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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Young Columbus Contest Brings Out Best In Writers

What interests teens? Would you believe politics? World events? Social responsibility? These are just a few of the topics chosen by about 75 Inland Northwest teens who responded to The Spokesman-Review’s Trip of a Lifetime contest, co-sponsored by Parade Magazine.

The contest invited teens to write a 250-word opinion on an issue they read about in the newspaper. The entries came pouring in. And there was no limit to the concerns raised by teens.

Five finalists were chosen and interviewed by a panel of Spokesman-Review employees. The winner was Andrea Palpant, a junior at Mead High School, based on her interview, grade point average and recommendations. But all five finalists were exemplary writers and representatives of their generation. We couldn’t help but run all of their essays.

By Andrea Palpant Mead

Recently while driving on Sprague Avenue, I saw a bumper sticker that said “Commit random acts of kindness and senseless beauty.” This should inspire us all to get involved with our community this season.

Unfortunately, many people are satisfied with giving a few bucks left over from their mall splurge to the guy outside ringing a bell for the Salvation Army. After all, isn’t the holiday spirit of giving about donating change to local charity? But what about the man you see on the way to work who probably won’t be sitting with relatives at a table piled with turkey and mash potatoes come Christmas Day? That takes courage to face, I admit. A twist on the age-old saying should clear everything up: “Actions sound louder than quarters dropped into a donation bucket.”

In other words, volunteer your time. It’s a wonderful opportunity to give a smile or a bowl of soup. It’s an experience that no one can walk away from unaffected. Ask the students from Gonzaga Prep, who delivered food to needy families the day before Thanksgiving.

Hands-on action like that brings a realization that everyone, rich or poor, has needs that can be met by a loving person and a giving community. So go on, start by smiling at the man who sleeps on a bench. Help serve lunch at the Union Gospel Mission. And yes, it’s still okay to drop a few bills into that bucket.

By Brooke Klinger Gonzaga Prep

You are what you eat. Most of us have caught on that when you eat a barrel of buttered popcorn, you are unhealthy. I would like to extend this adage to include: “You are what you watch on television.”

People bemoan the woeful condition of the world, but then blindly grab the remote in order to devour every sleazy detail of “The Long Island Lolita.” We wonder why Generation X is so violent and careless, and yet we seem to have no problem promoting the careless teenagers of a show like “Beverly Hills, 90210” or with the negative portrayal of one of the most caring people in this world, Mother Teresa.

Yes, while the message is sent that the consumptive lifestyle of overprivileged jerks is cool, the savior of the underprivileged, Mother Teresa, is being made out to be a “Hell’s Angel.” A documentary of this name recently aired, in which the octogenarian nun, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, was said to be egotistical and publicity-, money- and power-hungry. The woman has bathed lepers, fed the destitute, loved the unwanted and held the dying in her arms.

Self centered? The woman who does not even own a suitcase, but carries her things in a cardboard box and a bit of twine, is hungry for money? Mother Teresa, if anyone, should be promoted to our youth! She who does small things with great love has forgiven the documentary’s producer, Tariq Ali. But can we?

By Anande Urio Lewis and Clark

I am an African/American student at Lewis and Clark High School. In response to the article on Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” removing this novel from the curriculum would be a serious mistake.

If handled maturely by teachers, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is an invaluable tool for dealing with the issue of race. The intent of the novel is not to attack the black race, but to enlighten readers. One of the main themes of the book, and a fact that I wholeheartedly embrace, is prejudice against anyone on the basis of race springs from ignorance.

It’s a message that needs to be taught in school. After reading the book, I was able to put behind me a lot of bitterness I had felt for so long against people with prejudice. Now I find fault with wrong ideas, which are being planted and allowed to grow in the minds of many.

When taken in context, the aspects of the words construed as offensive, such as the word “nigger,” are completely acceptable. The presentation of the characters’ attitudes towards blacks is a historical portrayal that is essential to the theme of the novel. These are not views held by the author, but simply a presentation of the facts.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is not, nor was it meant to be, degrading toward people of the African/American race. It is a classic novel that deserves to be a part of high school literature.

By Tawnya Cazier Lakeland High

The wolf may as well go into politics. Currently Canis Lupis is so mistrusted he could masquerade as a member of Congress. So while trust runs low and tempers high, a heated battle has engulfed the entire West. The wolf is caught in a struggle for his very existence, against a society which deemed him a killer long ago.

But the wolf is not Jeffery Dahmer. In fact, there is no record of a wolf killing a human in North America.

Despite this fact, governmentsponsored hunters killed 55,000 wolves yearly between 1870-1877. This was largely due to misconception of the wolf as a bloodthirsty killer, as depicted in “Little Red Riding Hood.” Spurred by such fallacies, the massacre of the wolf began.

This mistake has only recently become apparent. Many ecosystems like Yellowstone’s have an overpopulation causing hundreds of animals to die each winter of starvation and disease. It is the presence of the predator which makes the prey evolve swifter and stronger, not the absence of the hunter.

By reintroducing the wolf, the restoration of a balanced ecosystem would occur. The wolf would thin the herds, leaving only the strong and healthy to multiply.

Have we come so far, yet we can’t reinstate a beast who possessed the land long before we did? Allowing the wolf to return may be our only chance to save the herds and beauty of Yellowstone; or will we always live in fear of the storybook animal?

By Katie Cashatt Ferris

A healthy, caring home for abused babies and their mothers is what Paul and Janet Mann plan to provide when they open the first such house ever on Pacific street. Their attempt to reach the less fortunate is commendable in a society where needy children are pushed aside and forgotten.

The attitude “out of sight, out of mind” is not one the Manns are letting the Spokane community use concerning these abused children. Our responsibility to these babies is expressed in an African saying that I believe the Manns would agree to: “It takes a whole village to raise a child.”

To me, this means we all have something to offer to the babies that have been abused, neglected and forgotten. We are all part of the “village” and these babies are a part of our responsibility to guide and protect.

The problem is we’ve forgotten about these babies, hoping that someone else would take over for us. That’s why we pay taxes, right? So the government can scoop up the overlooked children and magically make them better. The Manns have recognized that this is not working and have generously opened their hearts to take over where everyone else left off.

The Spokane community also needs to recognize that thinking someone else will care for them just isn’t working and that we all have a part in raising these disregarded children. We need everyone, the whole village, to participate in raising these babies and showing their mothers a better life.