If I Stand

As many of you know, I teach 7th grade. I teach in a very affluent area, and I have quite wonderful students. I realize that my students are not a great cross-section of the 12-13 year old population, but many of them will probably be very influential people 20 or 30 years from now.

One of the first assignments I give them each year is the “I Am” essay, in which they talk about several topics that make up who they are. One of those topics is how they make a difference in the world. My students are already so aware of what is going on in the world - I hope that by giving them more information and channeling their passion this year, I will help them solidify some of their ideals and goals so they are not forgotten in the midst of the hormones and social buzz of high school.

First of all, here is my favorite quotation from the “interests and talents” section of the essay:

“I have always had a interest in why we are here on earth and what is our purpose? How will we stop global warming? What will we do when we run out of resources and what will we do? Will we live in space when the earth comes to apocalyptic doom? I have thought that over in my head a thousand times and never figured it out.”

They may not know what to do with it yet, but these kids really are thinking about the world! And now, a selection of the ways my students make a difference in the world:

“I bring joy to people through my piano music. Many in the audience have commented that the music flows out of me and goes to them…. I am very pleased and thrilled to share the beauty of both classical and contemporary music with others.”

“I try to educate myself about the people around me. I sent a letter to the president about the crisis in Darfur and a few weeks later U.N. permitted troops to carry loaded weapons and shoot if necessary.”

“The best thing I have just begun to do is going to union station to serve breakfast to those who are in need and cannot support themselves. I go once a month now to help out in the kitchen.”

“The people’s lockers that are underneath mine would not have such a tough head without the books that slip out of my hands when reaching to my high locker.”

“I am a vegetarian. Every second, a swathe of rainforest the size of a foot ball field is mowed down to make room for live stock. Not only are these trees absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they are also providing a much needed habitats for endangered species. Where fertile rainforest once was, there is now a sea of livestock, rolling in their own unctuous filth. By not eating meat, I am not supporting the huge agri-business that solely relies on slaughtering animals as its lively hood.”

“I can recycle and it will make a huge difference in the world because, it will reduce air pollution and save our materials from being used just once. It will save the environment from global warming.”

“I stand up for what I believe in. When someone bullies my friends, I would stand up for them because I know how it feels like to be bullied, everyone does.”

“We went to New Orleans, Louisiana, to help work there after hurricaine Katrina hit. We cooked, built, demolished, and gave free goods to the victims of the storm.”

“I recycle paper, plastic, cans, and glass…. I believe that we should get rid of cars and learn how to teleport.”

“An example of when I tried to be loving was on the day that my mom died and a close family friend was outside with her sunglasses on to cover up that she was crying. I remembered that she had stopped eating sweets when my mom got sick because she thought that if my mom had to suffer, she would too. I grabbed two pieces of licorice and went outside to sit down and comfort her. I gave her the licorice and she happily ate it and I thought that it signified the ending of her suffering and the ending of my mom’s suffering. After talking to her she felt a lot better and so did I.”

“The way I could change the world is by playing my music for people. My music could make people happy, or make them dance, and sometimes make them remember the past and make them think.”

I think more adults should be asked this question: How do you make a difference in the world? How do you make a difference in your world?