First Place – Grades 5/6
Michael Brower, Sequoyah Middle School

How I Made My Voice Be Heard

This past September, I was at a festival with my family. We were having a great day of food and fun. We especially loved where the festival was, a beautiful park. But there was something spoiling the festival for me. I noticed people were littering in the park. Instead of green grass everywhere, I saw candy wrappers, plastic forks, used napkins, and other trash. It made me feel a little frustrated. It made me feel even more frustrated when I noticed there was a trash can nearby. I decided to use my “voice” to help.

I wanted to tell people not to litter, but I was too afraid. The reason I was afraid is because I’m just a 6th grader. I don’t think I should tell an adult what to do. The other thing that made it hard to use my voice is that I have autism. When I have to talk to a stranger, I feel so anxious I can’t make the words come out. I decided that the best way to use my “voice” was to show it. I picked up the litter myself, and I put it in the trash. I didn’t know if anyone even noticed, but at least the park looked a lot better.

I was surprised to find out people did hear my “voice.” Some people I didn’t know started smiling at me. A lady shouted out at me and said, “You’re a great kid!” I think I helped everyone at the festival to enjoy their day a little bit more. No one likes to walk around on a bunch of trash.

The best part of this story is what happened next. When we started walking away, my mom heard the lady who complimented me. She was talking to her son. He dropped some litter, and she told him to pick it up. He listened to her, and he started picking the litter up. It seemed I taught others to keep the park clean without using any words at all.

I learned doing the right thing is a way I can use my “voice” even when words are too scary for me. I learned action is a good way to make others notice me and “hear” me. I am very proud of what I did, how I taught others, and what I learned.

Second Place- Grades 5/6
Kleet Keller, Sequoyah Middle School

How I Used My Voice

In elementary school, I often felt unimportant. In first grade when I started wearing glasses, everyone called them girl glasses because they had sparkles on the frames. Everyone started calling me “girlie” because I had long hair and sparkly glasses. Being a boy, this made me feel awkward and different from everyone else. I felt like I didn’t belong.

In second grade, I dreaded going to school because I didn’t want to be called a nerd, a girl or any other name. I was afraid it would be a repeat of my first grade year. On the first day of school, I heard other children making fun of a girl because of her name. I chose not to stick up for her because I was afraid another name would be added to my list, like tattle tale.

When we went inside to class, I saw her in my homeroom. I heard more people bullying her and making fun of her name. I realized I either had to say something or live with the guilt. I went up to the people making fun of her and said, “If you want to make fun of someone’s name, make fun of mine. I am literally named after a shoe. But leave her alone.” This shocked them and made them stop bullying her.

According to Derek Smithee, survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing, everyone can make a difference. He said, “I believe that we live in a country where everyone matters and everyone has a voice. Now we don’t always get our way, but we absolutely have a voice- and an obligation to speak and vote so that that voice may be heard.” Even though approximately 80 kids were standing around that day, no one stood up for this young girl because they were afraid of becoming victims.

The moment I spoke up was the moment I learned that the smallest, unnoticed person can make a difference. I felt small, but after I spoke up, I realized the impact my voice and words could have. Not only did I learn to use my voice, I also met the person who became my best friend. Today, in sixth grade, we are still best friends and use our voices to stand up for each other and others.

Third Place – Grades 5/6
Jane Kingrey, Sequoyah Middle School

Derek Smithee once said, “I am often asked if I hate Timothy McVeigh and it is an interesting question. People are entitled to their own emotions and feelings. Some people hate McVeigh and want to exact revenge. Some people feel sorry for him as he was so misguided. Some people simply don’t care about him one way or the other. As for me, oddly, he makes me sad. Here was a guy who believed that the only way he could be heard and have a voice in the direction of our country was to kill 168 people. I don’t believe that is MY country. I believe that we live in a country where everyone matters and everyone has a voice. Now we don’t always get our way, but we absolutely have a voice – and an obligation to speak and vote so that that voice may be heard.”

Last year, I noticed that the political situation was really ugly. Even though I’m just a kid, I noticed how hateful some of the candidates could be towards each other and the rest of our country. To me it wasn’t politics that I took note of, however, it was simply a matter of how they were treating their peers. One day the subject was randomly brought up in my enrichment class and we decided that someone really needed to do something. Like Timothy McVeigh, I wanted my voice to be heard, but instead of bombing a building, I decided to write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, The Oklahoman. I expressed how I felt about the situation and asked if she could do the best she could to publicize the letter.

A day later, she gave me a call and told me that she loved what I had shared with her and wanted to interview me! The editor came over to my house and talked to me. I also got to go the papers’ filming studio and film a shorter version of the discussion. About a week after the interview, she also paid a visit to my class and we talked about how we felt about what was going on as a group. Shortly after her talk with us, this story was in the newspaper and the interview that I had filmed was in the news! That week I had strangers coming up to me telling me that they loved the message that my class and I had shared. I was overjoyed to hear that someone had listened and that what I was expecting to be something small, turned out to be something much bigger.

In America, people will listen and we know that everyone can be heard and has a valued opinion – even kids. I thought that everyone would think that a child who pays attention to politics is crazy. I was astonished that the public cared about what I thought or how I viewed things.

What I learned from my experience is that your judgement is appreciated much more than you think it is, especially when you use words and speak with the right people. Your age, race, gender or religion doesn’t set you apart from anyone else in America. Everyone matters in this country, which is why I’m so grateful to live here.

Every so often, things don’t work out the way we want them to. Some situations will seem unfair or unreasonable. Occasionally we’ll feel the urge, like Timothy McVeigh, to act in anger, but if we can use our anger to be constructive, we can start a conversation that might make a real change.

First Place – Grades 7/8
Jack Carter, Oakdale School

Standing Up

Sometimes, you have to speak up to make a change. The result may be life-changing, or it may just be an everyday event. My experience wasn’t even close to life-changing, but it shows that if no one speaks up, it may put other people in danger.

I was in a group that had a few of my friends and we were going camping. Our group also had a few younger boys, and on the second night, they wanted to have a fire building contest. I thought I should probably go watch them.

After watching for a while, one boy said, “Let’s put these on.” He was talking about paper towels, which are always in short supply on campouts. Once paper towels were on the two fires, embers started floating up from the fire. The embers were just waiting to land on the dry, wispy grass or the tall cedar trees towering over behind us.

I spoke up, and said, “Don’t put the paper towels on the fire. The embers may start a fire.” The boys listened and they continued to safely build their fires. I love to build campfires, but I’m always very cautious. The boys had a great time, and I ended up judging the fires.

I was motivated to speak up because I knew that the red hot embers coming off the fire could easily start a fire.  Often, people see something threatening, but don’t speak up. Sometimes it’s because they’re afraid, and other times, they just don’t. Either way, if no one says anything, it puts others in danger.

You may not realize it, but you vote several times a day. You can vote for a candidate, but you can also vote with your money, and even your voice. When you donate to an organization, you are basically saying, “I approve of what you are doing for a cause.” Using your voice is another way you vote. With it, you can make a change, like voting for a candidate, but instead, you are making a change in your friends, community, etc.

Finally, through this experience, I learned that saying something if you see something dangerous keeps others safe. I also learned that your voice can be as important as casting a ballot.

Second Place – Grades 7/8
Amara Foret, Southwest Covenant Christian School

If there is a change that demands to be made, it is our responsibility, as citizens of the United States of America, to make that change. I have known for many years that people everywhere are starving, homeless, and without hope. I have felt compassion towards these people, and hoped someone would feed them, clothe them, help them find homes, and fill them with hope. However, it is not enough for one to simply hope for change. I decided it was time for me to act.

In August of 2016, I had the wonderful experience of going on a mission trip to aid the homeless. Alongside other churches in America, twenty students from my youth group and I left behind our homes in Yukon, Oklahoma, and our comfort zones, and followed God’s voice to Nashville, Tennessee. Approximately two thousand homeless people in Nashville sleep outside every night.

We stayed in Nashville for a full week, and while we were there, we organized a clothing closet, volunteered in a soup kitchen, and moved furniture into storage, where it would be used in transitional homes for those in need. Our team prayed over individuals, and gave an encouraging word and a kind smile to whomever we saw. Sometimes I felt uncomfortable interacting on such personal levels with complete strangers, but the bright smiles that I received in return made it all worth it. I was inspired and encouraged by the joy of those who owned only the clothes on their backs. They have helped me to be more grateful for everything that I have. I was blessed by this incredible experience. I may not have changed the whole city of Nashville in the seven days that I was there, but I made a difference and used my voice to impact individual lives.

Unlike Timothy McVeigh, who chose to attempt change through an act of expressing violence, hostility, rage, and hatred, I approached change with love, hope, and a desire to aid those in need. I believe that my changes were more successful, because I encouraged and comforted individuals, and I was blessed and changed, myself, in the process. Timothy caused hurt, pain, and anger. In the process, he lost any chance to right his wrong. His voice was eternally ceased. Everyone has his own voice, but how he chooses to use it is up to him.

If there is a change that is necessary to be made, it is our duty, as American citizens, to make that change. If people refuse to use their voice to act, and speak out against things that are unsettling to them, they cannot complain about the outcome. If we are not satisfied with the happenings of today, we should actively support the changes that will improve tomorrow. If change is approached with a negative attitude, it will not succeed as it could if approached with passion and love. “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”-Margaret Mead

Third Place – Grades 7/8
Gloria Reyes, Tonkawa Jr/High School

Even though I am twelve years old, I have had my share of experiences where I felt it was important to use my voice to create change. One of the most important times was when I was at school in the locker room. There were older girls that used foul language towards the younger girls. I felt that this was bullying and it concerned me so I talked to a teacher.

After I spoke up I was amazed at the result. My teacher spoke with the athletes and the parents. One of the informed parents called and notified each of the athletes’ parent and apologized for the language their child had used. Also one of the athletes apologized for the language they had used. One of the older athletes that used the foul language actually helps us at our games getting the water and helping our team members warm up. As a result of her helping us it has made our team better at using teamwork because she is supporting us.

Bullying is another big issue in schools. In our small town we have issues with bullying. We have actually experienced the loss of a high school student due to bullying. This was the reason why I chose to speak up about the inappropriate language the older girls had used towards the younger girls in the locker room.

I feel like athletes are role models for the students in a school. Character Counts is a program taught at our school, and I feel like an athlete’s character should count. This is because students look up to athletes. This is another reason I felt like I needed to speak up. As an athlete I feel like I should be able to speak up when it is needed.

In conclusion, I feel like I have used my voice to make changes in my school.  I have learned that it does not matter how old you are, everyone in the world has a responsibility to make a change with their voice. It does not matter if you are a president with a big voice or a twelve year old with a small voice, you can make a difference.

First Place – Grades 9/10
Josie Callen, Lawton High School

It’s All About Perspective: The Injustice that has Shaped my Life

The leaves had not even begun to fall when my mother carefully packed away her entire life during early autumn of 2001. She had a check list to make sure that nothing was forgotten, and marked items off as she went along. However, she forgot to stuff one last important thing in her suitcase as she left my father that day: her five-month-old baby girl. When she left my father, she left me behind as well, and she has never come back. The fact that a mother could abandon her child without a second thought has baffled me ever since. However, I finally realized that if my mother had stayed in my life, I wouldn’t have become the strong person that I am today.

Now, when I walk through the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial, I look beyond the picturesque and solemn view of the reflecting pool and the chairs, and I see the consequences of a narrow mind. Unlike Timothy McVeigh, who believed that his act of terror in 1995 was to protect the American citizens from what he saw as an increasingly dangerous government, I have learned to put things into perspective. McVeigh could not comprehend that parking a truck laden with explosives in front of a federal building made him quite the opposite of a freedom fighter, but I can see that my mother abandoning me was not the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, but the best. I’ve come to believe that perspective is one of the most important things someone should consider when confronted with a perceived injustice.

Although my dad does his best, he cannot fill the void in my heart and my mind that my mother left. I’ve learned to do things for myself and to trust in my abilities, and subsequently, I am more mature than a lot of other kids my age that grew up with both parents. I have goals, ambitions, and dreams that surpass all my peers and I know that I can accomplish every single one of them. Moreover, I have already started working my way towards success, and I’ve never slowed down. No matter what life has thrown at me, I’ve learned to become resilient and to keep on pushing. I know that if I can not only succeed, but thrive without a mother, then I can weather any storm that comes my way.

One of the most horrible and selfish things a person could ever do is abandon their child, but I’m glad it happened to me. I’m content with the person I am today, and I’ve come to realize that this wouldn’t be possible if my mother had stayed. My circumstances have allowed me to realize that in life, unfortunate situations are inevitable. Unlike Timothy McVeigh, who closed his mind and condemned 168 souls, I know that it’s not an injustice that defines who I am, but the way I react to it.

Second Place – Grades 9/10
Matt Farabow, Community Christian School

Violence is Never the Answer

While I have not had an experience where I have had an injustice committed against me, I have seen an injustice towards a man and his autistic patient.   This summer in Northern Miami, someone called 911 and reported they had seen a suicidal man sitting in the street with a gun pointed to his head.  When police responded, they found two men in the street; the first was Charles Kinsey and the second was Rinaldo Rios.  Rinaldo was playing with a toy truck, which the person on the phone had described as a gun. Rinaldo suffers from autism and is Mr. Kinsey’s patient.

Officer Jonathan Aledda was one of the police officers who responded to the scene.  Mr. Kinsey obeyed the officers’ commands and was lying in the street with his hands raised in the air, and was telling Rinaldo to do the same.  Rinaldo, confused by the situation and as a result of his severe autism, did not follow the police instructions. Mr. Kinsey repeatedly told the police officers that Rinaldo was his autistic patient and that Rinaldo was holding a toy truck — not a weapon.  Despite these things, Officer Aledda fired his weapon at Mr. Kinsey three times!  Mr. Kinsey was shot in the leg, handcuffed with his arms behind his back, and left lying in the street for twenty minutes without medical care before being removed.

Rinaldo was traumatized by the event to the point where he could not eat or sleep and was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward. Mr. Kinsey was injured so severely that he now needs a cane in order to walk.  Despite the injuries suffered, Mr. Kinsey did not resort to or call for violence or protests against the police department.  Instead, he filed a lawsuit against the police for violating his civil rights and he has shared his story with the media in order to raise public awareness.  As a result of the public’s outcry, the North Miami Police Department responded by issuing a Ninety Day Plan of Action. This Plan of Action includes the following: Autism Awareness, Crisis Intervention and De-escalation Training for Officers, and Body and Dash Cameras for the entire Police Force.

When I saw the video of this injustice and read the news stories about it, I was furious. I could not understand how or why Officer Aledda could have shot at a man who had obeyed police instructions and who told police that he was with his autistic patient who was not dangerous.  Officer Aledda claims he was firing at Rinaldo and did not mean to hit Mr. Kinsey.  Even that is not justified in my mind because Rinaldo was not holding a weapon and could not understand officers’ commands due to his autism.

I learned that society can make mistakes as shown by the exaggerated 911 phone call and Officer Aledda’s actions. I also learned that people need to take responsibility for their conduct and grow from their mistakes, as shown by the Northern Miami Police Department’s decision to improve the way they react to situations like this.

Mr. Kinsey’s response proved that violence is never the answer. Violence can make situations worse and in this case, could have resulted in both Mr. Kinsey and Rinaldo’s deaths. By bringing attention to the injustice he suffered, Mr. Kinsey helped the Northern Miami Police Department improve their ways of enforcing the law.  By choosing to not be vengeful and violent towards those who did them harm, Mr. Kinsey and Rinaldo helped their community and hopefully changed things for the better.

Third Place – Grades 9/10
Ijeoma Okere, Lawton High School

When I was in middle school, I walked into my algebra class with a presentation that I had prepared. I walked in front of the class and started displaying my slides with explanation. When I started talking, I heard some giggles and whispers. I listened closely and discovered that they were talking about my accent. I lost my confidence and couldn’t stand in front of the class. I wanted to scream, but held it. After my presentation, I sat back and thought of ways to approach the issue. I debated inside me if I should tell my teacher or resort to violence. I later confronted them. I told them how I felt and how I lost my confidence at the moment they talked about me. They realized their mistakes and apologized, and we became good friends. At that moment, I realized that “violence is never the answer.” Violence, like an open sore when not treated with care, festers. I believe that if you feel you’ve been treated badly, that you should act immediately but not violently.

History is full of examples when people chose violence as a means to express disagreement and effect change. An example is the 1995 bombing of Murrah building by an angry man whose anti-government feeling was used as a justification to blow up a government building that left many people dead.  In this election season, we are also witnessing similar anti-government rhetoric. Many American citizens are vulnerable to settle political scores with violence. In this election, we are witnessing encouragement to the masses to resort to violence, rather than dialogue. People have been punched during campaigns and party supporters were encouraged to attack their opponents. Party officials even promised to bear the cost of legal fees if these violent behaviors were to go to court. Followers have also been asked to monitor and reject election result if they suspect foul play.

Similarly, on September 30, 2005, a Danish newspaper published some cartoons which depicted Muhammad, the principal figure of Islam. The publication eventually led to protests around the world, including violent demonstrations and riots in some countries. That violence also affected Dallas, Texas. These Muslims chose violence instead of dialogue to resolve issues of religion and politics.

Whenever I am angry, the first urge is to strike the source of my anger. But I am growing to understand that violence is not a suitable solution to problems of injustice, it aggravates them. When I am offended, I always walk away from the scene to allow tension to evaporate. When passions have faded and people are back to their senses, they would be able to see more clearly and apologize for the wrong they had done. My experience with my classmates during the algebra class has taught me not to shy away from confronting issues when I felt put down by others. Instead of losing my confidence, I grew bolder in my future presentations. I continued communicating with friends despite my accent. For the fact that I was able to settle issues the first day with my classmates, I was no longer laughed at.

First Place – Grades 11/12
Rose Ho, Homeschool

Fighting With Words

The girl I was at eight scratches furiously into a simple notebook nestled in the folds of her dirty overalls. My journal, a gift from my grandmother, was filled to the brim with my secret dreams and my deepest fears and whimsical observations and decorated with intricate little doodles in the margins. The child I was at eight did not notice that while I was being taught to read and write, the other grandmothers were teaching their granddaughters how to sew and cook.

The girl I was at ten sat at the street corner of my grandparents’ shop in rural China, learning multiplication. “What do you think you’re doing?” The large man whose voice the accusatory statement belonged to snatched the workbook out of my hand and slapped me without warning. The child I was at ten was told to be a good, quiet Chinese girl. I was told that my education was an accessory and that one day, if I was lucky, I would grow up to become a great wife.

The girl I was at age fifteen now lived in a quaint town in America and took the words I once scribbled in journals and used them to find my own voice. I joined the debate team and the local youth leadership council to speak for those who could not speak for themselves. Rather than trying to push the barriers away, I chose to break them down. I challenged everything I was once force-fed. I asserted my rights as a young woman, challenging my prescribed role and duties to those around me. The girl I was at fifteen stopped fearing grown men who bullied little girls.

The young woman I am at near-seventeen takes all the opportunities I am presented with. I am not defined by my gender or my race; I am defined by the things I believe in and the issues that I fight for. In the midst of rebelling against what I was not, I found what I wanted to be. Eventually, my aggression to destroy the outdated norms subsided into desire to learn more about those who accepted them so easily.

My hostility towards those limiting others’ potentials became a desire to help young students succeed. I started a program for educating elementary students, where proceeds go towards helping under-resourced communities in rural China. I am an active member of the Youth Leadership within my community, fighting for the issues that we believe in by urging our neighbors to vote and urging our local representatives to make change.

I’ve learned through my years that violence is fundamentally rooted in ignorance, and we cannot fight ignorance with ignorance. Words can wage wars and crush dreams, but, when said in just the right order at the right time to the right person, words can move mountains. Your voice is your power so let it be heard; vote for the change that you seek, educate those who are unable to educate themselves, and speak for those who are unable to be heard.

Second Place – Grades 11/12
Rachel Newman, Harding Charter Prep High School

Checkpoint

As the group walked past the tight security in the vicinity, the officers with rifles across their backs in their heavy gear and helmets noticed a man and pulled him to the side to ask him questions and pat him down. The weight this action carried could only be measured by the tears streaming down his wife’s face as she waited to see if his compliance would be enough to make it out alive. Leaving the holy site of the Tombs of the Patriarchs, this happened to a Palestinian friend, Baseel; his only crime was wearing a shirt with Arabic on it that read, “Bethlehem Bible College.” In March of 2016, I went to Palestine and Israel for a conference that dealt with the reconciliation of these countries’ conflict. As we toured the West Bank, the small cases of injustice such as this became very evident at the stops in each town. While these incidents occurred every day, the Palestinian citizens made it clear to the foreigners that they never see violence as the answer.

One example of this could be found in the Palestinian city of Hebron that has an Israeli settlement growing above it. There, we walked through the ground-level market places covered by wire fencing to prevent trash and objects thrown by settlers from hitting the people purchasing their goods, yet not even that could stop the egg yolks from dripping down on to the bustling shoppers. Another day while visiting a refugee camp, we were shown the soccer field of a recreational facility, once again enclosed with a netting. We climbed through in order to reach the turf, and as we looked around our eyes wandered to the enclosing’s ceiling and noticed it was dotted with tear gas canisters that had been thrown while children played inside. Additionally, various times throughout the trip we ran into checkpoints. We were allowed immediate admittance since we were perceived to pose no threat. However, our Palestinian friends were not as fortunate because they were required to show an ID, but this was nothing new for them. They were used to being hours late to a gathering because they were held up at a checkpoint while guards decided if they would allow them to move through. Experiencing these injustices in contrast to the conference we were attending certainly highlighted the benefits of non-violence when dealing with conflict especially because of its necessity in these cases.

When assumptions are made based on something a person is unable to change, it becomes degrading for those accused. They live with the constant fear of one misstep causing them to never make it back home. However, when dialogue between the two groups was attempted at the conference, there was never any concern about safety, only light-hearted jokes and intense conversation void of consequences. As Americans, we can sometimes be blind to these issues. It doesn’t happen here to the same extent, yet we still run into this problem when issues regarding race and ethnicity rise to the surface. Experiencing first-hand what happens across the world opened my eyes to what is still left to improve upon in the world, and to what is one more fire to be put out. The nonviolent response, I learned, is most effective because its opposite is destructive. When conversations are created, there is momentum towards improvement rather than further damage.

Third Place – Grades 11/12
Shubham Gulati, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics

Stereotypes: The Crux of Racism

At a new school first impressions mean everything; they stick with you for the rest of your time there. In sixth grade, I moved to a new school where I knew no one. I walked through the doors on the first day of school, and immediately students made perceptions of who I was. My dark skin tone defined me as an Indian. The scent of my clothes, which happened to be of Indian spices, my bowl cut, and my glasses set me apart. I was reduced to a stereotype.

People think that they can degrade a race into its stereotypes. They will associate an object or attribute with a race and perpetuate comments relating to it. Due to cultural ignorance, I was associated with curry first. From that moment onward, I would be considered the Indian kid, curry boy, curry lover, terrorist and any other ignorant generalization that could possibly be associated with my appearance or culture. Comments were sometimes made as jokes, but the effects they had were hurtful, nonetheless. For the rest of my middle-school years, I went along with it, laughed at the jokes, smiled at the remarks, and hid that they had any effect on me. In reality, this banter made me want to avoid going to school and seeing the people perpetuating these comments. Many times I wanted to yell at my fellow students and show them that if I had stereotypes associated with me so did they. Then I realized that it was not the fault of the people making the statements, but rather, that this humor was due to a flaw in the current education system and society as a whole.

The general populous can only associate well known attributes and generalizations with cultures they do not understand. The only way to fix a lack of cultural tolerance is through education. With the hope of increasing cultural awareness, I became a leading member in my high school’s Multicultural Club. I attempted to do what McLawhorn said: fix society “by working within the system.”

Thankfully, it worked.

Humans are inherently curious, and after our club presentations, students and teachers began asking questions in a hope of getting a better understanding for other cultures. Through these questions, I learned a lot more about my heritage along with other cultures. Racial comments decreased, too, because people realized that one object or one action could not encompass the complexities of a culture. In the end, I accomplished what I sought out to do: decrease the racial comments present in my school and increase cultural awareness. Throughout this ordeal, there was no need for violent action, and it would not have proved beneficial anyway. Violence does not end anything; however, it furthers injustices, many of which can be violent in themselves. Society wants to learn about other cultures, but the opportunities are not always provided. They say “what you don’t know can’t hurt you,” however, what you do not know can most definitely hurt others.