without health care and
are up to 9 million kids
, most of them could
if we can’t do anything
ndering for the parents
possibly die. I was wo
n get a payment plan.
that can’t afford if they ca
e eighty dollars they
For instance, if they ow
ll be way easier for
a month so that way it wi
can pay twenty dollars
health care and
so many kids that need
are
re
the
e
us
ca
Be
m.
like this.
the
I think they would really
it.
ord
aff
n’t
ca
t
jus
ts
their paren
Sincerely,
Sergio Ashford
Dear Sergio:
Thank you for contacting
me to express your suppo
rt
for legislation that would
provide health insuranc
e
coverage for all children
in Minnesota. I apprecia
te
you taking the time to sha
re your thoughts.
I absolutely agree that all
children deserve access
to
quality, affordable health
car
e and this must be one of
the legislature’s top priori
ties. Our state has historica
lly been at the forefront
of health care initiatives an
d, according to the most rec
ent U.S. Census statistics, we have the lowest un
insured rate in the nation
at 8.7 percent. There are
signs, however, that there
is trouble in our future. It
is estimated that 68,000
children in Minnesota lac
k health insurance coverag
e.
Furthermore, between
2001 and 2004, the unins
ured rate for our younge
st children increased from
3.9 percent to 6.8 percent.
I have co-authored Legis
lation to pass a law that wi
ll result in approximately
37,000 new kids receiving
health care by 2011. We
will continuously work
to address all children an
d adult references to healt
h care in Minnesota.
Again, thank you for conta
cting me. I hope you will
continue to contact me
on the issues that are impo
rtant to you. I understand
tom
orrow, August 2, is
your last day of school.
Enjoy the rest of your sum
mer!
Sincerely,
Augustine “Willie” Do
minguez
State Representative, Di
strict 58B
)
L
Do you have community concerns that you want to share with
your representative? Follow the Freedom School Scholars’ example and write
them a letter! In your letter, tell them who you are and why the issue matters to you,
and suggest a way that you think they can help. Your voice can make a difference.
Find your representative online at:
www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp
Or call the information lines:
State House: (651) 296-2146; State Senate: (651) 296-0504
Student letters on health care
“We are writing to inform you that society is
losing its health. We are also writing to ask
you to do what you can such as donate to
medical aid or offering free services a few
days a week. By writing this letter, I hope
to see people feeling great when sick and
depressed. I hope to see doctors doing
their best to help other people. That’s what
I hope to see someday.” —Benny Warren
“Health care is one of the
major problems in our communities. Did you know that
every 48 seconds a baby is
born without health insurance?! Well, if you didn’t
you do now. I hope my letter will convince you to help children and
parents get health care.”
—Ma’Chauni Chandler
“The lack of children having health care
should be fixed. Babies die every day because they don’t get the proper care they
need. Think about what’s happening to
these babies. Some get very bad diseases
and die. Some may suffer in many different
ways, but in whatever way they suffer, they
still suffer. The bad health care won’t just
affect me. I will get hurt, but the babies will
hurt more than I will.”
—McKayla Chandler
S
Students
also wrote Representative
Dominguez about other issues:
D
“I want to do something about all the violence, the cliques, and the gangs. The gangs
and cliques need a good place to go. You
should work to open group centers to get
young kids off the streets.”
—John Brown
“Child abuse is wrong to
do. Just because your child
does not do something
right away you don’t have
to beat them. And if you
start getting mad, you don’t
have to take all of your anger out on them.
Just because it is taking your child a long
time to clean their rooms or do their daily
chores, you don’t have to start getting a
big attitude. If there is anything you can do
about this situation, it would be fantastic.”
—Alera Officer
Shine On ! | Fall 2007 |
3
Write On!
Student writing on Youth Leadership
Alex’s Drive: A fictional story
about youth leadership
Do-Hyoung Park
5th Grade, Interdistrict Downtown School
“We have breaking news! An F-5 tornado has
touched down in Otis in central Kansas, and is
moving southeast at 65 miles per hour. The wind
speeds may exceed 300 miles per hour in the
areas that are less than a half mile from the funnel. The towns of Otis and Albert have already
been completely destroyed, and the tornado is
moving toward Great Bend and Raymond as
we speak.”
A
LEX JOHNSON SUDDENLY SAT UP ON
his family’s couch. He had been watching
some cartoons until the breaking news
report had suddenly come on. He listened intently
as the report continued. “We now have word that
nobody has died or has been injured yet, but those
poor people have lost everything. We here at the
news station hope that they will be all right. Let’s
look at the weather in Great Bend right now. Jane,
tell us about the storm…”
It was almost midnight, and Alex was lying awake
in bed, thinking about the news report. It had been
a long time since the tornado had dissipated, and
Alex wanted to help those survivors in some way or
another. He ran the various ways that he could help
through his mind, like donating food or clothes, but
then he realized that he could help a lot more by having other people donate items with him. He would ask
some of his friends at school tomorrow. Right now, he
needed rest. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.
When he got to school the next morning he ran into
his homeroom teacher, Mr. Anderson.“What are you
doing, Alex? You sure have a determined look on your
face,” he remarked. Just then, Alex had an idea.
Alex was standing in front of the whole class. He
was nervous, but he gave it his best try. “As many
of you know, there was a tornado that touched down
in central Kansas last night,” he began. “Nobody
died, but four towns were completely destroyed,
leaving their residents without anything. I want
to help those people by donating items to them. I
hope that you can help those people by bringing
items that you want to donate to my house. Thank
you.” His classmates applauded him.
A Letter to Jesus
Youth leadership & everyday life
Sara Sommers
8th Grade, Interdistrict Downtown School
A
T FIRST, I COULDN’T THINK OF ANYTHING
worth writing about for this essay! Then
I was reminded of the project my Girl Scout
troop is doing. We are working to earn our silver
award, and needed to come up with a community
service project that is more than just a one-time deal.
I came up with “We should do presentations at the
Brooklyn Center Library about tree care.” Later, we
added a park event at a nature center, planting a
few trees during the event, and making a video to
share with libraries and schools in the area. We will
be doing major projects that demonstrate youth
leadership over the next two years.
Then I had other ideas about leadership. I thought
about student government and church events. I
took Shotokan Karate from my aunt for about four
years, and my friend was in the Metropolitan Girls’
Choir for three. Don’t those all count as Youth Leadership? I don’t know why I didn’t think of these
projects earlier.
I think leadership opportunities are everywhere
and we don’t even realize it most of the time. We
always have those really, really big topics in mind,
not church or Girl Scouts. We should start thinking
of the everyday things. ●
Walk a Mile in His Shoes
Jabre Earl Peoples
8th Grade, Andersen Open
Walk a mile in his shoes and see what he goes
though, people trying to bring him down, he’s
trying his hardest not to find himself six feet
underground.
Walk a mile in his shoes. You think his life is just
peaches and cream, when the only real peace
he gets is the peace in his dreams.
Alex was doing his homework on the couch when
the doorbell rang for the first time. He opened the
door and saw John standing on his doorstep with
a bulky package in his hands. Alex waved hello,
and asked what the package contained. John had
brought some of his clothes that were too small for
him. He had also brought some canned peaches,
pineapple, and mangoes. Alex said thanks, closed
the door, and went back to his homework. Less than
a minute later, the doorbell rang again. He smiled,
closed his textbook, and went to open the door.
Walk a mile in his shoes, when everyday there’s
Want to find out what happened?
Read the rest of Do-Hyoung’s story online:
commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/AlexsDrive.html
has to say, because you never know what he has
4
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
The following is a poem about how one student
relies on her faith to give her the strength it
takes to be a young leader.
a fright. He never knows when his parents are
getting ready to fight.
Walk a mile in his shoes and have to walk the
streets, going several days with nothing to eat.
Walk a mile in his shoes, when every day’s a scare,
sleeping in an alley in an old broken-down chair.
Walk a mile in his shoes, and listen to what he
to go through every day.
Sarah Pospisil
8th Grade, Interdistrict Downtown School
Kids can help
even when no one thinks they can.
We were here too.
It’s partly our land.
Jesus help them see
they can’t do it alone.
They need me.
It needs to be foreshown.
We need a chance to stand up and say,
“Adults look at us.
I want my way.”
I do it for you every day.
So please give me respect.
It’s not time to play.
You need to teach us
to be leaders without a flaw.
So when our time comes
we won’t break even the smallest law.
Our time has come
to be leaders and give.
To work and have fun.
To laugh and live.
New Generation
Sarah Lieberman,
8th Grade, Interdistrict Downtown School
Bush, Clinton, Reagan, they were all
leaders of their time.
What they thought we needed is past us.
We take control. We shall rise.
New beginnings await us in another time.
That time is now. Stand up and roar!
Show your voice within the depths
of the world.
Sing the song of our world’s toils.
Mend the world’s scars.
Mother Nature is calling and peace is afoot.
For now we know better than the past.
War will scare us. Peace will save us.
Younger generations will rise!
We know what is best.
New fuel! New cultures!
A way to produce food!
Money is not an option but something
holding us back. Just bits of tinder.
All we need to do is set aside our fears
and differences.
Politics are not the answer, and war
has no real meaning.
Sacrifice will be made for the better.
No more fossil fuels! Less pollution!
Save our Mother Earth! Make it our own.
Green Central’s “Club Shine”
Left: Group Pyramid
(bottom to top, left to right):
Belen Cornejos, Mosesa Harris,
Sumayah Campbell, Aminata
Toure, Bale Kader, Shalimar
Dunlap, Rosalba Vega Ramirez,
Maria Guadalupe Hernandez,
Dulce Gonzalez, Jasmin Troupe,
Jazmin De La Paz, Giovanni
Hernandez, Tyra McCoy, Ruek
Kueth, Denise Morrison Fadina.
Below: Mosesa Harris and
Sumayah Campbell show off
their finds from the nature walk
scavenger hunt.
Green Central’s
Everyday Leaders
group, “Club Shine,”
has been very busy
this fall. They attended
a leadership camp at the YMCA’s
Camp Ihduhapi. They grew closer as a
group while learning some important
leadership skills. Above are some
pictures from their adventures!
everyday
leaders
“Club Shine” also started their own
monthly publication. Students write
articles about current issues and
things they like to do, and even create
word-find puzzles! The following
article was published in the first issue.
Above: Jazmin DeLa Paz, Belen
Cor nejos, Rosalba
Vega Ramirez, and Reuk Kueth
do a balancing act
after relaxing by Lake Indepe
ndence.
How much do you know
about our community?
by Elliot Gorostieta
I
LOOKED ONLINE TO FIND OUT WHAT
(community) resources are around Green Central. I found www.ci.minneapolis.us and it
was really helpful. Some of the places they showed
were the Bancroft Neighborhood Association, Field
Regional Northrop Neighborhood Group and Park
Neighborhood Association.
The Barton Harmony Mural
By Rjobyn Fassett-Carmen
F
O U R YOUNG ARTISTS IN GRADES
4-6 made a harmony mural for Barton
School. We used an old board, 3 x 4 feet.
We collaged it with tissue paper, funky paper,
We chose the quote “Harmony… is little pieces together
to make a whole.” Harmony is
our school theme this year
at Barton. The mural now
hangs in the entrance
everyday
to our school. We are
leaders
proud of how colorful it
turned out, and people love
it! We wanted to make a mural
because it was bright and colorful
and fun and a happy way to share our
message of harmony and peace. The final
product is a visual reminder of peace for our
school community. ●
The Field Regional Northrop Neighborhood
Group, Inc. started in 1965. They wanted to improve urban life. Their address is 1620 E. 46th St.
in Minneapolis, which is the Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church.
Have you heard about the Park Neighborhood
Association? It is located on 3400 15th Ave. South,
Minneapolis. Here, they talk about economics,
housing, and community involvement and have
meetings twice a week.
Also around the school there is the Fire Station,
the Police Station and the Sabathani Community
Center. Where’s your favorite place to go in Minneapolis? ●
L
)
scrabble letters, beads, ribbon, marbles and more. We
made it outside the Community Education office with Cindy,
the Community Education
Coordinator, as our guide. The
group worked well together
deciding on colors, the quote,
layout and ideas.
The Bancroft Neighborhood Association is on 4120
17th Ave South. They have places for recreational
activities and are close to Lake Nokomis, too.
How well do you know
your community?
What do you know about the history of your neighborhood or
school? Where do kids go to have
fun? Follow Elliot’s lead and do some research. Make lists of your neighborhood
organizations, especially the kid-friendly
ones! Find out what events are going on,
participate and encourage your friends to
as well. Draw a map of fun things to do in
your neighborhood and share them with
young people that are looking for positive
ways to become involved in their community. Don’t forget to share your final product
with Shine On!
Shine On ! | Fall 2007 |
5
What does it mean to be superintendent?
Shine On! Youth Edit
Editorial Board member Annie Wood
sits down with MP
MPS Superintendent Dr. Bill Green.
A
LL THROUGH THE
school day, I had anticipated this moment.
I wondered what difference I
would make, if any, as just a student. Would he care about my
questions? Would he answer
with some heart and insight?
I pictured myself, a tiny speck
on his calendar amidst his
vast list of very important, very
official things to do.
What do you do on a typical day?
The instant he greeted us, I
knew he was normal. Not normal as in crazy vs. normal, but
as in important vs. normal. He
Above: Inter viewer
Annie Wood with Dr.
Green.
didn’t act superior or better
than us. He was very candid and honest in his answers, and he
was sincere. What shocked me most was how he never even wanted to be superintendent. He loved being a history teacher. But he cares so deeply about
students and their futures that he does the job anyway.
I realized how hard it must be to be in his shoes. People expect so much from
the superintendent. Students always say, “He never asks me for my opinion!”
But that’s not because he doesn’t want it. He needs people to approach him
and tell him what goes down in schools. He has many responsibilities. Following us around waiting for us to spill our deepest thoughts and emotions isn’t
o
ne of them. The responsibility to tell
one
him
h
im is ours.
IIff you
y take anything away from reading
tthis
hi interview, I hope you see that Dr.
Green
is a leader of this district, but
G
r
can be leaders, too. His word
sstudents
tu
iiss not the last word (and he doesn’t
want it to be), so anyone who has
w
should speak up. You will be
iideas
d
heard. We can all make a difference
h
iin
n our education and lives by engagiing
n today. ●
Left: Dr. Green shows off the drawing
L
he made in one of his classroom visits.
h
6
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
I used to have what I thought was the best job
in the world, teaching history in college. …[I]
had no intentions of leaving it. … But [this job
is] incredibly rewarding. I don’t think I’ll ever
do anything more important than this job, ever.
That doesn’t mean that every day is good—it’s
not. I have to choose between one decision that’ll
upset people and another decision that’ll upset
people. And so it’s a trick to try to figure out what’s
really good in the long run for all the kids.
In one meeting, I might meet with the mayor,
then another with teachers in a school, then a
third meeting (this is all in one day) I’ll meet
with the superintendent of the park system. I
may go to legislature to talk about legislation
affecting public schools. … My day starts early
and ends late, and it’s usually one meeting after
the other.… Sometimes that’s fun, I don’t know
why… and I do have meetings on weekends.
What change do you want to see
in the schools this year?
I want you guys to have a better experience
in the classroom. ... I want all kids to be exposed to the best educational courses, the best
teachers. I want you all to have exposure to the
world. I want your educational experience to
be relevant to you. I want you to be exposed—
if you’re interested—to music, art, journalism.
I want every student in the school district to
have the same opportunities.
A lot of students [say] art is really important
to them for expressing themselves. But it
seems with all these budget cuts, we’re losing
opportunities to take part in those programs.
On a personal note: when I was in 6th grade
we did these 6-week rotation classes where I
got to take a shop class. I loved it. But the next
year, because of budget cuts they had to cut
that class and cut the teachers.What are your
plans to support electives and arts?
I think that you’re not fully educated unless
you have art, unless you have music. … We’re
going to have difficulties with finances, there’s
no doubt about that. But we’ve got to figure
out how we are going to be able to provide
every kid with that opportunity. …That may
mean forming partnerships with corporations.
A couple of our schools have instruments
because of their partnerships with the music
industry. ... A lot of people are saying “What
can we do to help?” Well, support this program,
Many students have opinions about their
school and education but they don’t really
know where to go with their ideas. Do you
ever communicate with students about
their ideas?
Yeah, I do—but not enough. I meet with citywide PTA and sometimes I’ll know one or two
students in the school to whom I’ll say, “Get
some friends together. Let’s get some coffee
or something and just talk.” But I don’t get a
chance to meet as often as I’d like.
“I consider [conversations with
students] ‘reality checks’…
I gotta have them tell me
what they really feel.
...T hey tell me the truth,
whether it’s good or bad.
I gotta know.”
I rely on the students to come to me. ... This is
an invitation to you. If you feel like you’d like
to talk...I’ll come out to the school …or at one
of the coffee shops out there wherever you
want to do it. … I consider those conversations
“reality checks.”
I try to always get outside of the building as
much as I can. It’s easy to get stuck here and
see things from the perspective of a map or a
chart. … I gotta get out in the schools and see
people. I gotta have them tell me what they
really feel. ...They tell me the truth, whether
it’s good or bad. I gotta know.
I know other students who want to be more
involved in the decisions made about their
education, but they don’t really know what’s
going on. How can students become more
aware about what’s happening with MPS?
A lot of people say the same thing. They don’t
know what’s going on. It is a major problem that
we’ve got to solve. Parents say the same thing.
Principals say the same thing. Teachers say the
same thing. … Well, communications is a major
challenge that we’ve got to fix. ...I think for the
longest time we didn’t think that what [students
have] to say was that important.We knew more
about what was good for you than you did. And
I believe that that attitude is changing. ...We’re
trying to change the way that we work with
students in their education. ●
ED I TO R I A L:
Life, liberty and
the pursuit of learning
Dannah Waukazo
12th Grade, Patrick Henry High School
T
HE “CITIZENSHIP ROOM”: ARRIVE
ten minutes late to first hour at Patrick
Henry High School, and that is where
you are going. Kids are sent to the “Cit. Room”
to suffer long, agonizing minutes of nothingness. But, the majority of these “citizens”
clearly don’t want to be in class. Thousands of
tax dollars are wasted trying to force them to
learn. They’re wasting my time, and your time,
and making people who want to learn suffer.
Call it an over-generalization, a stereotype or
whatever you want, but not every student who
is late is intentionally late.
This sort of school policy should be reconsidered because it involves punishing the
innocent. We don’t lock up all men in prison
under the assumption that they’re all killers,
so why does policy permit staff to “lock up”
all late students under the assumption that
we were intentionally late and don’t want to
learn? If that were the case, wouldn’t we just
skip the whole day?
If the administration honestly intends to make
this policy work to improve the school atmosphere, they should do something about the
repeat offenders who are late every single day.
You know them. They’re the ones who don’t
actually want to be in school.
In reality, the Cit. Room is a free-for-all social
hour. Maybe two or three people are clearly
upset about being there. Kids are using the
system and wasting money. As student Hannah
Resch so elegantly put it,“[the Cit. Room] only
punishes the students who want to be in class.
Somehow I doubt that the students who want
to skip care that they’re missing class.”
It is unfair for students to have to miss our entire first hour for showing up ten minutes late.
But the administration feels it’s better to miss
all of class than miss just ten minutes. Clearly,
we won’t learn our lesson from having a lower
grade in our first hour class. Ms. Lockheart, an
English teacher at Patrick Henry opposes the
Cit. Room tactic. “Tardy is not optimal, but it’s
better than being absent,” she says.
Administration should take into consideration
what students and teachers are saying, because there is a problem. Sometimes students
miss the bus, and students have car troubles,
too. That does not mean they should have to
miss more school than they already will for
these troubles.
Photo: Missy Jackson
give me money to hire this teacher, give me
resources so the kids can sit with an easel or
learn something about the instrument.We’ve
got a lot of people who want to help. …I fully
believe that many, if not most, of them will be
willing to step up.
Student lives depend on good grades and
good attendance. Taking away a student’s
ability to attend class doesn’t improve the
school community or the success rate of that
student. Cit. rooms and attendance could be
a problem with all schools, not just Patrick
Henry. I know similar issues have been raised
by students at South High. There are many
other things students throughout the district
care about. We, as a student body, have to
raise these issues in a productive way or
changes won’t be made.
For youth to make a difference about issues
we care about, we need our voices to be
heard. Express your opinion on school matters any way you can. If you think there is
a problem with the way schools are being
run—because the students know more than
most about what’s going on in school—talk
to someone you are close with or who knows
someone “up top” and get your opinions
heard! Write for a newspaper. Request a
meeting with the principal. Organize a petition. Facilitate a discussion between teachers
and students. If change is to happen, students
must take action for what they feel is right.
If the problem gets bigger than the school’s
administration, perhaps just talking with your
principal will get your voices and ideas to Bill
Green or other high-up-there officials. It’s not
enough just to be angry. You’ve got to take
that excitement and turn it into change! ●
Shine On ! | Fall 2007 |
7
Shine On! fall essay contest:
What’s your favorite quote?
2nd Place
Elementary
Students were asked to share their favorite quote and then explain why it was
so important to them, and how it might change the way they live their life. The
winning essays were chosen by the Youth Editorial Board and other Minneapolis
Community Education staff members. They were chosen for their “strength
of heart” and personality as well as their clarity. These essays represent the
personal opinions and passions of the student writers. First place essays are
printed in their entirety. If you’d like to read all of the winning essays, check
them out online at commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/Essay_Contest2.
Kiela Franklin
5th Grade, Nellie
Stone Johnson
Why do Bullies Bully?
1st Place Elementary
Tasha Holtman
5th Grade, Pratt
Community School
Bringing
Down the
Mountains
“I have a dream that one day every
valley shall be exalted, and every
hill and mountain shall be made
low, the rough places will be made
plain, and the crooked places will
be made straight; ‘and the glory of
the Lord shall be revealed and all
flesh shall see it together.’”
from the “I Have a Dream” speech,
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., quoting Isaiah 40:4-5
E
VER SINCE KINDERGARTEN, I have been
happy at Pratt Elementary school. All
kinds of kids were together at Pratt: Asian
kids, Jewish kids, Christian kids, Somali kids,
Hmong kids, and African American kids. Some
kids had less money, and some kids had a fair bit
of money. Some kids had better housing than others, some kids had parents with better education
than other parents, some kids had more books
at home than others, and some kids had more
ways of doing research than others. Surprisingly,
even with all these differences, almost everyone
was friends with each other. The school was so
small that I knew in person all but two kids. This
helped kids be friends with each other even
with all of these differences. This also made it
easier for kids and teachers to help each other.
This meant that kids who were having trouble
learning could have more attention from others.
For me, Pratt exalted the valleys and lowered the
hills and mountains. The hills and mountains are
things that keep people from getting education,
and the valleys are things that keep people from
being friends.
This year, Pratt is different because it merged
with Tuttle. Before the merger Pratt had 80
kids, and now Pratt has 180 kids. Nobody is
8
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
as friendly to each other as they used to be. I
think the reason for this is because people feel
unsettled. The groups who are having the hardest time being friends are the new kids and the
old kids. One reason many Tuttle kids are not
as friendly is because their school closed, and
they had to move to a different school where
they felt like they did not belong. Also, Tuttle
kids probably feel jealous that the old kids got
to keep their school. The old Pratt kids do not
really enjoy school as much as they used to
because they do not know everyone like they
used to. It seems like there are many strangers.
Because people are not as friendly to each other
they also don’t help each other like they used
to, and this makes it harder to learn. Now there
are rough and crooked places in Pratt that were
not there before the merger. The rough places
get in the way of education, and the crooked
places get in the way of friendship.
Pratt used to be one
community in which people
helped each other learn,
and that’s what I would
like to have happen again.
What “all flesh” should
“see together” is one
big community.
I think it is cool that Dr. King in I Have a Dream
is quoting the Jewish prophet Isaiah. King does
not think of himself as just as an African American and a Christian. This inspires me to think
of myself not just as a Caucasian Jew or an old
Pratt student. Here are some ways that I might
put King’s words into action. I might suggest to
student council that Tuttle kids and Pratt kids
could go together to a younger classroom and
help. This might get them to work together.
If they work together, they might also talk
together which would help them understand
each other. Then they would probably be more
friendly to each other even though they would
not be best friends. I could also invite a Tuttle
kid to sit with me at lunch. This might help get
us to be friends. Pratt used to be one community
in which people helped each other learn, and
that’s what I would like to have happen again.
What “all flesh” should “see together” is one
big community. ●
“Anger builds on pain,
pain does not build on pain.”
—My Mom
F
OR ALMOST ALL MY LIFE, I wondered, “Why do bullies bully?” I’d
ask my mom and she would always
tell me, “Anger builds on pain, pain does
not build on pain.”
I wondered what this meant, but it never
came to me. One day I was angry, and it hit
me. It means you are not angry for no reason.
You are angry because you are in pain.
This quote will help me by being able to
dig deeper in a bully and see what is the
matter. That is why bullies bully. ●
Ain’t nothing to it
but to do it! — My Mom
3nd Place Elementary
Ashton Lofton
4th Grade,
Jefferson
“Good work, Sugar Pop.”
—My Grandma
M
Y FAVORITE QUOTE IS “Good
work, Sugar Pop.” It comes from
my grandma. I like it because it
affects my life in a positive way because it’s
funny, it’s nice, it cheers me up, and it makes
people laugh. It also confuses people when
they hear it because I’m not a sugar pop.
It’s just a nickname that makes me feel a
part of the family. ●
1st Place
Middle School
it still. Most people will face a decision in their
life.You can either choose to do the brave thing,
or do the safe thing. Sometimes, the decision is
not about a big thing. That doesn’t mean that it’s
not important. If you feel that the small thing is
not important, then when a big decision comes
along (if it does), you’ll probably feel the same
way or you won’t be prepared.
Kevin C. Kane
6th Grade,
Susan B. Anthony
“Courage is being afraid but
doing something anyway.”
—Tom Gordon
I
LIKE THIS QUOTE BECAUSE that is what
courage is. Many courageous people are
afraid. They still do the task that is at hand.
Just because you are afraid doesn’t mean that
you shouldn’t do something. Most people who
are famous for doing things that are brave were
afraid of doing them.
Think of Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela,
Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X, and many more.
Those people were probably afraid. But they did
Sometimes, the choice is just simply whether
you want to do something like climb a mountain. If you turn that down, then you’ll probably
forever wonder what would happen if you had
decided to climb that mountain. When I took a
trip to South Dakota (in the Badlands), my sister,
my dad, and I climbed probably about 150 ft. up
on a mountain. It was fun because there was no
harness. The mountain wasn’t too steep. I have to
admit, I was kind of afraid of doing it. But after I
climbed that mountain, I climbed many more.
That helped me conquer my other fears. For
example, when I went to a friend’s birthday
party at a swimming pool, I was afraid to go on
the drop slides, because the water was 12 feet
deep. Finally, one of my friends convinced me
to go, and I loved doing it. I’m obviously not
just talking about water slides and mountains.
Those are just examples.What I’m talking about
is courage. ●
I am not young
enough to know
everything.
— James M. Barrie
2nd Place
Middle School
Anastasia
Bykow
8th Grade
Interdistrict
Downtown
School
“Who are you to judge me,
And the life that I live?
I know that I’m not perfect,
And that I don’t claim to be.
So before you point your fingers,
Be sure your hands are clean.”
—Bob Marley
E
VERYONE HAS JUDGED SOMEONE
once in their life. But judgment is
what leads people to hatred and violence. The Jews were judged. The Muslims
are judged. People who are Arab are often
judged to be terrorists.
3nd Place (tie) Middle School
Austen Claeys
6th Grade,
Susan B. Anthony
“The shadow
proves the
sunshine.”
Jazzy L.
6th Grade,
Susan B. Anthony
—Switchfoot
M
EETING KIDS ORPHANED BY AIDS
in South Africa changed the lead
singer of Switchfoot’s life. He saw
one of the poorest places but he said it was a
place that he had “never seen so much light
... or happiness.”
“The shadow proves the sunshine” means that
the dark times make you grab on to what’s most
important in life. Some of the people in the
U.S. have everything they want, but it doesn’t
make them happier people. The people that
[Switchfoot met] in Africa probably had a lot
of friends and counted on each other instead
of money.
Everybody has shadows and sunshine.Without
shadows once in a while you wouldn’t appreciate sunshine or the good times in life. The hard
times in life help make us stronger. When we
go through hard times, it makes us learn how
to deal with them. ●
“All the world’s a stage!”
—Shakespeare
I
T INSPIRES ME BECAUSE it makes me feel
like I’m open to the world. I can be me. I
can dance in the streets. I can sing in the
bathrooms. I can act outside. I just can be anything I want to be! It affects my life by being
who I want to be, believing in myself, letting my
mind be wide open, taking chances. I think this
quote means you can do whatever you want in
the world, in life!
Shakespeare is important to me because he was
a great writer and poet. When my aunt played a
role in a Shakespeare play, I loved it and always
wanted to be like her ever since. I got a book
about Shakespeare stories, and they inspired
me to be open and act. ●
…You can’t judge a book by its cover. The
person could be someone you could admire. No one is perfect, so why try to judge
someone you don’t even know? Is it because
it makes you feel better about yourself? Or is
it because you push anyone who’s different
away from you? Everyone has made mistakes
in their life. Before you decide your thoughts
about a person, get to know them, you might
actually like the person.
I’ve dealt with so much judgment in my life
before, and this quote means a lot to me.
What if those people really got to know me?
Would we be friends? I learned to judge less,
even if the person looks odd at first, I try to
get to know them. I’m not perfect, and I still
judge at times. But, everyone, hear me out.
What’s so great about pointing your finger
at someone and saying a statement you’re
not even sure is true?
I came upon this quote when my friend
was reading about Bob Marley. I feel that
people forget how great Bob Marley was. His
words, songs and lyrics were all about love
and peace. But that is not what my essay is
about today. It’s about this meaningful quote
that should inspire everyone to be better
people. ●
Shine On ! | Fall 2007 |
9
Here are some other favorite quotes
students wrote about:
High School Essays
A drought?! What?! A drought of high school teens in writing?
We need YOU to submit to future essay contests. Don’t conform!
Be brave; stand out by publishing. Tell us your thoughts and ideas.
We expect more of your submissions next fall.
Be happy. It’s one way
of being wise.
—Sidonie Gabrielle-Collette
—The Youth Editorial Board
Two submissions will share first prize.
Liz Shay
12th Grade,
Washburn
High School
“You can do anything you want to do.
Pray, believe, have faith, visualize,
dream, trust, & work your a** off.”
—Maddie
T
HIS IS A QUOTE BY Madeline Taylor Paguyo. She was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor at the age of 13. Maddie
was my best friend since kindergarten. Her life
is exhibited through her quote. She lived her life
exactly how she wanted to. The first sentence of
the quote is something she truly believed. You
can do anything you want to. She believed that
her brain tumor was not going to control her
life, and that she was going to continue to live
how she wanted. She let nothing stand in her
way, not even a grim diagnosis by a qualified
physician. She prayed, visualized, dreamt, had
trust and definitely worked her butt off. Maddie
believed that her outcome was “good or better.”
Good if she could get on with her 13-year-old
life here on earth. Better, if she was going to see
what comes next. She had a positive effect on
everyone around her.
This quote inspires me everyday because it
reminds me to never let anything stop me. It
reminds me that I CAN do anything I want and
that I have the ability to achieve anything. The
last phrase of the quote also means a lot to me.
To work my butt off is a goal in life that I will
always have. I know what hard work means and I
know how important it is. Maddie’s words make
it extremely clear how she felt about putting in
hard work.
Throughout her life, Maddie led by example
and truly showed everyone how to live. I will
never forget this quote because it comes from
a girl I will never forget. Madeline passed away
at the age of 14. Her quote is embroidered on
the back of my lettermen’s jacket, as well as
etched into my heart. ●
Kristi Nash
12th Grade,
Uptown Academy
shaky. Eventually, we went our separate ways
and did not keep in touch. Then, I began to
realize how much I did love him. At that point,
it was too late.
Words of Wisdom
I met someone else who I had been dating for a
year. I did everything I possibly thought I could
do. I did so much in so little time, always putting
him first. I was trying to make him want me as
much as I wanted him. I would always say yes
and could never say no. It can be really amazing
how someone goes so far out of his or her way
to make another person happy.
“What goes around comes around.”
T
HE SAYING IS SO WISE and valuable to
me because I have been on both sides.
I have done the wrong thing that has
come back to me and I have done the right
thing which also came back to me. Once in my
life, I broke someone’s heart while I was in a
relationship.
I wasn’t ready for him as much as he was ready
for me. So my love then drifted off to someone
else. Our relationship became more and more
In conclusion, it didn’t work out as I thought.
The guy who I was dating for a year tells me he
doesn’t want to be involved with me anymore. It
all made sense at that point. What goes around
comes around. I now know how he felt when he
was ready for me and I wasn’t ready for him. I
was now in his shoes. ●
Read all of the winning essays online at commed.mpls.k12.mn.us/Essay_Contest2.
10
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
Nothing is particularly
hard if you break it
down into small jobs.
—Henry Ford
Our deepest fear
is not that we are
inadequate. Our
deepest fear is that
we are powerful
beyond measure.
—Marianna Williamson
A clean house is
a happy house.
—My Grandma
Always tell the
truth so you don’t
have to remember
what you said.
—Mark Twain
Phenomenal woman,
that’s me.
—Maya Angelou
Seward Peace Garden
The Seward Peace Garden is a summer program at Seward Montessori School. The
program’s mission is to engage youth in fun, outdoor educational activities that
promote positive youth development, environmental values and ethics, entrepreneurial
skills and community involvement in an urban farm setting. This past summer, the
students involved in the peace garden put together a publication called “Herban
Garden” to spread the word about their work and the things they learned.
The Seward Peace Garden
by Linnea Honl-Stvenkell & Sorcha McGuire
T
HE PURPOSE OF THE SEWARD PEACE
Garden Summer Club is to teach the community’s youth the importance of local farms,
marketing and nutrition. We have something to do
every day. On Tuesdays, we learned the importance of nutrition with Natalie. Tuesday through
Thursday, Sarah helped us with our publication,
“Herban Garden.” On Wednesdays, we did weeding, for $5, at either our school courtyard or the
Seward Coop. Thursday, we took pictures with
Jocinda from Seward Neighborhood Group, and
on Friday we had our markets.We sold at the Birchwood Café, Cliquot Club, and the Towers East and
West from 10 am-1 pm.
Here’s what some of us said about
our time at the Peace Garden:
“I’ve been in the Peace Garden three
years. I have learned a lot about
teamwork and working a business. I
think that these skills will help me a
lot throughout the rest of my life.”
— Shannon
The Seward Peace Garden comprises: 4th graders
Chiara Handsuch-Gamero, Isabel Rousmaniere, and Addie
Welch; 6th grader Sadaf Pruitt; 7th graders Emma and
Sarah Johnson; 8th graders Devin Bennett, Linnaea HonlStvenkell, Audrey Jerome, Hannah Luber, Alanna Maloney,
Sorcha McGuire, Katherine McGraw, Shannon McGraw,
Sade Odumuye, Rose Olson, Darya Pruitt, Anna Russell,
Deanna Smith, and Caulay Steenson.
Peace Garden st
udents designed
the layout
and created the
content for thei
r publication.
“I liked learning photography and
taking pictures at the garden. I don’t
own a digital camera at home, so
being able to take pictures of different things with different angles was
pretty cool.”
— Deanna
Saving green and living green: Why buying local is better
and those machines emit so much carbon gas it isn’t
funny. After that, they are put on another semi and
shipped halfway across the country to your grocery
store. Then you drove to the store in your car, which
gets maybe 25 mpg on a good day, bought them and
drove back home.
by Darya Pruitt & Sorcha McGuire
(pictured above)
Y
When you buy that big bag of potatoes that
are labeled “Idaho Potatoes,” think about what
it took to get them from the field in Idaho to your
house:
First ,the farmer uses a gas guzzling tractor to plow
his fields. Then he plants the potato seeds and if the
potatoes are not organic then they used pesticides and
herbicides in the process, which use very non-planet
friendly processes. After the potatoes are harvested,
they are shipped in a semi that gets about 1 mpg, to
a packing plant where they are put into bags. These
bags are probably made of tons of burned petroleum,
It’s a lot when you think about it. All
of those semis and the petroleum
burning contribute to global warming, which, by the way, is not a thinning
atmosphere but a thickening one. When
we release all of that carbon it thickens the atmosphere so that when the sun’s rays come through,
the ones that are supposed to be reflected off the
earth into space, can’t—thus heating the planet
too much.
Global warming also has its costs. Scientists have
predicted that the earth will continue increasing
at one degree a year if we do not work to stop it. Last
year, polar bears died of drowning because they
couldn’t find any ice to rest on. Why? Because the ice
melted. The lake that holds 20% of the population’s
water is shrinking, and fast. A huge part of Antarctica
The next time you see that nice, big bag of potatoes
labeled “Idaho Potatoes,” think about what it took to
get them there. Instead, stop by a market and buy
local. Know you are doing your part to help save our
beloved Mother Earth. ●
L
)
OU KNOW WHAT’S REALLY COOL?
Our garden not only saves you a
trip to the grocery store, and saves
you some green, it also helps you live green
and do your part to save the environment!
I’m not exaggerating that much. Let me explain, because I’m sure you’re wondering what
our garden can do to help the climate crisis.
“...part of Antarctica
fell into the sea; scientists
predicted that this would
never happen unless there
was a huge warming and
possibly an asteroid, or
aliens, or zombies of
death... it wasn’t supposed
to happen!”
fell into the sea; scientists had
predicted that
this would never
happen unless
t h e re w a s a
huge warming
and possibly an
asteroid, or aliens,
or zombies of death.In other words: it wasn’t supposed
to happen!
Want to do your part
to live greener?
Here’s a list of Twin Cities
markets and co-ops that sell
locally grown produce:
The Wedge
2105 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
Seward Co-op & Café
2111 E. Franklin, Minneapolis
Linden Hills Co-op
2813 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis
Hampden Park Co-op
928 Raymond Ave., St. Paul
Mississippi Market Co-op
1810 Randolph Ave., St. Paul
Shine On ! | Fall 2007 |
11
Below: Some examples of refugee dwellings from the Doctors Without Borders refugee camp simulation.
This issue’s cover art:
Not your average camp experience:
Students respond to refugee camp simulation
Loring Park Refugee Camp
By Ellen Sheehy
6th Grade, Anthony
A
FEW WEEKS AGO,
some students from
Mr. Sommers’ and Mr.
Quiggles’ classes went on a
field trip to the Loring Park Refugee Camp. Doctors
Without Borders set up this camp to show people
how refugees live. Refugees are people who cross
their country’s borders to escape from wars or
other violence in their homelands. There are about
10 million people today living in refugee camps in
Africa, South American, Asia and Europe.
The exhibit has models and pictures of refugee
camps showing how a family of up to 15 people
might live in a small tent the size of a small bedroom.
People may have some pots and pans to cook with,
but not much furniture. Food is rationed for each family. Special nutrition bars that have lots of calories
and vitamins sometimes take the place of food.
Water is precious in refugee camps and must be
purified with chlorine before people can drink it.
People sometimes must walk far distances to get
their ration of water.We use a lot more water every
day for cooking, cleaning, and bathing than refugee
families get in about a week.
Many people in refugee camps are sick with cholera and other diseases that come from malnutrition.
The exhibit showed examples of a cholera hospital,
a special mini-hospital for babies and toddlers,
and a hospital where people go for vaccinations.
There is an instrument used to measure the arms of
children to tell how malnourished they are.
The saddest thing about the refugee camps is that
people never know how long they will be there.
Some people are born in camps, live their whole
lives, and die in the same camps. It is good to know
that there are groups like Doctors Without Borders
who can help refugees. It made me think how lucky
we are to have a real place to call home. ●
Thank You !!!
Thank you for giving a mother
The chance to feed her child,
To watch her daughter grow & her son to be a man.
Thank you for giving the chance
To the starving little girl
So that she can turn into a phenomenal woman.
Thank you for making the world a better place
So a child born tomorrow can feel safe.
Thank you for making humans proud & able to say
At least, sometimes, we know better than
to kill & hate,
Also, that we can bring joy beside the pain.
North High School Photo Club
Along with their fearless leader, Americorps volunteer Miss Christina, students
at North have been revitalizing a forgotten
photography facility at their school. This
fall, they’ve been learning the intricate
processes of photography, along with
many other unexpected lessons.
“I’ve learned to be patient
when taking my pictures.”
—Dashianna L. Bethea, 10th Grade
“The pictures I’m most proud of
are the ones I took by accident.”
—Sherita Olasande, 10th Grade
The Photo Club’s pictures will be featured
at passthepeace.net, a collaborative
multimedia project between the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis North
High School. Featured photographers:
Dashianna, Sherita, Facilitator Christina
Benz, and Kelly Xiong, 12th Grade.
The photos on the cover represent the
photographers’ communities and the pride
they have
e
in them.
Thank you for making me proud to say:
I am part of the next generation that cares.
Thank you Doctors Without Borders!
—by Ayan Abdullahi, 8th Grade, Anwatin
L
)
Doctors Without Borders/
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
is an independent international
medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency
aid to people affected by armed
conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made
disasters, or exclusion from health care
in more than 70 countries. Find out more
about the program and how you can support their work at their website:
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
12
| Shine On ! | Fall 2007
Thank you for your support and
belief in the students, teachers
and youth workers who work
together in leadership, service
and service-learning.
You support the unfolding
of our stories.
News & views
reported by
teens like you!
Join us online at:
Threesixtyjournalism.org