“I would create a symbol of equality
First Place $50
Jenna Santoianni, 13
Ramona Convent Secondary School
If I could spread my message out to the world I would express it through a mural. I would choose a mural because not all people can read and comprehend the meaning of the words. With a mural everyone can see it, and they don’t have to stop to read it. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. You would have a hard time fitting one thousand words on a tiny street corner or on the side of a freeway. Who would stop to read all of it? Plus, murals are pretty and make the city’s walls look nice, instead of mundane and boring.
The mural would be done in cubism. The skin of the person would be all different shades of brown ranging from beige to dark brown because not everyone has the same skin tone. The eyes would be different colors, and so would the lips. On one side the hair would be long, on the other side the hair would be short. In other words, the mural would be a cross between the men and women of all nationalities.
The message that my mural would express is that we are all different in many ways, but we are all people. All people have the same rights. Together we make up a community. My mural would be a symbol of equality in our community, because no one is better than anyone else.
I would stop the violence
Second Place $30
Joey Aguilar, 13,
Torch Middle School
Please stop all of the violence. Violence isn’t getting us anywhere except to our graves.
When I used to live with my mom I was around nothing but violence. The gangbangers would always do drive-by shootings right by my house or somewhere around there. I once got caught in a crossfire. If that bullet had been a little to the right, I wouldn’t be here writing this essay about violence. Violence is everywhere—on the radio and in our neighborhoods. All the songs on Power 106 talk about drugs and murders.
Gangs just cause trouble. Why do people like to be in gangs? What do they get out of it besides trouble, being disliked, and killed?
And why do people sell guns to almost anybody? The only people who should have guns are the police. Anyway, there wouldn’t need to be any police if this world was violence-free.
If I was the president of the United States I would make a law that says gun and knife stores are to be knocked down. Then I would feel proud of myself for getting at least two things of violence off the streets.
The thing that will make the whole world better is no violence. Life is the most precious and beautiful thing. It is also the best privilege you can get, but yet people commit suicide, and get their lives in danger by violence. Violence causes hate and hate causes danger. Racism is also violence. So all I would like to say to the people of the world is stop the violence, increase the peace, and stop racism. Then this world would be better than ever before.
Second Place $30
Joey Aguilar, 13, Torch Middle School
Please stop all of the violence. Violence isn’t getting us anywhere except to our graves.
When I used to live with my mom I was around nothing but violence. The gangbangers would always do drive-by shootings right by my house or somewhere around there. I once got caught in a crossfire. If that bullet had been a little to the right, I wouldn’t be here writing this essay about violence. Violence is everywhere—on the radio and in our neighborhoods. All the songs on Power 106 talk about drugs and murders.
Gangs just cause trouble. Why do people like to be in gangs? What do they get out of it besides trouble, being disliked, and killed?
And why do people sell guns to almost anybody? The only people who should have guns are the police. Anyway, there wouldn’t need to be any police if this world was violent-free.
If I was the president of the United States I would make a law that says gun and knife stores are to be knocked down. Then I would feel proud of myself for getting at least two things of violence off the streets.
The thing that will make the whole world better is no violence. Life is the most precious and beautiful thing. It is also the best privilege you can get, but yet people commit suicide, and get their lives in danger by violence. Violence causes hate and hate causes danger. Racism is also violence. So all I would like to say to the people of the world is stop the violence, increase the peace, and stop racism. Then this world would be better than ever before.
I would ask adults to get along, the way little kids do
Third Place $20
Tyeshia Jones, 15, Gardena High School
I would draw little kids of all races and religions playing so grownups would get the idea that if kids can get along, why can’t they?”