Youth Writing

• Selected writings from "North Philadelphia Metropolis"
  Winter 2006 issue, at the Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs
• My Life, My Future, by Whitney Jones
  Whitney, 16, is an honor roll student at the Parkway High School for Peace and Social Justice in Germantown...
• Poetry by Alysia Badeau
  Alysia Badeau, 18, was adopted from foster care and grew up with her family in Philadelphia...
• Growing up in Philadelphia
  By Nina Spencer...

Selected writings from "North Philadelphia Metropolis"

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• "Education at a Loss" by Ajia Cauthen
• "Is violence in schools really changing," by Nadrease Price
• "Robbery and gangs," by Sharnice Alberto
• "Within is without: How we can stop violence in Philadelphia" by Fatima Thomas
• "Girls and violence" by Joni Creighton
• "Ready to die" by Ben Harris
• "Shun guns" a poem by Chris Whaley
• "Hurt for nothing" a poem by Wendell Neblett
• "Family Violence" a poem by Patrice Lamar-Bey

"Education at a Loss" by Ajia Cauthen pg. 7

It's everyday that I experience violence in my school. An argument can turn into a fight, which quickly leads to the teacher not being able to do his or her job. We have to teach ourselves most of the time due to the random acts of violence. People think they can prove themselves if they argue. They want a reputation, but I don't think you need to prove yourself by being violent. If you feel you need to do so, do it at another place than school or preferably not at all.

In my English class, two students, a boy and a girl, are always arguing. If it's not about a pencil, it's about a book or a seat. It's not just a one day thing; it happens everyday in my other classes. They always argue and the class doesn't learn much because they interrupt the class. The result is they get sent to detention, but this does not seem to stop them from arguing, they're obviously not learning a lesson.

It makes me wonder: are schools in the suburban or rural areas like this? Why can't the teacher control the class? Why don't kids respect the teachers? What can we do about this?

The big or real question is why aren't teachers doing anything to control their classes? Teachers are not controlling the class because they are afraid of students hurting them or cursing them out. There is even a teacher at Douglass school who has been punched in the face. She is now scared to get in fights to break them up. Teachers are scared to stop an outbreak because they don't want to get in to the situation, but still that's not a good reason to let this happen in schools.

Studies show that students who misbehave in school are either having trouble at home or feel bad about themselves. Students take the anger they have inside and take it out on other people. They act like nothing is happening in their lives. People like this need counseling and special attention.

I believe teachers are afraid to intervene in a fight because they don't want to raise the risk of getting hurt or killed. Sometimes parents get mad at teachers that touch kids. So they back away from fights and get someone with a higher power than them to help in this type of situation. I think teachers shouldn't be scared of students when they get into outbreaks! I think teachers should step up and do what they think is right. There would be less violence is school if the teachers and staff would just step up and prove they can make a difference!

"Is violence in schools really changing," by Nadrease Price pg. 7

The Philadelphia School District claims that school violence has decreased by 15 percent over the past year. As a student at Vaux High School, I know for a fact that this statement is not true. Schools like Germantown High and Simone Gratz High are known as two of the worst schools in Philadelphia. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, schools with at least 1,000 have had 20 serious incidents relating to school theft, shootings, and sexual abuse in 2004.

Violence decreased by 10 percent between the months of September through December. This can be attributed to students growing restless in the warmer months. As a result, they become more likely to cut school and start fights. School officials believe this happens because the kids know that they are being watched. Officials have counted 2,911 reported school offenses from September to December. Last school year, it was 2,604. The school district claims that last year only three states identified a total of 26 dangerous schools; Pennsylvania had 14 of them, and New Jersey had 10. National numbers for 2005-06 were not available for Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If you think school violence is increasing, you're right, look at the research below.

A lot of parents prefer to make their children attend a charter, Catholic, or private school. I personally think doing this is good because charter schools follow their own curriculum, which means they follow their own rules. Plus, private and charter schools have a limited amount of students inside each classroom. The average student inside a classroom is in between 20-30 for public schools, compared to 10-20 for charter schools, and 7-15 for privates according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Not only is there violence inside schools, there is violence around the school. Everyone remembers 10-yearold Faheem Thomas-Childs, who was shot right outside of his school. He was accidentally shot during a shoot-out. There are other examples including the student from Simon Gratz High School who died after being punched during a pickup basketball game, a 10-year-old girl from Olney Elementary School who died in an arson fire, and a kindergartner at Elkin Elementary School who was strangled with a jump rope. I personally think violence has increased a lot.

I think the reason why most public schools are so bad is because of the lack of funds and discipline. Since public schools only have so much money they can only hire the teachers who are only in it for the money. I think they need to pay more attention to who they hire and look at some of their personal backgrounds. I ultimately think all public schools need to set their own rules and follow their own goals. These schools need to be firm with their rules. I think there would be a big change in school violence if they did.

"Robbery and gangs," by Sharnice Alberto pg. 9

Robbery and gangs are violent things. Some robbers rob stores, while gangs do even worse things like sell drugs and jump people. One of my cousins was involved in both of these situations. A gang told him to give up his money,which he refused to do. He tried to run but they shot him and he died. It was a really tragic night when my family and I heard the news. The funeral was sad, but I know he's resting in a better place. It's very sad that he's resting in a better place. It's very sad that bad things happen to people who do the right things. There were over 744 reported inci-dents of armed, violent robberies in Philadelphia in 2005, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. It is important to acknowledge that many violent crimesgo unreported, in fear of retaliation or lack of faith in the Police.

Kids shouldn't be involved in gangs at all! They should try to avoid situations that may cause problems in the world. Even though it may be hard, they should at least try their best. Gangs that are large make threats, do illegal drugs and escalate arguments. Gangs also do things that can be a threat to other people, like shoot people who don't give them their money.

Why do kids join gangs? They join them because they just want some attention and more love. Some of their parents just leave them at home almost every day and don't know what their kids are doing or what's happening. Even if kids don't have anyone at home to take care of them, they still shouldn't be involved in gangs. They should make friends with positive role models like people who go to church or kids who do well in school. Gangs can mess up your whole life and really bad things can happen to kids who join them.

The main point I'm trying to make is that you should stay around the good kids and avoid the bad kids. This goes for the adults too, because they can make bad decisions too. Don't rob or get involved in gangs because they are both terrible things, with terrible consequences. Be safe and make the right decision!

"Within is without: How we can stop violence in Philadelphia" by Fatima Thomas pg. 13

To end violence in Philadelphia, we must start within society. Violence is a crucial partof our society and it will take each of us to correct it. Those affected by violence should be the strongest advocates against it. All too often, instead of solving the problem, victims react to violence with more violence.

I attend an after school program where kids my age gather as a group everyday. This is a good opportunity for us to come together and organize. I plan to start a group at my after school program called "North Philly Teens to End Violence." In this group we will talk about violence in our community, educate teens on ways to avoid violence, and brainstorm ways to eventually end it. We plan on finding ways to develop a network of people so that we are not alone in our quest to end violence. We will use discussions to educate adults and show that violence is a problem that needs to be handled immediately.

My educational plan would include helping parents teach their children at a young age that violence is not a solution. Through this education, children will grow up and live by the same morals that children in after school programs to keep them out of trouble. Stopping violence will be hard, but with each person making an individual effort, we can change the world for the better. Martin Luther King Jr., showed the world that you could actually make a difference through nonviolence. Psalms 17: 4 says, "As for the deeds of men, by the words of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent." What was true when the Bible was written is still true today: violence usually starts verbally. If people can learn to avoid petty arguments, they can prevent violence within themselves.

Violence occurs everywhere: in communities, schools, and in homes. Stopping violence will be difficult. Some children at young ages are taught that violence is inevitable. Violence for these children is all they can depend on to be safe. There seems to be a cycle of violence occurring in the urban areas of Philadelphia. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," but you can improve upon the qualities that each dog possesses. By teaching one person at a time to end aggression within, we will lead each other to a world without violence.

"Girls and violence" by Joni Creighton pg. 15

Boys and girls have differ ent mindsets on violence. At one point in time, women were less like likely tobabies are use violence as a means of a solution than men.

Violence, for a woman was unlady like and men were to deal with the problems that women had. Sometimes, when I am watching TV and I see what happens with weapons and family members, I think it is bad for the world because as you know, people are killing each other with guns and think it's cool when it's really not.

Today violent crimes amongst women have increased. "Girls involvement in delinquency and crime, though still less than boys' appears to have increased significantly in the last decades." Boys are two to three times more likely to carry weapons like, guns and things that are more likely to end a person's life. Girls are more likely to use knives. They are also more likely than boys to murder someone as a result of a conflict rather than during a crime, and to murder and fight with family members.

Violence in my eyes is easier to just avoid as much as possible. If you have "no drama" then don't start any because violence causes families to break up, and friendships to end. Ending violence is easy, everyone just has to chip in and help.

"Ready to die" by Ben Harris pg. 18

In 1993, Notorious BIG dropped Ready to Die, and by 1997 his time had come. So often I hear people saying that they too are ready to die, that they don't give a "what what." But what are they ready to die for? The time has come for us to see the bigger picture. The violence that swarms around us in the city, fills our lungs, and both literally and figuratively, is destroying us. But we know this. My fear is that someone is planting the seeds for future violence, and that someone is ourselves.

Violence comes in many forms: child abuse, mental abuse, unjust abuses of power, abuse of our bodies, and murder are just a few. When tragedy strikes a person, he or she becomes a victim. Now on one hand, a victim is someone suffering from his or her particular situation: victim of an attack, a robbery, even an asthma or heart attack. But really, we need to take a step back now and check out this "big picture."

Another definition of victim is as follows: "A person who suffers injury, loss, or death as a result of a voluntary undertaking: You are a victim of your own scheming." Yes, many of us are victims of circumstances beyond our control, but many of us are victims of our own, and our community's "own scheming." Let's look at some situations, and I'll ask a couple of follow-up questions.

Many of our children are suffering from a range of physical and mental diseases, like the more and morecommon asthma and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Many of us young adults and grown-ups suffer from poor health as well, like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. On a more simple level, many of us have constant stomach and head aches which slow us down when they lay us up.

So, while we suffer, what is the cause of this? How many children are at the corner store before school eating candy and chips for breakfast? How many of these kids have 3 rounds of candy, chips and hugs a day? How many parents smoke in the house? How young do kids start smoking blunts? How many of us eat fresh fruit and vegetables everyday? How many of us demand that stores in our area sell healthy food? Is there a connection between the high sugar and fat diet and our health problems?

As for physical violence, I'm not sure if we truly want it to go away. How many times have you seen a baby get smacked? A baby, like under two years old!? Smacked and screamed at. I see it all the time. What seeds are being planted here?

Well, we know everyone is ready to fight. Most people around here were raised never to turn their back on a fight. But how many of us are ready to fight over an insult in the street, compared to how many of us are ready to fight for a cause, like to keep our streets safe or improve our community?

Now, when we talk about murder here in Philadelphia, we don't have to look at numbers to know how bad it is, because we see it in the streets. Clearly, many people are willing to die over drug money, a girl's phone number, a cell phone, a dis, and even less. Let's look a Faheem Childs shooting trial. What is up with "Stop Snitchin?" Would you want someone to snitch if it was your child, sibling, parent, or spouse snatched from life? Six out of six witnesses went south! How many people are willing to fight, or even risk death, for the justice of a murdered tenyear-old boy?

I know there are some very, very, very scary people out there, but if so many people don't give a "what, what" and are "ready to die" over nothing, you would hope there would be a few ready to risk something, if not everything for some justice. And if no one's ready for that fight, not on any level, we will just have more and more of what we are too used to. Why do we have a code that protects the people that hurt us the most? Why are we so willing to sacrifice our own freedom and life for the people that hurt us everyday? How can we complain about our problems, when we refuse to address their roots?

"Shun guns" a poem by Chris Whaley pg. 19

Self-hate deeply
Guns cheaply
Drugs steeply,
Death needlessly
Hope Redeem me!

Bullies in the school yard fighting,
hurtful words and bullets flying
record numbers of young kids dying,
plenty of families hurting and crying.
Arms importers lying, NRA still denying
the effect of the guns we keep buying.
For kids, these scary days are trying
and folks watching news just keep on sighing.

It's a critical problem we all must face
devastating, escalating from state to state
young life, early love, what a waste!
At this alarming pace, we will all but erase
an endearing portion of the human race
While preachers at pulpits keep saying "Have faith,"
the choirs sing over another lost son, "Amazing Grace!"

Now where is it written, where was it read
That we should succumb to this senseless bloodshed?
Inhumanity at its worse, rearing its ugly head
Why are we comfortable with so many young dead?
We must destroy the monsters we allowed to be bred:
drugs, guns, poverty, drop-outs, AIDS, young moms unwed
This was not the plan our enslaved ancestors thread
They cried, sweat and died for us to thrive instead!

Smaller, safer, better schools
and late-night rec centers with Olympic pools
Successful graduates, not life-term inmates
Not jails, but decent housing all can afford,
every community caring and sharing in accord.
Don't accuse the man, don't blame the cops
Just look in our homes..look at our moms and pops

In place of spirituality, kinship, we have chosen violence,
and people in the community just keep their silence.
There is a better way ..try killing folks with kindness!

"Hurt for nothing" a poem by Wendell Neblett pg. 22

This prose on violence is in Philadelphia and everywhere else. It's about people getting hurt over money and drugs. Some people are getting hurt just for no reason. Some people are getting hurt because other people think it's funny to hurt other people. I think people need to think before they act. Also, people need to think about how it would affect them if they were in their shoes. People need to think of the children because if they see you do wrong they will grow up thinking it's OK to harm other people. What I'm trying to say is that I have seen a boy walking down the street, the boy just looked at these other boys and they jumped him. It is because the boy looked harmless that they jumped him. What if it was a friend or family member you knew and he got jumped and badly hurt? What would you do and how would you feel?

"Family Violence" a poem by Patrice Lamar-Bey pg. 23

Mom on drugs
Can't give her little baby a hug.
Dad's in jail
Waiting for someone to bail him out.
Drugs keep coming,
In and out.
Brothers and sisters crying for a bit to eat.
Mama need a,
Man that she can keep.
Older sister getting kicked out of school.
Brother just,
Acting like a fool.
Violence on the street and police not doing
nothing.
This family getting killed,
Why doesn't someone do something?
Peer pressure on the street, what their teachers
can't see
This family is yelling
"Someone please help me!"

My Life, My Future, by Whitney Jones

Bio: Whitney, 16, is an honor roll student at the Parkway High School for Peace and Social Justice in Germantown. She started her education in Headstart and has always enjoyed school. She has many dreams for her future, and she lives in Mt Airy with her grandparents.

My future is very important to me. I want to succeed in all aspects of life. My dream is to go to college and become a doctor. I may not like school very much, but my education is very important to me. No matter how much I dislike school, I will not let myself fail. There are some things that might make it hard for me to reach my goal. I don't like school, I procrastinate, and I don't always try my hardest. These are things that I need to work on and I know I can do it. The most interesting thing I do with my time is experience life. It's the best thing you can do.

The best thing in my neighborhood is that there are a lot of opportunities. My biggest worry/concern in my neighborhood is the violence. One change that I would like to see in Philadelphia that would make life better for children and youth in the city is stopping the violence. If kids had something to turn to instead of violence maybe there would be less crime. Violence in the city has affected my family in many ways. My uncle has been held at gun point and shot at many times. Also some people in my family are starting to act in violent ways. Violence is what they live/experience so they join with the crowd. I don't want my family to be apart of it. My grandparents are very important to me. They are my heroes; a miracle. They are truly a gift from God. They are always there for me. They've done so much for many people. They are my inspiration. I wouldn't be here to day without them.

Philadelphia has good qualities and also bad qualities. I think the Mayor should focus on the main/major problems in Philadelphia to make life better for all children. The May should figure out ways to solve the problems before they get worse. Kids should be able to feel safe when they go outside. They shouldn't have to feel like they got to watch over their shoulder every time they leave the house.

Poetry by Alysia Badeau

About the Poet: Alysia Badeau, 18, was adopted from foster care and grew up with her family in Philadelphia. Alysia was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and cognitive disabilities as an infant and her prognosis was deemed bleak; she was not expected to walk, talk, feed or dress herself. Although she cannot speak in a conventional way, she definitely has a voice as her poetry demonstrates! She is also a dancer and is currently studying dance and life skills at the Berkshire Hills Music Academy. Alysia's early education was at the Philadelphia United Cerebral Palsy school in Chestnut Hill. She then attended the C. W. Henry school through 8th grade and graduated in June, 2006 from the HOPE Charter School in Philadelphia. Dance not only provided her with an outlet for self expression, but it was her favorite after school program! In addition to poetry and dance, her passions include helping children, learning about health and disabilities, and going to movies and the mall with friends! She is active in her church youth group and baby-sits for her nieces and nephews.

I CAN'T BREATHE
I can't breathe
I cry tears every day,
Because children are being beaten to death.
Children have no homes and I can't breathe.
I cry because children
are being used for sexual playthings
and I can't breathe.
I cry because children need someone to love
And be safe from criminals
And I can't breathe.
I cry because young teens are having babies
By someone that is older than them
That they think they love.
And I can't breathe.
This is all the stuff that takes my breath away
And I still can't breathe

WIND
When it gets very cold in the outside world
It is wind

It moves from place to place
Sometimes wind talks to you
Some say in the wind, when it talks
They feel a spirit come over them
Like they feel their loved ones are close by

When its raining and windy
Its beautiful to see
Have you ever heard the wind
So calm and gentle?

Sometimes when people who have a loved one die
They go to the lake or the ocean
To scatter their loved ones ashes

Then they feel something
Come over them like the wind
To tell them its going to be OK

I think sometimes the wind
Tells you to listen to your heart

You would never listen to the wind
If you have too much noise in your life

The wind also said
You will understand me

DARKNESS
Darkness – what is it
A place where you have nobody to love
Or take care of you

Darkness sometimes gets me when I feel sad or mad or alone

Darkness is in Africa and here in Philadelphia
Where kids run away or are sick or
Don't have any parents to love them
Or don't have a place to stay
We need to stop the darkness in the world

People are killing people>
For no reason
People are hurting people
We need to bring in the light

Darkness is nothing but a depression and hurt and madness

Sometimes I feel
Darkness in my life
But I wouldn't let the darkness
Stop me from being
The best that I can be

I know that I will do my best in life.

RAINBOW
The rainbow has
Pretty colors –
Blue, green and red and orange.
All the colors of a rainbow

After the dark rain comes
There is a pretty bright colorful line in the sky

That rainbow shows me feelings of beauty and color

It makes me feel good inside

It makes me feel like I am flying in blue skylight

Rainbow colors in my eyes

Rainbows are a good part of my day
When it rains there will always be a rainbow
Looking at me saying
Colorful things to me

SOME PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR ME
Sometimes people can't hear me
Because I'm crying
Because I'm hurt inside
I'm crying because I'm scared
People can't hear me because I'm locked in my fear.

People can't hear me because they don’t know what’s wrong.

People can't hear me because I'm afraid
People can't hear me because I'm lost and
I'm swimming in dead water of fear.
People can't hear me because they don't know the hell I've been through

People can't hear me
Because I'm not really there.

People can't hear me because they aren't listening to me.

So what I'm saying to you is please hear me
Can you hear me?
Please hear me
Can you hear me
Please hear me
Can you hear me.

Growing up in Philadelphia By Nina Spencer

Nina, 19, graduated from Parkway West High School then completed a year of City Year. Her early childhood program was at her local elementary school – Bryant Elementary in West Philadelphia. Nina grew up and currently lives with her parents, siblings and young son in West Philadelphia. She is planning to go back to school to study Business and Non-Profit Management so she can begin a non-profit organization to work with children.

As a young adult, living in Philadelphia and having grown up here all my life, there are quite a few things that concern me about the "City of Brotherly Love." I know that people usually tend to talk a lot about the violence that's slowly taking over our city, but I believe that it's much deeper than that.

Violence is one of my main concerns, and has worried me ever since I was old enough to have my own voice. Growing up in a neighborhood like the one that I did made violence seem like a normal thing for a child to be doing, as if there was nothing else better to do. When you would hear gunshots so close you could feel that it was coming from the next block over, you got used to it. Childrens didn't stop playing; adults didn't bring their children inside. Everything carried on and eventually it became a part of our daily routines. But as soon as someone had gotten hurt, that's when people thought it was time to do something. And that's when I realized that priorities for our children and their safety need to be a little better.

As I grew older I became more aware of some of the problems that our city faced, and I realized that a lot of people that say they wish the world was a better place aren't really doing anything to actually make it that way. Sure they may attend a rally or two, but in my opinion I think that people in Philadelphia and all over America are ignorant about things that should concern them the most. I believe that violence starts with our children.

I have a child of my own who is now 7 months old. I am doing everything in my power for him not to ever be a part of such violence. Children are our key to the future and life itself. We need to teach them right, in order to pave the way to a better world. If we allow them to keep dropping out of school, selling drugs, gang banging and not making something of their lives, then I believe that there will be no real future to look forward to. We need to teach our kids to be strong and wise. Education-wise, not street-wise. Then maybe our city and nation will begin to look up in the right direction.