Students united in diversity

Five members of the Boys & Girls’ Clubs of Laguna Beach were among 167 kids nationwide whose thoughts on diversity were included in the book “Making One Good World: Kids Write about Diversity.”

The paperback book was published last month by the Boys & Girls’ Clubs of America. It includes works from kids ages 6 to 18 representing a variety of ethnic groups and geographic locations.

About 500 submissions were received; local kids Stormy Enright, Kyra Humphries, Anastasia Pellecchia, Nour Vakhshoury and Setare Vakhshoury were selected for inclusion.

The kids used all three permitted types of writing styles for their submissions: three wrote poems, while one wrote an essay and one wrote a personal reflection.

“I asked teachers to tell me what my best writing style was, and they said to do an essay,” Anastasia said.

“I enjoy writing poetry, so I thought it would be fun to write about diversity that way,” Setare said.

Her twin sister Nour said that she had written an essay in the last writing contest, so she decided to do more of a story format this time.

Stormy had also entered previous national contests and next plans to make a collage for an Anne Frank project.

The club made an announcement about the winners, who were also each given a copy of the book, Kyra said.

The students’ contributions are published here. The entire book is available online at www.bgcayouthnet.org.

“What Diversity Means to Me”

By Anastasia Pellecchia, 13

Diversity is a simple concept with a complex significance that has many varieties. It just depends on how you use the term. Many people make assumptions about the meaning of diversity. One example of the meaning is, “The contrasting of people through religions, race and cultures.” Even though I agree with this definition, I also have one of my own. To me, diversity means more than one thing. There are a variety of differences. There are human characteristics, animal characteristics, species, textures, types, colors and even statuses. If animals and humans were not diverse, then everything would be dim, boring and too simple. Through cultures, ethnic groups, languages, physical features, backgrounds, opinions, religious beliefs, sexuality, gender identity and sexual orientation, everybody is at least slightly different. Variety is diversity, mentally and physically.

This is why there is never a dull moment in life. If you think about it, if there wasn’t diversity then everybody would agree and there wouldn’t be politics, debates and wars. Diversity is both good and bad. That is why life is full of arguments and fights but we all get through it. There is nothing stiff or lifeless. Aren’t you glad the world has diversity?

“Diversity”

By Kyra Humphries, 10

Diversity means differences

Like girl and boy

Or black and white

Diversity means differences

In the day and night

Diversity means differences

They could be your cousins or friends

Diversity can be lots of things

But sometimes it depends

“Differences Make a Difference”

By Nour Vakhshoury, 12

One night after playing with my Hindu friends from India, we all went to our homes for dinner. While eating with my family I heard the most devastating news: my father announced that we were moving to America. I could not believe it. I had to leave my friends and my home!

Once we finally arrived in America, I was required to go to school! Then I felt even more devastated and angry, but there was nothing I could do. Once I went to school, I saw my classmates and all of them were so different. They were not all Hindu. They did not all have the same skin or hair color, and only two of them spoke Hindi!

As I observed my new classmates, the teacher announced that it was time for P.E. (whatever that meant). The teacher laid out a big parachute and told us to pull it over our heads to make a big mountain. It was amazing to see all these different kids working together to make the biggest mountain I had ever seen. It felt even more amazing to be a part of it!

At that moment, I saw how diversity is so important. Without diversity, there would be no Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal or many other things that make this world so beautiful.

Diversity makes this would peaceful, fun, and gorgeously wonderful. It is the differences in this world that really make a difference.

“Diversity”

By Stormy Enright, 10

Diversity is a difference between any two or more things in a

positive or negative way.

Diversity between a mammoth and an elephant:

Mammoths have fur

Elephants have skin

Diversity between a boy and a girl:

A boy has different organs in a different formation

A girl has different organs in different formation

Diversity between the emotions love and fear:

Love is a positive emotion

Fear a negative emotion

“Diversity”

By Setare Vakhshoury, 12

When we are all different, and living in the same community,

That, my friends, is called...diversity.

Everyone you meet and see has a very special quality

Whether it’s being short or tall, people know you’ve got it all

Simply because you are different and unique

Considerate people like you and I

will respect different people’s technique

Some people just don’t understand

how others can benefit from a helping hand

You are the change to the world tomorrow,

So people won’t live with intolerance and sorrow.

Diversity is a beautiful thing.

With it, you will feel like a royal king.

Be sure to tolerate and never hate

the different people you are bound to see

Or you will feel like you’ve been stung by a bee

Put this lesson into action

And I guarantee your satisfaction