Youth Opinion : A Very Few Words On How to Save the World

The Times, through its community affairs department, recently advertised for 50-word statements from school children about the state of the world and what they would do to improve it. A panel of Times in Education managers and editors chose winners in elementary, middle-school and high-school categories.

The essay judged best overall, by “George T,” will be included in a report to the Newspapers in Education International Conference on Children in Stockholm in September.

Elementary school

First place

I think the earth is beautiful and if I was president I would give food to people who don’t have any. I would give them healthy foods like bread and lettuce and eggs. If they eat these they won’t get sick and they would be happy.

SHAYE HAILEY JONES, 6, Moreno Valley

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Second place

I think that a great problem today is World Peace. The world could be more peaceful if people could tolerate other people’s beliefs. If people understood other people’s religions there would be less wars happening. I think children should be taught at an early age to tolerate other’s beliefs.

ANANTHAN THANGAVEL, 10, North Hollywood

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Third place (translated from Spanish)

If I were governor and looked out for the world I would take care of all animals and I would tell all the gangs not to smoke and drink beer in the streets. I would tell them not to use drugs.

I would tell the schools to have lots of crayons and groceries for kids, also to build dinosaurs so we wouldn’t be bored on the school yard, also to give each kid that was smart $1 and have a favorite animal in everybody’s house.

RANDY GALINDO, 8, Los Angeles

Middle school

First place

Cooking in Nature’s Kitchen:

The World

1/2 cup good times

1/2 cup bad

equal shares work, play

1/4 cup tithing

pinch of death

1 cup love

Simmer violence, prejudice, hate. Melt into loving hearts.

Summer--Stir the world

Fall--Bake and cool

Winter--Ice with hearts

Enjoy in Spring

MICHELLE MONIZ, 13, Redondo Beach

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Second place

The World, As I See It

To make the world a better place,

We should treat it as if it were our face.

No more fighting or pollution or drilling,

and most of all we must stop the killing!

We must treat the earth with care;

The things we have ruined and wrecked

We must repair.

MEGAN SCHICKLER, 13, Manhattan Beach

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Third place

Wanted:

A world full of love and happiness

Looking for a place

with no pollution

of peace and harmony

with understanding among people

where everyone gets along

where there are no wars of fighting

where I can swim in crystal clear oceans

where everybody knows everyone

Increase the Peace

EMMETT MASENGA, 12, Manhattan Beach

(Editors note: all three winners in the middle school category attend American Martyrs school in Redondo Beach)

High school

First place and overall winner

(Note: the author’s full name could not be used because he is an incarcerated minor)

The world’s blind, neglecting its land.

The human race has turned on itself, destruction’s loud

but the world’s deaf!

Change can be found if it’s truly being searched for; we as one need to communicate, guide our youth,

because what we do today is setting the path for our children!

GEORGE T, 17, Los Angeles

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Second place

The state of the world is hanging in the balance between indifference and involvement. Although it seems that only greed, poverty, and violence hurt humanity, we are plagued more by apathy than any other societal ill. It’s our duty to change things: to educate ourselves, vote, and get involved worldwide.

LARA DEVGAN, 15, Santa Monica

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Third place

With money going to technological advancement, with time and energy put into cyber-this and cyber-that, the human race has forgotten its loyal friend Earth.

As we go forward, we must not disassociate ourselves from Nature, who has sacrificed to accommodate our capricious desires. We have taken enough. Let us give back.

ANGIE CHRISTINE CHAU, 15, Irvine