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Letters to the editor (October 2007)

An abusive grandmother
 
I was really amazed and interested in the article “An abusive home.” When I read this survival story, I felt so much sympathy for Deshon, who went through so much in his life. He never had a “real” childhood. I would really like to thank L.A. Youth and Deshon for sharing this brave story because it really made me think a lot about life, and that I’m very lucky to have the family I have.
Donna Hiam, Wilson MS (Glendale)

When I read “An abusive home,” I was shocked. How could this happen when no one really saw what was going on? It makes me see how lucky I am to have a good family. Reading this is like a wake-up call to me. It makes me realize that this does happen and kids do get hurt. It really makes someone wonder how many kids there are in abusive homes with no one realizing it.
Tomas Diaz, Wilson MS

When I first read this [article] I thought it was really sad, mean and cruel for his grandmother to do that to her own grandson. I could not even imagine what he was going through. Plus, the family did not even care. I am really glad that he got out of his abusive home. I hope that kids who read this are very thankful that they don’t get abused like he did. Another thing is that they should always listen to children when they tell someone about abuse.
Brianna Parada, Hutchinson MS (La Mirada)

I’m not a victim of abuse, but I can relate to the story. During the past summer I was working at the YMCA and one day a little kid came in with bruises. I felt really bad seeing the marks on his face and arms. It was scary. The YMCA called children’s services and he was taken away from his parents. I wish it didn’t happen, but it did.
Matthew Murillo, Excel Charter Academy MS

“An abusive home” was a great article that showed what some kids go through. Being abused is something that nobody should go through. I think it is the hardest when the abuse is done by a family member. I can really relate to this article because having a tough past is something that can and will stay with you forever.
For kids who are being abused and haven’t told their parents or any other adult, go tell someone. Even if you are scared that your abuser will do something bad to you and your family, they won’t. Tell someone and you will finally be free.
Caitlin O., Wilson, MS



A secret connection

This article is by far the best I’ve ever read. I can really relate to it. Devin and I have a lot in common. I have also gotten into fights with my dad, but I have never stopped talking to him for eight months. The longest was probably one day. From this article I learned that other kids argue with their parents too, and sometimes you can find things to get you through those hard times. The article really helped me.
Monica Lucero, Hutchinson MS

This article really captured my attention. It’s so easy to relate to because everyone has problems, but I never knew a website could help with problems. Adults think that teens go on the Internet just to go on MySpace or chat with their friends, but this article proved them all wrong. Reading the article made me want to go to the website PostSecret and check the postcards. I want to see if there’s a postcard I can relate to.
Sharon Lim, Wilson MS

Thanks for the wonderful article about the PostSecret website. It is one of my favorite sites and I’m happy it’s finally being recognized. It’s fun and highly addictive. I know Devin appreciates it also.
Sara Santa Maria, Excel Charter Academy MS



Beckham mania

This article caught my eye because I’ve always been a huge fan of soccer and I play it myself. I follow almost every soccer league around the world but I’ve never really paid attention to American soccer. When Beckham came to the Galaxy I started to pay attention to soccer here in the U.S. I totally agree with the article because a lot of my friends, who never liked soccer, started to watch thanks to Beckham. I also think that his arrival has had a strong influence in the United States, making soccer a big sport. I hope that soon it will become one of the biggest sports in the U.S.
Raphael Menendez, Wilson MS

I love soccer! I know a lot about soccer. David Beckham is too overrated though. He may be famous, but he is not the player everyone thinks he is. He may be a good free kick taker, but he does nothing else in the game. He only came here to get more money. He may have been a skillful player when he played for Manchester United, but he has lost skills. Moving to the Galaxy was a really bad idea. I don’t see the big deal with Beckham.
Vaho Matousian, Wilson MS



Global warming

Even though we are just teenagers, we can still fight global warming. I also think that people should start buying more hybrid and natural gas cars. Not a lot of people know about global warming so that means that they don’t know how it will affect us. If more people knew about it, more people would possibly start conserving energy.
Leticia Fonseca, Hutchinson MS



Traveling green

I think it’s a fabulous idea to take the bus and have our environment less polluted. Every Friday my friends and I take the bus to a nearby park. It’s quick and easy, and costs only 25 cents. I hadn’t realized that taking the bus helped our environment! I’ve also taken the bus and sat next to some weird people like Alana did. It must have been really scary to have some crazy woman screaming at you! Even though she went through that she had enough guts to get back on the bus! Thanks for helping save the environment.
Tei Vanderford, Wilson MS



A beach cleanup

When I go to the beach it’s hard to find a good spot to sit because slobs leave their trash everywhere and they expect us to pick it up. Everywhere I would go or look, there’s trash. Sometimes even broken beer bottles, which can be dangerous. Cigarettes are always left. It’s just adding more trash to our beach and before you know it our beach will become a dumpster. I wish people would pick up after themselves. Maybe that might make a difference and make our world a lot neater.
Cody Garcia, Hutchinson MS

When I read the article, “Keeping it clean,” I read that animals can die from eating Styrofoam that is left in the sand. I think it is sad that people who go to the beach leave trash. It’s just terrible. Every person who goes to the beach should clean up after themselves. I think that what these kids are doing is cool because they are saving the animals, the environment and the people who go to the beach.
Anamaria Castro, Hutchinson MS



Exploring Costa Rica

I found his experiences to be very exciting and thrilling. I love to travel, and I could really identify with many of the experiences he describes. During my trips to Guatemala I also had a chance to hang around a river, hike a volcano, go on a boat around a lake and see wild animals like monkeys. Guatemala seems very much like Costa Rica. Like the author of the article, I loved my experience in another country, but I also missed my dogs, my lizard, my bed and my clean clothes. I was happy to come back to the United States, but now all I can think about is going back and exploring more. Maybe some day I will get to visit Costa Rica, too.
J. Timothy Alegria, Wilson MS

This article was very interesting because hearing people talk about wildlife outside of the U.S. is fascinating. Many kids sit around all day watching telelvsion or go on the Internet and e-mail their friends. I like this article because it shows people that there are more interesting things to do than TV and the Internet.
Robert Gabrielyan, Wilson MS



Finally, I can ride a bike

I simply loved the article “I finally learned to ride a bike!” because f the writer’s persistence and willingness to finally learn how to ride a bike. There were a few bumps along the way, but in the end she reached her goal. This is a great story to help kids realize that they can do anything they want to do. It has the message that it’s never too late to try something. This article reminded me that if you set your mind to it, you can do it, and it has inspired me to try something new.
Natalie Queally, Wilson MS

I liked the article “I finally learned to ride a bike!” I had a lot of connections to it. When I read it, I was like, “Wow, most of this stuff happened to me, too.” When she rode too fast, she didn’t know how to stop. That same thing happened to me. That article was so awesome.
Alberta Perez, Excel Charter Academy MS