Las Vegas Newspapers in Education

Students Speak Out

The Las Vegas-Review Journal Editorial Essay Program for High School Students

December-January Topic:
"Is bullying really a problem and if so, what can be done about it?"

FIRST PLACE WINNER
Katya Vilgelm
Southeast Career and Technical Academy

Bullying: A Real Problem or a Big Joke?

The clock is ticking slowly as you watch it intensely: its arms move continuously, never-ending and with as much gusto as your grandmother still has. Your eyes are weary and you've resorted to propping your head up with your hand in a poor attempt to stay awake. Finally, the final click sounds through the air and your ears pick it out easily, as if you've supersonic hearing. Just before that single tick even finishes reverberating throughout the room, a cry breaks the air as if someone has snapped whip in front of your face, breaking the air without any effort whatsoever. The screeching bell is signaling what you have be3en quite impatiently waiting for- the end of the school day. Papers are gathered and books are shoved into bags; feet are shuffling and chairs are being pushed against the floor roughly; the usual chatter initiates though you've no mind for it. You only want out. Swiftly, you leave the room with your bag slung over your shoulder and head down your usual route towards the back of the building where the busses await. As you exit through the doors out into the bright sunlight, you smile, soaking in the refreshing air whilst you stride away from the growing crowd Just as you spot your destination, a looming shadow covers the sun and a cold chill reaches your spine. Suddenly, you're more awake than ever as your heart beats frantically; you've been caught in hour tracks yet again, and there is nothing you can do about it.

It's called bullying; it's that fear of finding the one person you'd rather avoid in order to end your day on a good note. That bile taste will reach your throat and you're too far to find any help nearby, but too shaken up to bolt for the nearest escape. Even if you sought out someone who may be able to assist you in this time of need, your vicious predator will merely worsen everything they've already done. So many kids go through all of this repeatedly in some type of way; it could be through verbal or physical abuse, or even cyber abuse. Young lives are being ripped apart with no one to turn to. There are many campaigns that are desperately trying to bring this issue to the limelight; to show everyone what bullying does and how it can be solved. But, can this problem be as simple as that algebra equation in your math book? The answer is simple: no. It's not going to be an easy issue because we're too deep into it. Adults have been using he excuse that bullies only toughen kids up, but usually, the result is quite the opposite - most often, bullying will tear a kid down. And if you urge the victims to always tell someone they trust, they'll be too afraid to even do that because their predators have already warned them of the consequences. so, how can we help without throwing our children under the bus?

We must find another way to bring an end to this cruel fate for future generations, and to help the others that have been negatively affected by it. The fist and foremost is already being done; bring this problem to everyone's face and tell them about it. Show them what it does and what studies have been proving for years. Then we must try to implement our ideas into reality. The easiest solution is to come up with a way to punish and secure the situation if a child is crying out for help. We have to make sure that the bully cannot return for more wrongdoing, but we must also try to help that side as well. It's another problem to handle, but this is where the problem takes root - the core to the evil poisoning our society. And what about the vicitm? We must make sure that they understand the full situation without feeling horrible about what they've done. They have to realize that they were the victims in a situation that was not in any way their fault. In our vastly large world today, there are so many different ways to handle this problem, but we cannot finish it off complete unless we keep on trying and never give up; we have to educate the ones that will be taking after us, but also help the previous and current victims.

There is nothing right about bullying; every single aspect about it is appallingly wrong, filled with monstrous beasts that never sleep or stay away. It is a problem with our students that is unfortunately placing them in the wrong place at the wrong time- repeatedly, and without an end in sight. They do not deserve this type of pain in their lives, especially as they are merely trying to learn and live peacefully. To say that bullying is right in any sense is to say that kicking a kitten is justifiable. This problem will not go away unless we all jointly work together to bring an end to this evil demon, and it all begins with speaking to others about it.

RUNNER-UP
Jon Dulay
SouthWest Career and Technical Academy

The Bully and the Bullied

Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever been the bully? I have been both, and it is something I am not proud of. I look back to those days and I feel so ashamed of myself, but then again, it made me who I am today.

Let me tell you a story.

There was a new kid at school. He used to live in a grotesque part of the city. Shootings, car accidents, drug-infested people clogged up the streets. It was dangerous to walk out your front door with crimson red or navy blue attached to your skin and/or clothes. Until one day, his parents got a great escape from these dangers and migrated their family to the south-side of Las Vegas. Not only was the environment different, but the people were different too.

The first day of eighth grade he felt so out of place. While his classmates were rocking the hype - Nike's, Vans, skinny jeans, snapbacks, etc. - the new kid was stuck with Sketchers, hand-me-down jeans, and gel that could keep a girl's hair sticking straight up. He sat alone at lunch, but kept hope that one day someone would approach and befriend him. For the whole school year, he was singled out for being different. In the background, he could hear his peers commenting on his old-school clothing and limited-choice of friends. He was tired of hearing the insults and ate in the restroom to rid himself of all the misery.

There was also another kid - except he fit in with the hype. He wore clothes from the hype like any other typical teenager would. His clothes looked like they were new, but may have been worth a fortune. He never repeated an outfit in the same month. Unlike the first kid, he was quickly accepted by his peers and had a plentiful amount of friends. His friends loved his swag, or style.

Every lunch, he would have spare time (since he would rather spend money on new clothes instead of food). Instead of doing homework due the next period or picking food off of his friends, he would go around in search of the kid who ate alone in the restroom. He made snarky and rude remarks towards him. He gave the impression of a bully, but it made him feel a lot better about himself.

You know what secret reveals a bigger part of the story? Those two kids were me. I let people get the best of me, and it ended with me being someone who I was not. During lunch, I would go to the restroom to look in the mirror - my old self and my new self. I made my old self feel like dirt just so I would feel better about my advanced appearance.

Bullying is a major problem in today's society, but it is not a conflict we can fix. If we wanted to demolish this problem, we would have to eliminate all forms of multimedia. We should have started before society set up these standards we have to live up to. They set up a generalization for the "perfect person" and we end up striving to gain this title. These expectations are so high that we consider our unique features as flaws. You are the worst critic, and until you realize that imperfection is beautiful and different is good, you will continue to bully yourself - just like what I did.