Are Celebrities Good Role Models? (Final)

Almost everyone knows celebrities. Many aspire to be just like them.You might go somewhere to find an Elvis imitator, or a young pianist trying to be like Lang Lang. Celebrities can be good or bad role models. Some get into trouble, som don't.Therefore, celebrities can be good and bad role models. One bad role model is Micheal Phelps, and a good one is Barrack Obama.
Now for the bad. If one has watched the 2008 Summer Olympics, he must have seen Micheal Phelps, the famous swimmer. Phelps is famous for breaking the record for receiving the most gold medals at a single Olympics. Many of his fellow fans and swimmers believe that he did this fairly. However, this all changed when a photo of Micheal Phelps smoking marijuana was released in early 2009. He was suspended from competitive swimming for three months, which disappointed many fans. One student at my school, and avid swimmer, once reported that he was her hero and she wanted to be just like him. This all changed, after she found out about what Micheal Phelps did, and she called him, "a disgrace to the swimming community." Many other infamous athletes have been disgraced for using drugs, such as Barry Bonds. The amount of underage drug use cases are rising, and some of it can be attributed to bad role models. Hopefully, not too many amateur athletes will try to follow the path of these bad celebrities.
However, there is a good side, as there are many good celebrities out there. One very good role model is Barrack Obama. Obama studied very hard when he was a child. As reported in Time Magazine, Obama was awakened early by his mother and forced to study at 4 a.m. However, this all paid off, as he became a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and became a Senator in Illinois. His most astounding achievement was his victory in the 2008 presidential election against John McCain. One thing that proves Obama's popularity, is the fact that his name is becoming a common one used for infants. Many people, including me, believe that he can do great things for our country. His victory and achievement of being the first African American president also has shown, that anyone, no matter what race they are, can succeed. Hopefully, the world will have more good role models like Obama.
Thus, celebrities can be good or bad role models. This is demonstrated by Micheal Phelps and Barrack Obama. The problem is most people are imitating bad celebrities that they think are "cool." However, there are many good celebrities out there. If we want the world to be good, we need to turn to our good role models.

McDonald's?

There's no doubt of it. McDonald's dominates the U.S. This famous fast-food restaurant was started in 1940 by Don and Mac McDonald, and as been growing ever since. Everywhere I go, I end up seeing a couple of McDonald's. Scattered across the four corners of the globe, McDonald's is considered one of the "best" to go to for cheap and fast food. Adults go there on busy lunch breaks, and don't forget the toys which attract little children like a magnet and a bunch of paper clips. Some parents do not let children go to McDonald's, as the food there is considered greasy and extremely unhealthy. Children protest against this as "they want the toy and the Kids Meal." At the same time, it's right for a parent to refuse to let children go to McDonald's, and for kids to choose where they want to go for a meal.
Parents do have a reason to not let kids eat food from McDonald's as it's detrimental to people's health. McDonald's food contains very low nutrition value in important things, like Vitamins. Instead, they contain a lot of sugar, calories, and sodium, which makes people obese. McDonald's tries to hide the fact, and add a lot of unhealthy things into some of the most innocent meals, like their salads. Imagine many little children every day gobbling down some McDonald's food, unaware of how bad the food is to their health. In the movie Super Size Me, the director, Morgan Spurlock, tried to eat just McDonald's food for one month. During the experiment, he reported he felt obsessed and depressed. In the end, Spurlock found out he had gained a lot of weight and his risk of heart attack had increased. Before people eat McDonald's food, they should stop and think about what they're body is about to digest.
However, kids do deserve the right of what they can eat. To kids, McDonald's is very tempting to them, with the toys, the french fries, and other things. One way to make a kid happy is to take him to McDonald's. I loved going to restaurants like McDonald's when I was little. McDonald's also gives kids the experience of picking what to eat when they're alone in the future, and also boosts their decision-making skills. It is a free country, and it's not right for parents to not let their children experience fast-food in their lives. While the food is slightly unhealthy, kids deserve the chance to go there at least once.
Therefore, the are reasons why children should and should not go to McDonald's. However, it should be up to the child to decide whether he really wants to eat McDonald's.

How One Reaches Maturity (Final)

Many people ponder about how you can tell when one reaches maturity. It can't be defined by age, as a young person could behave maturely, and a grown-up could behave immaturely. Age is definitely not the criteria for measuring this quality. When one shows responsibility, he can then be considered "mature." Responsibility is an important virtue for life and is important if one wants to live within the barriers and rules of society.
First, responsibility is an important character trait one must have to succeed in life. Anywhere, anytime, one must take care of himself and make wise decisions to move ahead in the path of life. Making a bad choice, without having responsibility, forces one to go a wrong direction. Then, one must use up some time and take a detour to get onto the right path again. Making too many irresponsible mistakes could end up wasting too much time. Also, responsibility allows one to take care of himself, when he is alone in life without parents. Without responsibility, he puts his safety and future at great risk. If one says that maturity depends on age instead of responsibility, that's similar to saying a boy who is polite and takes care of his family is less mature than an unintelligent middle-aged man who sits around and relies on his family completely. One must have responsibility to get ahead in life and mature.
Finally, responsibility is a sign of maturity is because it helps you live by what's accepted in society. Without responsibility, you break rules most of the time. Most immature people tend to be troublemakers who have trouble following the rules. One example is Micheal Phelps. He is not very mature If he was, he would have not smoked marijuana, and put his career and fame in jeopardy. Most of these "rules" are here for a reason to protect us and ensure we have a good life. Without responsibility, we might break these rules putting ourselves in a bad position. Without having responsibility and following all the rules, whether it be at home, a place where one works, common sense and everyday life rules, there's no doubt one will have trouble prospering in life.
Responsibility is a key virtue in life. It gives us a bright future and allows us to reach a level of maturity no matter what the age. If you really want to be mature in the future, all you have to do is follow the path of responsibility!

Are Celebrities Good Role Models? (Draft)

Almost everyone knows celebrities. Most aspire to be just like them.You might go somewhere to find an Elvis imitator, or a young pianist trying to be like Lang Lang. Celebrities can be good or bad role models. There are some celebrities who are show-offs and get into trouble a lot, while some can be very good role models and have worked very hard to get where they are now. Therefore, celebrities can be good and bad role models. One bad role model is Micheal Phelps, and a good one is Barrack Obama.
Now for the bad. If one has watched the 2008 Summer Olympics, he must have known Micheal Phelps, the famous swimmer. Phelps is famous for breaking the record for receiving the most gold medals at a single Olympics. Many of his fellow fans and swimmers believe that he did this fairly. However, this all changed when a photo of Micheal Phelps smoking marijuana was released in early 2009. He was suspended from competitive swimming for three months. Many fans were disappointed by this. One student at my school, and avid swimmer, once reported that he was her hero and she wanted to be just like him. This all changed, after she found out about what Micheal Phelps did, and called him, "a disgrace to the swimming community." Many other infamous athletes have been disgraced for using drugs, such as Barry Bonds. The amount of underage drug use cases are rising, and some of it can be attributed to bad role models. Hopefully, not too many amateur athletes will try to follow the path of these bad celebrities.
However, there is a good side, as there are many good celebrities out there. One very good role model is Barrack Obama. Obama studied very hard when he was a child. As reported in Time Magazine, Obama was waken up early by his mother and forced to study at 4 a.m. However, this all payed off, as he became a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and became the Senator of Illinois. His most astounding achievement was his victory in the 2008 presidential election against John McCain. One thing that proves Obama's popularity, is the fact that his name is becoming a common one used for infants. Many people, including me, believe that he can do great things for our country. His victory and achievement of being the first African American president also has shown, that anyone, no matter what race they are, can succeed. Hopefully, the world will have more good role models like Obama.
Therefore, celebrities can be good or bad role models. This is demonstrated by Micheal Phelps and Barrack Obama. The problem is most people are imitating bad celebrities that they think are "cool." However, there are many good celebrities out there. If we want the world to be good, we need to turn to our good role models.

The Harder the Conflict, The More Glorious the Triumph? (Draft)

There's an expression, "We love best not what gives us great pleasure but what comes through great effort." Another person, Thomas Paine, made a similar statement, "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." Both mean that the harder one tries on something, the better he'll feel afterwards. Some people don't think so, and believe we all love what gives great pleasure only. However, the things that come from great effort are the best. It gives people satisfaction when they look back, and it's necessary for one to suffer "torture" in order to experience victory. Even if one doesn’t reach the goal he sets, he can still feel better knowing that he at least tried.
Triumphs that have been reached through adversity can give one satisfaction after it's over. During a time of a challenge, one usually is very stressed and unhappy. Though it might not seem like it first, this is the essential part that leads one to happiness. If one manages to work hard enough, he'll eventually reach a period of triumph. I remember once, for science, my teacher instructed the class to make a balloon car, so we could learn about Newton's laws of motion. While making the car, I was very frustrated and I faced many problems, like when I found out my original plan didn't work and I had to start from scratch and when my brother accidentally popped my only balloon, delaying my work. However, through all those problems, I still managed to make the balloon car that traveled the farthest out of all my teacher's classes. I recently got my grade back: an A+. Now, as I sit here thinking about it and reading it, I've found out that all the troubles I faced are now history, and the triumph I had is much sweeter, knowing that my troubles are over and I proved that I could reach almost unattainable goals if I'm really motivated and I try. The harder it is to reach a triumph or goal, the sweeter it is afterwards.
It's almost necessary for someone to suffer "torture", if he wants to succeed. My mom always tells me, "Nothing in life is easy." This is universal and applies to everything, whether it be a video game or a project in school. When I do something that I believe is easy, like my school's math homework, I don't feel any satisfaction and I believe I've wasted time. However, the harder the assignments I did, such as biography I wrote about Napoleon, the better I felt. I was forced to study in the library for a very long time, and I had to constantly write and rewrite my essay, until I liked it. Though it took me hours, in the end, I received an A+, which made me feel better, and almost made me forget the boredom and misery I experienced. If one doesn't experience any boredom or pain when doing something hard, he will know that he didn't do a good enough job and needs to try again. If I had done the Napoleon research paper relaxed and without pain, I would have almost certainly not had gotten such a good grade. Though it's crucial to experience "torture" to experience triumph, in the end, victory washes the memory of the misery all away. Finally, great effort allows one to feel better even if he fails to reach his ultimate goal. Let’s say one is preparing for an audition and practiced all the time. However, one the big day, he messes up, shattering his chances. Though he didn’t succeed in the audition, he feels better knowing that he tried. Messing up on something one didn’t try hard on will just make him sorry. However, if one puts great effort in something even though he doesn’t reach his desired goal, he can still be comforted.
So, what comes from great effort does give us a glorious triumph. It gives one satisfaction. "Torture" and great effort is also necessary if one wants to have a great victory. What Thomas Paine said was true. The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph!

Should I Tell My Friend? (Final)

Many people have friends. A friend is someone important in your life with whom you have an irrefutable relationship. He is the person who keeps you company. There could be a few bumps in a friendship at times, but friends usually forget about them and move on. One thing that could harm a friendship is when sometimes, one has to truthfully tell his friend something hurtful. Almost everyone has gotten into that situation before. While many argue against being honest to friends, because you might tell them something hurtful, I believe that one should always be honest to his friends. Sharing the truth helps strengthen the bond of friendship and benefits your friend.
First of all, being truthful to your friend allows you to become better friends. Though telling a friend the truth might be offensive to him, it ensures that you and your friend can become closer. Telling each other the truth builds up trust between you, and shows your friend that you could keep secrets that he tells you. It also lets you know to your friend that you care about him, and you want him to know something so he could help himself. If you have a friend who's fat, you could tell him that, not meaning to be malicious, in hopes of him trying to get skinnier, and many more. Confiding the truth to your friend could help you become much closer companions.
Secondly, when you tell the truth to your friend, you are just trying to help him. Everything that a friend says to you, offensive or not, is really meant to just help him. If you comment on something derogatory about your friend, he will most likely try to fix it and become a better person. A friend is a person who gives good advice. Being honest to a friend can allow him to recover from a bad trait or habit. Telling a friend he's aggressive is not meant to get him angry or insult him, but to try to get him to hold his temper more often. Telling the truth to your friend is meant to help him.
Sometimes, it's best to keep a secret "secret." However being honest with your friends is imperative. Being honest allows you to become closer friends, and can help your friend. Friends are your companions for a long time, so it's important that you help them and tell the truth. Don't be shy! Honesty is what keeps your friendship together.

Does Every Cloud Have A Silver Lining? (Final)

There's an expression: Every cloud has a silver lining. Is this true? First of all, the expression means that in every bad situation something good comes out of the situation. The cloud refers to the beginning of a storm, while the silver lining refers to something that is good. This phrase is believed by many optimists, including me. However, others, pessimists, argue that some bad situations yield nothing good. No matter what anyone says, this expression is true. Anything can be good if looked at from a different perspective, and every bad situation still has at least one thing that is always good, which is hope.
First, disastrous situations have a bright side when look at them from different points of views. Being optimistic can completely nullify the effect of a bad situation. Thinking outside the box can determine something good that comes out of something bad. For example, a student gets a bad grade on a science test. He is very distraught, and, suddenly, he realizes that he must study science harder. He manages to get a passing grade on his report card. Simply just figuring out what good can come out of a bad situation could make you feel better. Hidden in the thick layer of the cloud, there's a shining streak in its core.
Another thing that may emerge from bad situations is hope. In every challenge, hope is what gives a person a thought he will succeed if he works hard enough and drives him to keep on persevering. If one has hope, he or she will find a silver lining in the cloud. The scenario of hope succeeding against something catastrophic has been mentioned in many stories, including the Greek myth "Pandora's Box." In the story, though Pandora releases all the evil into the world, she manages to trap one thing in her box: hope. Another person who mentioned being optimistic during bad situations was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who said in his inauguration speech "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." hAlong wit that, this theme is popular in many fables, like "It Could Always Be Worse." In the fable, a man hates his noisy life, but realizes that it could always be a lot worse, and he starts enjoying life. Hope is what keeps everyone going in a terrible situation. Having hope can allow you to find a silver lining.
Any bad situation can seem disastrous at first. However, if you think outside of the box and have hope, the situation won't seem very bad. Just believing that a bad situation is good can change everything, and can make anyone feel better. Every situation has a good side that can be found. The plain, blunt truth is that every cloud does have a silver lining. It just depends on looking for it.

Can We Read Comics and Magazines?

Dear Principal,

Our school has started a 25 book campaign. All the students have to read 25 books by the end of the year. However, students must read novels, not comics or magazines. However, some of my fellow classmates are opposed against this and believe that magazines and comics should be accepted, while teachers believe they're not suitable. Comics and magazines should not be allowed for the 25 book campaign. Books help you learn and prepare you for the future. Along with that, comic books are not very educational.
First, books are a great way to learn. Reading a fiction book, one can easily expand his imagination and develop better reading, reading comprehension, and writing skills. Reading a nonfiction book is even better as one can become a better reader and learn facts about whatever the book was about. Along with that, one can learn and comprehend about a new subject better. Imagining a student's school skills getting better as he reads books 25 times! Books must be used for the 25 book campaign!
Furthermore, books are used to prepare for the future. In anything one is reading, he could actually be benefiting for your future job. Along with that, reading skills in the future could come in handy when one has to comprehend hard, new words, sort out useless information in something one's reading, or determine what information is fact or fiction. Along with that, reading books increases one's literature knowledge, which can be handy when one has to take the SAT. Books are a lot more important than comics and magazines!
Finally, comics and magazines are not that educational. While they're enjoyable, comics and magazines are a little babyish, with a lot of pictures and very simple words. While reading comics and magazines do improve your imagination, it doesn't give any more of the advantages that books give. A long with that, some comics and magazines could be about something like a television show or a movie, and could easily throw a student off topic. Comics and magazines should not be used for our 25 book campaign.
Thank you for reading my letter. I believe that novels, and only novels, should be used for the 25 book campaign. Novels teach students many important skills and help them prepare for the future. Comics and magazines aren't really that educational. Our 25 book campaign was strictly made to educate students. If we want to help students to the maximum degree, we must use novels for our campaign!

Sincerely,
Oliver Tang

Pool or Recreation Center?

Our city has recently been given some money for the young people of the community. Right now, the city is debating whether we should build a recreation center or a pool. The money should definitely be appropriated into making a pool. Pools are a great way for kids to have social time, are a valuable source of exercise, and can give enjoyment to kids.
First, pools are great for social time. There, kids can simply relax and talk to friends. A pool is also important after a long and stressful day to unwind your muscles and swim around slowly. A pool can also be the source of many games, like tag or Marco Polo. Just simply having drinks and talking to a friend during a hot summer day is almost perfect. I have had experience with this. Our city needs a pool!
Next, pools are a valuable source of exercise. Every week, I go to a pool to just have fun and learn swimming. While doing all that, I'm actually exercising. With the lack of places to exercise, we do need a pool for kids to have fun. While swimming, one can burn 700 calories an hour! We need somewhere that anyone, kids and adults, can exercise and have fun. A pool is the perfect place to do just that!
Finally, pools are a great source of enjoyment. During summer, when a kid's bored, he can easily rush over to the pool to have some fun. In a hot summer day, a kid can easily stay cool by going to the pool surrounded by family and friends. Playing in a pool can easily pass a lot of time, and make the day go by quickly. When one's stressful and hot during a summer day, all he has to do is swim. Swimming is a popular sport, and many in this town enjoy doing it. We have to make a pool!
Thank you for listening to my essay. I firmly believe that our money should be put to use for a pool. It's great for social time and exercise, not to mention it's a important source of enjoyment. Our great city deserves a pool for everyone, the young kids and the adults, not just kids. We must make a pool!

No More Cell Phones In School!

Dear Board of Education,

In the beginning of the year, my school established the rule that cell phones are not allowed in the building. Since then, students and parents have been arguing that we should be allowed to carry cell phones to school. Our school is considering changing the policy. However, the ban of cell phone carrying in the school should be continued! Cell phones provide a major distraction to the school, could be easily lost or stolen, and make kids without cell phones feel left out of the student community.
First, cell phones are a distraction to the carrier and his classmates. Imagine that while the teacher is talking to the class, you hear a song come from nowhere. All the students in the class turn towards the carrier, while he rushes out of the class. During that process, valuable class time was lost. Along with that, during class, a bored student could easily text her friend in the school. Again, this beeping sound could bother nearby students with the constant beeping noise of her phone. Right now in class without cell phones, it's extremely peaceful and nobody is disturbed. We have to keep the serenity and prevent the carrying of cell phones.
Next, cell phones can easily be lost or stolen. One student could just leave his cell phone on his desk and forget about taking it. Next period, one student might come in, see the cell phone, and snatch it. Like that, it's gone. Most cell phones these days range from $150 to $300. Once a phone is taken, that's an automatic waste of money. To most students, cell phones mean almost everything to them. Then it's completely a waste just to bring it to school to chat with friends a few times a day, with the high risk of not coming back with it. It's just like leaving a cell phone outside just for someone to take. Cell phones mean almost everything to most kids, and leaving it home is the best thing to do if one wants to prevent the loss of his cell phone.
Finally, cell phones can be used for cheating. I know many kids who resort to different ways of cheating, such as writing the answers on their hands and covering it. Allowing cell phones to be brought to school is just another opportunity to cheat. I have a friend who goes to another school, who told me anecdotes of how kids at his school with cell phones texted each other the answers of various quizzes and tests. We have to keep our school a trustworthy place with integrity. We have to prevent student from cheating by using cell phones.
Thank you for reading my letter. I firmly support our school's decree of no cell phones in school. Cell phones are an easy distraction, can easily be left behind or taken, and can be used for cheating. Would you really want to see ten cell phones going off in the school, and teachers struggling to get their students' attention? While it's "painful", having no cell phones makes a better school community!

Sincerely,
Oliver Tang

How One Reaches Maturity (Draft)

Many people ponder about how you can tell when one reaches maturity. It can't be defined by age, as a young person could behave maturely, and a grown-up could behave immaturely. Age is definitely not the criteria for measuring maturity. When one has responsibility, he can then be considered "mature." Responsibility is an important virtue for life and is important if one wants to live within the barriers and rules of society.
First, responsibility is an important character trait one must have to succeed in life. Anywhere, anytime, one must take care of himself and make wise decisions to move ahead in the path of life. Making a bad choice, without having responsibility, forces one to go a wrong direction. Then, one must use up some time and take a detour to get onto the right path again. Making too many mistakes without using responsibility could end up wasting too much time. Along with that, responsibility allows one to take care of himself, when he is alone in life without parents. Without responsibility, he puts his safety and future at great risk. If one says that maturity depends on age instead of responsibility, that's similar to saying a boy who is polite and takes care of his family is less mature than an unintelligent middle-aged man who sits around and relies on his family completely. One must have responsibility to get ahead in life and finally mature.
Finally, responsibility is a sign of maturity is because it helps you live by what's accepted in society. Without responsibility, you break the rules all of the time. Most of these "rules" are here for a reason to protect us and ensure we have a good life. Without responsibility, we might break these rules putting ourselves in a bad position. Without having responsibility and following all the rules, whether it be at home, a place where one works, common sense and everyday life rules, etc, there's no doubt one will have trouble prospering in life.
Responsibility is the key thing in life. It gives us a bright future and allows us to reach a level of maturity no matter what the age. If you really want to be mature in the future, all you have to do is follow the path of responsibility!

Monolingual Schools for All (Final)

Imagine this. You're a Mexican immigrant who just arrived in America. Before you attend school with American students, you must learn English. You go to a school for immigrants expecting to still hear some Spanish, but instead, your teacher speaks only English. You fail to grasp almost everything. However, after a few weeks, you get some understanding of this strange new language. Many people believe that schools should be bilingual, but others think that schools for immigrants should remain monolingual. Schools should be monolingual! Monolingual schools are more effective than bilingual schools, because monolingual schools help students learn a new language faster and save money.
First of all, monolingual schools can help a student learn a new language better than a bilingual school. By speaking a strange new language, you can push children out of their native language and help them learn a new language faster. While a student won't be able to understand anything you're saying, he will grasp the language sooner or later, and will learn better than a student who has a teacher who speaks his native language.
I have had experience with this. In 3rd grade, my Spanish teacher was out for a month, and she was replaced by a substitute teacher who spoke all Spanish. Though it was torture for the whole class, I actually managed to learn a lot of Spanish in the month she taught. Right now, there is a student who just came from Japan in some of my classes. All his teachers speak to him in English in hopes of his being able to learn and repeat what they say. The attempt was successful. Speaking in only a new language in school can really benefit an immigrant student.
Monolingual schools also save money. If we want bilingual teachers, we must pay an abundance of excess money. Eliminating bilingual teachers allows schools to save money. Many school districts, such as the Bernards school district, greatly need money for more important things. Because of the beginning of our economic crisis, many districts have very tight budgets. A district should not waste their money on bilingual teachers. They should devote their money to something more useful, like better technology for teachers and students, more books for the media center and classrooms, or a longer school year. Removing bilingual teachers or transferring them to monolingual teachers is a perfect way to save money.
Although a bilingual school can be great as it allows a student to hear their native language and relieves stress in learning, a monolingual school is better. It helps students learn a new language better and saves money.
A monolingual school is what everyone needs!

What is Better: A City or Suburb? (Final)

When someone is moving to a different home, he ponders: should I move to a city or a suburb? When compared with each other, they have many differences. Then is a city or a suburb a better place to live in? A suburb is a much better to live at. There are many reasons, including that the air in suburbs is cleaner, suburbs are less crowded, and they’re safer.
The first point is suburbs have cleaner air. In cities, the air is polluted from factories excreting greenhouse gases and cars ejecting waste, and there are hardly any trees to give oxygen. Most suburbs are abundant with trees, with almost no factories or harmful gas from cars. If one stays outside a whole day in a city and a suburb smelling the air, there's a large difference. Suburbs are a lot cleaner.
Another reason that suburbs are better than cities is suburbs aren't crowded. Many people, including me, are claustrophobic, meaning that we're afraid of being in enclosed and narrow places. Cities are heavily populated, so it can make anyone who's claustrophobic uncomfortable. In the suburbs, everything is spread out and moving around is a lot easier and safer. You'll have a lot more privacy, because there are less people. This also reduces the chance of somehow losing the way.
Finally, there's more safety in suburbs. In cities, many robberies and other crimes take place. A city's high population makes it more likely to have crimes. Taking a look at the news proves this. Have you heard of a kidnapping in New York, a bar fight in Las Vegas, the robbery in Chicago, or drug dealings in San Antonio? People who live in a city and are scared of being robbed or kidnapped, should definitely consider moving to a suburb.
A suburb is a much better place to be. Although a city isn't too bad, suburbs are the right choice. Suburbs are nice and clean, not so crowded, and are a lot safer than cities. If one has a choice between moving to a city or a suburb, he knows the right thing to do. Move to a suburb!

Should We Lengthen the School Year? (Final)

In a Grade 4 international test taken in 2007, the United States was in a lowly eleventh place, while countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and Kazakhstan, were in the top five. A similar result happened when America was 9th in an 8th grade international, while similar Asian countries were in the lead. Hong Kong, the winner of the Grade 4 international contest, has about 200 days of school, America only has 180. The U.S.' curriculum is far behind other countries in the world. United States should definitely consider lengthening the school year. An extended school year will improve student's performance and increases chances of getting into a good college.
First, a longer school year would make us more competitive. U.S. has the least number of school days in the entire world, and is very far behind what other countries are learning. Many of these countries have longer school years than U.S., such as Japan, with fifteen more days than the U.S. A longer school year could give our country a chance to catch up with its Asian rivals in education. A large number of cities have a very poor curriculum. An extended school year gives students more time to learn new skills and to master new concepts. Many people, even some government officials, such as Senator Peter Mills of Maine, agree with the idea of adding more days to the school year. A longer school year is what we need!
A longer school year also increases the chance to go to a better college. The main purpose of school is to be a preparation for the SAT. School teaches many of the skills, like algebra, reading comprehension, etc., needed to hopefully get a good score on the SAT Everything a student learns in school contributes to what they score on the SAT. Going to a good college, such as Harvard or Yale, is one of the factors for someone to get a good job. With the economic crisis, and job layoffs, kids need all the help they can get to receive a job in the future. A longer school year will do just that. Did you know that an extra hour a day for school can give a student an extra twenty-five points on the SAT? Twenty-five more points on the SAT can give a student who would normally going to somewhere like Rutgers a chance at Harvard. A lengthened school year can give a child a better future.
A longer school year is what America needs at a time like the present. Although America does need the money right now for other issues, such as for the government, and kids need to relax in the summer, an extended school year is valuable. Not only does it improve student performance, but it also lets students get enrolled into a good college. A longer school year is what America needs!

Should I Tell My Friend? (Draft)

Everyone has a friend. A friend is someone important in your life with whom you have an irrefutable relationship. He keeps you company, and is helpful. There could be a few bumps in a friendship at some time, but friends usually forget about it and move on. One thing that could harm a friendship is when sometimes, one has to truthfully tell his friend something hurtful, like when person A wants to tell his friend B that he's really fat, or when someone else wants to tell his friend that he's aggressive. Almost everyone has gotten into that situation before. While many argue against being honest to your friend, even if you tell them something hurtful, I believe that one should always be honest to his friends. Sharing the truth helps the bond of friendship get stronger and can benefit your friend.
First of all, being truthful to your friend allows your bond of friendship to become stronger. Though telling a friend the truth might be offensive to him, it ensures that you and your friend become closer. Telling each other the truth builds up trust between you, and shows your friend that you could keep secrets that he tells you. It also lets you know to your friend that you care about him, and you want him to know something so he could help himself. If you have a friend who's fat, you could tell him that, not meaning to be malicious, in hopes of him trying to get skinnier, or anything related to that. Confiding the truth to your friend could help you become much closer companions.
Secondly, statements that you make to your friend don't mean to be hurtful, and are just trying to help him. Everything that a friend says to you, offensive or not, is really meant to just help him or to comment on something. Being honest to a friend can allow him to recover from a bad trait or habit. Telling a friend he's aggressive is not meant to get him angry or insult him, but to try to get him to hold his temper more often. Mentioned earlier, friends trust each other and learn from each other. If one gives a friend a suggestion, his friend would most likely trust that person, like friends always do. Comments to friends are really meant just to help.
Sometimes, it's best to keep a secret "secret." However having honesty with your friends is imperative. Being honest to a friend allows to become closer friends, and can help your friend recover from something like a bad trait or habit. Friends are your companions forever, so it's important that you help them and tell the truth. Don't be shy! Telling the truth isn't meant to be hurtful, but just a way to help your friend.

Does Every Cloud Have A Silver Lining? (Draft)

There's an expression: Every cloud has a silver lining. Is this true? First of all, the expression means that in every bad situation something good comes out of it. This phrase is believed by many optimists, including me. However, others, pessimists, argue that some bad situations yield nothing good. No matter what anyone says, this expression is true. Anything can be good if you look at it from a different perspective, and in every bad situation, you still have one thing that is always good, which is hope.
First, disastrous situations have a bright side if you look at them from different points of views. Being optimistic can completely nullify the effect of a bad situation. By thinking outside the box, you can determine something good that comes out of something bad. For example, a student gets a bad grade on a science test. He is very distraught, and, suddenly, he realizes that he must study harder on science. He manages to get a passing grade on his report card. Simply just figuring out what good can come out of a bad situation could make you feel better. Hidden in the thick layer of the cloud, there's a shining streak in its core.
Another thing that emerges from bad situations is hope. In every challenge, hope is what drives a person to keep on persevering and gives them the thought that they will succeed they work hard enough. If one has hope, he or she find a silver lining on the cloud. The scenario of hope succeeding against something catastrophic has been mentioned in many stories, including the Greek myth "Pandora's Box." In the story, though Pandora releases all the evil into the world, she manages to trap one thing: hope in her box. Another person who mentioned to be optimistic during bad situations was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who said in his inauguration speech "The only we have to fear is fear itself." Along with that, this theme is popular for many fables, like "It Could Always Be Worse." In the fable, a man hates his noisy life, but realizes that it could always be a lot worse, and he starts enjoying life. Hope is what keeps everyone going in a terrible situation. Having hope can allow you to find a silver lining.
At first, any bad situation seems disastrous to you. However, if you think outside of the box and have hope, the situation won't seem very bad. Just believing that a bad situation is good can change everything, and can make anyone feel better. Every situation has a good side that you can find. The plain, blunt truth is that every cloud does have a silver lining. It just depends on how you look for it.

Monolingual Schools For All

Imagine this. You're a Mexican immigrant who just arrived in America. Before you attend school with American students, you must learn English. You go to a school for immigrants expecting to still hear some Spanish, but instead, your teacher speaks all English. You fail to grasp almost everything. However after a few weeks, you get a brief concept of this strange new language. Many people believe that schools should be monolingual, but others think that schools for immigrants should remain bilingual. Schools should be monolingual!
Monolingual schools are more effective than bilingual schools, because they help students learn a new language faster and save money.
First of all, monolingual schools can help a student learn a new language better than a bilingual school. By speaking in a strange new language, you can push a child out of their native language and help them learn a new language faster. While a student won't be able to understand anything you're saying, he will grasp the language sooner or later, and will learn better than a student who has a teacher who speaks his native language. I have had experience with this. In 3rd grade, my Spanish teacher was out, and she was replaced by a substitute teacher who spoke all Spanish. Though it was torture for the whole class, I actually managed to learn a lot of Spanish in the month she taught. Right now, I have a student who just came from Japan in some of my classes. All his teachers speak to him in English in hopes of him being able to learn and repeat what they say. The attempt was successful. Speaking in only a new language in school can really benefit an immigrant student.
Monolingual schools also save money. If someone wants bilingual teachers, he must pay an abundance of excess money. Eliminating bilingual teachers allows schools to save money. Many school districts, such as the Bernards school district, greatly need money for something more important. Because of the beginning of Great Depression II, many districts have very tight budgets. A district should not just waste their money on bilingual teachers. They should devote their money to something more useful, like better technology for teachers and students, more books for the media center and classrooms, or a longer school year. Removing bilingual teachers and support for an immigrant student is a perfect way to save money.
Although a bilingual school can be great as it allows a student to hear their native language and relieves stress in learning, a monolingual school is better. It helps them learn a new language better and saves money. A monolingual school is what everyone needs. Write a letter to your Board of Education proclaiming for monolingual schools!

Which is More Important: Participating in Sports or Winning (Final)

Goal! The Blue Team wins! "Darn!" Red Team grumbles. Many people have been in the situation of the Red Team before. In sports, people question whether participating in sports or winning a game is more important. Some people think that sports are great if you try and have fun. Others hate to lose and and their only ambition is to win. Losing teams have always complained about being beaten, while their coach tries to persuade them that it doesn't matter who wins or loses, unless everyone has fun. Participating in sports is obviously much more important. Players can learn from their mistakes. Coaches can know if a player is actually trying. And winning too much can go to your head.
First, players can learn from mistakes they make if they lose. Studies show that people learn much more from mistakes than just getting what they do right the first time. This applies to sports too. If you learn from your mistakes, you'll get better and better. Imagine this: a goalie in soccer isn't that good. He always lets the ball in. After losing ten straight games in a row, he finally understands the proper way to prevent the ball from coming in. He leads his team to victory. While winning teams do learn how to overcome an opponent, a losing team is learning as much as the winning team is. Losing teams could apply their mistakes and the victorious team's strategy to possibly win next time.
Second, the coach can make sure that all the players are trying. For teams that always win, there might be a few slack-offs who don't do anything at all and some players who do all the work. In a team where having fun and participating is important, everyone is contributing to the game and exercising. Participating also promotes teamwork with other players, to throw a ball to each other or to support someone when he is blocked by the goalie. Participating is also important, because it gives you a chance to exercise. Exercising is very important as it makes a person healthy and prevents them from many diseases, and lets someone be strong and fit. Take this situation: there's a basketball team that always wins. However, the only reason is because there is one exceptionally good player. The other players always relax and do nothing. However, a different team loses most of the time. But, the team is made up of players who love to play basketball and have fun. Everyone helps score points. The first team is obviously better. In real life, it's true that most teams have some players who never do anything. If participating was held important instead of winning, all the players would contribute to the game.
Finally, winning can go to one's head. Some people believe that they'll always win and there's no need to even practice and try. Winning too much could even make a whole team arrogant. Teams who lose resolve to try better next time and practice more and get better. Winning too much could make a whole team go downhill. Look at this story: a baseball team, let's say team A, is always winning. All the players get cocky and don't even try anymore. Another team, team B, loses several times. Nevertheless, B makes into the finals. They find out that they're versing A. B lost to A before and are determined to try their best. On the big day, A loses the game: 0 to 7. Though this only happens sometimes, it can affect anyone. So, sometimes even losing can help.
Winning always feels nice. It gives a team satisfaction and proves to them that they're better than the other team. Everyone loves to win. However, participating is much more important than winning. Players learn from mistakes, participate more, and are prevented from getting too egoistical. Think about it. Participating in a game is much more important than winning. Next time anyone attends a sports game, they shouldn't think about winning, but helping the team!

What is Better: A City or Suburb? (Final)

When someone is moving to a different home, he ponders: should I move to a city or a suburb? Well first of all, you may be wondering what cities and suburbs are. Suburbs are open areas with an abundance of nature, while cities are crowded areas that are generally dirty. When compared with each other, they have many differences.
Then is a city or a suburb a better place to live in? A suburb is a much better to live at. There are many reasons, including that the air in suburbs is cleaner, suburbs are less crowded, and they’re safer.
The first point is suburbs have cleaner air. In cities, the air is polluted from factories excreting greenhouse gases and cars ejecting waste, and there are hardly any trees to exude oxygen. Most suburbs are abundant with trees, with almost no factories or harmful gas from cars. If one stays outside a whole day in a city and a suburb smelling the air, you'll sense a large difference. Suburbs are a lot cleaner.
The next reason that suburbs are better than cities is suburbs aren't crowded. Many people, including me, are claustrophobic, meaning that we're afraid of being in enclosed and narrow places. Cities are heavily populated, so it's very easy to get lost. In the suburbs, everything is spread out and moving around is a lot easier and safer. You'll have a lot more privacy, because there are less people. This also reduces the chance of somehow losing your way.
Finally, there's more safety in suburbs. In cities, many robberies and kidnappings take place. A city's high population makes it more likely to have crimes. Taking a look at the news proves this. Have you heard of a kidnapping in New York, or a bar fight in Las Vegas, or the robbery in Chicago? People who live in a city and are scared of being robbed or kidnapped, should definitely consider moving to a suburb.
A suburb is a much better place to be. Although a city isn't too bad, suburbs are the right choice. Suburbs are nice and clean, not so crowded, and are a lot safer than cities. If one ever comes in contact with a choice between moving to a city or a suburb, he knows the right thing to do. Move to a suburb!

Should We Lengthen the School Year? (Draft)

Did you know that in a Grade 4 international test took in 2007, United States was placed in a lowly eleventh place, while countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and Kazakhstan, were in the top five. A similar result happened when America place 9th in an 8th grade international, while similar Asian countries were in the lead. While Hong Kong, the winner of the Grade 4 international contest, has about 200 days of school, America only has 180. The U.S.' curriculum is far behind other countries in the world. United States should definitely consider lengthening the school year.
Reasons why a lengthened school year is necessary is, because an extended school year will improve student's performance and increases chances of getting into a good college.
First, a longer school year improves student performance. U.S. has the least number of school days in the entire world, and is very far behind what other countries are learning. Many of these countries have longer school years than U.S., such as Japan, with fifteen more days in its school year than U.S. A longer school year could give the country a chance to catch up with its rivals in education, such as the countries in Asia mentioned earlier. A large number of cities, such as Philadelphia, have a very low curriculum. An extended school year gives students more time to learn new skills and to master the concept. Many people, even some government officials, such as Senator Peter Mills of Maine, agree with the idea of adding more days to the school year. A longer school year is what we need!
A longer school year also increases the chance to go to a better college. The main purpose of school is to be a preparation for the SAT. School teaches many of the skills needed to hopefully pass the SAT with flying colors, like algebra, reading comprehension, etc. Everything a student learns in school contributes to what they score on the SAT. Going to a good college, such as Harvard or Yale, is essential for someone to get a good job. With the economic crisis, and job layoffs, kids need all the help they can get to receive a job in the future. A longer school year will do just that. Did you know that an extra hour a day for school can give a student an extra twenty-five points on the SAT? Twenty-five more points on the SAT can give a student who would normally going to somewhere like Rutgers a chance into Harvard. A lengthened school year can give a child a better future.
A longer school year is what America needs at a time like now. Although America does need the money right now for other issues, such as for the government, and kids need to relax in the summer, an extended school year is worth it. Not only does it improve student performance, but it also lets students get enrolled into a good college. Take some time to think what's really important. A longer school year is what America needs!