Let The Child Learn

Naren S. Vutukuru , 8th Grade
San Jose CA
Miller Middle School

I am growing up Asian in America and I am very grateful to be a part of this great country, the land of abundant resources. In this country there are so many opportunities for everyone, starting with an education. Here, every child is allowed an education with no regard to status or heritage. However, being Asian, I do know that this is not true in some countries in Asia. Instead of being educated, children are put to work. Child labor is one of the main causes of illiteracy in Asian countries, and poverty causes child labor. Some people from these countries have not received any education since childhood and may not have even laid eyes on the pages of a book. This is illiteracy. The fact of anyone being illiterate in the United States is thought quite unusual for children are legally bound to attend school here; however, it’s nonconformity to think these things in some parts of Asia especially in countries like India. Based on my frequent visits to the country, I found out that, children whose parents live in poverty and cannot support their family alone are forced into labor to set food on the table thus living without an education. I strongly feel that this is unfair. My recent viewing of the Oscar winning movie” The Slum dog Millionaire” which depicted the reality in some parts of the country, also made me think about the children in poverty. I can proudly say that, if there was one thing I would change in the world, it’d be elimination of child labor and enforcement of child education.

Education, essentially, is the ticket to a successful life. However, it is not a privilege that only a gifted and lucky few may obtain. I believe every child has the born right to an adequate education. However, if a child is strenuously working for a coldhearted man in a sweatshop somewhere fifteen hours a day everyday, where is this child’s education? The parents of this child may not be able to afford it, but there are thousands of people in similar circumstances. As more families are thrown into poverty, more people are born into poverty, resulting in an endless chain. The government should not let this slip by. It should be funding organizations, it should be initiating relief funds, and it should be making great efforts to help educate children in their countries. The government should provide free schools with adequate facilities so that the children whose parents cannot pay for school can receive an education. This way, child labor won’t be present. True, there are laws against child labor, but they do not necessarily prevent it. I believe laws against child labor should be strongly enforced, more than it is right now.

So, the government has a part to play by strongly enforcing child labor laws, even if it is , sometimes it is very difficult for government to keep track of every nook and corner, especially in rural areas. So, citizens themselves have some responsibilities too. Whenever a person sees or witnesses an act of child labor which is blatantly illegal, it is that person’s duty to report it to the government so that the employer responsible is punished. You see, many people employ children because they work cheap and don’t have much of a sense of independence—meaning they can be censured and castigated. This is also wrong. You must not employ children or even force them into labor because of these reasons. Also, people should not purchase items manufactured through child labor just because they are cheap. Therefore, all of us must make our strongest efforts to discourage child labor and even end it.

I think the message that I am trying to convey is that we all should realize that child labor and illiteracy in any country can damage that country’s prosperity. The people of the government should believe in the importance of an education and make their best efforts to make it so that kids don’t have to work and can receive an education. Also, the people of the country, as in citizens, also have a responsibility to prevent child labor in the country by reporting it to the government, by not hiring children, and by not purchasing products made through child labor. We all need to be aware that children are backbone to a stronger world, no matter in which part of the world they are in. Need less to say that the success and prosperity of any country relies mainly up on the literacy rate in that country. If children are properly enlightened through education in their prime years of their life, without wasting them in work, they will, indeed be the most valuable asset to their countries. So we all have to keep this in our minds and try to do as much as we can to eliminate child labor completely and facilitate child literacy. What more do we need to make the world a better place? I strongly wish to see this awareness develop in people’s minds and everyone to make sincere efforts for this good cause and finally one day, we could be proud of what we did to make the world a better place.

I don't like the military and the politicians!

Stan, portrayed by Austin Link from Jesse Bethel High School CA, rails against the military, the politicians, and the dogs of war. This monologue is from the collections of Roger Karshner.

The Quest to End Poverty

Maya Varma, 5th Grade
Cupertino CA
Challenger School Almaden

The world faces many problems today, like global warming, pollution, destruction of our environment, and many more. Fixing these problems would take the effort of many people together. If I could solve one of these problems, I would end poverty. When people do not have enough food to eat, they cannot be expected to help solve other problems. Without basic necessities in life like food, clothing and shelter they cannot be productive. Now, people are losing their jobs and houses. This problem is going to increase in magnitude in the coming days.

Ever since I can remember, my parents have told me to only ask for things I need instead of what I want. I had always pondered about the true meaning of this. After all, I “needed” a Wii game system because my friend had one. But I only understood what my parents meant on my last trip to India.

When my plane landed at the Mumbai airport, I happily jumped out and rushed into the airport. After waiting for a long time amidst a crowd of people, we found our baggage and climbed into the waiting taxi. The first thing I noticed were the swarmed streets with cars honking their horns every few seconds. The noise was deafening. I was amused by the cacophony around. Then, as my gaze shifted to the sidewalks, the smile faded off my face. I saw a family sitting on the streets with torn clothes and a shaggy blanket asking for money. As we traveled further into the city, I caught sight of a few more beggars. When we stopped at a traffic light, a woman with a little baby came to our car to ask for money. More children around my age or younger came by asking for money and selling the few things they owned. I then realized that even though India had a lot of big buildings and rich people, there were a lot of very poor people too. I decided then, that I would help in whatever way I can.

That trip changed my life. I do not take anything for granted anymore, since I finally realized that I was lucky to go to a good school, have a nice home and food to eat. Rather than brood over not getting a Wii, I decided to donate money for needy causes. So for my tenth birthday, I asked my friends to give me money instead of gifts, and made a deal with my parents to match the money I raised. I raised $570 and donated it to a local charity. Two more of my friends who had come to my birthday did the same – one of them gave money to the China earthquake and the other to a shelter for homeless people. I then realized that I had influenced my friends and they in fact, must have influenced other friends and we all together must have made a difference even if it’s very small. I plan on continuing to solve our world problems starting first by helping the poor, at my home making sure that I recycle, reuse, and reduce and also in my neighborhood and community. Taking public transport on at least a few days of every month would reduce our pollution levels and also give us our much needed exercise. We can also prevent animal cruelty by treating our pets well and allowing the wild animals to be free rather than destroy their habitat or confine them in cages.

It takes many people to create a change in the world, but one person can make a big difference. Because, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” So
let us start with ourselves.

Clean the World

Dana Kim , 9th Grade
Pleasanton
Foothill High School

World Peace

Tiffany Kuo, 7th Grade
Saratoga CA
Miller Middle School

Diversity

Carlo Acenas , 12th Grade
Burlingame CA
Burlingame High School

Diversity builds character. When someone shares in the culture of others, he or she becomes a part of the community. I learned this when I joined the staff of a local newspaper. As a photojournalist, I have tried to bring news to life with the emotional power of a photograph. Although I aim to connect readers to the story, I have covered some extraordinary stories that have enriched my own life, opening my eyes to the diversity in my community.

There was the youth poetry contest—a third-grade girl stood alone onstage, reading her tribute to “the King” who had a dream of equality. There was the war protest—a high school Spanish teacher, standing beside her daughter, held up a sign with the words, “Ceasefire now,” calling for peace in the Middle East. There was Santa’s Sleigh Ride—Saint Nick zoomed down the halls of a convalescent home, visiting residents on his Segway sleigh.

And then, there was the mosque.

When the editor-in-chief assigned me to photograph a religious service at the local mosque, I was treading in unfamiliar territory. It was the last day of Ramadan, and as a Catholic, I knew nothing about Ramadan except that it was a month when Muslims fast all day. The evening prayer began, and the worshippers knelt in two neat rows. When I listened to the worshipers deep in verse, I felt the devotion in their words. I hardly lifted the camera to my eye. After the ceremony, I asked them about Ramandan, and to my surprise, they invited me to eat with them as they broke their final fast. As we shared rice, they told me about how difficult it has become to be a Muslim in America, how the word “Muslim” has nearly become a conversational slur since 9/11. In that mosque, I realized the one thing in our world that needs to change.

Our world is diverse. But people are not always accepting. Even at school, people stare suspiciously at students with veils and turbans, and some people mock the Middle Eastern Club in casual conversation. My Muslim friends avoid publicly announcing their faith. I will never forget when I found Ms. Gorgani, a Persian, crying in her room. The flags of Iraq and Iran that hung in the halls during Diversity Week had been torn down and trampled. My experiences inspire me to defend diversity. Although I cannot cause intolerance to disappear, I can use my abilities to fight prejudice of all kinds in my local community. This semester for an English project I will photograph the daily lives of a number of students who come from different backgrounds. Some of these students emigrated from foreign countries, others have divorced parents, and a few live in foster care. In May, I will present my photographs to my classmates, with the hope that they will learn to appreciate our differences.

In college, I want to work for a closer school community. To do this, I will strive to create human connections between students, as I try to do at my high school today. In 2007, I started a club called the KARMA Initiative, whose premise was simple—share a genuine experience with someone new. To initiate such interactions, we carry out “missions” that let people be silly together. In one such mission called Mission Rainy Day Fun, club members used umbrellas when walking outside, even though the sun shined like the summertime. In many of our missions, we confuse many entertained onlookers, but we have fun with each other and recognize that we tend to let our differences separate us.

We all have a desire for companionship and compassion. Diversity creates opportunities to share both. In the next few years, I will meet many different people who will broaden my understanding of global diversity. A college education will give me new abilities that I can use to work for tolerance in my community. Even if the goal of tolerance seems unattainable, unconditional acceptance is worth a lifetime of work.

Every Kid Can Go to School

Lishan Nan Carroll , Kindergarten Grade
Stanford CA
Nixon Elementary School