FREE ESSAY ON GROWING UP IN TODAYS WORLD

GROWING UP IN TODAYS WORLD

Growing up in Today's World
It's tough enough being a teenager in today's world without the temptations of drugs,
sex, and violence, but in the year 2000 this is what the adolecent's face. We face more
obstacles and trials and tribulations than teens faced twenty or thirty years ago. There
is more sexual content on today's televisions, more violence in todays school, and more
peer pressure to try all sortsof new drugs. Yet it seems the youth of today have
acomplished more. We are chess champions, graduates of college, star athletes, crucial
holders of our country's economic wealth, multi-millionaire entrepreneurs, and
Grammy-award winning entertainers. Most of these had, at one time, a direct correlation
with only adults. But our current society has taught us to be strong, independent, young
go-getters, who fight for what we believe in.
This independence and strong-will was started and nutured when we were children, probably
by loved ones such as parents and grandparents, and ministers and teachers. They
encouraged us to play educational games and read. By the time we got a little older we
were inspired to compete or participate in activities to expand our minds (or maybe to
keep us out of trouble), such as playing a musical instrament, or participating in a
sport, or attending class in computers. I saw this poem on the internet and it reminded
me of those special people that helped me through my childhood. I would like to read it
to you,
KIDS
"Are the kids the only ones who see the knots that tie in the family tree. What is not,
What could be, but not one person not just me. Kids may have little spines but they have
full minds. Full of hope, Fame and Glory, Happiness and Joy, A sublime story. But in what
day will you see? Kids make up you and me. How long will it be... Until you can make a
fee? A fee for smiles and laughs, A fee for bliss, undetermined crafts. But remember when
you are blue, at one time, you were a kid too."
When we were kids we had little responsibility, but now we are teenagers. Teenagers
responsibilities have been enlarged by a tad bit, and we are carrying these
responsiblities like the talented young adults that we are. The adolesecent of today are
looking toward our future by preparing for higher education and the workforce. Hundreds
of thousands of young people graduate from high school each year which is a wonderful
step in progressing to keep our nation one of the strongest superpowers. Did you know
that almost on half of high school seniors advance to college? This is a great
accomplishment for this generation!
Many more mature adults feel as though we are a wild and rambunctious youth, but in fact
the teenager has not changed that much over the years. The physical anatomy of puberty
has not changed "Peach fuzz" is still accquired in new places, mood swings become more
frequent, and problems and peer pressure are still here, although our problems may be
slightly different from senior generations. Sure our predecessors have dealt with
violence and lust and alcohol and illict drugs, but ours is now at full scale. It is a
wise person who can see through the lie that drugs and drinking are the way to a good
time. In fact, many of teens who have been offered marijuana or alcohol have turned it
down.
Okay I'd like to ask you a question. Which name has the most significance for you?
A. Dylan Klebold
B. Eric Harris
C. Natalie Toro
You answer was A or B, right? If you answered A or B you've been paying attention to the
nightly news or reading your perodicals. Have any of you ever heard of Natalie Toro? What
do all these names have in common? They're all teenagers. What does C have that A or B
dosen't. How about a full scholarship to University of Colorado, a Best-of -Show at the
International Science and Engineering Fair. That's right... Natalie Toro was
experimenting with neutrino particles at the University of Colorado laboratory at the age
of 14. She received a two-inch by six-inch minor article in the back of Newsweek for
furthering her scientific research; whereas for shooting up Colombine High School, Dylan
Klebold and Eric Harris got six pages featured on the cover.
The media produces much more stories about the Eric Harrises and Dylan Klebolds than the
Natalie Toros. I'll admit that all teens are not super genius nor are they all model
citizens, but we are not all Dylan Klebolds either. Positive coverage may not sell in our
national magazines, but wouldn't you much rather see someone doing something positive
rather than negative.
The only way we, the American citizens, can prevent this is to judge each person with
open hearts, not prejudging on stereotypes. So I ask you personally please do not judge
young people on what you hear or see, but on what they tell you and what they show you.