Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally Table of Contents
Irfran Ansari, Grade 8!....................................................................................11 WINNER, Grades 7-9 Arts Education in Public Schools
Aleksander DeMott, Grade 12!......................................................................13 WINNER, Grades 9-12 Limitations on High Skilled Immigrants
Meghann Roessler, Grade 8!.........................................................................15 FINALIST Funding for Diabetes Research Would Change My Life - and Millions More
Tucker Gabriel, Grade 9!................................................................................17 FINALIST The Farm Bill
Elvin Luna, Grade 11!.....................................................................................19 FINALIST Help Our Dying Planet
Sam Reynolds, Grade 12!..............................................................................21 FINALIST Tax Rates Ruin Entrepreneurial Spirit
Jade Greenfield, Grade 8!..............................................................................23 FINALIST The DREAM Act: Let Them Thrive
Courtney Rozen, Grade 10!............................................................................25
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FINALIST Don't Forget About Us
Noah Porter, Grade 12!...................................................................................27 FINALIST A Crumbling Hallway
Zachary Staller, Grade 8!...............................................................................29 FINALIST Simplify Health Care for the Autistic
Emma Laytan, Grade 8!..................................................................................31 Saving Lives
Michela Palma, Grade 10!..............................................................................33 America, the Land of Opportunity
Shane Cloud, Grade 10!.................................................................................35 End Bullying Now
Emily Burns, Grade 10!..................................................................................37 Say No to Hydrofracking
Grayson Boker, Grade 8!...............................................................................39 Offshore Drilling Moratorium
Rachael Vinzant, Grade 12!............................................................................41 Education in America
Carrie Schreck, Grade 8!................................................................................43 Education
Anisha Narain, Grade 7!.................................................................................45 Reforming College Education
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Jennifer Vasquez, Grade 12!..........................................................................47 Same Sex Marriage
Mirza Ahmed, Grade 10!.................................................................................49 Helping the Environment
Matthew Glaus, Grade 8!................................................................................51 Make Love, Not War
Jon Hughes, Grade 12!...................................................................................53 Our First Freedom
Hunter Tanem, Grade 10!...............................................................................55 Air Pollution
Tristan Sienkiewicz!........................................................................................57 Green Energy
Promi Hussain, Grade 8!................................................................................59 Conserve Our Water Supply
Mathieu Girard, Grade 8!................................................................................61 Green House Gas Emissions
Otto Tielemans, Grade 12!.............................................................................63 Show Me the Money
Rebecca Cheng, Grade 10!............................................................................65 Foreign Affairs
Joseph Meyer, Grade 9!.................................................................................67 The Education System
Izzy Silber, Grade 8!........................................................................................69 The Importance of Education Page 4
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Mahaksh Kotdawala, Grade 11!.....................................................................71 Renewal of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Isabella West, Grade 10!................................................................................73 Words in the Music
Emely Cosme, Grade 11!................................................................................75 If You Knew the Truth, Would You Still Eat It?
Matthew Lee, Grade 7!....................................................................................77 Focus More on Education
Emily Lauber, Grade 12!.................................................................................79 Federal Marriage Equality
Sarah Rose Reynolds, Grade 10!..................................................................81 The ObamaCare Disaster
Carlee Feisel, Grade 8!...................................................................................83 America's Educational System
Pat Fryer, Grade 10!........................................................................................85 Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Julianna Latini, Grade 8!................................................................................87 No Child Left Behind
Tanya Landau, Grade 8!.................................................................................89 Vouchers for a More Educated America
Bryanna Buchanan, Grade 10!......................................................................91 Freedom to Love
Emma Ramirez-Richer, Grade 7!...................................................................93 Natural Gas Depletion on our Earth Page 5
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Madison Spence, Grade 11!...........................................................................95 Please Bring Our Troops Home
Will Jefferies, Grade 8!...................................................................................97 Should Guns Be Illegal?
Laura Treers, Grade 11!..................................................................................99 Green Energy for a Sustainable Future
Carson Hardee, Grade 8!..............................................................................101 Organ Donation: Giving People a Happier, Healthier Future
Edyzbelly Flores, Grade 8!...........................................................................103 A Dream in Space
Will Breaux, Grade 11!..................................................................................105 All for Offshore Drilling
Stephanie Urista, Grade 8!...........................................................................107 Art and Music Cuts in Schools
Angela Martino, Grade 7!.............................................................................109 Here’s to Health!
Mathew Crispell, Grade 11!..........................................................................111 It's Coming: The Fiscal Cliff
Kye Ostby, Grade 9!......................................................................................113 Abolish the Electoral College
Marlon Houston, Grade 11!..........................................................................115 We Are Hungry
Nikki Bouldin, Grade 8!................................................................................117 Funding of Education Page 6
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Shelly Tran, Grade 11!..................................................................................119 The Many Hats Teachers Wear
Abigail Gennett, Grade 7!.............................................................................121 Green House Gas Emissions
Nicholas Karafilis, Grade 10!.......................................................................123 The World's Leading Economic Superpower
Zach Givens, Grade 11!................................................................................125 Education is the Future
Colin Sheehan, Grade 11!.............................................................................127 Support Labor Rights
Mottie Geller, Grade 8!..................................................................................129 Energy Independence
Christine Fry, Grade 10!...............................................................................131 My Future
Matt Liston, Grade 9!....................................................................................133 Canceling the Electoral College
Athena Vu, Grade 11!....................................................................................135 Little Flowers
Nicole Brummette, Grade 10!......................................................................137 Holding Hands with Education is Just Spreading Germs
Trevor Wells, Grade 7!..................................................................................139 Healthcare
Myranda Barnett, Grade 9!...........................................................................141 War...Good or Bad? Page 7
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Elize Perez, Grade 8!.....................................................................................143 The DREAM Act: Thoughts for the President
Katherine Gargiulo, Grade 7!.......................................................................145 Schools Cutting Art Education from Curriculum
Chase Rochin, Grade 11!.............................................................................147 Put America Back to Work
Kyle Wunder, Grade 8!..................................................................................149 War in the Middle East
Brooke Roberts, Grade 8!............................................................................151 Lowering Teen Suicide Rates
Theo Moore Odell, Grade 8!.........................................................................153 Lower Military Spending
Sergio Soria-Gil, Grade 12!..........................................................................155 Green Forward
Sara Skarshaug, Grade 9!............................................................................157 Budget Cuts Hurt Education
Anlan Du, Grade 7!.......................................................................................159 Pesticides: Dangerous and Costly
Lauren Mendez, Grade 11!...........................................................................161 The Affordability of College
Jacob Anderson, Grade 8!...........................................................................163 Major Problems in the United States of America
Jordan Smith, Grade 11!..............................................................................165 NASA Page 8
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Noah Seth Simon, Grade 8!..........................................................................167 Our Environment
Ishana Deb, Grade 7!....................................................................................169 Science, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM)
Tate Pinyochon, Grade 8!.............................................................................171 Education in the US Today
Donathan Layell, Grade 9!............................................................................173 We Need Solar Energy
McKayla Todd, Grade 11!.............................................................................175 Immigration
Mary Payton Blackmon, Grade 8!................................................................177 Stuck in the Past
Bailey Drewyor, Grade 10!............................................................................179 Equality for All, Marriage for All
Melissa Sinerius, Grade 12!.........................................................................181 Please Make College Affordable
Howard Watts II, Grade 12!...........................................................................183 Do Students in Rural Towns Receive the Same Educational Opportunities as Students from Urban Towns?
Naomi Dilmanian, Grade 12!........................................................................185 The United States and Protectionism
Deja Dobson, Grade 8!.................................................................................187 An Immigrant's Perception
Jennifer Baum, Grade 12!............................................................................189
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Make College Accessible to All
Mary Baxter Harlow, Grade 9!......................................................................191 Educators are Not Treated as Professionals
Hunter Mori, Grade 12!.................................................................................193 Immigrant Influence on America
Sinh Ly, Grade 11!.........................................................................................195 Revolution on the Work Front: Equal Pay for Equal Work
Chris Anzaldi, Grade 9!................................................................................197 Solar Energy
Andrew Mendenhall, Grade 11!....................................................................199 The Second Amendment
Nicholas Moring, Grade 8!...........................................................................201 We the People of the United States of America Say “No” to the Electoral College
Shakela Uddin, Grade 11!.............................................................................203 The Importance of Education
Nikkohl Santa Maria, Grade 12!...................................................................205 It's Not Easy Being Green
Grace Masback, Grade 8!.............................................................................207 Increase Voter Participation
Darya Tsakke, Grade 12!..............................................................................209 Our Students, Our Nation
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Irfran Ansari, Grade 8 WINNER, Grades 7-9 Robinson Middle School Wichita, Kansas Topic: Education
Arts Educa+on in Public Schools Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on your re-election. The country looks forward to the next four years of your leadership. I am writing to ask you to increase funding for arts education in public schools. As an 8th grader at a public school in Kansas, I have personally felt the impact of cuts in arts programs such as visual arts, theater, and music. Nationwide, children are disadvantaged because arts have been put on the backburner in our schools. Please consider making funding for the arts a priority. My orchestra and art classes are my favorite classes in school. I have been in my school's orchestra for three years and last year, we were accepted to and performed at the Midwest Clinic, an international conference in Chicago. In art class, I enjoy experimenting with media such as charcoal, watercolor, and ink. One of my art projects, a drawing of my tennis shoes, was selected for an exhibition in Topeka. These classes let me be creative and I am thankful that I have these opportunities in school. There are several benefits to including arts in education. Art encourages kids to express themselves. Students who struggle in school may find the arts as a positive part of their school day, where there is no right or wrong answer. This builds self-confidence and motivates students to learn and perform better in other subjects. In one article I read, it was shown that many students who thought of dropping out of school said that they stayed because they enjoyed the art classes in school. Research shows that arts education is connected to success in other areas, like math, reading, and writing. Children can connect art to other classes. For example, counting beats in a choir song helps children understand fractions, and a school
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production of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer� teaches children about slavery and U.S. history. Research studies have found that involvement in the arts leads to better test scores and grades. Yet schools across the U.S. are sacrificing arts as they face budget shortages. In 2011, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback eliminated funding for the Kansas Arts Commission and said he preferred arts education to be privately funded. This system leaves children from low-income families at a disadvantage, because their families cannot afford violin lessons or art lessons and they don't participate in art outside of school. Public funding for arts education evens the playing field for all children. Interestingly, the governor had to restore funding for the arts, because private funding wasn't enough. But budget cuts and economic problems put arts education in jeopardy. In my hometown, music programs have been completely removed from elementary schools and several teachers have been laid off. Other states, like California and Florida, are also experiencing similar cuts. If this trend continues, arts will soon disappear from public schools and countless children will not have a creative outlet in school. To prevent this from happening, I urge you to increase funding for the Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Arts, two programs for federal funding for arts education in schools. The children of the U.S. are the future leaders of the country, but their education is not complete without arts. By increasing funding for the arts, you can help make sure that the arts remain a priority for children and schools. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely, Irfran Ansari
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Aleksander DeMott, Grade 12 WINNER, Grades 9-12 Ocean Lakes High School Virginia Beach, Virginia Topic: Immigration
Limita+ons on High Skilled Immigrants Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you to raise awareness about an issue which is important, rarely discussed, and if dealt with correctly, may have a positive effect on the society and the economy of the United States. The matter of my concern is the inability of legal immigrants with professional experience to find suitable employment in the United States. People with university educations that arrive to America, including doctors, scientists, and teachers frequently find themselves with unskilled jobs because of the diminishing of credentials earned at foreign universities and due to restrictive regulations. This is a shame; not only is America wasting human potential, but it is limiting its own development. My interest in finding a solution to this issue stems from personal experience. My mom, a graduate of one of the most prestigious universities in Poland, and a professor at the University of Economics in Krakow, moved to the United States and now works as a substitute teacher. Due to the existing system in America that uses unsupervised private foreign credential evaluation services, my mom's master's degree was degraded to a bachelor's degree. Such an act was humiliating. It wasted time, money, and talent. Instead of serving society through teaching or a similar occupation, my mom was forced to contribute another few years of her life to attaining a second master's degree. She is graduating this year, and maybe a degree from a university in the United States will make acquiring a job possible. My mother is not alone however. The issue of job discrimination affects many immigrants. This is supported by research. An example is a study from the University of Virginia titled "Doctors with Borders: Occupational Licensing as an Implicit Barrier to
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High Skill Migration" which was released April, 2012 (updated November, 2012). The title itself makes it clear that in the United States regulations serve as a barrier between immigrant professionals and the work force. The research proves such restrictions exists and then explores the possible effects of loosening restrictions on migrant skilled workers, with a focus on physicians. It asks what would happen if regulations were reduced. UVa's research asserts that abandoning special licensing requirements would have positive results. These results would include an elimination of shortages in occupations, such as physicians, and benefits for skilled immigrants such as "earlier opportunities for moonlighting and better job prospects." A 2008 study by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) focuses more on the economic side of restricting foreign professionals' access to the workforce. MPI found that under-recognition of international degrees in Canada (which has a smaller number of immigrants than the United States) causes a loss of two billion Canadian dollars annually. Discriminating against high skilled immigrants results in economic losses because of necessary spending on retraining a workforce for companies, and spending by families to obtain additional or repeated degrees. To date, five states are taking on the issue of limitations on high skilled immigrants- they could serve as models for dealing with this problem on a national level. I truly hope that the near future may bring to America a revitalized sense of equality- equality for all professionals, where the source of an education does not determine job prospects. I hope that in the future, people trained as doctors may serve their purpose, saving lives in hospitals, instead of ringing up our groceries.
Thank you, Aleksander DeMott
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Meghann Roessler, Grade 8 FINALIST St. Richard’s Episcopal School Indianapolis, Indiana Topic: Diabetes Research
Funding for Diabetes Research Would Change My Life -‐ and Millions More Dear Mr. President, Approximately 25.8 million children and adults in America have diabetes, including me. That is 8.3 % of our population. Although scientists and doctors are working towards finding a cure for this genetic disease, they need the funding to be able to continue this noble work. I hope that this letter will persuade you to ask Congress to increase funding for these research projects. There are two types of diabetes: children and young adults are usually diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and adults are usually diagnosed with Type 2. In the case of Type 1, the immune system attacks the beta cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Eventually the beta cells are killed off and your body stops producing insulin altogether. Only 5 % of people who have diabetes have Type 1. "Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent Type 1 Diabetes, and at present nothing you can do to get rid of it," says the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on December 20, 2011, when I was twelve years old. The diagnosis devastated me. I felt as if my world was coming to an end, and that I wouldn't have the same life. I spent three days in the hospital learning everything about how to manage my diabetes. I learned that I could eat and do almost anything I want. However, I have to count my carbohydrates, and I have to balance them with insulin shots every time I eat. I also have to test my blood glucose level four to eight times a day. I am used to it, but it can be very bothersome. Many researchers, organizations, and companies are working to help find the
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cure for Type 1 Diabetes. JDRF is an organization that supports research for Type 1, formerly called juvenile diabetes. JDRF also sponsors fundraising events for research. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) provides support and education to anyone with diabetes, both adults and children. Eli Lilly and Co. and Roche Diagnostics are companies at the forefront of diabetes research. Lilly makes insulin and other medicines needed to keep people with diabetes alive. Roche produces medical devices such as insulin pumps and glucose meters. All of the products that these and other companies develop help me and others manage and control our diabetes. While these companies and organizations help us manage our diabetes, there is still no cure. The total cost for diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion, $116 billion for direct medical costs and $58 billion for indirect costs such as disability or premature mortality. The average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what they would be without. Also, diabetes is linked with other medical problems such as blindness. Fortunately all of these organizations and companies make the lives of children with diabetes easier. The children are the future of the United States. If they are unhealthy, America is unhealthy. I urge you, Mr. President, to fund research and organizations that are helping to find the cure for Type 1 diabetes. Speaking as a person who has lived it, finding a cure for this disease would change the lives of millions. Type 1 diabetes is inevitable for some people, but with help from you, Congress, and the people of the United States, we can find a cure.
Sincerely, Meghann Roessler
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Tucker Gabriel, Grade 9 FINALIST Eudora High School Eudora, Kansas Topic: Farm Bill Funding
The Farm Bill Dear Mr. President, My name is Tucker Gabriel and I am a freshman (9th Grade) at Eudora High School. I live in the small town of Eudora, Kansas. I am a 4-H member, an FFA member, and I hold office positions in both organizations. Being in these organizations, as well as being in high school and living on a farm, I get exposed to many agriculturally-related issues. One issue that I have heard about many times is The United States Farm Bill. I have researched this bill, and I am very displeased with the percentage of funds available for actual farmers and ranchers. I realize that less than 2% of the United States population is farmers and ranchers, but the funds that are available for them aren't sufficient. The Farm Bill was granted $19.173 billion in the 2012 fiscal year, and only around 10% of that money went to farmers and ranchers. Through my education in FFA, I realize that food and everything that goes with it (inspection, processing, etc.) is also agriculture, but if the suppliers of the food don't have enough funds to buy the supplies they need, then the whole world will grow hungry. Granted this is an extreme case of lack of funding, but it is possible for that to happen. I can relate to this problem with something that happened just recently. The summer of 2011 was filled with many natural disasters ranging from drought, to hurricanes, to flooding. The rural area that I live in was fortunate to receive rains every so often, but there was still a minor drought in the area. This summer, our area wasn't so lucky. We battled wind, heat, and severe drought. Our crops didn't fare very well, with corn averaging only 10 bushels per acre. Normally, our corn would yield close to 110
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bushels per acre, so you can guess the hit this year's profits took. Only with the help of crop insurance did we have enough funds to help our farm stay afloat. With the cost of one bag of corn being nearly $200, and our farm having close to 600 acres of planted corn, we were already in the hole about $120,000, not even including the price of labor and fuel. Crop insurance helped, but the rest we had to cover out of our pocket, which was still a very hefty chunk of change. I guess what I am trying to say here is that the funds available for farmers now are doable, but they should be increased to help farmers and ranchers out more by making crop insurance easier to acquire, as well as creating more funds available for them. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read this letter and take into consideration my opinion about The United States Farm Bill.
Sincerely, Tucker Gabriel
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Elvin Luna, Grade 11 FINALIST Central High School Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Topic: Environment
Help Our Dying Planet Dear Mr. President, First, congratulations on winning your campaign and holding the position as the President of the United States for an additional four years. As a junior, it is time for me to start making important life decisions. While doing so, I contemplate the many changes in society I hope to witness so that America can truly move forward. In order for the current and future generations of America to live a healthy life, it is necessary for global warming to become a topic of high priority. While the polar icecaps are melting, the climate is changing, and natural disasters are occurring, America is doing minimal work to prevent further damage to the planet, a planet that will soon deteriorate unless actions are taken so it can be saved. As the superpower of the world, America needs to do its part and contribute to the preservation of the Earth by reducing global warming through the use of renewable energies. As a whole, America strives with the use of technology, a major source of energy consumption. Although we may use an abundance of polluting energy, we could use more "clean methods” of creating energy. Using solar and wind energy, as you previously mentioned during the presidential debates, could assist both the country and the world become more "green.” With that being said, I am happy to have learned some states are already planning on taking the "green approach.” In the article, "Southern U.S. States Inch Toward Renewable Energy,” Cardinale illustrates that a combined effort made by multiple states can make a difference in renewable energy consumption. In only one year, Washington is producing 74.9 GW. Furthermore, in the southern part of the United States, Georgia has announced a proposal to provide 210 megawatts of solar power by the year of 2015.
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Although the efforts to become "green” appear to be minor at first glance, the combined effort proves to make a change for a better future. In response to several states' actions, additional states should do their part in helping the environment by using renewable energy sources. The result of not taking action in reducing global warming not only affects me, but the entire nation. Global warming causes extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, a natural disaster that can affect a coast of the nation in an instant. Richard Alley explains in his article, "Why the Extreme Weather?” that it is our own fault for the ridiculous weather we have been experiencing recently. By burning an abundance of fossil-fuels, we are emitting large amounts of Carbon Dioxide into our atmosphere, causing heat fluctuations in both our air and water. The more we add Carbon Dioxide into the air, the higher our chances are of receiving extreme weather. The rapid changes in heat cause tornadoes and hurricanes. Barely a month has passed since the east coast has been devastated by the effects of Hurricane Sandy. As you well know, it is not easy to recover from such natural disasters. So, why would America not try and make a change to improve our future? We all have a certain amount of time to live. I believe we should live it in a healthy environment. As the President, it is your job to help. Not only does reducing global warming benefit America, but also the world. Although a substantial amount of money is necessary to accomplish such a task, I believe it will be worth it at the end.
Thank you, Elvin Luna
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Sam Reynolds, Grade 12 FINALIST Arrowhead Union High School Hartland, Wisconsin Topic: Economy / Small Business
Tax Rates Ruin Entrepreneurial Spirit Dear Mr. President, Small businesses and corporations are the backbone of America. The private sector is what makes the economy thrive, which makes me wonder why the government taxes them at rates that set them up for failure. High tax rates in the past four years have caused small businesses to go under and have forced large corporations to relocate to other countries. To save jobs in the U.S., business tax rates need to be lowered immediately. Foxnews.com states the corporate tax rate in America is 35%, listing the U.S. as the country with the highest corporate tax rates in the world. That's 10% higher than the world average. Due to the substantial rates, corporations have relocated to other countries because it's just too costly to stay. Relocating kills jobs and kills economic growth, yet there has been no action to prevent this. I believe corporate tax rates should be lowered to 25% because it will allow corporations to stay in the U.S., and to create domestic jobs, lowering the overall unemployment rate. An immediate plan needs to be put forth to prevent corporations from being driven away. We need to save jobs and save our economy. According to businessweekly.com, there are 28 million small businesses in the U.S, accounting for 57% of the private sector. With the government raising small business taxes from 35% to a staggering 40%, foxnews.com reports an estimate of 710,000 jobs will be destroyed. Raising tax rates on America's largest group in the private sector will cause businesses to fail and cause a drastic rise in unemployment. I
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believe the small business tax rates need to be lowered to a flat rate of about 15%. This will allow businesses to grow instead of being pounded with high rates forcing them to go bankrupt, or close down. Successful businesses stimulate the economy because they can hire more employees, lowering unemployment. Forcing American businesses to fail is not the solution to improving the economy. Without successful businesses, it makes the economy near impossible to grow. Lowering business tax rates will allow small businesses to grow and large corporations to keep and create jobs here in the U.S. Ultimately, this will lower unemployment and stimulate our dismal economy, putting the U.S. back on track to an economic recovery. Now is time we need your help the most, Mr. President.
Thank you, Sam Reynolds
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Jade Greenfield, Grade 8 FINALIST Columbia Secondary School New York, New York Topic: Immigration
The DREAM Act: Let Them Thrive Dear Mr. President, Lately, I've been dreaming about the DREAM Act. "The DREAM Act, currently pending in Congress, would create a path to legal immigration status for undocumented immigrants born outside the United States who were brought here illegally as children." (NAFSA, The DREAM Act: Myths and Facts). The DREAM Act should be passed as soon as possible so that undocumented children have opportunities to become citizens and gain the education they want and deserve. They don't know any other place as home; why can't home provide the education they need to succeed? Anti-DREAMers say, why should we pass the DREAM Act? It's expensive, it may encourage more illegal immigration, and it creates a "level playing field" among U.S. citizens and undocumented aliens, which would hurt U.S. citizens. Opponents argue that "...illegal immigrants will have an equal shot at precious state and federal resources as legal residents if the DREAM Act is passed and this is particularly offensive considering the economic situation the U.S. finds itself in, facing budget cuts in education and social service programs." (usimmigration.com -Pros and Cons of the DREAM Act). It will not, however, hurt our economy as much as people think. Immigrants often fill the jobs others may not want. They could even revolutionize science and technology, but we won't know until they get the opportunities. "Given equal opportunities, they might be tomorrow's entrepreneurs, scientists, politicians, teachers, soldiers." (usimmigration.com -Pros and Cons of the DREAM Act). Give kids a chance and they could boost our economy by millions of dollars. Another important reason to pass the DREAM act now is so that we uphold the
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founding principles of our nation, a nation of immigrants: every person has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If we as U.S. citizens do not help other human beings, then we are denying them their basic rights. My grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico at age two. He went through the public school system, graduated from high school, joined the military, fought in World War II, came back and obtained a college education through the G.I. Bill. He went on to work for the U.S. government to give back to the country he loved. Kids like him, brought here without a choice, are now being deported to a place just as foreign to them as any other country. The DREAM Act can help people like my grandfather gain choices and not be deported like trash being sent out to a landfill. Furthermore, this issue should be addressed before others because the sooner these kids get a college education, the sooner they can get a job, and the sooner they can provide for themselves and their families. Overall, the DREAM Act should be passed sooner rather than later because the importance of these people being able to fix the mistakes people made for them cannot even be described. These young people cannot lose the life they know, they would be just as lost as anyone else dropped in a foreign country. Let them be in a place they know and can thrive in. To let them thrive, they must be citizens and the DREAM Act will help them get to their goal of citizenship and higher education and jobs. But without the opportunities to do so, they wouldn't even be able to try. This issue is in your hands and not mine. I hope you take this into serious consideration. Thank you. Sincerely, Jade Greenfield
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Courtney Rozen, Grade 10 FINALIST Cyrpess Bay High School Weston, Florida Topic: Education
Don't Forget About Us Dear Mr. President, During the 2012 election, you debated over the economy, international affairs, healthcare, and social security. One issue that I feel has been neglected is the inadequate system of education in this country. I sit in a classroom with not enough textbooks. My teachers graciously purchase materials for us to use in class, even though they are not required to do so. With outdated computers and software, it is nearly impossible to learn necessary technology skills. As a high school student, I am subjected to incessant regulations, examinations, and standards by the state and federal government. Rather than learning pertinent, useful information, I am learning to please testing standards. After I have graduated from high school, will these skills still be applicable? Our teachers work tirelessly and selflessly to ensure our students receive the best education possible. A great teacher makes all the difference in a student's life. I am eternally grateful for the teachers who inspire me. However, attracting and retaining quality teachers is very difficult on the current teacher pay scale. According to the Huffington Post, the United States currently ranks 7th in the rate of high school graduates, behind Germany, France, Japan, and others. Education is the key to a successful career. Children are our future; they are the people who will lead us into tomorrow. As Americans, we are the models for the rest of the world to follow. How can America continue to set the standard without prioritizing education? In the past, the state and the federal governments have rarely consulted teachers
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before implementing ceaseless policies. The federal government has the power to influence these incessant tests and systems, yet they continue to require more regulations and testing. The teachers are the primary witnesses in the classroom. They have the best understanding of a student's needs and have the most practical knowledge. Teachers should be making the major decisions, not lawmakers. The federal government needs to understand what will realistically be the most efficient and the most educational in the classroom. By handing over the responsibility to experienced teachers, they are aiming for positive results. In this day and era, society uses technology for practically everything. Technology is integrated into our everyday lives outside of school, yet most of my school's technology is outdated. Our schools need the funding for children to experience technology first-hand and to learn to utilize it for creativity and innovation. We need the most qualified, dedicated teachers to educate our children. Teachers are at the core of education. Without excellent teachers, it is impossible to educate to the highest degree. For us to show our appreciation, the federal government needs to allocate more funding towards teacher pay and benefits. I believe education needs to become a primary focus in the United States. By investing in education, we invest in our future. I request that more of the federal government allocate more money in the budget for education. The federal government must spend more time contemplating what is best for our country's future: quality public education.
Sincerely, Courtney Rozen
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Noah Porter, Grade 12 FINALIST Benson High School Benson, Arizona Topic: America’s Infrastructure
A Crumbling Hallway Dear Mr. President, Once, long ago, America built an infrastructure unparalleled by any other nation, using state of the art designs meant to carry the weight of the growing nation into the future. This infrastructure is deteriorating at an increasing rate, and consequently, so is the nation. The unemployment rate as of October, 2012, was 7.9%, a percentage which could be lowered by addressing the infrastructure issue as America once did, through the creation of new government programs to employ both skilled and unskilled laborers in the construction of a modern infrastructure capable of providing Americans with consistent access to the services upon which the nation depends on to function and compete in the global economy. The initial investment by the government in replacing unusable portions of the American infrastructure and upgrading the portions compatible with modern, more efficient standards, will encourage private industry to invest as well, as it once did in the late 1930's. The basis of the previous statement is an extrapolation of the methods used by the Rural Electrification Administration created in 1935, an administration which, by 1939, had established 417 electric cooperatives, serving 288,000 households, raising the percentage of the rural population with access to electricity to 25%. These are the very statistics which encouraged private industry to invest as well, eventually bringing the percentage of farms with electric service in the U.S. to 98% by the early 1970's. Given the previous success of this method, it would be logical to conclude that if it were applied as a guideline to a new infrastructure investment effort, the new effort should succeed just as well as, if not more than, the previous effort.
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The current American infrastructure, and the required effort to save it, could be likened to a crumbling hallway in an old house. Some individuals may ignore the decrepit hallway until it finally collapses and becomes unusable, while individuals seeking an expedient solution may patch any visible holes and throw on a coat of fresh paint. Neither individual has yet to address the underlying affliction of the hallway, and the long term costs will eventually drive them to address the true problem later, when it has become much more expensive to fix due to its advanced stages of decrepitude, or abandon the hallway altogether. A truly industrious individual would analyze the hallway, discover that the true problem lies within the warping studs of the hallway, and proceed to renovate accordingly. An individual such as this may very well find themselves in a position where they decide that, seeing as how the walls are already open, they might as well hire an electrician to wire a light in the hallway for those nights when they can't see. America has opted for the expedient method to addressing the issue of its infrastructure, and the time is rapidly approaching in which it will need to be decided whether or not to abandon its hallway as it crumbles, living in squalor, or finally progress to the point of installing that light in the dark. Using the hallway analogy, America can lower unemployment rates, by employing those with skills and providing the opportunity to train those who do not yet possess those skills. Employing the 7.9% of working age individuals would generate between 542 million and $2.6 billion in additional revenue from income tax alone, as well as saving an additional $184.7 billion per year in unemployment benefits. While it may not be possible to employ the entirety of the unemployed population, it becomes apparent that the implications are enormous. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Noah Porter
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Zachary Staller, Grade 8 FINALIST D.H.H Lengel Middle School Pottsville, Pennsylvania Topic: Autism
Simplify Health Care for the Au+s+c Dear Mr. President, My name is Zachary Ian Staller and I am 14 years old. I am autistic, and I have a problem with keeping my focus and with anxiety. I need a TSS (therapeutic support staff). I would like to talk to you about simplifying heath care services for kids with autism. There are a lot of children out there with autism, who desperately need help with their problems. Since I was four years old, I had to take speech, occupational and physical therapies and attend social skills classes. I have always been mainstreamed into a regular classroom. This, however, would not have been possible without a TSS, which I have had since kindergarten. I also go through psychological evaluations every three months. My mom has had to fight very hard to keep my services in place. She has had to file a level three grievance, because Community Care decides what services I qualify for, and they decided I didn't need all the services recommended by the evaluator. The state had to tell Community Care to give me all the services I need. This process should not be so difficult, autism is a lifetime disorder; it never goes away. Being autistic, I have medical coverage provided by Access. All autistic children have this medical coverage, too. Due to our health care, and Community Care, my mom and other parents have to spend months making phone calls, filling out paper work and going to meetings. As a result, I had to miss school and my mom had to miss work. The
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process takes a long while, but with time and effort, we managed to get the services I need. The problem is, we have to go through this every three months. It should not be this hard for me to keep my services and keep the help I need. I am trying to get an education to the best of my ability because I want to go to college to be a scientist. I cannot continue my education without the help I need. I am a good, well-behaved, and intelligent student who gets good grades. I should not have to fight so hard to keep the services I need. Please do what you can to simplify this process so that any child on the autism spectrum can succeed in life. I know you have passed a health care bill, but if you could add to it, it would help so many families with autism. My family and I have participated in autism research at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in hopes of helping them learn more to help other autistic kids. We would be willing to come to Washington to state our case and help you make a change. We think you are truly a compassionate and caring President. Keep up the good work!
Sincerely, Zachary Staller
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Emma Laytan, Grade 8 Valwood School Hahira, Georgia Topic: Animal shelters
Saving  Lives Dear Mr. President, As an eighth grade student who loves animals, I believe one of the most important issues in America is the overpopulation of animals in shelters. This issue is important to me because I feel overcrowding of animal shelters is a form of animal cruelty. Overcrowding causes a lack of proper health care, unnecessary euthanizing, and bad treatment in shelters that do not have a lot of money to operate. Animal overcrowding in shelters is a national problem. Each year throughout 4,000 shelters, six to eight million dogs and cats are picked up off the streets by animal control. One out of every five animals that lives in a home gets lost during its lifetime, and only 16% of dogs and 2% of cats are recovered. Most of these lost animals end up in shelters where they are seldom claimed. Many of these shelters do not have the money to maintain lost or unclaimed animals for long and are most likely going to euthanize animals that need medical treatment or cannot find a home. There are several causes to overcrowding. Puppy mills are showing up across the Nation looking for quick profits. Animals in puppy mills are often not sold. Instead they are left on the streets. A cat and dog can produce an average of 15 kittens or puppies a year. Also, many owners aren’t being good owners. Thirty percent of shelter animals have been surrendered by their owners. Each year, over 25 million kittens and puppies are born in the United States, which exceeds the number of homes willing to take in animals. Given these population numbers, a lack of spay and neuter programs have only made the problem worse. There are many things we can do to help this issue. First, cities must adopt cheaper spay and neuter programs that people can use in order to control animal
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reproduction. Sterilizing dogs and cats can reduce the overall number of puppies and kittens. Next, local governments should push adopting animals from shelters and make laws that ban the use and sale of pets from animal mills. Additionally, local governments should pass laws that force pet owners to be more responsible such as using micro-chips and identification collars to help reduce the number of unrecovered animals. If we improve on this issue, we could also improve on the unnecessary euthanizing of animals. All over America overcrowding in animal shelters is causing almost 4 million animals per year to be euthanized. Overcrowding in shelters that don’t have a lot of money leads to rapid euthanasia of animals. With laws that force owners to be more responsible, and by reducing animal populations with spay and neuter programs, we can cut back on the average number of animals killed in shelters each year. Others might not think overcrowding of animals is an issue because of cultural differences. For example, in some parts of this country, puppy mills are viewed as acceptable. Also, animals are sometimes not treated as family members and their loss isn’t a concern. Additionally, money in low income areas is not spent on spay and neutering programs. However, I believe that every animal should be treated humanely and like family in all societies. If you do not take this issue into consideration, America will never solve the overpopulation problem in shelters. Animals aren’t items; they are living creatures with feelings. America can’t seem to grasp that concept. I strongly encourage you to take this issue into consideration for the better of the Nation.
Sincerely, Emma Layton
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Michela Palma, Grade 10 Aurora High School Aurora, Ohio Topic: Economy / Taxes
America, the Land of Opportunity Dear Mr. President, America is known to many as the land of opportunity. In the land of opportunity, people from every background can succeed if they are willing to work hard. Once they have done all that is possible, they are rewarded. An important issue of today is the nation's struggling economy, specifically the distribution of the tax burden. I know that you have said that you are going to tax the upper class more heavily to help fix the economy. However, I am asking you to consider doing otherwise. My grandfather is an immigrant from Italy. When he came to this country in the 1960's, he had to leave his family to come over here. He arrived poor, and without a job, and he was illiterate. Although the odds seemed to be against him, he wanted to make sure that his family would be better off than they were, so my grandfather took up three jobs. All three jobs required strenuous effort, but he also managed to learn the American language. Today my grandfather lives in a nice house, is financially secure, and has raised a family. This exemplifies the fact that hard work should be financially rewarded, and to think that there is a possibility that some of that reward is being taken away is horrible. Would you take away someone's money who worked in a steel mill, dug graves, and did yard work? It is true that those who are unfortunate should be helped, but not by taking away someone else's hard earned money. Also, everyone in life has a choice. Even if an individual is in a tough situation, they can still strive for the best and work hard. The upper class consists of the higher paying jobs. These higher paying jobs assist in the life of every class. An example would be a business owner. Business owners put millions of people to work, giving them a paycheck and a job. Some people
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say if people in the upper class are making so much money, then they can afford to pay more. But by making the upper class pay more, a deeper financial burden is put on the middle and lower class, because the employer will not have the money to give the employees benefits or a decent pay. Every single person in America matters. Whether it’s the lower, middle, or upper class, everyone contributes something to the nation. In the end, the man or woman from the lower, middle, or upper class who chooses to make sacrifices will come out ahead. So please consider not making the upper class pay more in taxes. Shouldn't hard work be rewarded, and not punished?
Sincerely, Michela Palma
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Shane Cloud, Grade 10 Aurora High School Aurora, Ohio Topic: Bullying
End Bullying Now Dear Mr. President: My name is Shane Cloud and I'm a sophomore at Aurora High School. In the United States of America, there are incalculable numbers of problems that we face. One issue that is important to me is bullying. This issue is important to me because my sister got bullied in elementary school. She had to take numerous trips to the emergency room because of bruises the intolerant adolescents gave her. She was bullied because she has a disability called cerebral palsy. I think she is blessed and fortunate. Therefore, all students should be aware of the effects of bullying. Children who are bullied fight through an experience that can interfere with their social and emotional development. Their school performance may be in jeopardy as well. Some students who are bullied commit suicide or withdraw themselves from certain aspects of life. Victims aren't always easy to recognize. What if it were your daughters being bullied or even bullying someone? In most schools, bullying doesn't get to the point where the law gets involved, but the effect that bullying has on both the victim and the aggressor is unimaginable. Some may say, “It’s not so bad. They're alright. It could be worse.” Those are very inconsiderate statements. The next time something happens, they need to put themselves in the victim’s shoes and realize that a child may not be strong enough to endure something so horrible. Elie Mystal, the blogger of “Above the Law,” says that “bullying shouldn't be a crime, no matter how many kids kill themselves because of it.” I don’t agree with that statement because I believe that there should be laws against bullying. I know that bullying has little to do with the government, but we could start to look at the situation as if it did. Bystanders often inquire about actions they should take. What should you do? What option is there to take? What if..? I am a part of the anti-
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bullying crowd, but there are those who are not worried about bullying. They believe that it isn't so bad. Well, it is serious because obviously there are suicides over it. I've never been bullied, but people close to me have and that's very calamitous. Bullying happens everywhere and it needs to be stopped. We need help to stop bullying, to protect victims, and to rebuild our children's mind set. Nothing is really done when things don't get out of hand, but no action is why the aggressors continue to pursue their victim. Furthermore, there should be better laws enforced on bullying.
Sincerely, Shane Cloud
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Emily Burns, Grade 10 Guilderland High School Guilderland, New York Topic: Energy / Hydrofracking
Say No to Hydrofracking Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you because I am concerned about the issue of hydrofracking. As you know, hydrofracking involves injecting large amounts of water, sand, and chemicals at high pressures to break up shale underground and release natural gases. I know there are many people who are for it and many others against it. Right now it seems like hydrofracking is a state-by state-issue, but I think it should be a national issue. I think that hydrofracking is a bad idea. There are some positive things about hydrofracking. It does increase job opportunities and according to the New York Times article on February 26, 2011, it can supply the U.S. with enough energy to last for up to 100 years. This may be true, but the negatives about hydrofracking outweigh the positives. For example, the EPA doesn't require sewage treatment plants to test for radioactivity. Hydrofracking can contaminate rivers and aquifers, because sewage plants aren't equipped to properly treat the water before letting it go into rivers that people use as drinking water. As a result, people could be drinking very harmful water. Also, it not only harms people, but it harms creatures in the water too. If the water is contaminated, then all the plants, fish, and other creatures might die too. Hydrofracking harms people and the environment. After reading the article, "Economy vs. Environment" in the Albany Times Union newspaper, I learned that William Love tried something similar to hydrofracking in Niagara Falls in 1894. The Hooker Chemical Company took over and there were almost 22,000 tons of chemical waste dumped there from 1942- 1953. The county had more than 100 chemical dumps. In the 1970's, the Hooker Chemical Company closed up the site by piling clay soil over it. Later, after a bad rainstorm, the clay started to wash away and then chemicals contaminated everything. Many people became sick
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because of this. This proves that even though it seemed like a good idea at first, it ended up as a failure. Another concern that I have about hydrofracking is that it is a state-by-state issue. This means that neighboring states could have different views on whether they want hydrofracking or not. This could cause a problem. There is no clear barrier between states, so it would harm the neighboring states. This is why we should address hydrofracking as a national issue, not a state-to-state issue. Overall, hydrofracking is a terrible idea. It can contaminate water, and harm the creatures in the water. It also can harm humans who need the water for drinking. There are some pros for hydrofracking, but it is more important for people to be safe. Also, it would be a good idea if we made this a national issue. That way everyone can say that we do not want hydrofracking and the people of America will be safe from the harmful effects of hydrofracking.
Sincerely, Emily Burns
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Grayson Boker, Grade 8 Oakdale School Edmond, Oklahoma Topic: Offshore drilling
Offshore Drilling Moratorium Dear Mr. President, Would you rather have an empty car or an empty wallet? Well, with the presidential offshore drilling moratorium, you can have both. You need to lift the offshore drilling moratorium. If you lift it, we will see an increase in jobs in the United States, which we need very much. This will also bring forth more gas, which means gas prices should fall, making it more available and cheaper for the consumers. So, if you lift the moratorium, we will see more jobs and lower gas prices. First, lifting the moratorium will create more jobs in the U.S. This will strengthen our economy, which we need greatly. It's estimated that the presidential offshore drilling moratorium will cost approximately $2.1 billion in the first 6 months ("Exploration & Production"). In the worst case scenario, it would cost 400,000 jobs and $95 billion ("Exploration & Production"). So, if we lift the moratorium we will not lose any more jobs or money because of the moratorium. Secondly, by lifting the moratorium, we could see a drop in oil and gas prices. This means that gas will be affordable again and we can produce more. The moratorium has resulted in a spike in crude oil prices from $74 per barrel to $91 per barrel and gasoline prices from $2.77 a gallon to $3.14 a gallon. If the moratorium is not lifted, gas prices will continue to rise and become unaffordable to some consumers. If it is lifted, however, we can see a decrease in oil and gas prices. So, some people may say we need to keep the moratorium on offshore drilling. They may think that it's too risky for the environment, and there may be a repeat of what happened in the Gulf of Mexico. I understand why oil drilling is not viewed positively by people concerned about the environment. But we now know what to do when an oil spill happens and I believe that the reward is greater than the risk. Page 39
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Therefore, lifting the moratorium has more benefits than risks. In conclusion, I have made two valid points on why we should lift the presidential offshore drilling moratorium. These reasons are to decrease oil and gas prices and to have an increase in more jobs which will improve our economy. We have also looked over an argument about how it could be a risk, but how offshore drilling has a greater reward. Therefore, we need to lift the offshore drilling moratorium. If you could lift it, would you?
Sincerely, Grayson Boker
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Rachael Vinzant, Grade 12 West Central High School Hartford, South Dakota Topic: Education / College access
Educa+on in America Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you to today to address a topic that is very important to me: education. Education is something that is very important in our society, but it has taken a back seat when it comes to funding. We continue to lower our K-12 education budget and raise our tuition prices for higher education. This makes higher education harder to afford and attend for our younger generation. Education is a crucial part of our society that I believe it needs to be a more important topic in our society. K-12 education is the basis for all that we will do later in life. We have great teachers, but with the continuous budget cuts, teachers are having to pay for more out of their own pocket or else they must teach without the tools they need. When it comes to budget cuts, education seems to be the first one to take the hit. I don't understand that, because we are educating our future leaders. Why is their education not important? College is very important to me. I will be attending college next fall and the tuition for college is going up all the time. The scholarship opportunities continue to go down, but the prices continue to go up. This creates an even bigger challenge for me when it comes to paying for my higher education. Education is very important for my future. I believe knowledge is power. In saying that, I will be in debt before I decide not to attend college. This also being said by more students who are deciding not to attend college because they cannot get enough money or student loans to pay for it. I believe our nation is one that should value our young people's education more than it does. I'm a senior in high school planning to attend a public university fall of 2013 to major in Elementary Education and Special Education. I am passionate about being an advocate for education because not only does it affect my immediate future, it affects the rest of my professional life. I believe education is the only way to have a strong Page 41
Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
future and I think the government would agree that without the proper education of our young people, we wouldn't be where we are today. I think the government needs to think about less budget cuts to K-12 education and keep the tuition of our technical school and universities low so more people can receive higher education.
Sincerely, Rachael Vinzant
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Carrie Schreck, Grade 8 Cochranton Jr-Sr. High School Cochranton, Pennsylvania Topic: Education / Funding
Educa+on Dear Mr. President, It would be an honor to talk to you for five minutes, and if I could, I would talk to you about education. Public schools are getting fewer funds and people have to pay more to go to college. Fixing this problem could also fix other problems, like jobs. This issue is very close to my heart because I go to a public school and we are facing more and more budget cuts. Our school cannot afford new books, electronics, and so much more. It would make me very happy if we could afford these things. Our school could be a lot more successful, but these budget cuts are holding us back from being the best that we can be. Some of the books in our school are very old and we need new ones. Usually we cannot afford new books so we just have to use them anyway. Some of the old books even have wrong information in them because the numbers have been changed over the years. In some of my classes we do not have enough books, so we have to share the books and leave them in the classroom for the other classes to use. When we have homework that is in the book, the teacher has to photocopy the page, which is a waste of time and money. When kids are growing up, one of the main concerns is funding money for education. Sometimes people are forced to go to a college that they do not prefer or even not go to college at all because they cannot afford it. I do not know if you are aware of this, but in 2011-12, 860 million dollars were cut from Pennsylvania's public schools. In 2012-13, 100 million more dollars will be cut. As the funds for public schools go down, so does the teacher job satisfaction. In 2008, 62% of teachers were satisfied with their jobs. In 2011, 44% were satisfied. Another reason these percentages are going down is because the class sizes are going up. The average class size in the United States is 24.3. I have a large class and it
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is hard for us to learn because there are so many of us. The teacher has a hard time connecting with each individual and helping the troubled kids who really need help. Reducing the class sizes could help us be more academic. If we were more educated, then more people would go to college. Most of the jobs that pay well require a college degree. If more people go to college, then maybe we could get jobs. Many people are affected because of public school budget cuts, including people I know. I have a sibling and cousins who also go to public school. One of my cousins is in kindergarten and, in the future, she may be greatly affected by the budget cuts. The problem may get worse by then or maybe it will be fixed. It is up to you to make sure that the problem is fixed. This also affects college students because they have to pay a lot of money to get the education that they need to be successful in life. I hope you will take this letter into consideration because this is very important. I hope you will give more money to public schools and colleges. Thank you for your time and I hope to see changes made about education.
Sincerely, Carrie Schreck
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Anisha Narain, Grade 7 Margaret Mead Junior High School Elk Grove Village, Illinois Topic: Education / College Expenses
Reforming  College  Educa+on Dear Mr. President, The issue I would like to highlight for your consideration is the spiraling cost of college education. Although the price of attending college is considerably high, college education is critical for upward mobility in our society. Over 66% of college students carry a financial debt through their career-building years. In addition, most states are cutting their funding to state colleges, resulting in these colleges charging students skyhigh tuition costs. College education provides a significant positive lifetime earning ability. The difference in lifetime earnings between a college graduate and a high school graduate is several million dollars! This is of personal importance to me because I have a close friend who is currently facing these issues. In addition to taking student loans, she also has to work multiple jobs to be able to afford to go to college. Post-graduation she will be saddled with a significant financial obligation that will have a huge impact in her ability to be financially free during her formative years in her career. Students starting their careers with such a burden do not have a sustainable model for upward mobility. Mr. President, I would like to ensure that I am not faced with these issues when I am ready to attend college in six years. I realize that in your campaign, you have addressed this issue from a student loan perspective, but I would like you to help me understand your plans on stopping the uncontrollable growth of college tuition itself. While I await your detailed roadmap, I would like to offer two suggestions that might help towards this end:
1. Opportunities for massive open online courses 2. Advanced science curriculum in middle school and high school
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Although massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been available since 2000, we are only now realizing their incredible potential. MOOCs can be viewed as either an alternate low cost education delivery or as a support to traditional college curriculum. In either case, MOOCs offer a viable alternative to help address increasing tuition costs as well as making courses accessible to a larger audience. The idea of providing advanced science curriculum in middle and high schools will actually help future college attendees. Science isn't really standardized until high school and, as a result, many required science topics end up spilling over into student's early college years. Since they will have to take those courses, they end up paying more for credits they could have finished in high school. If we can embed a higher level science curriculum in middle and high schools, students will be able to complete their required credits enabling them to pay less for their college education. In conclusion, I would like to understand your plan on how to make attending college affordable. I do not believe making college loans more affordable is the only answer to solve this issue. There should to be a well thought-out plan to address the increasing college tuition costs. I have offered a couple of potential suggestions for consideration; however, I hope to see a much more detailed strategy from your office that will help address this issue permanently. I am going to be ready to attend college in six years and I am hopeful that your plan will help me able to afford my college tuition. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely, Anisha Narain
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Jennifer Vasquez, Grade 12 Cleburne High School Hartford, South Dakota Topic: Same Sex Marriage
Same Sex Marriage Dear Mr. President, After the Civil Rights Movement, many people believed that America became a place of true equality, and that we no longer live in a world with “second class citizens.” Unfortunately, that isn't true. Something as important as allowing gays and lesbians to marry should not be left in the hands of the states anymore. Even though issues such as marriage are generally left to the states, this is much larger than just marriage. This is a civil rights issue. To deny people the right to marry the person they love because they're gay sends us back to a time when we denied rights to people because of the color of their skin. It's time for the federal government to stop leaving such an important issue like this to the states. Had the federal government not stepped in to end racial discrimination, states in the South would have never given up the segregation of African-Americans. I believe gay and lesbian individuals within the United States should be able to marry and, therefore, have all the same rights as heterosexual couples because the 14th Amendment specifically grants everyone equal rights as a citizen and provides equal protection under the law. Marriage is a fundamental right that should be granted to all Americans regardless of race or sexual orientation. Also, the fact that federalism is being used as an excuse for the federal government to bow out of making a decision on this topic is terrible. There is also the argument made that by denying gays and lesbians their right to marriage, they are also being denied their constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution also states, “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” The 9th Amendment basically states that other rights aside from those listed in the
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Constitution may exist, and just because they are not listed doesn't mean that they can be denied that right. In addition, former Vice President Dick Cheney is pro-gay marriage, saying he thinks “freedom means freedom for everyone” and I agree with his statement insofar that as long as every United States resident has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness within the Constitution, these rights need to be extended outside of the Constitution as well. The gay rights battle has been called the civil rights battle of our generation, and according to Jay Leno, “There has never been a civil rights movement in [this] country that has failed,” making the national legalization of gay marriage not only morally and constitutionally correct, but also historically and inevitably so. The United States federal government needs to legalize gay marriage throughout the United States. This would be a huge step for the protection of individual rights. The only viable argument against gay marriage is that it is against one's religion. However, in America we have something called separation of church and state, so any argument that has religion in it is invalid. This issue needs to be taken out of the hands of the states, and the federal government needs to take action on this matter for the sake of truly making this country a great and equal place for everybody.
Sincerely, Jennifer Vasquez
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Mirza Ahmed, Grade 10 Townshend Harris High School Troy, Ohio Topic: Environment / Climate Change
Helping the Environment Dear Mr. President, There are many things one can't control--the color of our skin and the color of our eyes, for example. What we can control are some of the issues that we are facing. There are several issues that our country is currently facing. However, one issue that can really impact us and the future generations is the problem of climate change. Some of the problems we are facing include global warming and the greenhouse effect. Studies show that the average temperature of Earth is estimated to be increasing 0.1 degree Celsius every decade. An increase of 4 degrees Celsius in global temperature will melt the polar ice sufficiently to flood half of the Earth. This will destroy many habitats (Marian Koshland Science Museum). Air pollution is also a big problem here in the United States. Each day, we breathe in over 3,000 gallons of air. Factories in our country give out 3 million tons of toxic chemicals into the environment every year. This causes health concerns for many people. Air pollution can cause lung cancer. Global warming created a hole in the ozone layer and this can cause skin cancer or other skin diseases because the ozone layer protects us from the sun's ultra-violet rays which damage our skin (Marian Koshland Science Museum). Scientists think the area of the Arctic's perennial polar ice cap is declining at the rate of 9% every decade. Some scientists believe that polar bears will be extinct within the next century. If the polar ice caps melt, there will be an increase in the sea level and it will cause severe damage to many habitats and will impact many species, thus reducing biodiversity (National Geographic). Global warming makes hurricanes stronger because tropical storms can pick up more energy if the ocean gets warmer. Hurricanes and other natural calamities cause so Page 49
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much damage in people's lives, and repair for that damage can be very costly. Human activities bring change in climate fast and randomly. The largest US sources of carbondioxide are coal-burning power plants. They produce about 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year. The second largest sources are gasoline-burning cars. Every year these cars create nearly 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide. We can rely more on renewable sources and take public transportations more often so we would not use cars much (National Geographic). In my opinion, I think it is true that in order to promote a sustainable environmental future for our planet, we all have to work together. We really do have the potential to stop global warming. Every time we cut down a tree, we can plant a new one to take its place. We can reduce pollution from power plants and vehicles. We can make better cars. Over the next 20 years, if we make more than 300 million new cars which are not gasoline-burning, we can come close to solving global warming. We can rely more on renewable energy sources. As a replacement for gasoline, we can use clean-burning biofuels made from plants. People who disagree with me might say that global warming is natural and human activities do not contribute to it. However, studies shows that our activities are causing harm to the environment (National Geographic). In summary, we should take actions that will not negative affect our environment.
Thank you, and best regards, Mirza Ahmed
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Dear Mr. President – Top 100 Essays By Rand McNally
Matthew Glaus, Grade 8 Clearwater Fundamental Middle School Clearwater, Florida Topic: Foreign Policy
Make Love, Not War Dear Mr. President, Over the years, the United States has had an abundant number of problems with other countries. Often war results from such conflict. War is a gigantic problem in the United States and the world. The United States needs to change how and when it fights in wars because of the trillions of dollars expended on the wars and the loss of many of the military involved in the conflicts. If the United States does not stop, it may not last much longer. First, the United States needs to change how and when it fights in wars because it wastes trillions of dollars fighting unnecessary wars. Being involved in wars is a financial burden. A recent major report on these costs came from Brown University in the Costs of War project. This report determined that the total for wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is at least $3.2-4 trillion dollars. This affects our entire nation by raising its national debt that future generations like me will have to pay for. In order to pay for our military, the government has to raise taxes during war time. It cannot keep on fighting in these wars or it may become bankrupt. Next, the United States needs to change how and when it fights in wars because of the injury and death to a large number of its military each year. Friends and family have died or have been injured from fighting in a war. Not only people who are in the military die or become injured from a war, also many civilians have died or become injured because they live in or are employed in the war zone. Another grim milestone was marked last summer when the number of Americans killed in Afghanistan passed 2,000. That number now stands at 2,135. According to Defense Department accounting,
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the number of wounded reached 50,010. This creates severe hardships for both the injured and their families. This issue is important to me because my brother-in-law, Randy, is in Afghanistan right now in the Air Force fighting. I am worried that something might happen to him while he is there. Conversely, there are those who believe that infusing the United States military into conflicts throughout the world is a good thing. They think that through war, the United States gain benefits that make the loss of money and people worth it. The United States has stepped in and helped many countries during times of conflict and this has made an important difference. However, I would respond to that by explaining that to me, the fights between Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are not worth wasting all the money and people. The United States can help many countries in their problems, it just needs to be strategic about it and not get as involved as it has in these conflicts. In conclusion, the United States should change how and when they fight in wars. The main purpose of our military is to protect our freedom and this should be the main purpose for our military. It should not get involved in occupying other countries for extended periods of time. The government should save the amount of money the United States spends on its military and should save the lives of many of its military personnel.
Sincerely, Matthew Glaus
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Jon Hughes, Grade 12 Gardner Edgerton High School Gardner, Kansas Topic: Health Care / Religious Freedom
Our First Freedom Dear Mr. President, As the 2012 election season dies down and members of Congress from both parties look to the future, they see daunting tasks looming over their heads. Our economy, though stronger than it was in late 2007, is still a delicate matter. The unemployment rate is still just as it was in 2008. Social issues, such as the legalization of gay marriage, are pushing to the forefront of public attention. One issue stands out in my mind because it revolves around one of the pillars upon which this great nation was founded: religious freedom. The conflict between religious groups and the Affordable Care Act shows the concern that many, including myself, have about the safety and sanctity of the right to practice religion without it being compromised by a mandate from the government. To religious groups, such as the Catholics, life is sacred at all stages, from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. It is because of this dogmatic principle that they feel abortion is wrong, as is funding an abortion for someone else. Catholics have expressed concern that because tax dollars are being allocated to the funding of abortions, that they are being mandated to violate their conscience. While it had at one point been speculated that a “conscience clause” would be included in the bill, the final compromise was that certain “religious institutions” would be given a voucher for the tax. However, this concerns me in several ways. “Religious institutions” is an arbitrary phrase and currently does not include several prominent charities, Catholic hospitals, and Catholic-based companies. Additionally, giving the exemption to only large, affluent institutions makes individual Catholics an inferior subset of the population. I am concerned that the language of the bill in its current state is an infringement on the First Amendment; that forcing an individual who opposes abortion
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to fund abortions and provide contraception and abortion-inducing drugs is restricting his or her right to practice and live his or her faith. I believe that the solution to this problem lies in the wording and intent of the voucher for “religious institutions.” In the current system, the law still requires everyone to pay the tax; those institutions labeled as “religious” are essentially reimbursed. I feel that the solution is to permit the “conscience clause” originally discussed when the law was being written. This allows any and all individuals who have a moral objection to the funding of abortions to simply bypass that aspect of the law, while still allowing the law to provide the access to contraception and abortion-inducing drugs to those who desire it. The Affordable Care Act, as currently written, creates a conflict between religious groups and the government, a conflict that stems from a fear of losing the most important right as Americans: the freedom of religion. I believe that a compromise in the syntax of the law will assuage the fears of religious advocates while upholding the accessibility of contraception for those who wish to use it.
Thank you for your time, Jon Hughes
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Hunter Tanem, Grade 10 Cleburne High School Cleburne, Texas Topic: Environment
Air Pollu+on Dear Mr. President, The basic generalization that the world as a whole has become a polluted planet is totally fathomable as seen by trends in the past decades. Though pollution can be sectioned into many different vectors such as water, air, soil, and many more, my primary concern is toward pollution of the air. This is a growing concern that people don't usually view as a detriment to their well-being. For the world, air pollution should be seen as a pandemic that shouldn't be put on the back burner. My view grows with more concern due to the fact that many don't know the truth: air pollution is harming our health and our planet, coming from one primary source: cars. Cars are an important part of daily life for our generation of people as a faster mode of transportation. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, transportation is the largest single source of air pollution in the United States. Given people use cars at every given moment, the fact that transportation causes so much air pollution is significant. As well, the average emission output by a car is quite startling. Based on the calculations done by American Forests.org, the average car produces about 8,320 pounds of CO2ΓΗª per year. This exemplifies the severity of the problem that we face since just one car produces this amount in a given year. Imagine the amount of pollution emitted by all the cars in the world per year; the amount is far too great for you or me to calculate in our heads! Since the amount is so great, how does our health fare, given air pollutions harms our bodies more than we think? Given the severity of air pollution created in a given year, this pollution causes harm to our bodies that people don't readily attribute to air pollution. The exhaust emitted from cars consists of hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides, and carbon dioxide. As told
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by hybridcars.com, hydrocarbons contribute to birth defects and cause other illness including cancer. Sulfur oxides contribute to respiratory illness, and carbon dioxide is the dominant greenhouse gas. People have yet to know the seriousness that pollution creates, and in this case, causing multiple health problems. The severity of the caremitted air pollution is currently a major problem, though new ways to fix the problem have become more prevalent with technological advances. Many ideas to replace gasoline powered cars are quite possible with great advances in our technologies. One source that could possibly replace fossil fuels is hydrogen. Hydrogen can be produced domestically from fossil fuels (such as coal), nuclear power, or renewable resources, such as hydropower. Fuel cell vehicles powered by pure hydrogen emit no harmful air pollutants, as expressed by fueleconomy.gov. Since hydrogen can be created in the U.S., the use of foreign fuels can be diminished slightly. This only allows for the U.S. as a nation to become relatively more independent. Not only will the use of hydrogen create a more independent country, it allows for better overall health of every American. This, in turn, can create a decrease in the average health bill costs. The innovation of hydrogen powered cars creates a country of a higher independence and average health of the people. The idea of air pollution caused by cars shouldn't be taken lightly, given it is a detriment to us and our planet. Air pollution is an immense hindrance. Outlets to replace oil are out there, such as hydrogen. Hopefully this topic resonates in your mind, prevailing as a major dilemma in our environment and society.
Sincerely, Hunter Tanem
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Tristan Sienkiewicz Hawaii Preparatory Academy Kamuela, Hawaii Topic: Environment
Green Energy Dear Mr. President, My name is Tristan Sienkiewicz, and I’m a student at Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the Big Island. Here in Hawaii, we have a climate that is perfect for Green Energy. One side of the island always has sun, and the other always has wind. The island also has the power for geothermal, yet barely any of our energy is generated by renewable sources. In my own town, we have a wind farm, and there’s no question it could power my town. However, the wind farm is barely ever used and it’s not like there’s no wind. My house runs on a windmill and solar panels, and my family and I have all the luxuries and amenities of a regular middle class family. Even though we have these resources, there are still disputes over using them. The biggest argument is that using fossil fuels is cheaper. But fossil fuels are even cheaper here in Hawaii because the electric companies buy leftover fuel from the airports. Some say that if companies build green energy plants, they will have to raise the price of their service. I understand they’re a company and they’re here to make money, but in the long run they won’t have to buy fuel, and your electric bill will shrink because they’re not spending money on fuel. Another argument that is big here in Hawaii is over geothermal energy. Some native Hawaiians believe that it is wrong to harvest such a sacred energy. This issue is very hard to respond to because you don’t want to be disrespectful to the native Hawaiians. After all, they are protecting their sacred goddess Pele and her sacred energy. However, it is an issue that needs to be solved before the environment goes down the drain. If we can't stop using fossil fuels, the environment will continue to degrade. Geothermal energy is our way out. It will stop the use of fossil fuels, and
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therefore stop greenhouse gas from being released into the atmosphere. It’s not a question of whether or not these issues have a solution. It’s a question of whether or not people can be patient enough to solve them. Environmental issues have so many different points of view, but we need to think about the well being of the planet. This is where we grow up, do our jobs, and live our lives. We live on this planet only because it can support life. If we lose this, we lose everything.
Thank you, Tristan Sienkiewicz
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Promi Hussain, Grade 8 IS 204 Oliver W. Holmes School New York City, New York Topic: Clean Water
Conserve Our Water Supply Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on being re-elected President. Many people have faith in you. We all hope that you can help with some of the biggest issues. One of the most important issues is lack of clean water. Although we are not affected by this right now like some third world countries, we will be in just a few years if we don’t take action soon. We have to be able to prevent this and you can help! It is surprising to know that there are people dying each day due to polluted water. There are 780 million people in the world that lack access to clean water. This is two times more than the population of the United States. About 3.4 million people die every year because of water-related diseases. Many of the people who die are children. Every 20 seconds, a child dies because of dirty water. It's sad to know that these things can be stopped. To Americans, lack of water is not a problem. Many people don't even know that water pollution can kill, and others don't care. One of the main reasons for dirty water is us. We waste water every day without thinking of the consequences. But what can we do to stop water pollution? It's really not hard to do. If we stop or change some of the things we do daily, we can keep water from becoming a resource that we can't have. Yes, right now we can get water and we barely need to fight for it. However, that doesn't mean it can't be gone in less than 50 years. How do we conserve water? Nothing too big, just minor changes can help. You can turn off the tap when running the water is not necessary. Don't throw litter into rivers, oceans, and lakes. You can take shorter showers and wash your car in car washes instead of your driveway. And only use your washing and dishwashing machines with full loads. You might be wondering what you can do and how you can help out with this Page 59
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problem because you are the President. You can help out by telling the people of America about this problem. Let everyone know that they have to take a stand. You can go to places that lack water and help them out because even in the United States there are places that lack clean water. You can get people to start fundraisers to help other countries with contaminated water and convince them that lack of clean water is actually a big issue. Water is an important resource that we need to survive, but many people use it like it's nothing, and they don’t think about how thousands of people die because of this. We need to save water because we are America and we can do anything if we set our mind to it.
Sincerely, Promi Hussain
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Mathieu Girard, Grade 8 Cheshire Academy Cheshire, Connecticut Topic: Environment
Green House Gas Emissions Dear Mr. President, Over the course of the past few years, it has come to my attention that the level of greenhouse gases is rising way too high. Greenhouse gases are actually quite helpful. They absorb harmful radiation that could harm the human race. However, the high level of greenhouse gases is a real problem not only in the United States, but also to the whole world. If this issue is left unattended, Earth could become too hot for people to live. A high level of greenhouse gases hurts the environment because it changes weather patterns. Growing crops becomes harder because the plants are poisoned by the heat. The more greenhouse gases there are, the hotter Earth gets. Greenhouse gases are what are causing what is known as "global warming.” According to the EPA, the level of greenhouse gas emissions has increased by 10.5% since 1990. When Earth gets too hot, ice caps and icebergs melt. When they melt, the water level rises. This can cause flooding, which is not good for any living creature because flooding can destroy homes and spread disease. Hot weather is causing droughts. This means less water is becoming available, and living beings need to be able to drink water to survive. Very high levels of greenhouse gas can hurt the health of humans. Too much heat, which comes from greenhouse gas, can cause humans to have heat strokes, cramps, and it causes people to dehydrate faster than they normally would. As Earth gets warmer, weeds and molds grow better. They are bad because they are allergens and they also create more yard work. Because of flooding, salmonella and diseases spread faster. With changing rain patterns, some diseases like malaria and Lyme disease can spread quickly. The high gas levels that cause heat also make more energy needed in the summer to cool down houses using air conditioning. This means that pressure is put on Page 61
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power plants to produce more energy, so that everyone can stay cool during hot weather. The energy also costs more, which can hurt many households who may struggle financially. Greenhouse gases can also be bad for agriculture. Crops don't always survive in the hot weather. Bad rainstorms can also hurt crops, because they can over-nourish the plants. The change in weather patterns can also make livestock sick, which makes them die quickly. This is not good for farmers and consumers because they do not have the products they would normally have to distribute and eat. There are many important issues in the world today. Please, Mr. President, take time to think about lowering greenhouse gas emissions because it is a very important issue. With greenhouse gas emissions that are too high, Earth could become a less comfortable place to live. Energy bills are rising, agriculture is being hurt, and weather patterns are changing. This needs to stop. We, as a community, need to treat Earth, our home, with respect. As Earth's heat level increases, people become less healthy. Diseases are spreading quickly, and people are hurt from the heat with injuries like heat stroke and cramping. You need to take control of this issue. We need Earth to be a better place.
Thank you, Mathieu Girard
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Otto Tielemans, Grade 12 Foothill Technology High School Ventura, California Topic: Campaign Finance Reform
Show Me the Money Dear Mr. President, Our country is a beacon of hope. It is the land of opportunity, the epitome of civilization, the ultimate stronghold of freedom. Through domestic turmoil and foreign wars, our Republic has withstood the test of time. We are one of the few nations in the world to have a legitimate system of governance in which people have the right to elect individuals into public office. However, this letter is not about our voting system. Neither is it about the structure of our Republic nor anything in that regard. Rather, I write to you in order to express my concern for our current campaign finance legislation and how I believe that your administration must make a tremendous effort in order to reform and repair this broken system. It is self-evident that the lifeblood of any campaign is money. No matter how big or small the vacant office is, money will always be needed to obtain that position. However, simply because it is a necessity does not mean that we must open the floodgates and allow money to flow in from every direction. Now of course, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act put forth by Senators McCain and Feingold have made a tremendous contribution in safe guarding the integrity and legitimacy of elections. Without a doubt, it has established a solid foundation for campaign finance reform. However, it is simply that: a foundation, nothing more. It does not patch up every crack or repair every loophole. The fact that a Super PAC only needs to transfer its funds to an anonymous 501C4 to disperse its funds anonymously without any individual or government entity knowing baffles me. As a matter of fact, I do not know what is more frightening: the fact that Super PACs can hide millions of dollars or that a high school student such as myself knows how to hide Super PACs money.
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The mere existence of this loophole shows the governments ineptitude to track the sources and movement of money in elections. Simply because we are not in the Gilded Age does not mean that corruption is not taking place within the confines of our government. Judging by the conviction of individuals such as Governor Rob Blagojevich and Governor George Ryan, I would say that corruption is more rampant than it was before. It is because of this that we must bring a greater sense of transparency in campaign finance. If we truly wish to crush corruption and other conflicting issues within our Republic, then we must go to the source: money. By increasing the amount of rules and regulations in regard to campaign finance, we will be protecting the integrity of elections while restoring a greater sense of trust in the government. I urge you, Mr. President, to be the crusader for campaign finance reform in all branches of government. Have your administration begin pushing forth measures so that the voice of the people is not lost in the contributions of interest groups. Elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate are only two years away. Now is the time to enact legislation that will counteract the ill intentions of corporations, unions, and other interest groups who are more concerned with well-being of themselves rather than that of the entire country. I have faith that we can protect further generations by dealing with this issue now.
With all due respect, Otto Raul Tielemans
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Rebecca Cheng, Grade 10 Smithtown High School West Smithtown, New York Topic: Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs Dear Mr. President, In the past, provincial attitudes were often the prevailing mindset in society. When transportation was costly and time-consuming, the world was vast to those who lived in it: your country was the sole priority. Isolationism was not uncommon. It was simpler to look inward with narrow sight and mind because the world seemed so big. But in today’s day and age, many people are aware of how this world is growing continually smaller. The growth of technology is exponential. Society drives itself to a point where these provincial views are no longer considered sufficient in today’s politics. The world has connected itself and globalized. It is true that an accepting cosmopolitan view is necessary to manage foreign affairs, but I find that the United States has strayed too much from the advice of our first president. In his Farewell Address, George Washington cautions against interfering in foreign affairs and promotes an isolationist attitude. Although this attitude may not be the best option in today’s world, and frankly it is no longer an option due to America’s importance in the world today, Washington was justified in warning against the dangers of meddling in the affairs of others. This is not a new problem. This is a problem that has persisted throughout the years, from the Roosevelt Corollary, which started the American trend of policing the world, to the Truman Doctrine, which eventually led to involvement in problems such as the Vietnam War. Our country has benefitted little from assuming this role of an intervening force throughout the world. The US has the stereotypical label around the world of meddling in the business of other countries. Yet this has created major problems that have escalated to this day: the US is throwing itself even further in debt because of this belief in delivering justice and instilling freedom wherever the world Page 65
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calls for it. In times of trouble, many countries often look towards the United States to offer help and relief. Because of this reputation, we have fallen into a trap whereas we can no longer refuse to extend help to other countries. One of the biggest critiques of this foreign policy is that the US has become too absorbed with the problems of others countries. We no longer devote enough attention to our own country and the problems which remain plentiful. We expedite our energies into the rest of the world, but not enough is left to repair and remedy the situation in our own country. Time, money, and energy are being put into foreign endeavors. But in doing so, our already gargantuan debt increases even further and the government allows the economy to stagnate, or at times even fluctuate. One philosophy believes that you cannot successfully help others until you have helped yourself, yet the US has not been helping and focusing on itself enough. From the war in Afghanistan, to taking part in Middle Eastern conflicts, to interfering with the political upheaval in Northern Africa, the US has expended even more money on the military. With the deficit and tight budget of government revenue, it is concerning that the hard-earned money from American tax-payers is not going into efforts that will help improve the economy and their situation. Instead, they are flooded into the military to pay for wars and helping other countries that many American citizens do not even know of.Some policies have become customs. But customs must change and alter to accommodate new world order.
Thank you, Rebecca Cheng
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Joseph Meyer, Grade 9 Bishop Kenny High School Jacksonville, Florida Topic: Education
The Educa+on System Dear Mr. President, Hello, my name is Joseph Meyer, and I am a freshman at Bishop Kenny High School, a Catholic college prep school in Jacksonville, Florida. Being a high school student myself, I feel horrible when I see the statistics about the number of drop-outs in our amazing country. Without these students getting a good education, my generation’s life is going to be hard. The rate in the 2007-2008 school year fell to below 55% in Nevada. In your home state of Illinois, it was between 75% and 79.9%, and in my home state of Florida, it was between 60% and 64.9%. These numbers are absolutely appalling. When I think about all the kids that dropped out of school, it makes me feel as if our country is failing its youth. If we were to try to reduce the number of kids dropping out of high schools across the nation, the crime rate would go down. There are so many gangs out there looking for young and innocent kids to get involved in their horrible business. If these kids are able to be in a great learning environment, they will be able to learn about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, gangs, and crime. We should have a whole class in school devoted to the study of all of these problems. I have been blessed to be able to attend a credible and great school, which still has some problems with students doing the wrong stuff, as will any school. What makes Bishop Kenny High School different is that the faculty and administration really care about their students here and they make sure that we all know about these dangers. We spend a week devoted to it, Red Ribbon Week. Fixing education could partially resolve the problems with our economy. These kids are dropping out of high school, not able to get a stable job, living off welfare, and just not becoming the successful people they could really be. I honestly believe that if you were to focus more on education and our amazing country’s future, we would be in
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a much better place for me when I reach adulthood. This is my future, your daughters’ future, and the rest of the American children’s future. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my letter. Fixing the educational system is not something that can be done overnight, or in a month, or even a year. However, I believe if you encourage people to help out, we Americans will be able to get it done and make our futures bright. I hope you take this all into consideration when entering your second term and try your best to fix America’s education. I really hope that my future, my children’s future, and my grandchildren’s future are not going to be hard, especially when it comes to their education.
Sincerely, Joseph Lanier Meyer
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Izzy Silber, Grade 8 Open Window School Bellevue, Washington Topic: Education
The Importance of Educa+on Dear Mr. President, People need to know how important education is. The amount of opportunities it gives you in life is essential. Having a good school that fits and challenges your needs will help you succeed as you are older. Without education, people would have a very difficult time finding a job and supplying themselves with a sustaining income. I believe everyone deserves the same opportunities that education provides. The school I go to is perfect for me. It supports me well by challenging me while making sure I get the help I need. I believe everyone should go to this kind of school. That is why I think we should make the teacher-to-student ratio smaller, address student's individual needs, and encourage students to stay in school. Everyone can benefit from that. This issue is important to people across the country because having an education opens opportunities for careers and a better quality life. Education works hand-in-hand with a lot of other issues. For example, by having an education, it will provide you with a career that should support you with enough money to survive. If we improve education and the amount of drop-outs, we could improve the problem of poverty. A document supports my points about how important education is. "Americans often lose sight regarding the true importance of education. In the most basic sense, education is important in society because without the obtainment of a high school diploma, GED or College Degree, an individual will invariably face barriers and impediments regarding their ability to obtain a job." Poverty is when people don't have enough money for resources. It could also go the other way. If more people can get scholarships and funding for schools, more people will attend. When more people attend, their opportunities for life and careers expand. More jobs will be open providing more than minimum wage. Page 69
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A lot of people have lost track of the importance of education. We need to improve the schools for kids of the next generation. President Obama states, "To prepare Americans for the jobs of the future and help restore middle-class security, we have to out-educate the world and that starts with a strong school system." I agree with this quote. By students being provided with a sturdy education and school, they will be ready for jobs and living better lives. An excellent education should be a standard in America. I feel very privileged to be able to go to a school that cares for my education and upcoming challenges in life. By decreasing the amount of dropouts after high-school, students can be more prepared for obtaining jobs and careers. If we can change things like more support for students and a smaller student-to-teacher ratio, it is possible that more kids will stay in school. We can't overlook the importance of education; it will continue to benefit us for the rest of our lives. We need to fund our schools better to create an improved environment for kids to feel welcomed and provide them with great education that will help them later in life.
Thank you, Izzy Silber
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Mahaksh Kotdawala, Grade 11 Freehold Township High School Freehold, New Jersey Topic: Assault Weapon Ban
Renewal of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban Dear Mr. President, The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was put in place in 1994 and it expired in 2004. It banned 19 named assault weapons, and semi-automatic guns with a detachable magazine and two or more of the following: a pistol grip, protruding grip, folding stock, barrel shroud, or muzzle brake. The Federal Ban must be renewed because assault weapons pose a threat to society, and a renewal of the Federal Ban on Assault Weapons can prevent the imminent danger. The availability of assault weapons fuels terrorism. In 2008, a study by The Violence Policy Center revealed that an Al-Qaeda training manual uncovered in Kabul stated: “In countries like the United States, it's perfectly legal for members of the public to own certain types of firearms. If you live in such a country, obtain an assault rifle legally.” The manual furthered that terrorists should then use those weapons against the U.S. Moreover, law enforcement have repeatedly reported instances of Al Qaeda operatives acquiring U.S. assault weapons soon after they were available on the U.S. civilian market. Most nations around the globe have banned assault weapons. Insurgent associations exploit the United States policy; thus a ban is necessary. The availability of deadly weapons in the United States undermines Mexico's national security. According to Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, and a recent study revealed by CNN, 84,000 or 60% of all weapons used in the Mexican Drug War are legally purchased U.S. assault weapons. An empirical analysis by The University of Notre Dame revealed that the availability of assault weapons in the United States is directly responsible for a 16.4 % increase in the Mexican homicide rate. Mexican Drug Cartels are legally purchasing these weapons; thus the increase in homicide rates. Mexico is a key border ally to the United States and is responsible for around 10 % of Page 71
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U.S. oil imports. U.S. policies that threaten Mexico must be altered. Mexico can cut off the oil imports, so a strategic decision must be made to protect our ally. A key to determining the impact of a law is by asking members of society for their opinion with regard to the law. They are experiencing all impacts, so societal satisfaction is the best measure for the effectiveness of any legislation. US Federal News reported in 2011 that the Senate, the Supreme Court, law enforcement throughout the nation, and most importantly 75 % of the American people are in support of a renewal of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. The United States Constitution states that America is a land “By the People, For the People.” The “people” are in support of a Federal Assault Weapons Ban, thus the Constitution mandates one. Assault Weapons pose a threat to the American national security. Anything that hinders our life, liberty, or security must be prevented. Moreover, the U.S. policy on semi-automatic rifles is harming Mexico. The American people want a ban, and the Constitution mandates that we put one in place. A Federal Assault Weapons Ban poses no threat, but provides for a multitude of benefits.
Sincerely, Mahaksh Kotdawala
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Isabella West, Grade 10 Perry High School Gilbert, Arizona Topic: Music Education
Words in the Music Dear Mr. President, Music is my life. I love it, live it, and breathe it. I am a part of the school marching band and jazz band and I believe that Music Education does not receive the recognition it deserves. Sure, the music of today's culture is great, but what about the music that started it all? What happened to that? Schools tend to focus the money and attention on sports or main core classes. It has been shown that when a school has any kind of budget issue they turn towards hurting the performing arts programs, whether they know it or not. Examples of school districts guilty of this are the Scottsdale and Gilbert Unified School Districts. In 2010, Gilbert cut 16 hours of the entire year out of the art programs in order to increase classroom time for the main core classes. Scottsdale Unified School district completely eliminated the entire art program for the elementary students so they could "balance their budget amid substantial state reductions in education funding.” If students don't start young when are they going to learn? Why cut music and focus so much on education, when in reality music increases the academic achievement in the individuals who participate? Multiple studies have proven the positive relationship between the arts and the education. Students who have studied four or more years in the arts have shown to receive 60 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math portion of the SAT test than those who have not been involved with the art programs. The scale between music, sports, and the general studies are uneven. The lack of support from peers, teachers, and districts impact the lives of those who participate in the art programs. At my high school, the number of people who show up for a football game compared to my jazz band concert is extraordinary. What makes a moment
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suspenseful in a scary movie? The music. Who creates music? The people who would have never learned to play that music if they hadn't started young. Music is what creates our national identity. It brings us together as a whole. It’s our culture! It all began way back before America even existed! Being part of an ensemble forces us to become as one. We have to blend, balance, and match the volume and tone of the rest of the group. It requires practice and self-discipline. It requires patience and willingness to get better. People never know what it takes and never will if the programs are never recognized. Choir, orchestra, and band all take special talents that I believe deserve more than just a high five. We deserve more.
Sincerely, Isabella West
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Emely Cosme, Grade 11 Belleville High School Belleville, New Jersey Topic: Factory Farming
If You Knew the Truth, Would You S+ll Eat It? Dear Mr. President, The most important issue I would like you to address is corruption in the food industry. This issue affects everyone in this country because the same brands of food products are sold nationwide. Farmers are constantly mistreated. Beef packing companies intentionally put farmers into an endless cycle of debt which forces the farmers to meet the demands of the companies whether they like it or not. Animals on farms are tortured, malnourished, and injected with hormones. The way animals are treated is inhumane and needs to be stopped. According to the documentary, “Food Inc.,” the top five beef packers controlled about 25% of the market in the 1970s. Today, the top four control 80% of the market. Currently, the top four beef packers in the U.S. are Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef. These companies, as well as many other beef packing companies, contain power over their workers and use every bit of that power. The companies push for farmers to increase the size of their farms and they cannot always afford an expansion but are threatened with their jobs being terminated if they refuse to comply. Farmers become stuck in an enormous amount of debt that takes their entire life to repay. Unfortunately, farmers are not the only workers who are being mistreated. Many of the workers in these companies are immigrants. Top companies hire immigrants because it is cheaper, they can easily be fired or replaced, and they have power over them. Immigrants do the dangerous tasks in the meat industry. Cutting and dealing with raw meat can lead to many diseases and infections if the workplace is not sanitary. Many workers have been exposed to infections and have lost their fingernails from packaging meat. In 1972, the FDA conducted 50,000 food safety inspections. In 2006, the FDA conducted only 9,164 inspections (Food Inc.). With the decrease in the amount Page 75
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of food safety inspections, there are plenty of opportunities for farms and factories to have unsanitary working conditions. In addition to companies mistreating workers and neglecting to have safe as well as sanitary work environments, animals in the farms are constantly mistreated. Animals such as cows, pigs, chickens, and fish are always given poor diets and hormones. All of these animals are fed corn. A cow's normal diet is grass. Replacing grass with corn as food increases the risk of salmonella in meat. Chickens are in high demand and injecting hormones into them make their breasts grow larger and as a whole, their bodies reach full growth much quicker. As a result of chickens growing faster and heavier than normal, they die from their organs, especially the heart, failing. Before pigs are slaughtered, some are beaten or drowned. Mistreating and torturing animals is inhumane. The way these animals are treated affects our bodies in negative ways. For the safety of innocent animals and American citizens, the horrors of the food industry much be brought to everyone's attention. In conclusion, corruption in the food industry must be stopped. Workers in the beef packing business are merely trying to make an honest living. With the demands and pressures of beef packing companies, workers go against their morals and beliefs to keep their jobs. Animals are being tortured and given hormones that can be dangerous to our bodies. The only way to end this corruption is to make everyone aware of the horrors in the food industry. As the group of people who want a change increases, the faster the changes happen. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Emely Cosme
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Matthew Lee, Grade 7 White Station Middle School Memphis, Tennessee Topic: Education
Focus More on Educa+on Dear Mr. President, America's education is beginning to drop in ranks in the world. This drop in education quality produces a less competent work force, which is part of reason why many high tech jobs are outsourced overseas. To remain the strongest country in the world, we must focus more on education. In 2006, American students were ranked 25th in math, 17th in science, and 14th in reading. Only six% of U.S. students performed at the advanced level on an international exam administered in 56 countries. In a 2009 study, U.S. students ranked 25th among 34 countries in math and science, behind nations like China, Singapore, South Korea, and Finland. A recent report by Harvard University found that students in Latvia, Chile and Brazil are making gains in academics three times faster than American students, while those in Portugal, Hong Kong, Germany, Poland, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Colombia, and Lithuania are improving at twice the pace. What gains American students posted in recent years are "hardly remarkable by world standards," according to this report. Our education system failed our students. Our students aren't progressing to catch up to their peers in other industrialized countries. Last year, my sister and many other bright American students went to Princeton University for an international math competition, only to find that all of top prizes were grabbed by students from foreign counties. What a shocking wake-up call! How can we improve American education? First, I believe that we should reduce military spending on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and focus more on American education. The wars used up billions of American dollars which can be better spent on improving education at home. The population is growing, but funding for schools is being reduced. Many students were Page 77
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packed in temporary portable classrooms even at my elementary school. Second, teaching has become a low-paying job while the education to become a teacher costs too much. In contrast, to attract more talented students to become teachers in China and many booming Asian countries, tuition, room, and board for teachers' colleges are completely government subsidized. Take China, for example. With more teachers available, more than 70% of high school graduates in China nowadays attend a university, up from 3% in 1982. Third, I think our news media should reset children's popular career goals. Nowadays, most children want to become major league sports players and movie stars, which are not realistic goals for most people. Instead, we should encourage students to pursue careers as scientists, engineers, and teachers as a productive career. With better education, we will have a better generation of scientists, engineers, teachers, writers, and businessmen. Manufacturing job then will flow back to the U.S., which will improve our economy. I hope you will put more focus on education as one of your main agenda for next four years. Thank you.
Sincerely, Matthew Lee
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Emily Lauber, Grade 12 Indian Area Senior High School Indiana, Pennsylvania Topic: Same Sex Marriage
Federal  Marriage  Equality Dear Mr. President, I believe that gay marriage should be legalized on a federal level. It is not an issue that should be left for the states to decide, like some claim that it should be. It is a national concern, and deserves federal recognition. The homosexual couples in every state should have the same civil rights as heterosexual couples. Some claim that a civil union is the same as a marriage. That is completely false. Civil unions are not recognized in other states, and under the Defense of Marriage Act, civil unions do not offer the same benefits as a legal marriage license. Civil unions are not recognized by the governments of other states and the privileges of being married in that state, and for federal tax returns, the couples have to mark themselves as single. Under the Constitution, the states have the right to issue marriage licenses and decide the requirements for the couples within their states. This is why many claim that gay marriage should remain an issue of the states, and not involve the federal government. But with the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, the federal government involved itself in marriages by decreeing, for federal and international purposes, marriage would be between one man and one woman. This discriminates against an entire group of Americans and takes away their rights. While the states may have the rights to decide marriage between the states, the federal government should step in when those states are being discriminatory. The federal government is able to step in on traditional states' powers under the fourteenth amendment. On a more general note, legalizing gay marriage could help boost the economy. Married couples have more economic security, so they are more willing to spend money. Not to mention how expensive a wedding can be. Health care would be helped because homosexual couples could have their spouses on the same coverage. Adoption
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rates would increase. Adoption agencies are reluctant to allow unmarried couples to adopt. Federally legalizing gay marriage would remove this hurdle for adoption. It is heartbreaking to think that some of my closest friends don't have the civil right to marry whom they please. Mr. President, I know you have spoken in support of gay marriage in the past. I hope that you move forward with this support and push for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the federal legalization of gay marriage. This is not something the states should resolve, but the federal government. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Emily Lauber
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Sarah Rose Reynolds, Grade 10 Athens High School Athens, Alabama Topic: Health Care
The ObamaCare Disaster Dear Mr. President, As a high school student planning to pursue a career in the field of medical sciences, health care reform is an issue that is important to me. Growing up with a mother who works as an office manager in a dental office, I have seen and heard firsthand accounts of the damages of the Affordable Care Act and our current health care system. The Affordable Care Act, nicknamed ObamaCare, was intended to make health care available to Americans in all financial situations and to reduce the cost of health insurance. In reality, it has not done what it was supposed to do. ObamaCare has done more harm than good, and therefore, should be repealed. Regardless of an individual’s financial standing, no one can deny the fact that the economy is growing increasingly worse. With unemployment rates rising to extreme levels, health care costs only add to the amount of economic stress a family has to endure. Since ObamaCare has been passed, private insurance companies have been forced to increase their premiums. In my own family, I have seen these damages. Due to ObamaCare, our premiums increased to over $1,100 per month, and after this has been deducted from my mother’s paycheck, we are left with little income to purchase life’s necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. Those receiving government-provided health care are receiving the same health care at a much cheaper cost. Our tax money is spent on these citizens’ healthcare. We are the ones paying for it, yet we can not even receive it. As health care premiums rise, families are forced to cut back on household budgets. A close family friend is a self-employed housekeeper. Last week, she lost her first job due to ObamaCare. Since ObamaCare has caused health care premiums to rise at an unbelievable rate, her client had to let her go because they could no longer afford
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her services. ObamaCare was supposed to make health insurance cheaper and easier to attain; however, it is clear that it has not done so. My future is in the medical field, the field ObamaCare has hit the hardest. ObamaCare was also created as an expansion of Medicaid. Medicaid is government-provided health care for those of low income families. Those on Medicaid receive free health care. However, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, dentists, and nursing homes are not properly reimbursed. If a business is losing money, they can no longer stay in business. This is true for doctors and other medical professions as well. If reimbursements continue to decrease, doctors will be forced to close their practices. The Affordable Care Act was not the change that our country was looking for. In fact, it did nothing to fix our current health care system. Instead, it created more problems in the economy, including additional unemployment. Also, the taxpayers’ money is spent on government-provided health care, which most people do not qualify for, even though they are struggling to pay for life’s necessities. Overall, ObamaCare has done more damage to the nation than to reform our current health care system, and should therefore be repealed.
Sincerely, Sarah Rose Reynolds
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Carlee Feisel, Grade 8 North Tama Junior High School Traer, Iowa Topic: Education
America's Educa+onal System Dear Mr. President, I believe that the most important issue that America faces is the importance in education systems and providing better schooling for people in the United States. This issue is important to me because, in my opinion, the best way to be successful is to have a good education and to have well educated people to teach later generations. Also, education is important in society because without the obtainment of a high school diploma, GED, or college degree, an individual will invariably face barriers and impediments regarding their ability to obtain a job and support oneself or a family. This issue is important to our country because an educated individual, in any industry or market, has a far better chance in obtaining employment and altering their career path when compared to uneducated individuals. Individuals in the United States of America also believe that without suitable education, technology would cease in expansion and technology growth is very important in today's society. Education plays a very important role in today's economy as well. The people of America need to start now towards bettering education systems. In the growing marketplace, students will need to excel in both math and science to compete internationally as engineers, scientists, physicians, and creative entrepreneurs. In a test performed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the U.S. placed 25th out of 30 countries in math and 21st in science performance. Another study showed that the literacy rates among fourth grade students in America are struggling. In a recent report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 34% of fourth grade students in the United States are below basic in literacy scores. The National Center for Education Statistics found that children who read three or more times per week are more likely to know their letters , count to 20 or
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higher, write their own names, and be able to read when they enter school. Due to these low rates, 70% of eighth graders cannot read efficiently and 1.2 million students drop out of high school each year. These statistics show that schools in the United States need to be making sure that teachers are up-to-date on their education, and having teachers improve student's science, math, reading, and writing levels by helping them at an individual level, rather than by groups. My solutions for emphasizing the importance of education is by constantly explaining to children in schools and colleges that education plays a major role in your future, and by encouraging kids to do their homework and to do all work in school with effort. People often say that no student should be left behind, but I strongly disagree. I believe that if a student's reading or writing skills and furthermore all curriculum skills are far from their specific grade level, they should be held back at a young age so it is easier for the students to catch up and get back on track. If we do not move towards the future, we will only be looking back! Education, our children, our community, our country, our world, our future!
Sincerely, Carlee Feisel
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Pat Fryer, Grade 10 Shawnee High School Medford, New Jersey Topic: Environment
Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Dear Mr. President, Greenhouse gases are polluting the entire world. As you may know, the United States of America is second in the whole world in letting off these deadly emissions. We are responsible for 18.27% of all the world's emissions. We are only second behind China. Now you may think, "Well this only affects the United States, not the whole world." Wrong. All of these emissions travel throughout the world due to winds blowing them to various different places. We need to reduce and regulate these greenhouse gases, and we need to do it quickly. The air is becoming unhealthy in many ways. It is the leading cause of Global Warming, and is contributing heavily to the depletion of Earth's ozone layer. As humans, oxygen is essential for life. Our air and oxygen is being polluted by all of these intruding gasses. I am appalled by this. This is bad for everyone, but it is especially bad for people who already have lung diseases and infections. Not only does it harm our breathing, but it also pollutes our water and food! This could spread diseases rapidly throughout the population of the U.S. and even the world. These emissions also cause climate change, which could cause bugs that carry disease to more places around the world and spread disease. These are only a few of many health risks caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Although many health risks are posed by greenhouse gases, they are also the leading cause of global warming around earth. The temperatures of many regions throughout the planet are rising extremely quickly. This includes arctic regions, which is very interesting because now ice is melting much more quickly in these areas than it usually would. These ice caps are home to many animals and their homes are being
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destroyed. As the ice melts in these arctic regions, the sea levels everywhere rise 1-2 inches every 25 years, because the melting ice creates more water. This water is being added to the seas and oceans and this is not good in any way. With rising sea levels, come more coastal erosion, more storm damage, and higher chances of flooding in coastal cities. Without all these emissions aiding global warming, none of this would happen so rapidly and it would be much less of an affect. Along with bringing global warming and posing health risks, these gases also are contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer in our atmosphere. This vital layer with high concentrations of ozone absorbs much of the suns deadly ultraviolet rays. Many people would say they don't want that because "that's how they get tan, let the ozone deplete!" This is the last thing we want because it will increase sunburn of many people and also increase skin diseases, even skin cancer. Do not let the ozone layer deplete. As you can see, greenhouse gas emissions are deadly and not helpful at all. Not only does it pose health threats, but it contributes to global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer. Together, as one country, as the UNITED States of America, we must reduce these awful emissions. Without giving up, we need to pull together for a group effort and regulate these emissions. Mr. President, do you want our world to be effected this badly in the future by greenhouse gas emissions?
Thank you, Pat Fryer
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Julianna Latini, Grade 8 Drexel Hill Middle School Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania Topic: Education
No Child LeY Behind Dear Mr. President, I am an eighth grader at Drexel Hill Middle School in Upper Darby School District, which is in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Our social studies class has been following the presidential election and the current issues that concern Americans. The issue that is most important to me is education, specifically the No Child Left Behind Act. On a personal level, this issue is important to me because this affects my school district. This issue is important to people across the country because it affects what students learn, the tests they take, the training of the teachers, and the way money is spent on education. According to the No Child Left Behind Act, every student needs to score 100% on the state tests by 2014. When schools don’t pass adequate yearly progress (AYP), they receive less money from the government. But when other schools do, they receive even more money, which doesn’t help with getting the scores up. Due to the low funding in some schools, they don’t have the resources they need to accomplish the goal. Statistics show that 30% of the nation’s schools failed to make AYP. Most often, schools that don’t make AYP and receive less money end up cutting related arts classes. Several studies show that students who receive music education in school improve on their SAT scores. If we improve on this issue, we could improve on other problems too, such as the ability for teachers to teach other things not tested. It would also improve the arts program, which said earlier, is shown to increase SAT scores. This would extend students’ education, and would help them get into better colleges and get better jobs. Others might not think that this issue is important because they think that the law makes
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sure all children get a good and valuable education. I would respond to that by explaining that students are taught now for the sake of tests rather than for the sake of learning. Also, it wrongly assumes that all children are the same. Some students learn better than others, some don’t. Some are better at other subjects such as art, music, and sports. However, all of these things affect their schools because of No Child Left Behind. In conclusion, I disagree with the law No Child Left Behind and believe that it should change. I’m mostly concerned about this issue because it affects my school in a negative way. If this law was changed, I think that students would have a better education, which would help them in the future.
Sincerely, Julianna Latini
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Tanya Landau, Grade 8 Lowell Scott Middle School Boise, Idaho Topic: Education
Vouchers for a More Educated America Dear Mr. President, I would like to talk to you about possibly introducing the voucher system into education. I have four main reasons for it. Reason number one: the voucher system will allow parents to move their students into a good private school at least for a year or two. There they can learn in a stable environment and with smaller classes. This will help the students learn more and faster, as well as retain their knowledge. Teachers would be more experienced because they would get the same training as private school teachers. This would make for better teachers and a more engaging classroom. Reason number two: the voucher system will keep peace of mind for the parents. They will not have to worry about their children. This is because in private schools the rate of bullying will be lower as well as the rate of extreme and/ or illegal activity. This is important because the rate of child pregnancy and drug abuse is getting to be at a lower and lower age level and something needs to be done about this. Abstinence programs are just not working anymore. With private schools, it will be more studentcentered learning, so kids may feel that they don't need to partake in things like drugs and other extreme activities because they feel a sense of belonging. Reason number three: the voucher system will allow for good public school teachers to move up and get paid more. I believe that teachers are not getting paid enough; they are the ones who are teaching the important figures of the future. I think they should get more credit for the hard work that they do for America. Finally, I believe that the voucher system will create more jobs. This is because it will make more private schools start to pop up and in return will make way for more teaching jobs. Unemployment is a big problem in America, but more than 1,000 of
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unemployed citizens were teachers. They are being laid off every year. A new private school has an average of 80-100 employed staff, now if this was multiplied by 50 schools per state multiplied by 50 states, that's already a quarter of a million jobs! This is important because it will help reduce unemployment and this will help the economy become stronger. So in conclusion, I believe that if we put the voucher system into effect at $6,000, it will create more schools and a more educated nation in general. This will allow lower-income families to go to a good school and make America stronger and more intelligent as a whole country. I hope you will consider these reasons. I also hope it will help you think about and improve the educational system in America.
Thank you, Tanya Landau
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Bryanna Buchanan, Grade 10 Rosa Parks High School Paterson, New Jersey Topic: Same Sex Marriage
Freedom  to  Love Dear Mr. President, For decades many Americans have been battling with the issue of gay marriage. Marriage has historically been defined as a sacrament between a man and woman, only. However, as we are an ever-evolving nation that changes laws to adapt to the times, once again we need to take action. America advertises the rights for equality of all mankind, every color, every race, and every gender. So why is it that we cannot seem to advocate for same sex couples loving each other? Frederick Douglass once said, "What is to be thought of a nation boasting of its liberty, boasting of its humanity, boasting of its Christianity, boasting of its love, of justice and purity, and yet having within its own borders three million persons denied by law the right of marriage?" Many Americans still believe that loving the same sex is a taboo. According to the Gallup polls, an estimated 21% of men are gay and 22% of women are lesbians. But, out of the 314,750,000 Americans in our country today, only 4 million are reported openly gay. These numbers show the bravest ones who somehow are not afraid to be who they truly are. There are numerous amounts of "undercover" gays. These people are living like this because American society has shamed us to believe that it is not right to be in love with the same sex. But in a country of equality and fairness, how can our government tell people who they may or may not share their love with? On September 3, 2010 Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, age 18, committed suicide after being bullied about his sexuality. According to bullyingstatictics.org, 30% of all suicides are related to sexual harassment. Most kids who cannot share their true identity with others tend to hide it and face an internal conflict, which may lead to self destruction. I believe that if gay marriage was legalized on a federal level, these
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statistics would decrease. "The American Dream" is a phrase commonly used. Most people consider the American dream as being happy, having a beautiful house, children, and a loving spouse. However 4 million people will never have the opportunity to live this dream because our law in America does not allow for it. Mr. President, I implore you to legalize gay marriage because it's the right thing to do.
Thank you, Bryanna Buchanan
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Emma Ramirez-Richer, Grade 7 Shelburne Community School Shelburne, Vermont Topic: Energy
Natural Gas Deple+on on our Earth Dear Mr. President: As you may know, oil depletion is estimated to occur in 46 years. Natural gas will probably be wiped out by 2072. Just about 50 years after that, there won't even be any of the last remaining fossil fuel that was once plentiful. Coal will be gone. These estimates are based on the rate we're using up fuels around the world, which is suspected to go up, UP, and UP. We use millions of gallons of fuel across the world for our cars, planes, trains, factories and appliances. Fuel is vital. So what are we going to do in 120 years when there is not a drop of fuel left? The answer is to simply use "alternative energy". We need to start using the renewable energy sources left on our earth, like wind, sun, water power and more. It's not a choice any more. And certainly won't be in a hundred years. Our fuel is like an hourglass: every time a plane flies or car drives, a grain of sand is dropped to the bottom. It can never be used again. And that hourglass doesn't have much sand to drop before its top is empty- we have used an incredible amount of fuel so far. What are we going to do in 100 or so years when our always-trusted fuel supply winds down to not even a trickle? What we need to do is flip that hour glass over and use alternative energy, even if our world can manage not doing that for a hundred years or so. We need to start flipping now. Fossil fuels have proven to be extremely efficient and we need to save our supply for times when we actually need them, when windmills can't quite get the job done. If we start using green energy now, the job won't be so hard in the future. Everyone knows and complains about the gas prices going up. Drivers in California were dangerously close to paying $5 for a gallon of gas. The week before it had been 6.6 cents less, according to the Los Angeles Times. The point is, gas prices are
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going to keep going up. The reason is because the international demand for oil is higher. The International Energy Agency predicts consumption of fuel on this planet will grow to 3.3% or 800,000 barrels a day. Our planet's cheap oil is going fast, and once we run out of that, it won't be economically intelligent to dig up that expensive oil. It is predicted that at that point, (when we only have expensive oil left,) our alternative energy sources will start to pop up everywhere. At some point in time, green energy will be smarter, money wise. All the reasons above are why economically we should use alternative energy sources. Some of the greatest reasons, I think, we should use alternative energy is just to save our earth from the famous issue of global warming and pollution. A lot of people worldwide think that using renewable energy is just silly, and we should just keep on burning coal, like we always have. They think that'll just keep on working. But it won't just work, economically, and it just won't work for the health of our planet. This is a very important issue that will affect your life style, fellow Americans, and citizens across the world, in countless ways. I hope that we can do something about this issue of great importance in the near future.
Sincerely, Emma M. Ramirez-Richer
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Madison Spence, Grade 11 Lausanne Collegiate School Memphis, Tennessee Topic: Military
Please Bring Our Troops Home Dear Mr. President, I am a student at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee. Recently my history class had a debate over whether it was a good idea to keep our American troops in the Middle East or not. I picked the downsides to the issue; if we kept troops in Iraq, there would be conflict over money, death toll and soldier's families. At first I did not have much to say. I remembered the terrorist attack on September 11th, how it affected me and what it still means to people today. It was something that the people of America would swear to never let happen again. Other students in the class started to articulate that people should never forget, therefore we need to keep control over Iraq. And then finally I had something to say. Yes, it is important to remember, and yes, we need to make sure it never happens again. But what about our troops? What happens when we run out of money to fund our troops? What about the families who don't have their parents, husbands or wives? Back in 2001, we had to respond to what Osama Bin Laden did, so we sent our troops into Afghanistan. And in 2003, it seemed like an absolute must to station soldiers in Iraq because we had to get rid of Saddam Hussein to prevent another 9/11. But now the war with Iraq is over and Saddam Hussein is long gone, and it seems like the war in Afghanistan should be over too, because Osama Bin Laden is dead. American soldiers can't afford to be over in the Middle East anymore, and tax payers also cannot afford to pay for them to be there anymore. Citizens in America are spending their hard-earned tax money on a war that is already over and as we spend more money to keep troops in Afghanistan and more people are dying. It is important to remember that the terrorist attack killed many people, and that we needed to avenge the families who had loved ones die in the attack. But we have killed more than triple the
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number of people who died during the attack. The irony is unsettling. America can't ignore its own people and put a foreign country ahead of its own needs. During the debate in class, I expressed that Afghanistan had and still has a lot of issues of its own, but it does not need to be "babysat" by a country that shouldn't be helping in the first place. Afghanistan did not plead for America to come over and help them out; we did it out of our own free-will. We did help out, a lot, and I'm sure the good citizens of both Afghanistan and Iraq for that matter, are very appreciative, but now that years have passed, doesn't it seem like it would be intimidating for them to have troops from another country monitoring their every move? They want us out as much as the troops want to come home. The damage is already done and there are so many troops that have already fulfilled their duty. They deserve to come back instead of being forgotten in a foreign country. Afghanistan needs to take care of itself so we can take care of ourselves. I hope this influences you towards a decision to bring our troops home. Thank you for taking the time to listen.
Sincerely, Madison Spence
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Will Jefferies, Grade 8 Ridgewood Middle School Arnold, Missouri Topic: Gun Laws
Should Guns Be Illegal? Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you to discuss a major issue in our country. This issue is gun control. I believe there should be stricter gun laws to reduce the number of deaths and improve the safety of our society. First I believe that having stricter gun laws will reduce deaths in America. People are intentionally shot each day. Sadly, nothing is being done about this. America was a place to come to for freedom and safety, not a place where people die from murder every day. Guns should not end up in criminals’ hands. I think that people who own guns should be watched to make sure they are not abusing their weapon. Again, America is a place for freedom, so responsible citizens should have the right to own a gun to protect themselves. These citizens go through several background checks, and take safety courses before they can own a gun. The law of the right to carry lets citizens carry weapons outside of their home to protect themselves. I believe this law can also help for the protection of citizens. Criminals should not have the right to own a gun after they are released from prison. Although responsible citizens use their guns for safety, some use them for target shooting and hunting. In many citizens’ lives, hunting and target shooting is a hobby that has been in their lives for generations. Hunting was one of the earliest ways to get food and now is a sport that many people enjoy. Target shooting is also a sport that many people use to improve their accuracy with a gun. I believe that all guns should have a safety lock. Guns save many peoples’ lives each year but guns accidentally kill 3 times more than the number of people intentionally shot. More than five hundred children die annually who are under the age of four. These children were killed because they got a hold of a gun without a safety
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lock on. It is estimated that about 30,000 people in the U.S. die annually from gunshot wounds. I hope you will take this into consideration. I grew up around guns and have always used them safely, but I know people get killed by abusing them or not using them safely. I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this letter.
Sincerely, Will Jefferis
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Laura Treers, Grade 11 Mohonasen High School Schenectady, New York Topic: Green Energy
Green Energy for a Sustainable Future Dear Mr. President, Our country continues to use more and more energy every year, and we continue to rely on fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources to meet this need, polluting the environment and depleting our natural resources. If our country continues to use fossil fuels at our current rate, it is projected by the EPA that by the year 2100, atmospheric CO2 levels will have doubled to nearly 1000 ppm, a startlingly high concentration that would lead to many damaging effects nationwide. Investing in renewable, clean forms of energy would not only help to resolve this problem, but also bring a wealth of other benefits to our nation. A study from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2007 shows that a mere 6.3 % of U.S. energy consumption is powered by renewable energy sources, while coal, petroleum, and natural gas alone make up for 85.5 % of our energy. Proponents of such non-renewables argue that right now, fossil fuels seem like widely available and affordable sources of energy. However, as demand increases and supplies begin to shrink, the costs of extracting and obtaining fossil fuels will continue to rise. Aside from the economic costs, the environmental costs of continuing to use non-renewables will be devastating. Pollutants from fossil fuel power plants have the ability to damage the ozone layer, contribute to global warming, and contaminate our water supplies with harmful toxins. The use of more renewable resources like wind, solar, and geothermal energy would reduce these damages to our environment, while guaranteeing inexhaustible, sustainable energy for our future. In addition to the environmental gains, many other secondary benefits in a wide
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range of areas would result from the investment in renewables. For example, in my local area, scientists and engineers at GE Research and Development in Niskayuna, New York, are conducting new research in making solar panels more efficient using different forms of semiconductors. Research like this creates needed jobs and increases our global standing in the science and technology fields. Because renewable energy dollars are spent in the U.S., investments would stay at home to fuel local economies, all while decreasing our dependence on foreign oil. Lastly, investing in cleaner forms of energy would increase the overall wellbeing of Americans by reducing air pollution. A 1996 analysis by the National Resources Defense Council of studies from the American Cancer Society and Harvard Medical School suggests that small particles in the air may be responsible for as many as 64,000 deaths each year from heart and lung disease. These "small particles" largely originate from fossil fuel plants like utility coal burning, which accounts for 40,000 tons of toxic air pollution per year. Renewable energy sources emit no harmful particles, leaving the air we breathe free of chemicals that harm our health. As a frequent visitor to the nearby Adirondack Mountains, I know that our environment is beautiful, but is also very fragile, and for this reason I do not want to see it become polluted and destroyed by the harmful effects of fossil fuel burning. As a U.S. citizen, I also know that our country is in a rough time in its history, and needs help getting back on track. The investment in renewable forms of energy now will provide assistance to our struggling country by creating jobs and boosting our economy, and also preserve and protect the environment for many years to come.
Thank you, Laura Treers
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Carson Hardee, Grade 8 SCAPA Lexington, Kentucky Topic: Organ Donation
Organ Dona+on: Giving People a Happier, Healthier Future Dear Mr. President, What if you knew that you needed a life-saving operation, but you were unable to get it? For many people, this nightmare is a reality. In some countries, every citizen is automatically registered to donate their organs when they die. In the United States, however, people have to opt-in for organ donation. Countries that automatically register their citizens for organ donation have a much higher donation rate than countries that don't. The United States should follow their lead and create a law that assumes thatwhen a person dies, they are willing to donate their organs, unless they have indicated that they want to opt-out. A law like this is called an opt-out system. This is a great idea because it is very relevant, important, and effective. According to The Hastings Center, a non-profit bioethics institute, nearly 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for organ transplants. Of these, about 18 people die every day waiting for organs. This number is extremely relevant when you look at the big picture and realize that 6,570 people die each year, just in the U.S. These numbers are enough to make this a very serious and important issue. This issue that can be easily fixed if a law is made that automatically registers people to donate their organs. Furthermore, an opt-out law is important because most people are willing to donate their organs. According to a recent study, 90% of Americans actually support organ donation and want to donate their organs. This study also found that only about 30% of people actually know the steps to become a donor. That implies that a lot of people want to become organ donors, but don't know how to do it. If our country made a law for automatic organ donations, these people would be able to substantially
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increase the number of organs available for donation. An opt-out system is a great idea because most people already agree with it. The United States needs a law for automatic organ donation because opt-in systems have been proven to be effective and beneficial for helping people in need. Some countries have already made laws similar to the law I am suggesting that our country needs. One example of a country with an opt-out system is Austria. Currently, Austria has a consent rate of 99.8%, while Germany, a very similar country to Austria that uses an opt-in system, has a consent rate of 12%. This is proof that an opt-out system is much more effective than an opt-in system. Shouldn't the United States be as advanced as these countries? The United States needs a law for automatic organ donation. Over 100,000 people are currently waiting for organ transplants, but a law like this could lower that number substantially. As you can see, an opt-out system would be a smart idea because it is relevant, important, and effective. This issue is very important to me and I sincerely hope that you make an opt-out system a goal of your administration in your next term.
Sincerely, Carson Hardee
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Edyzbelly Flores, Grade 8 Dunnellon Middle School Dunnellon, Florida Topic: NASA Space Program
A Dream in Space Dear Mr. President, There are a lot of issues concerning our country today, and there are many problems to fix and solve. I think the most important issue to solve is to fund the NASA space program and to not forget about it. Funding NASA is most important to me on a personal level because I’ve always loved the thought of exploring other planets. Also, the world we live in today revolves around technology, like using a computer in school and at home to do homework, and it just so happens that NASA makes and improves technology and transportation for me to use in my everyday life. I ride the bus to school, and watch television to get important information like the news and weather. NASA has given us so many things we don’t even know about. NASA gives us simple things that we use in our everyday life and don’t really think about. Examples of everyday inventions are smoke detectors and medical tests, and improving transportation. This issue is important to people all across the country because it gives them jobs. According to NASA.gov, more than 18,000 people work for NASA. It also helps people by making living easier, and by giving us new technology to make our life easier. NASA will prepare us for the future because it will let younger generations learn and have a hands-on experience to carry out the dream of space exploration to the future. NASA has satellites in space observing asteroids and comets coming to Earth to warn us when they are coming and be able to prepare for it. NASA also notices climate changes and weather patterns. So you see, there are a lot of reasons that NASA affects everyone in the country. If we all improve on this problem, we can also improve on many other difficulties, too. Page 103
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We can look even deeper in a sickness that is very common and very horrible for many people, called Cancer. NASA can continue to search for a cure and save thousands but only if NASA keeps getting funded. NASA helps improve a major problem going on today: job growth. If we work together on this project, we can have better relationships with other countries on a way to explore. Other people might not think this issue is important or has no relation to them. People might think this way because they might not be aware that NASA does more for us than just going up to space. Also, people might think we need to fix problems down here on Earth first rather than going somewhere else. They might think it costs way too much money to be spent on such a short lived thing. People might be bored of what NASA has accomplished so far. I would respond to all those attacks by saying that people should do more research than just stating your opinion. With NASA, we can explore what everybody for centuries has asked themselves: “What’s out there?” If we pay attention and fund NASA, we can do so many more amazing things than we could have ever imagined doing. We can find a way to colonize human life in space when all of our resources run out on Earth. The NASA space program is a very important.
Thank you, Edyzbelly Flores
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Will Breaux, Grade 11 St. Thomas More High School Lafayette, Louisiana Topic: Offshore Drilling
All for Offshore Drilling Dear Mr. President, My name is William Breaux and I am a student at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. Being Catholic, and from Louisiana, there are many policies of your administration to which I feel opposed. But one of the issues that I feel most strongly about, and I believe you are likely to actually observe, is off shore drilling. The Gulf of Mexico is an area that is full of renewable resources in the form of oil, and it is also an area that supplies much of the oil that the United States produces. However, the Gulf of Mexico is still full of oil and, with the government regulations on off shore drilling, this oil is becoming more difficult and prohibitively expensive to capture. Meanwhile, the United States is spending money trying to develop new technologies for shoal drilling. While I completely support all methods of domestic oil production and do understand the potential these shoal fields have, I disagree with the idea of spending money on new technologies instead of using the old ones that were doing a fine job of producing oil. But these new drilling methods are a step in the right direction and away from paying foreign nations for oil because the money we spend could ultimately be used in opposition to our great country. I feel so strongly about using our domestic supplies, because I believe that we have a wealth of untapped resources. These resources could save us a significant amount of money now, and even more so in the future because we know that money spent domestically will not be used to fund radical terrorist groups that are against our nation. I believe that offshore drilling is an obvious solution to many problems our
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country is currently facing. Off shore drilling could create more jobs, especially along the Gulf Coast, while importing oil only creates jobs overseas. At this time, there are many people who are unemployed that live along the Gulf Coast and there are many families that have to make sacrifices because of the lack of drilling. I believe that it is your duty as the leader of our country to do what is best for all Americans, even the Americans that live in states that didn't send electoral votes your way in either election. Offshore drilling is the best thing for many Americans. The decision is obvious, so I would like to invite you to acknowledge that even though you may not agree with the Republicans on most issues, I hope that you will give this issue the full consideration that is due and use your leadership in a way that makes us a stronger, more united and less dependent version of ourselves.
Respectfully Yours, William Edgar Breaux
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Stephanie Urista, Grade 8 Ida Price Middle School San Jose, California Topic: Education
Art and Music Cuts in Schools Dear Mr. President, During your time in office, I know you will be very busy, but I would like you to focus on school budget cuts, as they are seriously harming the nation's youth. Due to these cuts, schools are no longer funding art and music programs, which leads to many problems. If schools were given funding, students would test higher, violence would be minimized, and jobs would be created. Generally, students who have music and art classes during the week do better in class and achieve more. The College Entrance Examination Board from Princeton, came to the conclusion that, "Students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation." This proves that music and art affects the brain and helps students refocus and score higher on tests and learn more in class. Also, 95% of Americans believe that music is a key-component in a child's well-rounded education and 80% of respondents agreed that music makes the participants smarter, showing that the American people believe music and art helps. Also, violence would be minimized, creating safer schools and better people, which everyone wants. Martin Rayala, an art, media and design consultant for the Department of Public Instruction said, "Within two to three years, every school that cuts arts showed a decrease in morale and attendance and an increase in vandalism and disruptions." This illustrates the need for music and art in a child's life. Just listen to this former student's testimony: Nichol Luebrun said, "Sticking with the choir was an escape from hanging out with gang members and smoking marijuana. But the band and choir
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gave me more than just something to do. They changed my life. They instilled in me a love of music. They taught me discipline, perseverance, leadership, and boldness. I am proud to say that this past year I became the first person in my family to graduate from high school and attend college.� Isn't that just touching? Music and art are more than just fun; they better our future. Sure, people think that money should be spent on academic classes instead of art because they are more important topics than art and music. But participation in such classes help students do better in other classes. It helps students destress so they can focus better in class. Money should be equally divided into these classes and programs to better our children's education and ultimately better our future. Overall, music and art classes being cut only hurts the youth. With these classes students would test higher, violence would be minimized, and jobs would be created. For a better future, we must maintain art and music programs in our nation's schools.
Thank you, Stephanie Urista
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Angela Martino, Grade 7 Clinton Middle School Clinton, New York Topic: School Lunches
Here’s to Health! Dear Mr. President, My name is Angela Martino. I live in Clinton NY and I attend Clinton Middle School. I am in 7th grade. I am writing because I want to change our school lunches. Last year, before the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010 (H.R. 4870), we had a great salad bar filled with delicious vegetables and incredible soup. Then, when we came to school this year, we didn’t have either one. Instead, we have pre-frozen food that tastes horrible! Many of the students in our school got really upset and stopped buying lunch. I have been talking to my principal lately asking about why we don’t have it and why we can’t get it back. My principal then got me on a quest. I had to get healthy foods back in our school. I knew that it wasn’t going to be easy but my goal is to get healthy lunches back. Anyway, he directed me to starting by research, lots and lots of research. After the research, I came up with a conclusion that you can’t get the healthy food back because of portion control and calorie counts. I personally don’t think that’s a good law because healthy food is healthy: how can you say veggies, fruits, salads, and soups are unhealthy? You could easily control portion and calories with pre-packaged servings. On the news a few months ago, I heard Mrs. Obama talk about healthy lunches. Well, we don’t have gardens to make our lunches in our school; we have grocerybought vegetables. They are NOT the good kind either, but least that’s a start I guess. Last year we had garden fresh lettuce and tasty ham. Yes, I understand that a salad bar is a place where you can take anything you want and sometimes people took a little too much of something. But the food was at least good! If by any chance you can get back healthy foods for schools, that would be great. Our lunch lines are slowly getting smaller because no one wants the lunches that are pre-frozen anymore.
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I would like to challenge you and Mrs. Obama to a healthy food cook-off at my middle school, to determine how to move forward to resolve these problems. It would be your administration vs. Clinton MS lunch staff and me in the challenge. The objective would be to see who can prepare the best tasting and healthiest lunches voted by a selected committee determined by community leaders. We will have two challenges. One will be using the guidelines provided by the H.R. 4870 and the second challenge will involve local ingredients from the Clinton, New York, community. The conclusion will be evident per the results of the voters and you know all about the importance of voters, don’t you Mr. President? In this last paragraph I just wanted to say thank you for being our president. I really appreciate how you listen to your supporters. You have been a good president and I am happy you got elected back in again. I also want to say thank you for protecting this country and thank you for everything that you have done for this country. I am looking forward to these next four years as you as our president!
Sincerely, Angela Martino
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Mathew Crispell, Grade 11 Leonardtown High School Leonardtown, Maryland Topic: Economy
It's Coming: The Fiscal Cliff Dear Mr. President, We can only spend so much money before the money runs out completely. The United States' money is reaching the point of running out. We cannot afford to continue spending and wasting money. We will run out. It has happened before and can happen again. We need to come to a compromise and work with Speaker of the House John Boehner to fix our economy. We need to keep our country's credibility by avoiding the fiscal cliff. If the fiscal cliff is hit or moved farther into the future by Congress, our nation will lose its accountability and countries that invest in our companies will take their money out of their investments. Interest rates will have to go up to get these investments back. The value of the U.S. dollar will decrease and we as a nation will experience inflation and another recession. Taxes will increase, and there will be mandatory cuts across the board. This nation will go even more into debt. America cannot afford this. Mr. President, you must work with Congress to end this gridlock. You must be flexible with your ideas if you want to avoid hitting the fiscal cliff. And you must avoid hitting the fiscal cliff. Instead of avoiding compromise, you must work with Democrats and Republicans alike to support a bipartisan compromise that is beneficial to our country and citizens. Hitting the fiscal cliff will ruin the country, as it is designed to, and as our President, you must be capable of working with conservative Republicans to save our country and avoid this fiscal cliff. Increasing taxes on the wealthy and on businesses will not spread the wealth. It will discourage businesses from hiring more workers and ultimately slow down and reduce the economy. It will stop the wealthy from investing in small business, and this will reduce the amount of small business. Although it seems unfair to some that taxing
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the wealthy at the same rate as the poor, increasing taxes on the wealthy will ultimately be crushing for business and our economy as a whole. It will discourage investments and hiring of workers. America needs you to be a leader, Mr. President, and now is the time for you to show your leadership and help America avoid the fiscal cliff. You can come to a compromise with Republicans to form a bipartisan package that deflates our increasing federal deficit and helps to turn our national debt around. Avoid the fiscal cliff and help America, Mr. President. We need you now more than ever. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Mathew Crispell
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Kye Ostby, Grade 9 River Valley High School Mohave Valley, Arizona Topic: Electoral College
Abolish the Electoral College Dear Mr. President, The Electoral College should be abolished. We should use a popular vote system instead. The Electoral College does not give equal representation of each individual person or even between states. By popular vote, we can fix all of these problems and make our government fair and efficient. The first problem is that some states get unequal representation. By that I mean that states with more population get more electoral votes. An example is that California gets 55 electoral votes while Florida gets 29 and Maine gets 3. With a popular vote, however, each person's vote would count toward electing the President. States would not vote for the President; each and every person would. The second problem is that the Electoral College system does not represent people or other independent candidates equally. Most states give all of their electoral votes to the candidate with the majority of that state. Means that independent candidates don't get many votes. Also, many Americans’ votes don't count. Dr. John Koza, who is the chairman of National Popular Vote, Inc., states, "That's got some people worried that the majority of Americans won't be represented after the votes are tallied. . . it comes with calls to abolish the Electoral College for good." An example is that if California has 55 electoral votes and 51% of the population votes for candidate A, the other 49% of the votes do not count. Then Florida, that has 29 electoral votes, could have 100% of their population vote for candidate B and still candidate A would win because of the electoral votes from California even though 100% of Florida voted for candidate B. If we used the popular vote, that would not matter. An independent candidate would have just as much chance as either of the main two (the Republican and the Democrat), each person would have an equal vote in the
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election, and the most popular candidate would win. The third and final problem is that the candidates focus their advertising and speeches on the swing states. Swing states are the states that could go either way in the election. George C. Edwards, a distinguished professor of political science at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, says, "It's complete nonsense! Candidates do not pay attention to small states. . . They spend time in large "swing states," or states where the outcome is uncertain."If we changed to a popular vote, the presidential candidates would pay attention to every state. A Gallup poll came up with statistics that 62% of Americans would replace the Electoral College system with a popular vote system. That should be grounds for changing to a popular vote. Many people think that this is going against the Constitution but Timothy Noah, a noted and well-respected reporter argues, "The best solution to the Electoral College's inequities would be to write it out of the Constitution. That would be difficult, but not impossible. After all, we've amended the Constitution 27 times before.” In conclusion, getting rid of the Electoral College and changing to a popular vote is the only way to go. The popular vote system gives independent candidates an equal shot, gives each and every person an equal vote, and makes both candidates talk to each and every state to try and get the people to vote for them, not just the state. That is why we should change the Electoral College system to a popular vote system.
Thank you, Kye Ostby
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Marlon Houston, Grade 11 Pawnee High School Pawnee, Oklahoma Topic: Food Served in Schools
We Are Hungry Dear Mr. President, I am a student athlete. I participate in football, wrestling, and track. I have participated in sports practically my whole life. Being so active requires me to stay in great physical health. Part of my healthful life style requires me to be aware of what I am eating. During wrestling season, it is more important than at other times for me to be cautious of what I eat. I have heard the grumblings of fellow classmates, and I too find that I am leaving the cafeteria hungry. This is the result of the new cafeteria plan that has been initiated this school year. I can think of three reasons why the new cafeteria plan should be addressed. The first reason is the fact that many students only get fed at school. Are you aware that one out of every five children, or sixteen million children, struggle with hunger in America? This is according to statistics by No Kid Hungry. For many of these children, school breakfasts and lunches are their sole source of nourishment. Some elementary-age students eat lunch as early as eleven o'clock. If that child has no food at home, then a school breakfast the next morning seems a long way off. Next, does the new cafeteria plan take into account the nutritional needs of the different ages of students? Does it take into account the activity regimen of students? I and other students do not get home from extra-curricular activities until between six o'clock and seven o'clock in the evening. As a student athlete, I practice hard and need my diet to meet the physical demands that are placed on my body. Even now, during wrestling season, I am watching my weight, I still am not fulfilled when I leave my school cafeteria. No two students are alike, and if teachers are required to meet all the different needs of their students, should not the cafeteria plan?
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Finally, under the new cafeteria plan, schools are required to offer only one choice. This one choice pertains to the main entre. For many students with food allergies, having only one choice may leave them unable to eat. There are students allergic to peanuts, wheat, soy, dairy products, and other items. For example, my little sister is lactose intolerant. If there is a meal that is covered in cheese, then she would not be able to eat it, or she would be sick. This is just one example of many children with allergies. In closing, these are the reasons why I believe the cafeteria plan should be revisited. Politicians who are able to eat where they choose, spend as much money as they like, and eat what they want should reconsider the effects their decisions have on the whole student population. If schools have to send food home in the backpacks of children so that they will have enough food over the weekend, then how is limiting what they eat at school helping them learn?
Sincerely, Marlon Houston
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Nikki Bouldin, Grade 8 Gifford Middle School Vero Beach, Florida Topic: Education
Funding of Educa+on Dear Mr. President, Education funding is just like the weather. People complain about it, but no one does anything to change it. The funding given to education is minimal. In our classroom alone, the supplies don't meet our needs. Education is the biggest stepping stone towards success. Without a strong foundation, you won't build a strong house. In other words, without a strong foundation of education, children won't build a successful life. We need to increase the funding of the education department. The Education Department receives 1.32% of the federal budget. The amount of money spent on military research programs is greater. Don't get me wrong, defending our country is important. Just remember that without properly educated people, we won't have people qualified to do research. Schools never have enough money. One percent of the budget is insignificant for such an important part of America's future. With the small amount of money schools get, funding for supplies is an issue schools face. Parents are required to buy supplies. The average family spends $100 on school supplies per child. I'm an only child, but many families have many children. For some families, $300 is too much, so these children don't get the supplies they need. Teachers, dipping into their already insignificant salary, try to help out. Ninetyseven percent of teachers spend their own money on supplies because of the lack of funding. According to the National School Supply and Equipment Association, public school teachers spend $1.33 billion out of their own pockets; the average teacher spends $356. Teachers only receive $100 for supplies, which averages out to $4 a student. How is that enough when dry erase markers cost $5? Pencils, paper, and other supplies all rack up the bill. The government should be in charge of supplies, and with the lack of funds, this isn't possible.
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Not only do schools not get enough funds for supplies, schools can't afford to pay teachers. Schools are cutting vital things to make ends meet, and teachers are one example. This causes a higher student-to-teacher ratio, meaning more people per class. In Pennsylvania, there are 9,000 fewer teachers this year. In Ohio, 7,000 teachers were laid off. Overall in the nation 250,000, teachers were laid off during the past three years. Because of this, the national student-to-teacher ratio has increased by 4.6% from 2008. Larger class sizes result in lower graduation rates, SAT scores, and college completion.
Every student makes a difference. Studies show that reducing class size
by 32% is equivalent to an extra three months of schooling. I've been in both small and large classes. My Spanish class consisted of a whopping 30 students, making the atmosphere chaotic and full of confusion. My classmates just stared with confusion, longing for assistance. In science we had eleven people and we all learned a lot more. My teacher and I could have one-on-one conversations until I understood the topic. You don't get that attention from larger class sizes. The number of educators keeps decreasing when in reality it should be increasing. Schools need more teachers, so our nation should be focused on the funding of education. The education department isn't getting the necessary funding. Class sizes are increasing and teachers feel the burden of the lack of money. Education is more important now than it ever has been with all the technological advances of society. Education is part of the American dream, so we should focus on reviving this dream. Without a strong educational foundation, success will not be achieved. I hope you take my thoughts under consideration and increase the education budget.
Thank you, Nikki Bouldon
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Shelly Tran, Grade 11 Clear Springs High School League City, Texas Topic: Education
The Many Hats Teachers Wear Dear Mr. President, I would first like to congratulate you on your reelection as a second term President. I believe that you can make our future better and improve America as much as you can. I am Shelly Tran, a junior at Clear Springs High School in League City, Texas. As I am oing to vote in only a couple of years, I am now trying to educate myself in politics as much as I can. In doing that, I have noticed a big issue not many teenagers see as a pressing issue. I myself want to become a teacher when I grow up. The sad fact is, is that 90% of the time when I tell people I want to be a teacher, they respond, "Why? You barely get paid anything!" According to New York Times, teachers make 14% less than professionals in other occupations that require similar levels of education. The average starting salary is $39,000. This prices teachers out of home ownership in 32 metropolitan areas, and makes raising a family on one salary nearly impossible. Not only that, teachers don't just go to school and work for 8 hours, go home, and do nothing. Teachers themselves have homework. As a daughter of a teacher, I know all of the ups and downs of teaching. Teachers wear many hats: educator, a counselor, and even a maid. When my mother comes home after many after school meetings, she looks exhausted, but doesn't go to sleep. She continues to grade papers and puts them into the grade book. After that, she makes dinner for us and goes back to grading papers and making lesson plans. My mom's main priority is family, and she scarifies so much to meet her job's needs. There's a simple question: why is she still a teacher? Drive. My mom's passion is teaching. If it weren't for her love for working with children, she would leave in a heartbeat. To teach, you have to have the drive and patience for children.
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I believe that teachers make a change in each student's life. I can look back at all my teachers and most of them have made a change and not only taught me math or science, but life lessons that help me become who I am. This inspires me to become a teacher when I am older. Teachers not only need more money, they deserve more. I am not all about money, which is why I want to be a teacher, but if I want to have a family and support it, I will need more. I hope to see teachers' salaries in the future be raised significantly. Teachers also deserve more recognition. Teachers go out of their way to meet the needs of every student they encounter. Media may cover jobs like astronauts or engineers, but who made those people do what they can do? Teachers provide the future. Teachers are the base of every job made. Yet they are continually mowed down with long hours, low pay, and the lack of support and respect. So please, Mr. President, if you raise teachers' salaries, teachers will have more motivation to do the best they can for students who will soon hold the future of America. Thank you so much for your time.
Sincerely, Shelly Tran
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Abigail Gennett, Grade 7 Post Falls Middle School Post Fall, Idaho Topic: Environment
Green House Gas Emissions Dear Mr. President, The green house gas emissions must go down immediately. If our green house gas emissions do not go down, the nation will be faced with a huge problem. This issue means a lot to me because I think it could be major problem in times to come. Some of the problems that green house gas emissions have caused include the polar ice caps melting, a national temperature increase, and high Co2 emissions levels. First, the polar ice caps are melting and someone needs to do something or it could lead to the complete depletion of many species. For example, according to United States geologic projects, two thirds of the polar bear population could disappear by 2050. Also just last year, north of Barrow, Alaska, hunters found half a dozen polar bears dead about 200 miles from the shore line. The cause of their deaths, along with many others, was drowning. They were trying to make the now-400-mile swim to shoreline. On September 16th, 2012, the polar ice caps reached a record low of 1.32 million square miles. That low beat the previous record low set in 2007 by 293,000 square miles which is the approximate size of the state of Texas. Another major part of why the green house gas emission levels must go down is that our nation has Co2 emission levels that are way to high ad they are causing health issues. According to new studies, for every 1 degree Celsius increase caused by Co2 emissions annually, there are 1,000 additional deaths which include asthma attacks. In the whole world, the United States is ranked second in Co2 emission levels. We are second only to China. If that is not bad enough, the United States in 2010 alone emitted 18,084 metric tons of Co2 per person. If our Co2 levels don’t go down, it will lead to many other problems. Finally, our green house gas emission levels need to go down because our nation
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is experiencing a temperature increase. According to the National Climate Data Center the average temperature of the United States in the 2000's has increased by .5 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1970's. The National Climate Data Center director Thomas R. Karl, L.H.D says the 30 year normal is likely to keep increasing. On average the United States has warmed 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 100 years. This temperature increase might not seem like much now, but it could become a major issue that would lead to problems for future the generations like me and my friends. The Green house gas emission levels of the United States has led to major problems that include the polar ice caps melting, high Co2 levels, and a national temperature increase. It is time to act on this issue so please don’t just ignore it if you could make a change that could help our nation. Please help me to put our nation on the right track that would insure that the future generations of the United States of America do not have to deal with this problem.
Thank you, Abigail Gennett
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Nicholas Karafilis, Grade 10 South Fayette High School McDonald, Pennsylvania Topic: Economy
The World's Leading Economic Superpower Dear Mr. President, Beginning with the economic recession of 2008, the United States has fallen into a dismal trap of economic uncertainty. Small businesses, corporations, and Americans seeking a place on the economic stage have been discouraged by the slow recovery and inefficiently-managed growth efforts put forth by the federal government. According to Gallup Poll World, the number of people worldwide who are planning to start a business are three times more likely to do so if they have money (18%) over those who do not have the money to start a business (6%). America, as the economic leader and highest voice of influence in the world, should have the internal economic strength and stability prepared to encourage others around the world to follow our successful model. Globally, in reflection of America's globalization intentions, those who do not have the resources are not going to risk the little that they have if they are uncertain that their national economy is not going to provide sufficient financial return. The lack of trust in monetary and economic institutions throughout the world is harming the willingness of individuals to go out and embark on the capitalist ideals that have been part of America's fabric since its inception. This idea is true in the United States as well, since businesses in transportation, energy, and finance are facing serious cutbacks under the impending economic pressures of fiscal cliffs, sluggish job growth, inconsistent market patterns, and unemployment rates above federal projections. America is in dire need of encouragement and opportunity to start businesses to become part of the world stage and to put trust in a trade and financial system with Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, our seven biggest trade partners. This hope and willingness is all but lost in
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America and in other countries, as the world watches the federal government of the great American superpower barely function with a $16 trillion deficit, four years of unimpressive growth, and a lack of coherence and cooperation across party lines and to the people. Mr. President, the intention is quite simple: What will America do to fix our own problems, to encourage our own people to appreciate the values of capitalism and once again have trust in our economic system? How will we allow for our trade partners to open up new trade deals with us, and to encourage people around the world, from Eastern Asia to Western Europe and from South America to our own neighbors, to follow the American way of business and once again reclaim our firm position as the world's leading economic superpower?
Sincerely, Nicholas Karafilis
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Zach Givens, Grade 11 Beaver Local High School Lisbon, Ohio Topic: Education
Educa+on is the Future Dear Mr. President, This country is a beautiful and glorious country. We have a lot of freedoms and privileges that people in other countries can only dream of. But there are also a lot of issues we face as well. Of all our problems, I believe the biggest one is how we handle our education. Getting our people a good education is the key to getting this country back on track. I believe it could solve many of our problems. One reason I believe education is the most pressing issue right now is the fact that every job requires a degree of some kind. Even to be a janitor requires a bachelor's degree. If people don't get a degree, they won't get good jobs, and could spend the rest of their lives dependant on food stamps and welfare checks. Things like welfare and food stamps are money straight from the government's pocket. If people got good jobs though, they could support themselves, and even save the government money. So getting people a good education could help the economy in a way. Another reason I believe how we handle our education is the biggest issue right now is the eye-popping statistics. First of all, America is eighteenth in the world in education, according to usnews.com. That's behind almost every country in Asia. We went from respected opponents to punch lines of every joke in the eyes of many of those countries. And second, the high school graduation rate in the country is only 75%, according to usnews.com. Seventy-five percent! That may seem good at first. But think of it in another way: the average class size in this country is about 20 students. So, of those 20 students, that means only 15 students will graduate, leaving five students without diplomas, and without promising futures. This is not acceptable. Now I wouldn't write this letter about how bad our country's education is without writing some suggestions too. First, I think we need to help families with many Page 125
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children to pay for college. It is hard enough for a middle class family to put one child through college, let alone many children. There also needs to be more opportunities in high school for students to take college courses. In my school district for example, students can go to a community college and take a few college courses for free. This is a great way for them to earn college credits and gain a feeling for what college expectations are really like. I think the government should give every student in this country that same opportunity. I understand that being the president is the hardest and most stressful job in this country. Being the leader of anything is hard and stressful. I'm not trying to criticize how you handle things. I just think that sometimes it can be a good thing to hear a citizen's viewpoint about issues every once in awhile. After all, the government's power comes from the people, for the people, and by the people. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
Sincerely, Zach Givens
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Colin Sheehan, Grade 11 Eastern Regional High School Voorhees, New Jersey Topic: Labor Rights
Support Labor Rights Dear Mr. President, My dad is 54 years old, and he has been a carpenter since he was 20 years old. He came from a middle class family, with eight brothers and two sisters. Needless to say, a college education was not something that he would easily be able to pay for, so he started work as a carpenter, thinking it would just be a good job to start out with and get some money. However, he met my mom, and they quickly married. He could not give up his stable job just as he and my mom were starting their new life, so he kept on with it. He kept on with it for over 30 years. Over 30 years of labor, and not exactly the best pay or conditions. Fortunately, he made a decent living and was always able to pay the bills, even through the many economic slumps over the past 30 years. However, my family and I have long been in a worrisome situation, especially recently. Especially now that I'm into my teens, I am able to notice how much it hurts him when, even after 30 years, he does not have the job security that he deserves. He has been on strike countless times, and has had projects stop a few weeks, never to pick back up. He has worked for many companies, but has quit each of them because they were unable to supply him with fair pay and benefits, so he always sticks with his local Philadelphia 8 union. Recently, he has had to go to several picket lines each day to try and find work. Even as an experienced worker, he is often turned away because jobs are able to find people who will work for less pay, and who will not care about carrying out proper safety standards. My family is pretty lucky, seeing as that my dad has not been out of work for more than a few weeks, and we have never been in danger of not being able to pay bills or been in fear of having our home foreclosed like over one million American families have had, nor he is currently part of the 7.9% unemployment in our country. But the fear
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that any day my dad could not have work and not be able to find work is very much a part of my family's life. So is the sadness my dad has when he cannot come home for dinner, because he had to go to another state or on the road just to get some work is some. My hope is that in your second term as President, that you will be able to follow through on your support of labor rights and unions, along with the passing of the Employee Free Choice Act in allowing workers to organize and supporting the rebuilding of infrastructure to give people like my dad more job opportunities. I do hope that you are resilient in pushing Congress to help workers like my dad, and more importantly those who have been without work for many months, to stay on their feet. As someone who grew up in a middle class family, I am sure you understand and will continue to fight for the backbone of our country. My family and I leave our trust with you in adding to the foundation that makes the United States better for us all.
Sincerely, Colin Sheehan
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Mottie Geller, Grade 8 Hebrew Academy of Nassau County Middle School New York, New York Topic: Energy Independence
Energy  Independence Dear Mr. President, As a young American, I am gravely concerned about the welfare of my country. One matter that is of particular importance to me is energy independence. If our nation can succeed in achieving energy independence, then we will also achieve success both in the war against terror and in globalization. Energy independence will ensure both safety and prosperity for our nation. In essence, our dependence on foreign oil has caused us to support repressive regimes with our gas dollars. Additionally, increased demands of Middle East supplies from growing countries such as China and India will drive prices up drastically and hurt our economy. However, if we are energy independent, not only will we be able to take care of our own needs and protect our economy, but we will also create jobs and further stimulate our economy by developing technologies we can provide to other countries. It will take a combination of efforts to enable us to become independent from foreign sources of oil. We must engage in conservation and efficiency efforts, develop and pursue alternative energy sources (biodiesel, nuclear, wind, solar, clean coal) and discover more domestic sources of oil such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), or the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Efficiency and conservation practices that reduce America's demand for oil will in turn lessen our imports as well as reduce pollution. If applied properly, conservation efforts will not damage America's competitiveness worldwide or our standard of living. Also, key to energy independence is the expansion of America's energy infrastructure by acquiring new oil refineries, nuclear reactors, and renewable energy facilities. Such expansion would directly impact national security, the state of our economy, and the creation of jobs.
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It is vital that America expands access to the proven oil and natural gas reserves in North America, including Canada and Mexico. Additionally, clean-burning natural gas should replace oil in large truck and bus fleets. America must also encourage the development and investment in future technologies such as hybrid cars and hydrogen fuel cells. Lastly, America needs to concentrate on alternative energy such as renewable energy (solar, wind, hydroelectric), safe nuclear power, clean coal, and ethanol and biofuels. Some of this energy will be produced in laboratories while some will come from our farms. In conclusion, Mr. President, it is my hope that one day, in the not so distant future, our nation will be completely independent from foreign sources of oil. In order to achieve this goal, we need to increase federal spending for energy research and development. It is comforting to know that we share the same opinion that energy independence is crucial for a safe and prosperous America. I fully support your views and wish to express not just my gratitude, but also my sincere hope that our nation will never give up the dream of energy independence.
Sincerely, Mottie Geller
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Christine Fry, Grade 10 Chowchilla Union High School Chowchilla, California Topic: Education
My  Future Dear Mr. President, My Future is in your hands. I am a sophomore attending Chowchilla Union High School in California, where my family has farmed for five generations. When I think of the career I want to choose, it is Equine Veterinary. I have the all the qualities and abilities that it takes to become a vet, but the question is, "Will I be able to pursue this career, with how this nation is being governed?" I have taken many steps to prepare. Through the years, I have had many opportunities to learn in the 4-H Program. I am on a State 4-H Animal Advisory Committee where I serve as the State 4-H Youth Secretary and on the State 4-H Equine Education Advisory Committee. We meet on the University of California Davis campus many times a year. Serving on these committees has opened doors for me to get to know college professors, see colleges with vet facilities, and also meeting students studying what I want to become. I have participated in the UC Davis CA 4-H Equine Field Days and assisted the clinicians at the Cal Poly Pomona State 4-H Equine Field Day. This summer I was a State Winner in Hippology at the California 4-H Horse Classic Educational Contest. In January, I will travel to Denver, Colorado, with our team to defend our California's National Title. I have been working on learning as much as I can about horses. Over the summer, I had the privilege to intern under our local Doctor's Office and our Equine/Large Animal Vet. I learned how to work with the patients, listening to their concerns, taking vitals and assisting the staff. At the Vet's facility, I instantly fell in love with this career. It is not an easy job. I was able to clean, hold sedated horses, carry equipment, doing the majority of the grunt work. I got to watch many interesting
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procedures and help hold the horses while the Vet and the assistant took care of abscesses, floated teeth, castrated colts, clean very infected wounds, and so much more. It is definitely a profession that will keep you on the go, especially if you are a vet that is on call 24/7. The question I have been asked is, “Is this a career that you really want to pursue? My answer is absolutely, "YES!", but will it be possible in a few years? How long will it take me to become an Equine Vet? What used to take four years to master now takes six to eight years due to lack of classes at our local Universities. How much will it cost me to attend college? The longer I am in college, the more it is going to cost me as a student. Not everyone is rich and can afford to pay for college that long. This is a concern not just for me, but for many other individuals my age. I am about the same age as your oldest daughter. How would you deal with this situation, if you were a middle class farmer? Costs today to attend the University of California are rising. Mr. President, my future is in your hands. My question to you is this: Is this a Path, I can still continue on? Thank you for this moment to share my passion, as an eager student working hard to be steps ahead of the rest and a dream I have envisioned all my life!
Sincerely, Christine Fry
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Matt Liston, Grade 9 Saint Xavier High School Louisville, Kentucky Topic: Electoral College
Canceling the Electoral College Dear Mr. President, In my opinion, canceling the votes for the Electoral College is an important issue because it is an unfair way of voting and could end up giving us have a different President. For instance, George W. Bush lost his popular vote but won the electoral votes. John Kennedy was elected president in the year 1960, but what most people don't know about that election is that he lost the popular vote to Richard Nixon. President Kennedy was elected President because he won the electoral votes. Although President Kennedy was a very good President, and some say was one of the best Presidents ever, this process of electoral votes is antiquated and outdated. Over the last 200 years, over 700 proposals have been directed to Congress to eliminate the Electoral College. There have been more proposals for Constitutional amendments on changing the Electoral College than on any other subject. The American Bar Association has criticized the Electoral College as “archaic” and “ambiguous” and its polling showed that 69% of lawyers favored abolishing it in 1987. Public opinion polls have shown Americans have voted canceling the Electoral College by majorities of 58% in 1967, 81% in 1968, and 75% in 1981. These polls may not be the most recent of sources but they speak out in a very strong demand. The reason that we have not canceled the Electoral College is because it’s very complicated in the first place. To change the United States constitution, it requires 38 of 50 states to approve it and only 13 small or swing states to block it - and the 13 smallest states are only 4.39% of the U.S. population. I think that, as a goal over the next year, the United States should try their hardest to get rid of this ridiculous system. To be elected President you need at the least 270 electoral votes. States like Page 133
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California ha 55 electoral votes, Texas has 34 electoral votes, New York has 31 electoral votes, Florida has 27 electoral votes, and Pennsylvania has 21 electoral votes, and others have an overwhelming number of votes. If a running President wins all of those states, he or she is already over halfway home to victory. All he or she has to do is gain 92 more electoral votes. These statements explain why the Electoral College is a bad process. Potentially, the winning President could win only 12 states but still be elected President. A counter argument would be that the ElectoralCollege has been part of U.S. history for such a long time and we wouldn't want to get rid of it. In conclusion, I have felt that I have shown a lot of evidence that we should cancel the Electoral College. Instead of having the Electoral College, our President should be elected by the overall percentage of popular vote.
Sincerely, Matt Liston
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Athena Vu, Grade 11 Wichita East Wichita, Kansas Topic: Education
Li]le Flowers Dear Mr. President, I believe that education is the foundation of a person. It is education that allows blooming dreams to blossom and bring opportunity. Opportunity allows for chances, and chance is everything. As children, we were all told about the American Dream. We listened to stories of successful entrepreneurs, pioneers, and artists who worked hard and followed their passion and in turn were rewarded the fruits of their labor. From there, we each planted a seed and hoped that it too will grow as well as those of the heroes and heroines of our fairytales. As time goes on, some of us change our dreams and some hold onto what we already had. That is, until reality kicks in. The people who told us about the American Dream are the same people who have to break the false portrait of life and drag us down to the real world. Reality settles in and squanders what little hope we had of achieving our own American Dream. Dreams of becoming successful and following our passion no longer exist. What little roots they had in our imagination are steamrolled over by the need to have a stable income in this unstable economy. Fear seeps into our decisions as we see our own family suffer from making the “wrong decision” in the most critical part of their lives. Because they took the chance and a leap of faith, they received a punishment. They have no work. But the most crippling fact is that now they have an unbearable load of debt. Those who want to survive in today's economy have to have some form of higher education, but the sheer cost is enough to make any person cringe. What suffocates a person's dream in not only the cost, but the inability to pay back the
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exponentially increasing student loans. It pressures people and pushes them away from their passions and pulls them towards the road of becoming a working drone, an emotionless robot that functions solely to provide so that it can further function. How is a person supposed to dream if they cannot afford the education? A small solution is passing out scholarships, but I don't think that it can solve the problem entirely. Scholarships are given, if given at all, to those who are the poorest of the poor, the smartest of the smart and to select minorities. It leaves out those who still want to continue their education but don't quite fit into those categories. Scholarships are given with good intent but are given so rarely and so selectively that they are almost non-existent. Eradicating scholarships, though, is a terrible idea. If anything, scholarships should continue and increase in availability. What would entirely solve the looming problem of debt is making college more affordable overall. By drastically cutting the cost of higher education, it not only makes it possible for dreams to blossom but also allows even more people to further grow and enrich their life. It gives more people an opportunity, and makes education a more rewarding system. The belief that hard work will bring success is uniquely American. By planting little flowers on our soil, we inspire and invite other dreams to sprout and grow. As of late, it has become more difficult to cultivate these dreams but lifting the burden of debt could allow more people to let their imaginations take root, or at least the chance to.
Sincerely, Athena Vu
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Nicole Brummette, Grade 10 Seminole High School Seminole, Florida Topic: Education
Holding Hands with Educa+on is Just Spreading Germs Dear Mr. President, The Education System of the United States of America is the basis of our country and its government. According to Harvard University's Program on Education Policy and Governance, the United States doesn't metal in the educational Olympics. It states that our graduation rate from high school is only at 77%, while many other countries like Hungary top us. As a present student, I feel as if even though education is important to the White House, my generation's thoughts are not always taken into account. Standardized exams are not what politicians believe them to be. Students take these bubble tests in hope to get it over with, not to increase knowledge or further education. We follow this ancient idea that basing statistics and teacher's jobs on one huge test is a rational initiative. Do you know why we have a dropout rate of around 34%? The answer lies simply in the solution you believe you have given: tests. Children have test anxiety, illnesses, and distractions, so for that reason they shouldn't have their future or the teacher's future laid out in exams. Instead there should be an overall score they look at based on work, tests, and performance rates. This system could give a fair chance to those who have problems taking assessments, and prevent those who do well on the final test but fail the class from actually passing. My teachers all seem to reiterate, “The government wants us to try this model,” or “The government believes this method will increase test scores,” and to me that doesn't seem like the best way a classroom should be run. Although the government's involvement in public education is necessary, getting too involved could cause disaster. When an instructor is hired to teach a division, they must know what they are doing to have gotten picked in the beginning. A teacher's passion for their profession is often
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taken away when they are forced to follow a system that they are not familiar with and/ or they don't like to teach. Plus, the idea of using something to increase test scores but not to increase higher knowledge or drive in the classroom lets students recognize that maybe it isn't about what we know, but what we cram in a couple weeks of studying before exams. I know isn't your hope in accomplishing a better-fueled education system, but it is what's slowly happening in schools. With this economic crisis in the country, it is understandable that funding is low for schools, but in truth funding isn't always required. Teachers complain that the textbooks they were given are outdated to the point where it's hard for them to display the information. The Common Core Standards were created to help keep students and teachers stay on track, but they are actually making things difficult. These standards are based on textbook lessons but when money is scarce and our books don't supply input on the newer age, how are we expected to really know the information projected for us? Explicit learning is nothing by itself, and that is all these textbooks are providing. By influencing standards that allow a classroom to have more leniency in the source of information and demonstration, we will create a more fluent learning environment. As a student and a community member, I wrote this letter to you in hopes that you can see that by minimizing standardized testing, cutting the cord between government ideas and teachers, and by allowing choices for resources, we can make a difference in our school systems.
Thank you, Nicole Brummette
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Trevor Wells, Grade 7 Ankeney Middle School Beavercreek, Ohio Topic: Health Care
Healthcare Dear Mr. President, My name is Trevor Wells and I am writing to explain some of my concerns about your healthcare plan. I am worried about this policy because my father is an orthopedic surgeon who will be greatly affected by this policy. There are five major points that I am troubled by: the number of patients added to Medicaid, the payment to doctors from Medicare, the number of administrators needed for clerical services, the physician shortage, and the effect on doctor-patient relationships. This policy will add many more patients to Medicaid. Medicaid is the payment plan run by the government that enables citizens with limited income to pay less for medical services. This insurance plan enables the government to pay for treatment and give less money to the doctors. This troubles me because many people will be paying less for treatments, which results in my father being paid less money for his services. This would result in my family having less income. The healthcare plan presented will bring less money to doctors by decreasing Medicare reimbursements. Medicare is health insurance for the elderly, ages 65 and older. This insurance pays significantly less than standard insurance does. This bothers me because it translates to decreasing payments to physicians. The decrease in my father's income will mean less money to pay for my family's needs. Many administrators will be needed for this future plan because the government will control healthcare. There will be a lot more paperwork involved with running the program. This is not good for doctors because the money will have to be cut for them to give to the administrators and clerks, meaning even less income for everybody. The result of this happening will bring my father's salary down drastically and give my family less money.
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This plan will also result in a physician shortage. Students will be turned off from applying to medical school when they see the falling incomes of doctors under this plan. They will look into different professions. This problem will lead to physician shortages in hospitals and make patients wait longer for appointments and medical treatments. This isn't good because many sick or injured people will have to wait longer to be treated. This affects me because if I go to the hospital or want to see my doctor I will have to wait longer. The final point I am concerned about is the effect on doctor-patient relationships. Physicians will not be able to focus on the wants and needs of their patients because they will be burdened by paperwork. The government will have so much red tape and paperwork that the doctors need to fill out that they will have less time to focus on their patients. This affects me because if I go to the doctor I will most likely have less face-to-face time and interaction with my physician. In conclusion, I disagree with many points in our new healthcare program and I believe they should be changed for the sake of the doctors and even more so for the patients. The five points I am mainly concerned about are the number of patients added to Medicaid, the payment to doctors from Medicare, the amount of administrators needed for medical services, the physician shortage, and the effect on doctor-patient relationships. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Trevor Wells
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Myranda Barnett, Grade 9 Cypress Creek High School Orlando, Florida Topic: Foreign Policy
War...Good or Bad? Dear Mr. President, The issue I want to discuss with you is about war. It is a big issue to me because I think that we should try to stay away from it. Charles A. Lindbergh's speech, “Neutrality and War” states, “We are faced with the need of deciding on a policy of American neutrality.” Neutrality does not mean that we always stand down. Lindbergh later states, “Let us give no one the impression that America's love for peace means that she is afraid of war or that we are not fully capable and willing to defend all that is vital to us.” This means that even though we are a country that has come to an agreement that we are for peace, we will still defend ourselves and what is important to us. I think that some of those countries are going to dislike us whether we go to war with them or not. So why are we wasting our money and our weapons? America should try to solve conflicts with diplomacy, such as helping to broker cease-fires and peace treaties. Other than defending ourselves against attack, what would be the reason to go into war? To prove that we are serious? What will that do? They will still hate and want to war against us. Choosing not to go into to war over the smallest thing said or done is not a sign of weakness. It is making a smart decision to not waste our money and cost the lives of our men and women. Instead, we can save up to improve our military's weapons and equipment, instead of just spending all of our money on war. We can send our troops home to see their families to live their lives without being in danger every second. Then, when we are really in need of protection, they can go back onto the battlefield. Having them there now is just a waste of the precious time they could be spending with their families.War is not good for anyone. It is not good for the men and women in the war zone or their families. It is also not good for the economy. In his
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article, “Proof that war is bad for the economy,” Joseph Stiglitz said, “War is widely thought to be linked to economic good times. Today, we know that this is nonsense. Wars can actually be bad for the economy.” It says that our economy is getting worse due to lack of employment. Andrew Lam noted, “According to the Political Economy Research Institute's (PERI) 2009 study, when you compare it to other ways of spending the money, every $1 billion spent for military purposes costs us, at minimum, 3,222 jobs. At the upper end, war spending costs us 17,500 or more jobs per billion dollars.” All of this obviously proves that spending on unnecessary wars add up. War is not always the option. Peace to me sounds a lot better than troops from the United States losing their lives every day over a fight that will never be resolved. War is not worth our people's lives and the sadness it has brought onto us. With that said, no one should ever mistake America's kindness for weakness.
Sincerely, Myranda Barnett
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Elize Perez, Grade 8 South Houston Intermediate School South Houston, Texas Topic: Immigration
The DREAM Act: Thoughts for the President Dear Mr. President, Immigration has been a topic of discussion for many years at dinnertime, roundtable discussions, and in schools. Members of Congress have had numerous debates about immigration laws but it was you, President Obama, who started putting the Dream Act into action on June 15, 2012. The Dream Act would help the Hispanics, Latinos, Chicanos and anyone of Hispanic Heritage. The President took a big risk to help the Hispanic population by taking a stand on the Dream Act. The Dream Act will allow students to stay in school, parents to continue working, and will allow them to pay into the Federal Tax System. The Dream Act would allow students who have been in U.S schools throughout their lives in elementary, middle school, and high school and even college to remain in school and get an education in a country that they consider their home. For most of these students, going back to their country would be a devastating move because they know no other than the life here in the U.S. These students are willing to work hard for an education and value the hard work it takes to get one. They in turn would give back to their communities for what they have given to them to be able to be here in the U. S. Hispanic communities are very close-knit families who know how to appreciate those who help them. The immigrants who come from other countries such as Mexico only come to better their lives for their families. Most of these immigrants have left their families behind only to take jobs that other people would consider degrading, to make better lives for themselves. Some of these immigrants take jobs cleaning homes, babysitting other children, cleaning tables and washing dishes at restaurants or working in the fields until late at night. Now, because of the Dream Act, they can feel safe from being
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deported and not live in fear. They are hardworking individuals who can also contribute to the well-being of the country in which they work. They can feel proud that, within time, they can become U. S. citizens. The U.S. has a vast majority of immigrants who come to this country to better themselves. They work, eat, live and sleep here in the U.S., and much of their money is sent back to their countries to support their families that they have left behind. The right thing to have done was to pass the Dream Act because it would allow immigrants to be able to pay into our tax system and put the money back into the U.S. economy. The immigrants want to be able to give back and be able to be called American citizens, while not forgetting where they come from. Giving the immigrants some way to give back to the economy could make the economy stronger because they would leave the money here and send goods to their families back home instead of sending money. All in all, Mr. President, passing the Dream Act is a good thing. Students can stay in school and get an education that they want and become active working citizens in American society. Those working immigrants who do the work in odd jobs that no one else wants to do can stay in the U.S. without having to worry about deportation and allowing them to pay into the tax system can only strengthen our economy.
Thank you, Elize Perez
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Katherine Gargiulo, Grade 7 Hawaii Preparatory Academy Kamuela, Hawaii Topic: Education
Schools Cu`ng Art Educa+on from Curriculum Dear Mr. President, Everyone deserves a well-rounded education. According to Margo Lion, cochairwoman of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, about 1.3 million children nationwide have no access to music education, and about 3.9 million attend schools with no art classes. Wow! That's a lot of kids not getting art education. The numbers are sad and very disappointing. Today's emphasis is focused on the basics: reading, writing, and math. I feel that students who are missing out on art education aren't getting the full education they need. The arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) change the learning experience. Students who were not otherwise being reached in the classroom are now given a reason, sometimes the only reason, to stay in school. Everyone has different learning styles, and many who are considered inadequate in the classroom are doing well in the arts. Their achievement in the arts brings their grades up in other subjects in school and raises their self-esteem. Art connects us all because it's a personal experience and we invest more in it than just finding the solution to a problem. I invest myself in it because I choose to. Someone could ask me to draw a person and I could simply draw a stick figure. Instead I take more time to expand my imagination and add the details. The learning environment is transformed into a place of discovery. Discovery is a science where one must think, make connections, and use their imagination. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines innovation as, "the introduction of something new; a new idea, method, or device." Art is innovation, imagination, and creativity vital to our society because it is integrated into every aspect of our lives. It touches every one of us whether we realize it or not. Art brings out our best work which
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brings out the best in ourselves. We are a more complete person and we become better leaders because we have to think outside the box. You always hear that investing in our children is investing in our future. Providing the best possible well-rounded education is only possible when arts education is not left out of the equation. The arts provide challenges, expands our thinking, ideas, and creativity. Art is the heart. Life without art is like a world without color. What would Leonardo da Vinci, Stephen Hawking or Steve Jobs have been without art education? Federal funding and policies affect the opportunities for a wellrounded education and a more open-minded view must be taken when making budget decisions for our educational future. Mr. Obama, you yourself are quoted saying, "The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create." There is no riper time than now, to prioritize the role of art education!
Sincerely, Katherine Gargiulo
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Chase Rochin, Grade 11 Livermore High School Livermore, California Topic: Economy
Put America Back to Work Dear Mr. President, My name is Chase Rochin. I am 16 years old and a junior at Livermore High School in Livermore, California. I am writing today to express my opinion on our nation's economy. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have even paid attention to the economy. This is kind of ironic because my father is a financial planner, so I have been exposed to money and finance my entire life. But despite that, I just never really paid any attention to the economy myself. There was really nothing to worry about. My family lived in a nice home, and all of my friends had nice homes and cars. Everyone went on vacation and had nice clothes. I really can't remember any of my friends not having whatever they wanted. But all of that changed about a year and half ago, when my good friend and his family suddenly had to move away. I did not know it at the time, but his family had lost their home. His parents had been out of work and the bank took their house. They had to move clear across town, miles away, into an apartment. Suddenly I realized that people I knew where having financial trouble. My father had talked a lot about the stock market and the economy but I really did not pay attention because nothing for me had changed until someone I knew suddenly was in real financial trouble. Since that time, it has happened to other families that I know. It is very hard for me to watch this happen to people that I care about. I have listened to you speak and you do say that you care about people like my friend, and that you have plans to turn the economy around. I hear my dad talk about things like financial stimulus plans. QE1, QE2 and extending tax cuts. I am learning about these things but, despite all of this, many people I know do not have jobs.
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I think that we need to bring jobs back to the United States. We need to bring back manufacturing and assembling jobs back to the USA. We should not have to depend on other countries for our products. We should not be providing employment for them and not for our own people, many of whom are in great need. I believe that people here would be willing to pay a bit more for something made in the USA instead of China or India. The first example of that are the Olympic athlete's uniforms. It should be illegal for them to be made in another country. Our entire economy could be bolstered by bringing back even one-fourth of the manufacturing jobs that have been sent overseas. This could happen by giving corporations tax breaks for bringing jobs back here. As more and more jobs come back, more people have more money to spend which in turn provides more employment in other sectors like retail and tourism. I am asking you, Mr. President, to please do everything in your power to bring jobs like manufacturing back to this country. I think this would be the best way to help our country and economy and to bring back the strong United States America we are all proud of.
Sincerely, Chase Rochin
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Kyle Wunder, Grade 8 Mashpee Middle School Mashpee, Massachusetts Topic: Foreign Policy
War in the Middle East Dear Mr. President, I understand that your administration is considering pulling all of our soldiers out of Afghanistan. Let me tell you a few reasons I would not agree with this action. If we pull out of Iraq to soon, we will jeopardize all we have already accomplished. We have already put a large dent in Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, but if we pull out before the job is complete, they will have time to regroup and grow, and all of our previous work will be meaningless. My own father served in Afghanistan when I was only in preschool. All of my family’s sacrifices will have been for nothing if the decision is made to pull out of the Middle East too soon. My family is not the only family that will experience this same problem. Thousands of families across the country will have made sacrifices in vain. Some of these families may have even lost love ones to the war in Afghanistan and made the ultimate sacrifice, and it could all be for nothing but a partially complete job. This is not the only problem our country would face if we prematurely drew out of the Middle East. Drawing out too early could suggest a few things about our country and its military forces. For example, it could suggest that we are not true to our word and that if we experience problems, we simply give up and stop working to find a solution. Our original goal was to eliminate the terrorist groups in the Middle East and keep them from returning and jeopardizing the safety of innocent civilians. If our country seems as though we’re weak and we give up on problems quickly, this could make our country a target for more terrorist attacks and we could lose allies. I recognize that we have been at war for a long time and that everyday families are away from their loved ones. I can only imagine how much pressure is on you. On the other hand, if we are not patient and we draw out, all of these sacrifices, and all of
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this effort will simply be made pointless and will have been for nothing. If we draw out of the Middle East too soon, all of our military’s work will not only be erased but reversed and human rights conditions would be worse than they were before the attack on the Twin Towers in 2001. Mr. President, I appreciate you considering my view on this situation.
Respectfully, Kyle Wunder
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Brooke Roberts, Grade 8 Brattleboro Area Middle School Brattleboro, Vermont Topic: Bullying
Lowering Teen Suicide Rates Dear Mr. President, According to the article, “Suicide rates of teen-agers: are their lives harder to live?” by James Barron, "Since the 1950s, the suicide rates have tripled among youngsters ages 15 to 19." Over time, so many more suicides have happened. I have heard of more and more suicide stories. Depression in teens is a main cause of the suicides. I also believe that schools should recognize the problems sooner. I would have never thought it would happen to the people in my life, until one of my friends tried. In order to lower suicide rates, we need to make schools more aware of suicides, and treat depression in teens. Schools should be more aware of suicides. Bullying and cyber-bullying should have consequences. Each year, many teens are pushed to suicide because of bullying. They feel alone and like nobody would understand. Victims feel that suicide is the only option. I believe that people bully, gossip, and put others down because they do not understand others. If schools made a bigger effort to make the students socialize and work with others outside of their cliques, then they would judge each other less. Also, schools should make the students feel that there is always someone they can go to if there is a problem. Students should be able to trust an adult. Not everybody feels they can get help, and don’t know who to turn to, so most students won’t. If schools make a change and become aware of suicide as a larger problem, then we would see fewer teens commit suicide. Depression can lead to suicide. Many teens will get depression, but most will not receive the help they need. According to the article, “Understanding suicide: Why it's a bigger risk than you think and how to recognize the signs,” by Sara Aase, "At a high school with about 1,000 students, about 75 and 50 boys will receive depression
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diagnosis but only one of three will get the help they need." They will start to change but not all people will pay enough attention to them to notice. People who consider suicide feel alone, and like they will not be missed if they end their life. They start to lose confidence in themselves. The article also says, "They might stop hanging out with friends, eating, sleeping or doing the things they enjoy. Some teens start drinking alcohol or doing drugs." I believe that everyone is equal and does not deserve to feel depression. If we treat depression in teens, then we will be able to lower depression in teens. In conclusion, if we do not treat depression in teens and make schools more aware of teen suicide, then suicide rates will continue to increase. I believe that people should help to stop teen suicide so in a few years there will be fewer teen suicides.
Thank you, Brooke Roberts
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Theo Moore Odell, Grade 8 Brattleboro Area Middle School Brattleboro, Vermont Topic: Military Spending
Lower Military Spending Dear Mr. President, Our military is large and that is a good thing, but the spending is getting a little out of hand. The money spent on the military per year is outrageous. According to Scott Rasmussen in “Reason,” " The US is spending close to $900 billion a year on the military and veterans' affairs." If we lower military spending, we will be able to cut money spent per person on national defense, lower military growth because we have no rival super power, and lower federal defense spending to free money for disaster relief. The U.S. spends a lot of money per person, and more than some allies. According to Scott Rasmussen in Reason, "The United States spends more than $2,500 per person on national defense; Russia and our NATO allies each spend about one-fifth that amount." That is a lot of money to spend on one person. The money that is saved could probably feed a least 10-20 hungry families for one week. The government could lower military growth because we have no rival super power at the time right now. It would be one thing if we were to have a rival super power right now. I can see how growing the military would be helpful, but we do not have a rival super power right now. According to Scott Rasmussen in “Reason,” " Today we face no rival super power with massive military capabilities and aggressive ambitions." With that, I do not see why we keep spending money on our military. By lowering the Federal defense spending, it will free up that money and allow us to use that money for other purposes. One example is disaster relief because it takes a lot of money to fix larger things these days. We spend too much on national defense. According to Scott Rasmussen in Reason, "In 2010 the Federal government spent more than $875 billion on national defense and veterans' affairs." That is a lot of money to be spent on just a few things for the government.
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Some people think that the amount of money spent on the military is a good thing. I would say it is just a lot of money going towards equipment that would most likely just sit in some overflow lot and not move for the whole time it is in service. If we lower the spending money that the military gets, it will make it so that the stuff they buy will be actually needed and will be put into action.
Sincerely, Theo Moore Odell
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Sergio Soria-Gil, Grade 12 New Technology High School Napa, California Topic: Green Energy
Green  Forward Dear Mr. President, As a nation, it is important that we unite to solve the various problems we face. The United States is currently recovering from a recession. We need to take steps that won't just help us end the economy's fall, but the steps and solutions that will prevent future recessions. I propose that you look into alternative energies for a long term solution. Alternative energy includes programs like solar energy, wind energy, and nuclear energy. The United States has come to terms with the use of nuclear energy, so it is of vital importance that we also begin to use solar and wind energy. Mr. President, it is important that we address the need for jobs and a stronger economy by investing in the alternative energy market. Solar energy is an extremely profitable alternative energy source, as well as a growing industry. According to One-Roof Energy, Sullivan Solar, a solar panel installation company, has increased their profit from $10 million in 2010, to $22 million in 2012. If we were to use solar energy, we could potentially see this on a national level. We must also consider what goes into making a solar panel. It is not as simple as just installing them onto roofs. The manufacturers and designers have to make solar cells in the panels, they have to be wired correct, in series or parallel, they must be made to code for durability, and they must be routed to converters for the consumer's house. This process can take different kinds of workers and will allow houses and energy companies to developed cleaner, profitable energy. Solar energy holds a great amount of potential. Not only will it create jobs, but it will offer another field of studies for college students. If students see both the financial and economic benefits of solar energy, more and more of them will help us achieve a Page 155
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greener future, both environmentally and financially. Solar energy will help us create more jobs because of its production process. Alongside solar energy, we must include wind energy. Wind energy is profitable, however it isn't as cheap. According to the Windindustry.org, it is only beneficial to use wind energy as a sustainable source is if you make a large scale wind farm as opposed to individual turbines for each house. The cost for an industrial level is around $3,000$8,000 per kilowatt pomposity, while a smaller scale turbine costs $50,000-$80,000 or more. The wind turbines are huge. Wind-energy-the-facts.org explains that the amount of work needed to maintain a wind turbine is one person per turbine. A wind turbine farm, a piece of land with a large number of wind turbines, will produce a large quantity of jobs. Like I mentioned, it isn't cheap. If you approve the use of wind energy, you must use it alongside solar energy. Mr. President, I understand that your position is not an easy one. However, you must address the recovering job market and economy by investing in solar energy and wind energy. I can tell you based on the information from various companies, wind and solar energy will give the U.S. the push it needs to become self-sustainable. Thank you for your time, Mr. President, and I hope you take the steps necessary to lead our country to greener future.
Thank you, Sergio Soria-Gil
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Sara Skarshaug, Grade 9 Traverse City West High Traverse City, Michigan Topic: Education
Budget Cuts Hurt Educa+on Dear Mr. President, First, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this. I would also like to address a problem that I experience within my school regarding the budget cuts that have been happening recently. I understand that it has to be done due to the poor economy, but it is affecting the quality of education that kids receive. Since budget cuts are not based on amount of money each student gets from the government towards education, it badly affects the schools that don't get a lot of money from the state to begin with. For example, schools in Detroit get a lot more money per student than Traverse City Area Public Schools do for the students' education. When budget cuts are on the rise, it doesn't affect Detroit as badly as it affects us. It seems that schools that do better academically get more money from the state. At the same time, the schools that do not do as well academically do not get the funds that are required to help students who are struggling. Schools that aren't as badly affected by this would argue that it would be unfair to cut money by the amount per student because it would affect everyone the same amount and the bigger schools would probably suffer from it. However, the schools that don't get a lot of money can argue back that if we kept it by amount per student that got cut, it wouldn't affect the big schools that badly because the government would give them more and take more. In the end, everyone would be equal and every student would have the same opportunities to succeed. Representative Brandon Dillon said, "The budget we're considering today is a total break in the promise of proposal A. There is a surplus in the school fund, if we left it alone we'd be giving a $260 per pupil increase, instead we're looking at $470 per pupil cut." My school academically is ranked the 14th school in the state. My school district
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gets the least amount of money in the state, I believe that we should be awarded with funding for our high ranking.You and the government are always talking about how important education is and how it is important that students get an education. Well, if schools don't have the money to educate their students, it hurts the students, the new generation. If this new generation does not get proper education, grades will go down, not as many people will get into college, and the dropout rate will increase. The bond that was previously voted on would have greatly affected our school system was voted no on because, by the looks of the voting statistics (Yes: 17,845 No: 25,067), a lot of people don't see the point in paying for a better education. This bond would have given Central High School new things that they need such as a new auditorium. I hope you can take the time to consider the opinion of both small schools and bigger schools. I believe that when it comes to education, many people will agree that every student should have the chance to succeed and the government should grant them the materials to make education happy for everyone that wants it.
Thank you for your time, Sara Skarshaug
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Anlan Du, Grade 7 Morey Middle School Denver, Colorado Topic: Pesticides
Pes+cides: Dangerous and Costly Dear Mr. President, The list reads off like an apocalyptic disease: brain and blood disorders, cancer, liver and kidney damage, and even death. These are just a few of the hazards caused by pesticides (Global Healing Center, 2012). Farmers use a billion pounds of pesticides each year to prevent insects, weeds, and fungi from destroying crops. However, they often do more damage than good: 500-1,000 pests and weeds have developed resistance to pesticides (PANNA, 2012). Not only are these chemicals becoming ineffective, they harm our health, the environment, and the economy. With all of the problems these toxins cause, it's clear we need to take action. To begin with, pesticides are damaging to our health. Farmworkers spend most of their lives in fields, getting drenched in poisons and experiencing headaches and nausea because of their jobs (PANNA, 2012). Furthermore, children are especially vulnerable to pesticides because their brains and bodies are still developing. Children who have regular contact with pesticides have fewer nerve cells, lower cognitive scores, and a 70% greater chance of having Parkinson's disease (Global Healing Center, 2012). I'm not sure about you, but I wouldn't want my children subject to that kind of danger. However, children are not the only susceptible ones. All of us have pesticides in our bodies and are at risk of falling victim to these health hazards (PANNA, 2012). Although pesticides may minimize crop damage, the risks far outweigh the benefits. In addition, these substances endanger our planet. For instance, pesticides have a widespread impact on wildlife. Poison spreads up the food chain like fire, killing not only the animals that ingest them but their predators. Plus, there are other freakish effects: numerous male frogs that ingested atrazine became female (PANNA, 2012). This is a problem because 94% of drinking water has this long-lasting Page 159
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herbicide in it (PANNA, 2012). Pesticides also harm the micro-organisms in soil that aid plant growth (Love to Know, 2012). Considering these chemicals are made to increase agricultural yields, it seems preposterous that they do so much irreversible harm to the environment. Believe it or not, these toxins are detrimental to the economy. First, tens of billions of bees have died because of them. Because honey is in so many foods, this translates to a loss of about $320 million (Healthy World, 2012). Moreover, the cost of medical care for those poisoned by pesticides amounts to almost a billion dollars (Healthy World, 2012). Plus, the poisoning of many predators and birds cost more than $2.5 billion in restoration efforts (Healthy World, 2012). The damages caused by pesticides add up to about $8 billion, a hefty bill considering they're supposed to boost our economy. The economy is not the only aspect of our lives that is damaged by pesticides. Our health is put at stake, along with Earth's ecosystem. To continue utilizing pesticides is extremely dangerous. Mr. President, we need to stop using these lethal poisons and start looking for cleaner, cheaper solutions. For example, scientists in Michigan used tiny wasps to completely eliminate pesticide-resistant cockroaches. These wasps cost about 20% of what pesticides cost (McDaniel, 2012). In addition, farmers discovered that planting broccoli in the off-season suppressed a fungus that was threatening strawberry crops. Meanwhile, maize farmers interspersed their crops with pestrepelling, weed-suppressing plants. Implementing these plants increased household income, soil fertility, and nutrition (PANNA, 2012). These are the kinds of practices we need to implement. They are completely natural and often have other benefits on the community. Best of all, these approaches don't have life-threatening side effects. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Anlan Du
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Lauren Mendez, Grade 11 Hauppauge High School Hauppauge, New York Topic: Education
The Affordability of College Dear Mr. President, A topic I would like to address to you involves college affordability. The reason why, is because the price of a good college education is about as much as the price of a house, and that is only pursuing a Bachelors Degree. There was a time when a Bachelors Degree went very far within finding a job. Nowadays, a Bachelors Degree isn't much better than a High School Diploma. A Master's Degree gets you further within the work force, but unfortunately pursuing a Master's Degree is something that not many people can even afford. Forget about a Ph.D. By the time a college graduate finishes four years of college, he or she is still paying for their expensive college loans many years after they graduate. So a college student graduates from college already in debt. Also there is always that concern of finding a good job. But even so, you are still paying for college loans for a very long time. Doctors, for instance, go to college, graduate school, then medical school and do internships before they are actually making real money. So even before they collect their first paycheck, they are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. The process to apply for student loans is also a very difficult one. If your parents make too much money, you are not entitled to any student loans, which is not very fair. Can you imagine, Mr. President, a family with two or three children who are of college age? Mr. President, college students are the future of this country. Isn't it a good idea to encourage as many young students to attend college as possible? That would only make this country a stronger and better nation. Why not come up with a plan to allow young students to pay for college in other ways, such as joining the military, volunteering their
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time in hospitals, or helping the sick and elderly? Unfortunately, running a college is like running a business and the ones who are mostly affected are the youths of the country who are trying to make better lives for themselves. Making a college student pay for college with their own time and hard work is a good plan for everyone. For the student, it would build character; they would also be providing a service to their country. Mr. President, we live in the greatest nation of them all. Please do not deny the future doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers of this great country their opportunity to be a contributor, instead of a victim of the economy.
Sincerely, Lauren Mendez
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Jacob Anderson, Grade 8 Troy Junior High School Troy, Ohio Topic: Economy
Major Problems in the United States of America Dear Mr. President, “Welfare is hated by those who administer it, mistrusted by those who pay for it, and held in contempt for those who receive it,” says Peter C. Goldmark, Jr. The main issue I am focusing on in this essay is economic issues. Economic issues are defined as "issues related to money, taxes, and production of goods and services." The main issues related to the economy are: (1) whether or not Congress should raise the debt ceiling, (2) whether George W. Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts should be extended, and (3) welfare. I believe that economic issues are the biggest concern of the United States of America. I think that Congress should raise the debt ceiling. Even though this would allow us to continue spending, this is better than our country filing for bankruptcy. If the U.S. goes into bankruptcy, the entire government system would breakdown. Most citizens and experts believe this. Also, if we do not raise the debt ceiling, the U.S. would have higher taxes, and there would be lots of inflation. In the next 10 years, if we do not raise the debt ceiling, the government would only eliminate about 5% of our debt. Therefore, I believe that Congress should raise the debt ceiling and try to limit spending. I believe that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts should be extended. These cuts saved millions of dollars and created jobs. If these cuts were reapplied, approximately 912,000 jobs would be added in 2013. Every year after 2013 that these taxes were applied, about 709,000 jobs would be created. However, these tax cuts were eliminated in 2010, increasing taxes and increasing unemployment. Overall, if these tax cuts were extended and applied again, the economy would rise. Regarding welfare, I believe you should only get money with hard work. Therefore, I think able-bodied welfare recipients should be required to work. As of right
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now, there are about 47,000,000 people on food stamps, 4,300,000 people on welfare, and 5,600,000 people on unemployment insurance. Additionally, in nine states, welfare pays more than the average teacher. Many of these recipients don't work at all. Some regulations of welfare include that you must find work within two years of receiving welfare; a single parent must work 30 hours a week for welfare; and a two-parent family must work a combined amount of 40 hours a week to receive welfare. The U.S. government is spending almost $132 million on welfare and food stamps each year. I believe that we need new, strict regulations for all types of welfare, and all recipients must find work within 3 months of receiving their first welfare check. I believe Economic issues are the biggest concern of the United States of America. I think that Congress should raise the debt ceiling; that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts should be extended, and welfare needs new, more strict regulations.
Thank you, Jacob Anderson
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Jordan Smith, Grade 11 Clear Falls High School League City, Texas Topic: NASA
NASA Dear Mr. President, Please reconsider your decision to cut funding for the Space Program and the Constellation Program. These programs are expensive and our economy isn't in a good state at this time, but I feel that NASA is one of the last organizations whose funding should be cut to help the economy. When NASA’s funding was cut, over 25,000 people’s jobs were affected, having a negative effect on the economy. Over 9,000 of these people lost their jobs completely. While the Space Program was still active, tourists dumped $2.8 billion into the economy each year, and this helped the economy tremendously. Cutting the Space Program has had a more negative than positive effect on the economy. In addition to keeping the economy healthy, the Space Program also gave Americans something to be proud of. Not every country is as blessed as ours. Many aren't capable of having a Space Program as advanced as ours, if they have one at all. Being able to independently accomplish space travel gave many Americans a sense of national pride. Relying on Russia for transportation to the Space Station isn't the right way to go. After friction caused by the space race, being dependent on Russia for transportation makes little sense and will surely upset many Americans. In times like these, national pride is something many Americans desperately need. From a scientific stand point, think of the new advancements NASA could make given the funding needed to do so. Advancements made through NASA have been one of the things that puts America ahead of other countries. The Constellation Program was sure to make many new discoveries in the effects of living in space for extended periods of time but unfortunately was put to a premature end. A few years ago my family and I traveled to Florida for the sole purpose Page 165
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of seeing the Space Shuttle launch. We went to see the same launch that you saw, except there was one big difference: we weren't sitting in the bleachers where the shuttle can be clearlyseen. We sat where most people did, in a field miles away with millions of other Americans and people from other countries (who had come to America just to see the shuttle), waiting in anticipation to see the launch. Even though we were very far away and had to wait there for hours, these people were excited to see the pride and joy of their country. This is what you didn't see from the bleachers. So I ask that you please reconsider your decision to cut the Space Program’s funding, for doing so has had more negative effects than positive. And above all else, it is one of the things that makes America America.
Sincerely, Jordan Smith
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Noah Seth Simon, Grade 8 Fulmore Middle School Austin, Texas Topic: Environment
Our  Environment Dear Mr. President, I understand that you have a whole nation's problems to handle, but I'd like to bring to your attention something that, in my opinion, is the most important one. Our planet is dying. We are killing it with our war, and industry, and automobiles, and killing forests, with dramatic amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. If we don't change our actions, many parts of our Earth will die. Some of the changes Earth is going through seems to affect us on a more personal basis, while others are more global and do not seem to affect us as drastically (although they of course do). An example of one of these is global warming. This is the warming of our Earth's atmosphere, which causes many negative effects on Earth, such as bizarre weather patterns and the melting of polar ice caps. In 2010, sea ice in the arctic at the hottest point of summer reached a new minimum level - just 27% of the Arctic covered in sea ice.This has moved down drastically since we first started measuring this in the late 1970s. One could argue that Earth heats and cools naturally and global warming isn't caused by humans as much as we think it is. However, the evidence points clearly to humans since the Industrial Revolution, because global temperatures and ice levels changed dramatically since we started emitting greenhouse gases. If this keeps going, the polar ice caps will melt even more, causing a flooding of 10,000 square miles of coast. That's definitely the whole eastern seaboard, and lots more.Imagine it. New York City, under water, unusable, gone. It's a scary thought. Also, the EPA says rising sea levels cause more salinity in groundwater, which can destroy river ecosystems, which is an important source of food (fish). Additionally, it states that the rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere cause more CO2 absorption in the ocean, which acidify the
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water, bleaching coral, shellfish, and other underwater organisms. The destruction of the environment that we see ourselves is even more ominous. Over the summer, I spent a week in Galveston, a beach/port town on the coast of east Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico. The state of the environment there scared me a little bit. I harvested some oysters for dinner in the bay one night, and every shell had an iridescent, oily outer sheen. I guess that was the "good ol' coat of Deepwater Horizon oil" on there. It made me think about how horrible it is to drill into Earth like that. It has disastrous consequences, made completely obvious by the spill. Humans should not be doing things like that to our world. Also, about five months after the spill, I took a field trip to Grand Isle, Louisiana, with my school. We went to the beach to plant plants, to help keep the ground stronger (to protect it from hurricane damage). Half of the beach was completely blocked off. I remember spotting men in full-body suits, cleaning up the beach. It made me realize how devastating the oil spill was. This can't be our source of energy. Oil is finite, we'll just keep running out, killing some more of Earth, running out again, and repeating the same cycle. We can do better than this. We need to stop destroying the planet now. The planet that gives us life is the most important thing in our lives right now, and we all need to work together to fix it.
Thank you, Noah Seth Simon
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Ishana Deb, Grade 7 Challenger School San Jose, California Topic: Education
Science, Technology, and Mathema+cs (STEM) Dear Mr. President, American students ranked 23rd in math and 31st in science out of 65 top industrial countries in an international standardized test held by the Program for International Student Assessment. A recent report by Harvard University found that students in several other countries are making gains in academics much faster than American students. The poor academic performance of American students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) threatens our country's economic growth and well-being. Increasing the number of students graduating and holding jobs related to STEM is an issue that I request you to address in your new term. We have directed the course of world history with our inventive genius. We gave birth to the Manhattan Project, and laser technologies. We were the first ones to land on the moon. Dr. Robert Jarvik created the artificial heart, and J.C. Licklider conceived the Internet. Yet, it is sad that today we are on a path of intellectual decay. U.S. science is on the brink of a precipitous slide, and threatened by the rise of knowledge-hungry competitors in China and India. We need to become a nation of creators again and not just consumers. In order to do so, we have to get back the culture of innovation that our great nation was known for. We must become world leaders in math and science again. Science affects every aspect of life and is an increasingly important topic in global policymaking. It is responsible for over half of the growth of the U.S. economy since WWII, when the federal government prioritized science mobilization. We can also solve our unemployment issue if we encourage students to develop strong math and science skills. The United States needs innovators to grow our economy and create new jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor has proven that only 5% of U.S. workers are employed in fields relevant to science and math, but are responsible for more than 50%
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of our maintained economic expansion. What would happen if we increased this 5% figure to even 10% in the next couple of years? With attention to school problems diminishing, the United States is facing a serious dilemma. The National Science Foundation shows the percentage of U.S. students in STEM decreasing by over 5% in the last 30 years. Domestic unemployment will continue to grow and money will continue to flow out of the country if we increase our reliance on foreign nations to give us technical expertise. Are we looking at the beginning of an end for the entire United States STEM education system? Should we resign ourselves to the fact that we are going to be adult citizens of a nation of consumers, and not creators and innovators? I urge you, Mr. President, to look deep into this issue and you will find solutions to a lot of the problems facing us today. You will be able to build a secure and stable America for future generations. We will support you in every possible way. In fact, some of us are trying to fulfill our responsibilities by supporting the STEM Education Coalition. I am launching a "Science can be fun" website that is friendly, informative, and engaging for middle school students so that I can persuade my peers across the country to get interested in STEM. However, without focused attention to this issue from the highest office in this nation, we cannot be successful in our mission to become the world leader in science and technology education, and to double the percentage of American students in STEM related careers. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Ishana Deb
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Tate Pinyochon, Grade 8 Hampstead Middle School Hampstead, New Hampshire Topic: Education
Educa+on in the US Today "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -- Nelson Mandela.
Dear Mr. President, Without education, the most formidable weapon, the most advanced medication, the largest vehicle, and the smallest machine would fail to exist. The U.S. today needs to raise the standards of its education systems. Education is the base for any industry, small or large. Without it, the U.S. wouldn't be what it is today. The instillation of knowledge in younger generations is crucial to advancing in the future. This is why we need to catch up to world standards in education today, to keep ahead of the pack as a country, to “move forward” as a nation, in your own words, Mr. President. Only 1/3 of all American fourth grade students today are able to read proficiently. This shows that we aren't doing an effective job teaching our young students, even at the age of about 8 or 9. The earlier a good education starts, the stronger a foundation it will build for the future. It's like building a house. You need a strong foundation for a well-built house. All great structures are built from the ground up. But if the foundation isn't good, the whole house won't be stable. According to an assessment by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the U.S. placed 25th out of 30 countries in math performance and 21st in science performance. More than 20 countries around the world are quickly speeding by us in the fields of math and science, which are the two subjects that we should focus on if we want to keep moving forward in this new society of technology. Technology is the center of everything today. If we don't continue to educate younger generations properly, we will fall behind in all fields. Everything in the U.S. today is based upon technology, therefore stemming from the areas of math and science.
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But today those are the fields we are doing poorest in. We are too focused on reading and writing, and even in those subjects, we aren't doing too well. If we want to continue to advance as a nation, we will have to focus more on the subjects of math and science, because those are the foundations on which all advances will come to be built upon. As Americans, we should be concerned about giving our children the best education possible, because they are our future. And from educating our future we will progress as a country in every field of new knowledge, and contribute to bettering people's lives across the globe. If we want to continue to move forward in the fields of new technology in this new age, we must improve our standards of education. Americans used to be thought of as smart, innovative people. That was yesterday. Today, I am currently one of the few students involved in accelerated learning programs at our school. I shouldn't be one of few. As a country, we need to step it up and train our young generation to be thinkers and innovators as we once were. And as our President, you need to help this country raise its standards of education. Everything in this world is based upon knowledge. It is what humans strive for, to gain knowledge and eventually become smarter. In educating our children, we are building a secure future for America. Again in your words, Mr. President, “The best is yet to come.”
Sincerely, Tate Pinyochon
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Donathan Layell, Grade 9 East Wilkes High School Ronda, North Carolina Topic: Alternative Energy Sources
We Need Solar Energy Dear Mr. President, Have you considered the drastic rate at which Americans are polluting the environment? I believe that more effort needs to be placed on saving our planet by eliminating the need for fossil fuels and replacing this need with a renewable resource such as solar power. A great benefit to diminishing the use of fossil fuels would be our country becoming self-reliant, as well as saving the environment for generations to come. First of all, our country needs to focus on renewable, non-pollutant resources such as solar energy. Solar energy is a very adaptable and efficient energy source. Research has shown that in seven days, a solar energy plant can produce the amount of energy it would take 46 days of burning coal to produce, proving that it is an efficient source of energy. It's adaptable because this energy source can be used from the high altitudes of the Rockies to below sea level in Death Valley. Relatively speaking, you could say that solar energy can be used almost anywhere. A big positive to this energy source is that it doesn't have to be produced in a power plant. How? This can be accomplished by using solar energy collectors called solar panels. These panels absorb UV radiation from the sun to produce electricity and heat for homes, public businesses, and some cars. To learn know how this works, you need to know that all the sun's rays contain energy, but most of the time when they hit an object, this energy turns into heat. In order to use these rays for energy, we need that heat energy to be electrical energy. Scientists have found that when the sun's rays hit elements such as silicon, this exact thing happens: instead of the energy turning to heat, it becomes electrical currents that can be harnessed for energy. Therefore, by putting silicon and some advanced technology into
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these solar panels, we can take those currents and provide energy to millions of homes. An argument that may arise with this energy source may be, "What happens when we run out of silicon?" Well, studies by the Smithsonian Institute of Gems and Minerals have proven that about 28% of Earth's crust is made of silicon. No, this silicon supply won't last forever, but it will last for plenty of generations to come. Stepping back and looking at all the pros to this source of energy, I believe our country would benefit greatly from using it. Mr. President, please take any ideas into consideration about using this source of energy more. They will be exceedingly grateful.
Sincerely, Donathan Layell
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McKayla Todd, Grade 11 Pawnee High School Pawnee, Oklahoma Topic: Immigration
Immigra+on Dear Mr. President, There are many issues that need to be addressed in America, but I choose immigration. Immigration is when people of different cultures, religions, and minorities come to America from different countries. Immigration is a huge problem in America in several people's eyes. This is a huge problem because people are coming to America illegally, working for little pay, and the fact that immigrants are working for little pay means that they are taking jobs from Americans. Have you ever thought immigrants came to America in search of a better life? We may not know it, but America was founded by immigrants. It took our ancestors many years ago to create all the cultures and the style of life that we have today. Think about it: our “America” wouldn't be the America we call home today without these immigrants. Whether they come legally or illegally, we all deserve to have a good life not just in America, but also everywhere. If the immigrants are following the law and holding a normal job like everyone else, I see no wrong-doing, whether they have a passport or not. When I say passport or not, I mean that illegals should be included. At this point, they are Americans to me. They wouldn't have to go through this much trouble if it were easier to legalize citizenship, but there is a huge process filling out papers, taking a test, and waiting to see if one becomes a citizen in America. I know by following these laws, it is in the best interest of our lawmakers to protect America. A way lawmakers can make it easier for the immigrants to get citizenship is by having a good, clean record and at least be in the United States for five years. That way, they have some type of history on America. If you think about it, immigrants don't even have the right to vote. This is why making citizenship easier can help when they have a
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say in our country. If they don't have citizenship and get caught in the United States, they have a greater risk of being deported. When they get deported, they have to go back to whatever conditions they had before they came to the United States.These immigrants come to America just for several freedoms, like the freedom to live where they want to, to speak freely, and to hold a better job. Some countries don't allow their people any of these choices. Some immigrants are told what to say, what to do, and where to live, just to name a few things. The United States is a democracy and immigrants want to be a part of that. There is so much more in America to help immigrants try to improve their lives. That is why they try to come here in the first place. When I say they come here in search of a better life, they come not only for freedoms, but maybe also so they can get a better job, have a better style of life, get a house, and good health care. America is supposed to be the “Land of the Free,” nso that means we don't discriminate on any immigrant that comes to America as long as they are not harming our country. In conclusion, whether we like it or not, immigrants come to America in search of a better life whether it is legal or illegal. This is an issue that should be addressed. It not only benefits them, it benefits all of us.
Thank you, McKayla Todd
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Mary Payton Blackmon, Grade 8 The Walker School Marietta, Georgia Topic: Education
Stuck in the Past Dear Mr. President, An excellent education is of utmost importance, a fact few people will argue, especially with our fluctuating economy. Our nation's children need an education that will allow them to acquire a job and make the money they need to provide for themselves. America is falling behind compared to China and India's educational systems. It is no longer effective in providing the knowledge needed to succeed in today's competitive job market. Large class sizes, absence of student motivation, and a lack of divergent thinking contribute to the deficiencies of America's educational system. In America, we have a desire to maintain a one-size-fits-all curriculum. In an attempt to level the playing field and make things "fair," we have created classes that are not applicable to the real world and ineffective teaching methods. Plenty of students are unmotivated because they are discouraged by their failure to mold to our educational system. Many students I know have the ability to receive high marks in their classes but do not have the work ethic to succeed. Our educational system is outdated and needs to be reformed. Students are crammed into classrooms and teachers are overwhelmed by the average class size. Students are unable to receive individualized instruction and school becomes a time of chaos and stress. It is difficult to concentrate when a teacher's attention is divided among so many students. When so many others have their hands up as well, it is challenging to have your opinion heard in a class discussion. Teachers also feel the need to give less rigorous work or fewer assignments because grading so many papers is a daunting task. Ultimately, large class size decreases the quality of a student's education.
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In today's society, "left brain," or analytical skills, are no longer sufficient. It is not enough to create a product that is merely functional. That product must appeal to the consumer's emotions for them to choose your product over someone else's. The creative, "right brain" skills are not nourished in our schools. Our fine arts programs are being cut because there is not enough funding for them. In fact, we are educated right out of right brain thinking. In school, we are taught that there is one correct answer, and there is one way to get to that answer. SATs measure our ability to choose that answer and students spend much of their high school years trying to raise their GPA. Although America is shifting toward right brain thinking, our schools are still stuck in having students memorize facts and regurgitating them. They are leaving us unprepared for the world outside of school. Our educational system is focused on facts. Students memorize these facts for a test and then promptly forget them. This sort of curriculum that requires teachers to teach to the test is ineffective and students who are unable to learn by simply memorizing words on a page are discouraged. The undesirable result is that low grades become routine for them. Large class sizes cause teachers to use traditional lectures to teach their class. This is a method that does not work well for many students, leaving them lost and confused. Our schools do not place enough emphasis on creativity and we will be behind when we are put in a job market, where engaging emotions are required. In this new age, our educational system needs to adapt to the demands being placed on the next generation of the workforce. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Mary Payton Blackmon
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Bailey Drewyor, Grade 10 Portage Central High School Portage, Michigan Topic: Same Sex Marriage
Equality for All, Marriage for All Dear Mr. President, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general Welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” This was the first thing I read when looking at the Constitution in my government class. Confused on what domestic Tranquility meant, I turned to the internet to find more of an understanding. I learned that it means to preserve family rights and its attendant rights, but it never defines a family. I believe that a couple in a same-sex marriage is a family, just like a couple in a heterosexual marriage is considered a family. I believe that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is completely unconstitutional, because the constitution does not define a marriage nor a family. I also believe that same-sex marriage should be legalized in all fifty states instead of just nine. Many people debate on same-sex marriage being legalized because of their religious beliefs. “Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion...” (Amendment I, Bill of Rights). I understand there may be other reasons why people wouldn't want this to be legalized, but same sex relationships have been around since Ancient Greek and Roman times, and it wasn't frowned upon until Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Now I'm not blaming religion for this not being legalized; I just feel that religion has become too involved in some political decisions. Some people also question same-sex marriage being legalized because they question whether or not the economy will benefit from it. Williams Institute at UCLA Law School estimated positive economical benefits of legalizing same-sex marriage in
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New Jersey to be $248 million over three years, creating 800 jobs and bringing in $19 million in government revenues. New York City found out that legalizing same-sex marriage would bring $142 million to the city’s economy and $184 million to the state’s economy over three years. Three years may be a long time, but everything takes time to happen. Many people believe that legalizing same-sex marriage will make it easier for same-sex couples to adopt. There are a little over 100,000 children in the United States waiting to be adopted, to be welcomed by two loving parents. Some people wonder whether or not a child being raised by a same sex couple will be put at a disadvantage in life in some way. Studies have shown that children who are raised by a same-sex couple has the same advantages as children raised by a heterosexual couple. I am lucky enough to know kids who have been raised by same-sex couples and they are just as average as the next kid. I want to thank you for taking time to read this. I do hope that this letter may change many views on the legalization of same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples deserve the same rights as couples in a heterosexual relationship.
Sincerely, Bailey Nikohl Drewyor
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Melissa Sinerius, Grade 12 Powell County High School Deer Lodge, Montana Topic: Education
Please Make College Affordable Dear Mr. President, Coming from the very small town of Deer Lodge, Montana, I have a first-hand look at how prices can influence every family, wealthy or poor. The one need of all people is education. Unfortunately, its large cost is overwhelming to many families, no matter their income status. Like many graduating seniors, I am currently in the process of enrolling at a college that is very expensive. Therefore, it would be greatly appreciated if you could focus on reducing the cost of education. My personal financial background is that of a normal, average teenager. I am neither wealthy, nor poor, but I am barely hanging on by threads. I turn to my grandparents when I need money and support. As one method of paying for college, I am applying for scholarships and Federal Student Loans and Pell Grants. Unfortunately, the loans and Pell Grants are based off of my father's income, and my father--who refuses to help me--makes a lot of money. I have not been living with my father for the past three years, and have been raised by his parents during that time. My grandparents are what people consider middle-class. With one main income of less than $50,000 a year, my grandparents do their absolute best to get by only on what they need. There is not a day that goes by that we are not financially stressed and wondering what the next day will bring. My selfless grandparents have always given me the support and the funds I've needed to have a healthy, enjoyable life throughout my high school years. Now that my high school career is ending and college is well on its way, I am more than stressed about how I will make it through my next few years without getting a full-time job as a way to pay my way through college. As Time's Dan Kadlec states, "Research has found that working more than 10 hours per week leads to academic Page 181
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trouble and that students who work more than 20 hours per week are significantly more likely to report that financial stress has had a negative impact on their academics." How am I supposed to focus on my school work, when I will be too consumed with paying the bills or time to study outside of work ? My situation is not the biggest concern in today's economy, but the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of students out there with similar issues, concerns me. I could avoid college and stick with my high school degree, but the statistics are against me being able to rise out of poverty. With a college education, people are expected to receive well-paying, profitable work in the job market: "If the earnings of all adults at each level of education are considered, instead of only those working fulltime year-round, the typical four-year college graduate makes up for time out of the labor force and for paying tuition by age 30," and "In 2008, 43% of full-time students at four-year colleges and 53% of full-time students at two-year colleges were employed" (NCES 2010). In order to obtain a degree, though, the college has to be paid for. Making it difficult to receive scholarships and Federal Aid/Pell Grants based off of my father's income, I will be in an extensive debt payment plan for many years to come. My single wish is that the cost of education be addressed and altered in some way, thereby benefiting all students.
Sincerely, Melissa Sinerius
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Howard Watts II, Grade 12 San Augustine High School San Augustine, Texas Topic: Education
Do Students in Rural Towns Receive the Same Educa+onal Opportuni+es as Students from Urban Towns? Dear Mr. President, Being a student from a rural town with a city population of 2,106, a county population of 8,874, and 592.3 total square miles of land/water area, I feel I am close enough to my educational resources to know what is actually happening here. In my school district, there are 200 high school students enrolled. I have often wondered if we have been exposed to all of the educational opportunities out there. This question has been on my mind since I entered high school. Participating in University Interscholastic League competitions, track meets, and other school extra-curricular activities, I've always felt there was something I was missing. Traveling to other schools, using their facilities, viewing their achievements, being exposed to things that our school has, all of these experiences have kept me wondering if there was something missing. To be honest, you can miss what you've never had. Now, as a senior in the same high school in the same town and applying for scholarships, I know I have missed out on many opportunities. There are rules and regulations governing what can and cannot be done in public schools, but what happens to that child that comes from a low to moderate income family or single-parent home? A large percentage of our town falls into the category of poverty stricken, so who cares? I have heard the word “funding” since I entered high school. Funding for this, funding for that, no funding for this, and lastly, no funding for that. All over the United States, I know there are areas in which schools need funding. I hear about fundraisers all the time, but to raise money in a low to moderate income community is not easy. The unemployment rate here was 12.4% in 2011, and the average wage per job was $29,000
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in 2010. Almost a quarter, 21.2%, of the population is in poverty, and 34.9% of the population under 18 is in poverty. Moving on to what has affected me directly is that a school bond election was just held on November 6th which will finally give our school district a new athletic facility. The facility will contain a regulation track for an area that has sent students to state championships in track over 20 years in a row. We have never had a regulation track. The bond issue was passed, but too late for me. The facility is slated to be completed around the end of the summer in 2013. I hope that addressing the issues of a rural town and opportunities for educational advancements will be taken seriously to render aid to our future graduates. Seeing a great deal of television and media information concerning education shows me that your administration cares. Our town is just one of many rural towns in this great state, with eager and bright minds building their future on the information they receive. Our town has produced teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, judges and engineers just to name a few professionals from here. In keeping with past history, I plan to be a part of the business world as an engineer. Maybe one day there will be enough industry here so that we professionals, coming from this small town, can come home to bridge the gap as mentors for our future.
Thank you, Howard Watts II
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Naomi Dilmanian, Grade 12 Manhasset High School Manhasset, New York Topic: Foreign Trade
The United States and Protec+onism Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you to inform you about an issue that many Americans, including myself, find important. We feel that you should spend more time addressing this issue as it would be beneficial to you and your presidency as well as much of the country or even the world. The issue I would like to discuss is foreign policy regarding the economy, manufacturing and trading with foreign nations. In regard to trading, I believe that there should be a slight decrease in foreign trading, causing an increase in the number of products made here in the United States. This could potentially benefit the American economy and inevitably the European economy as well as the global economy. If we are less reliant on the products of other countries, their economic failure, if it exists, could cause less damage to the American economy. This should only be the case when products can be as easily produced in the United States in cost and more importantly, quality. It has been said that our foreign trading partners including countries such as China have been cheating the system. Supposedly, countries such as China have been hurting the United States' economy by selling products below cost and by manipulating the American currency. Also, such foreign nations can afford to produce products at a lower cost, taking away from the American job market and degrading the quality of goods traded globally. Americans, in this case, who have not necessarily had the privilege to specialize and upgrade their education in a university could have difficulty finding jobs and supporting their families. American companies overseas are setting up factories overseas, taking away job opportunities for American citizens. If more goods were produced here in the United
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States, the American and inevitably the global economies would most likely improve. To go along with this protectionist viewpoint, I believe that there should be an increase in the production of oil here, in the United States. The countries of the Middle East, where a majority of the world's oil is found, is notorious for having complications with one another. If a major war should break out, countries around the world could face great difficulty acquiring oil. Prices would consequentially soar, threatening the state of the American economy. If we search and acquire natural gas closer to home, in the long run it may be more beneficial to the American economy. However, it is known that there is not as vast of an oil supply in the United States. For this reason, the United States should lead the effort to utilize renewable resources and other forms of energy. Such actions would cause economic success in the United States to last for a longer period of time. Mr. President, I hope you consider my thoughts or a variation of these ideas in your decisions. I look forward to what the future has to offer and America making the most of it.
Sincerely, Naomi Dilmanian
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Deja Dobson, Grade 8 East Forsyth Middle School Kernersville, North Carolina Topic: Immigration
An Immigrant's Percep+on Dear Mr. President, I would like to write to you on the topic of immigration. The U.S. population grows every year from immigration. Going by the 2010 census, 11.2 million immigrants reside in the United States. Immigrants make up 8% of the total U.S. population. Usually when someone says “immigrant,” they're talking about Mexicans or Hispanics. There are more than Hispanics here in the U.S. There are Egyptians, Indians, Canadians, and many more nationalities. I think it's wrong for people to single out the Hispanic community. In the work force, immigrants make up 4% of the total job rate. Although Hispanics are the most immigrated population, they seem to do very well in the U.S. as teachers, doctors, and lawyers. Hispanic female entrepreneurs make up 45% of the total self-established business in the U.S. At my school in Kernersville, North Carolina, we have a very diverse group of students. Each year we have Cultural Arts Night to celebrate all the different races and religions in our school. I think that it is a great opportunity to be around different religions to learn about someone else's way of life that might be unlike your own. Some people think that you shouldn't talk or be associated with someone that is not of your color. My opinion is that I can associate with anyone. I have come to know many great people who are Hispanic or of races that are pleasant people to be around. Being an African-American, people may look at us and think wrong of us by only looking at the color of our skin and never really getting to know us truly inside. So in some ways I realize how immigrants may feel when coming to America. People judge them and say things, telling them to go back to where they came from and giving them an uncomfortable and unwelcoming feeling.
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Immigrants come to America looking for better jobs to support their families or to ensure that their kids grow up in a well-adjusted environment. Parents from any race or religion wish the best for their children and that their children have more opportunities than they have had in their life. I would like to consider that we make other ways for immigrants to get legal terms in the U.S. Maybe if immigrants kept a good middle class paying job, they could get help while staying in the United States. I think about how grateful we are to not have people bombing our houses and beating us because we won't obey them and to have tragedy every day; people killing, violence and no one would be able to do anything about it. I feel for everyone who has to be put through times like those and if I was in their situation, I would do anything I could to get my family out of that country as soon as possible. To me, all the borders that are around the different states and countries are just to show who owns what. I don't think that anyone should have to own a card or piece of paper to tell them that they can or can't move to a certain location. It shouldn't matter where a person comes from, their race, or religion to depict where they decide to move to get better opportunities.
Sincerely, Deja Dobson
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Jennifer Baum, Grade 12 Monroe Township High School Monroe Township, New Jersey Topic: Education
Make College Accessible to All Dear Mr. President, There are many issues facing the youths of today, but selecting one was not a difficult task for a senior in high school getting ready for college. Thus my issue, which I am extremely passionate about, is higher education. I believe every child in America should have the opportunity, ability, and finances to go to college. There seem to be grants available for low-income families and those families with higher income can afford to send their child to college. But what is there for the middle class families? The way the calculation is done to find the family contribution for college does not take many factors into account, such as mortgages, health insurance, food, utilities, and many other necessities. These are extremely large expenses, which no family can ignore. These costs do take away from having any remaining money to use toward college costs. Like many other middle class families, my parents work hard for their income and do the best they can to stretch the dollar. The government's expectation is that we should have plenty of money for college. I work very hard in school to keep good grades, give many hours for community services and work part-time at McDonald's to cover my car expenses. I deserve to go to college and make my dreams come true. My goal is to become a public school teacher, to work with special need students. Every child has the right to learn and by becoming a teacher, I can give my knowledge and skill to all. However, without a college degree, what type of a teacher can I be in the public school? Currently my parents withdraw money from their retirement accounts to help cover my older sister's college cost so she does not have high loans when she graduates. Once I start in the fall of 2013 and they take out money to help me as well as my sister, how much will they have for their own retirement? Not much.
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The National Center for Education Statistics and the US Department of Education note the trend of college costs over the last ten years, which reflects an increase of 71%. This increase was for a 4-year institution on tuition, and room and board for undergraduates. I am proud to be an American and have freedom of speech, religion, and choice. My father was in the Navy and served to protect America and our rights. The U.S. government should want to provide all possible means to make today and future generations the most knowledgeable and educated country in the world. We are considered the strongest country in the world, and we must maintain this status by having well-skilled and educated Americans. Our future depends on it. USA Today quotes Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, "As a Nation, we need more college graduates in order to stay competitive in the global economy." "But if the cost keeps rising, especially at a time when family incomes are hurting, college will become increasingly unaffordable for the middle class." (Armario, 2012) I hope this letter makes a difference to your thoughts on the middle class families and higher education. As a Girl Scout, I learned to be a great leader, looking at the world with open eyes and being direct. I believe in you as our leader of the free world, and I know you will make a difference for all children in America.
Thank you, Jennifer Baum
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Mary Baxter Harlow, Grade 9 Summerville High School Summerville, South Carolina Topic: Education
Educators are Not Treated as Professionals Dear Mr. President, My mother and father are both educators with master degrees. My mom is an elementary guidance counselor, and my dad is an administrator, so I hear many stories about an educator's life. I always hear about how teachers and administrators are not paid for the work that they do. I have a problem with this, and I would like for this problem to be fixed. Teachers and administrators have more advanced degrees than many other professions. Most educators have masters, and some have doctorates. These are extra degrees that educators pay for to become better at their job. They pay for these degrees with their own money; they cannot get scholarships for them. With a higher degree comes more money towards their payments, but unfortunately, the extra degrees only bring a little money more than the normal monthly pay. Teachers and administrators are required to work at least seven hours every weekday, but most do more. My father, for example, gets to school at 4:45am and gets home around 5pm every night. I believe if someone works that many hours, they should be paid a whole lot more than what educators are being paid. What I am trying to say is that educators work very hard, and so many hours a day, and they get paid almost nothing. Educators are expected to do work on weekends. They have to grade papers, make lesson plans, organize events for the school, and complete other work. The amount of money that teachers are given does not come close to the amount they should be paid. All of the extra work takes up more time, and teachers are expected to do it and not get paid for it. When educators work past the regular eight hour day, they are not paid for Page 191
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overtime. If it is "Meet the Teacher Night,� teachers are not paid to go to that. When they work on a Saturday to create plans, they are not paid. Why is this the case when a nurse gets paid extra for overtime? A teacher's job is to teach young people to grow up and live successful lives. The school teachers are the people who started educating our fine doctors and lawyers. Teachers are the ones who are pushing the students to grow up to be valuable in life. How is it that doctors make more than teachers when teachers are the ones who taught them? That just doesn't make any since to me. Thank you for taking the time to read my argument. I hope that you find my points important, and necessary, and I hope you will consider raising teachers' salaries.
Sincerely, Mary Baxter Harlow
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Hunter Mori, Grade 12 Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES Grand Gorge, New York Topic: Immigration
Immigrant Influence on America Dear Mr. President, Immigrants have always been the foundation of this wonderful nation's success. They are the workhorses of our economy. As the first generation child of immigrant parents, they wanted to grant me access to an environment with unlimited opportunities. As my parents pursued "the American Dream," they knew education was the first step to success. Understanding that they could not be a burden to the nation, they knew they had to get entry-level jobs. Unfortunately, they were here on visitor's visas, and never had the opportunity to renew them. This caused years of legal trouble. I think it is important to see the contribution these immigrants offer to our nation, and offer easier access to the "America Dream." I hope you understand that immigrants like my parents are positive contributors to this growing nation, a nation of immigrants. Mr. President, not all immigrants will be as contributive as my parents, but for those like them I would like to see the path to citizenship become easier and more accessible to those who have positive contributions. Immigrants are the backbone of our nation. Their sweat and tears have built our nation, and even become our most successful doctors and scientists. Every aspect of the United States has been influenced by other countries' cultures that were brought by their people. Mr. President, a common question asked by people would be, "What is truly the culture of America or an American idea?" Many would look at that question with a blank stare and finally come up with ideas like cowboys and apple pie are American. They would even say Thanksgiving is very American, because no other country celebrates it. Our nation is so heavily influenced by immigrants it's hard to say what an American idea truly is because our concepts and laws and technology are just adopted from other countries.
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Immigrants have made places like Little Italy, Chinatown, and boroughs in New York City famous. Those places also act as a comfort zone for people of that descent. In addition to influencing culture, immigrants all bring innovation to this country. Immigrants starting their own businesses have made them into million dollar corporations. Look at how Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motors, has impacted today's economy with his vast line of manufactured cars and the invention of the assembly line. Although Henry Ford was very successful, immigrants like Andrew Carnegie also became successful. Andrew Carnegie built his steel company from the ground up. Carnegie, being an immigrant from Scotland, helped boost America's economy with his company. As the demand for steel increased, Carnegie became very wealthy. As his company grew, he munificently donated millions to help establish libraries, schools and universities with his money here in the United States. African Americans, once slaves brought here by force, have influenced our government and brought incredible change to culture and humanity. I think it's safe to say that immigrants are important to our nation's survival. As the son of two immigrant parents, I can tell you that I am doing my best to become a valued citizen of this country. Even though some came here illegally, or became legal, many are here trying to do the right thing. So what is truly American? The unwillingness to give up and the undying need to succeed, that's what. Let's give everyone the chance to be an American. Let’s make the path to American citizenship smoother, start immigrants on the right foot, and get them contributing to our growing nation.
Thank you, Hunter Mori
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Sinh Ly, Grade 11 Landstown High School Virginia Beach, Virginia Topic: Gender equality in the workplace
Revolu+on on the Work Front: Equal Pay for Equal Work Dear Mr. President, I'm but a year shy of becoming an adult and getting ready to join the workforce like my peers. How fair is it if I were to be paid less than the guy next to me when I begin working if I'm just as, or even more qualified than the bloke? Women comprise the other half of the population. Women are the ones who can give birth, helping maintain the population status. Women are caretakers and nurturers to their families. Women generally do the cooking and the cleaning. With the changing mindsets and changing times, women, too, are becoming the breadwinners for their families in our current society. Women are working, working just as much as men, just as hard as men; however, despite all of these known truths, women are being discriminated against in the workplace. Back in my freshmen year, my AP Human Geography teacher brought to my attention, for the first time, the pay inequity. Equal work does not constitute equal pay, and quite frankly, the United States isn't that high on the gender-related development index (GDI). In fact, according the 2007-2008 GDI, we are ranked sixteenth, whilst in Iceland (the current location with the least amount of gender inequality) the pay for females is estimated to be $28,637, while for males it's about $40,000. That's a whopping $11,363 difference. In the U.S., that difference is predicted to be about $14,995 more or less. This is not fair in any way. According to the Washington Post, women have a slightly higher wage growth percentage. This pay growth actually slows at about thirty, terracing at around age thirty-nine. On the contrary, a higher pay growth does not actually equate to higher pay. The pay inequity begins early at just $8,900, swelling to $14,300.The facts stand, women of all races and ethnicities come up short next to a man. Women are being paid
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seventy-seven cents of a man's dollar; that wage gap grows with age, and with it, a growth in the disparity between making or breaking it. To put it into perspective, in 2010, a man working full-time earned about $47,715, and a woman, about $36,931, with a $10,784 difference. With that extra money she would've made, she could've paid the rent, mortgages, and property taxes on her home. For a lifetime of work, she could've bought two houses. It is unfair to discriminate against women for the same amount of work they're doing as a man. Never one to be domestic, as a future working woman, I would not like to have my future spouse shouldering most of our financial burdens due to my inadequate paycheck. Mr. President, Sir, I cannot blame you for this age-old issue, but you are in a position to fix it. I am pleading as a woman who will one day join the work force if you, Sir, will try as best as you may to amend, not the whole problem as it will take time to reach equilibrium, at least a portion of it. Laws, such as the Lilly Ledbetter Act, make it so that each underpaid paycheck is a sue-able offence. We must find a way to standardize income through implementing more regulations that allow the collection of data, that would be required to spot pay discrepancies between genders, and other legislations similar to the aforementioned act that make it easier to report foul play. This is my plea, not just for myself, not just for womankind, but for equality, the truth to which America stands by.
Sincerely, Sinh Ly
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Chris Anzaldi, Grade 9 Lighthouse Christian Academy Merritt Island, Florida Topic: Solar Energy
Solar  Energy Dear Mr. President, I live in the state of Florida, "The Sunshine State,"so we are known to have more sunny days. Every day I walk outside and I see people using solar panels for their pools heater, landscape lighting, security cameras and other small things. I also see a lot of flat space on roofs in shopping centers and other large buildings, and I realize that we could be using all that extra flat space to harness free and clean energy. I am talking about solar panels. I understand that they are expensive, but it would be huge step if we took advantage of all that open space and free and clean energy that is out there. I think a good place to start would be on the roofs in large shopping centers. These solar panels could power the store, and all the extra energy could be sent to homes and other buildings in the area. It would be like a power plant without creating any extra waste. If we start focusing on our natural resources like solar energy, we could help our environment by using clean and natural energy. I know it would be a lot of money up front, but in the long run we would be saving a lot of money, therefore boosting the economy. I can see a future where we are no longer using fossil fuel and nuclear energy. Instead we can lean on clean, reliable energy. Investing in solar energy will also help our economy. Electricity rates have increased by over 30% since 2000 because it takes a lot of money to use other sources of nuclear energy, whereas the sun is free, clean, and is never going away. I understand that it will not be sunny every day and we cannot go completely away from other sources of energy, but to lessen their usage will help keep the environment clean. I can see that we have a long road ahead of us. However, looking toward clean energy makes me feel like I have a brighter future. I can see that in the end we will be so much better off than we are right now using energy that is harmful to us, by using
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energy that isn't harmful to our environment. Thank you for taking time to read this letter. I hope you take my ideas into consideration to help my generation and all future generations to come.
Sincerely, Chris Anzaldi
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Andrew Mendenhall, Grade 11 North Pole High School North Pole, Alaska Topic: Gun Laws
The Second Amendment Dear Mr. President, In recent years, movements by various states, organizations, and individuals have occurred to combat the continuing intrusions of the federal government into our Bill of Rights, towards the Second Amendment of the Constitution. The Constitution is amazing; it is concise and easy to read. The Founding Fathers intended it to be this way so it would be clear and set boundaries. Not to be unclear, wordy, and to be easy to manipulate. The Second Amendment consists of just one sentence: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The great founders of our nation inserted this Amendment to safeguard individuals the rights to hunt, defend themselves, and protect against tyranny. Yet the elected, appointed, and hired members of the federal government have put a detriment on the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to the people. Over the years, various administrations and Congress have tried to enact orders and laws that far exceed power granted to the federal government by the Bill of Rights. An example of this situation is the Supreme Court case District of Columbia vs. Heller. In this case, the United Sates Supreme Court struck down a Washington, D.C. ban on individuals having handguns in their homes. "Writing for a 5 to 4 majority, Justice Scalia found the right to bear arms to be an individual right consistent with the overriding purpose of the Second Amendment, to maintain strong state militias.” The Court easily found the D.C. law to violate the 2nd Amendment's command, but refused to announce a standard of review to apply in future challenges to gun regulations. There has been a great joined effort by some groups to limit and even to rid the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment. These groups seem to have a goal of the Page 199
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total disarming. Alaskans are very well represented when it comes to concealed carry regulations. The state of Alaska and a few other states allow open or concealed carry in most circumstances, even without a permit. This is just; I believe that it should be under the state’s regulation, which should decide gun laws and enforcement, not the federal government. What is the difference between a unarmed individual and an armed individual? An unarmed individual is a subject and an armed individual is a citizen. I am well aware of the consequences involved with irresponsible gun use and owners, but you can't expect things to be perfect. With the Second Amendment, we can protect ourselves from these threats, if necessary. If the Second Amendment is removed or limited, it will most likely cause more issues such as an increase in illegal selling, owning, and use of guns. I hope you will consider the items I have presented and strive to protect our rights by not having them altered or removed.
Sincerely, Andrew Mendenhall
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Nicholas Moring, Grade 8 North Gwinnett Middle School Sugar Hill, Georgia Topic: Electoral College
We the People of the United States of America Say “No” to the Electoral College Dear Mr. President, The citizens of the United States of America have been distrustful of the Electoral College for many years. Citizens are nervous about the use of the Electoral College because it is hard to understand and there are numerous flaws in the system. The most obvious flaw is the ability for a candidate to win the popular vote while losing the Electoral College vote and the election. This is possible because all of a state's electoral votes are given to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. Over the last two decades, this fear of the Electoral College has become stronger. The Electoral College is unnecessary and needs to be eliminated. The Electoral College made perfect sense when it was created two hundred years ago. It was created to give a larger say in elections to smaller states so that they would not be ignored by candidates. Another purpose of the Electoral College was to provide a tool to help candidates plan a campaign strategy. Finally, Electoral College was to provide a delay between the close of voting and the announcement of the results. Today these balances are unneeded. In today's society, it is viewed as unfair that a candidate who wins the majority of the popular vote can lose an election to a less popular opponent. The citizens of the United States want to feel that their votes count and determine the winner of the election. Candidates should base their campaign strategies on winning the majority of citizens' votes rather than winning the Electoral College. Finally, with the advancement of technology, especially in the area of communication, there is no longer a need for a delay between the casting of votes and the announcement of the results. With modern technology, the results of elections are known well before the certified results are released.
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Although it is unlikely that a candidate will win the Electoral College while losing the popular vote, it has happened. In the 2000 presidential election Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote by more than 500,000 votes over Republican George W. Bush, but Gore lost the Electoral College vote and the election. This type of election result makes Americans feel powerless and less likely to vote. The American Constitution declares that citizens have the power to elect the nation's president. The Electoral College denies Americans this constitutional right. Presidential elections have become a race to win the Electoral College rather than an opportunity for Americans to use their power to choose a leader. If left in place, the Electoral College will lead to more and more Americans failing to vote. To keep Americans involved in the election process, the Electoral College needs to be removed. I feel that the Electoral College should be eliminated. The people of America should be given back their constitutional right to determine the president of the United States. Every citizen should have the right to cast their vote knowing that it will be counted and will play a part in determining the leader of the United States. The President of the United States of America should be determined by its citizens, not by a game of strategy centered on the Electoral College.
Thank you, Nicholas Moring
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Shakela Uddin, Grade 11 Meadowcreek High School Norcross, Georgia Topic: Education
The Importance of Educa+on Dear Mr. President, As a student in her junior year of high school, I am highly worried about my future. I feel my education is important and I know my career is going to greatly be influenced by my education. Thus I have been dedicated and working hard in school, keeping in mind that it will all be worth it in the long run. With this dedication, I have been able maintain a grade point average of a 3.7 with a grade percentage average of 92. I have tried to make myself stand out by taking multiple Advanced Placement courses, such as Human Geography, World History, US History, Language and Composition, Physics, and Calculus. I also participate in several extracurricular such as Key Club, Future Business Leaders of America, Latin Club, Beta Club, and National Honors Society to emerge from my peers and to be recognized. An issue I would like to bring to attention concerning education is students being able to acquire student loans. I come from a lower middle class family and do not have the luxury of having my parents pay for my education. My parents have already brought to my knowledge when I was much younger that they will not be able to pay for my college fees. I do not have any college funds, or any other sort of savings. Once I receive my high school diploma, all burdens will be on me. I have no choice but to rely on scholarships and student loans if I want further continue my education. The thought of not being able to go to college just because my parents are not rich disheartens me and my parents. America is known to be a country of opportunities. I have been working hard all my life with the thought that in return I will receive a better future. With this wish in mind, my parents left their family and lives in their homeland for their children to have a chance at these opportunities. This issue is not only an issue for me, but for other people across the country
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because not everyone is able to borrow money from their parents. Most first generation American citizens, like me, are in need of loans and scholarships. Other people may not see this issue as an important issue because they actually have parents that are able to pay for their college tuition and other fees. I would like to let them know that there are brilliant and deserving people that need money towards their education. I believe that if the issue of education was solved, it could also help improve other issues in this country, such as creating more jobs to help the economy. If students are able to continue their education, then once their education is completed, more jobs will be open to them. Further on because of the education they received, they will be able move to higher ranks and create jobs for the next group of job seekers, and eventually the issue will be resolved.
Thank you, Shakela Uddin
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Nikkohl Santa Maria, Grade 12 Shadow Hills High School Indio, California Topic: Environment
It's Not Easy Being Green Dear Mr. President, According to a website called "Going Green Today,” burning one gallon of gasoline creates about nineteen pounds of carbon dioxide. Considering the fact that a single mature tree can absorb forty-eight pounds of carbon dioxide a year, the amount of emissions we give off may not seem like much. Nevertheless, it all adds up, and something needs to be done to fix how we treat this planet. I know that in the short run, going green is going to cost a lot of money. However, in the long run, I believe it will be more beneficial to our country's environment and citizens to go green. Renewable resources are crucial because there is, well, a renewable supply of them. Earth is certainly not going to run out of either sun nor wind anytime in our near future. Therefore, we should take advantage of these resources that will not be going away anytime soon. Now, I know that some may rebuttal with the fact that you cannot harvest large amounts of certain types of energy in a few places (i.e., it would not be helpful to put solar panels in Washington State). However, if you put these generators in the correct locations, they can be of use. For instance, I live near Palm Springs, California, and there is an abundance of windmills that generate wind energy, but California does not even keep that energy. Another renewable resource that should become more widely used is solar energy. This energy source is convenient because whenever it is sunny outside, you will be benefitting from it. For example, it would be constructive of us to use solar thermal electric generation to heat water that is being used in our homes or businesses. Now, the only issue with renewable resources is that they all tend to be visually polluting. Not many people find wind turbines or solar panels to be "beautiful" in nature. A simple solution to this would be to create more visually appealing windmills (i.e. colorful
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ones). Another solution would be to make the solar panels blend in more (i.e. solar shingles). Another key factor in going green is the issue of gasoline-powered cars versus electric cars. As most Americans know, the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that get released from vehicles pollute the air and cause acid deposition (also known as acid rain). This acid deposition not only harms people because it can contain lead, but it also harms the environment through soil acidification, which, in turn, kills trees. So, a better alternative for our future would be to switch over to electric cars in order to prevent these types of harmful emissions. These kinds of cars are already in production, such as the Coda Sedan. However, the issues with them is that (1) there are not enough charging stations for it to be convenient for people to buy them, and (2) they are not the most attractive cars in the world. Face it, we live in a materialistic world, so if the car does not look "pretty,� fewer people will buy it. To sum up, I personally think that going green would benefit our country in the long run. Renewable resources are a great start to a prosperous nation because we will never run out of renewable resources. Additionally, switching over to electric cars will significantly reduce the amount of harmful emissions we are putting in the air, and it will, in turn, make us healthier human beings. Now, I know that it may not "be easy being green," but we have to start somewhere.
Thank you, Nikkohl Santa Maria
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Grace Masback, Grade 8 Catlin Gabel School Portland, Oregon Topic: Voter Participation
Increase Voter Par+cipa+on Dear Mr. President, I watched the recent presidential campaign from a whole new perspective. I had the realization that in four years, I will be part of the voting public. While I'm excited about my four-year journey to the status of “voter,” I want the next election cycle to feature four important developments that will deliver a more respectful and informative exchange of ideas and a more engaged public. First, you and Congressional leaders should, once again, seek to cooperate with one another. The Framers of our Constitution conceived of a country always striving toward the goal of a unified nation. The ideas and values they supported promoted a respect for and focus on the common good. Today, many Americans are disillusioned by the absurdity of a political scene where each of the political parties seems more focused on foiling the plans of the other than in working together on meaningful and positive programs. If the Founders, who had widely divergent views on the role of government, could coalesce around a set of Constitutional principles, then America's modern day political leaders should be able to work together in the national interest on issues such as immigration, tax reform, and reductions in military expenditures. Second, there is a critical need for a higher level of discourse among political candidates, who in recent campaigns have succumbed to media pressure to focus on trivial issues. Debates between the candidates should be less about sound bites and deception and more about real ideas for improving America. It is unacceptable for candidates to be disrespectful to an opponent just because their beliefs differ. Third, my fellow students need to expand their interest in and knowledge of current events. According to a Pew Research Center report from earlier this year, political literacy among students has reached an all-time low. There is a crucial need for
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citizenship education, perhaps as part of an updated “No Child Left Behind� initiative. Government can make a positive difference, but only if citizens are fully invested in the issues of the day. Finally, we need to reduce the barriers to voting so that more Americans exercise their right to vote. An estimated 60% of eligible voters went to the polls this year, and a January 2012 study by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance indicated that the United States ranked 120th out of 169 countries for voter turnout. Many European countries have voter turnout rates above 80%. Voter turnout in the U.S. is increased by the use of mail-in ballots, same-day registration, and early voting. Mr. President, your use of the bully pulpit to support these and other initiatives would help encourage governors and state legislatures to focus on increasing voter registration and turnout instead of creating barriers to voting. In my short life, I've learned that politics and elections are not abstract or esoteric. Changes of power have consequences. As a result, I'll exercise the privilege of voting seriously and enthusiastically. Maybe I'll even get a chance to vote for a woman for President.
Sincerely, Grace S. Masback
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Darya Tsakke, Grade 12 Foothill High School Sacramento, California Topic: Education
Our Students, Our Na+on Dear Mr. President, There are many things in our country that could use reform, but I'm writing to you about the one I've experienced the most firsthand. It especially affects young children and adolescents, but generally it can affect any citizen in the United States. It's education. Regardless if it's an elementary school or a California State University, education is something the government should never take away from. Education is the master machine that helps this country advance forward and produces the nation's leaders. Increased budget cuts and a decreased amount of valuable instructors are setbacks to the success of education. I'm a witness to the declining quality of education during my past three years of high school. For example, the MESA (Math Engineering Science Achievement) program of freshman year had funds to travel on university field trips. When we visualized how beautiful and promising the universities looked, we were motivated to try harder in school to be able to attend one of these universities. Now the program receives no funds, and is much more limited. Without funds, how will we be able to afford expensive supplies for regional competition projects? These competitions are extremely valuable to the innovative development of students. To take them away is to narrow opportunities for young minds to produce refined advancements. Another example was the shutdown of an after school program that used to help students with tutoring and even offered a drama program. This drama program was extremely valuable in helping students become more outgoing, and it brought bottled-up talents outside to exposure. Without funds to pay instructors, it no longer continued, and that was heartbreaking to the ones who had fallen in love with it, who had learned so well how to become leaders through its involvement. Page 209
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An example that directly involved education is when an economics teacher from our school was transferred out because there was not enough money to pay her. She was known for her incredible teaching abilities and experience that made learning informative and fun at the same time. She also hosted a huge cultural event that brought out incredible cultural awareness and pride from within each of the participators. It was one of the main things that excited us for senior year, and she was the only one who could run it. We were devastated when she was replaced by an inexperienced teacher. Good economics teachers are just what this nation needs in the modern time, in order for students to fully understand the economic trends and to develop abilities that can help improve the money system. Our school librarian may be facing the same fate soon, and it's time for you to help stop the reduction of extremely valuable mentors and educators. When will this stop? When will this country realize the importance of education? It is through education that students learn laws and theories they can creatively apply to inventions that place our country ahead of others, that improve the daily lives of every American. It is from universities that leaders emerge. How will we stay ahead if we won't have the best teachers to instruct us, the money to fund us through our college journey? We won't! It is time for you, Mr. President, to step in and put this foolishness to a stop. Education has been an ignored topic because its results may not be seen immediately, but they are crucial to the future of this nation.
Sincerely, Darya Tsakke
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