[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 14 (Monday, January 30, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S154-S158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        VERMONT STUDENTS' ESSAYS

 Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I ask to have printed in the 
Record these essays written by Vermont High School students as part of 
the Second Annual ``What is the State of the Union?'' essay contest 
conducted by my office. The following essays were selected as 
``Honorable Mentions.''
  The Statements follow.

    Hannah Apfelbaum, Champlain Valley Union High School (Honorable 
                                Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       America is not living up to its full potential. We have one 
     of the highest child poverty rates in the Western world, a 
     high unemployment rate, and test very low in math and science 
     compared to other developed countries. And that's not all--we 
     also face environmental challenges and the decline of the 
     middle class. We must use our differences to unite us by 
     tackling all aspects of the issues we face. But America is 
     asking how, specifically, do we solve these problems?
       First, we need to decide what problems not to solve. Iraq 
     and Afghanistan are not in ideal condition. This does not 
     mean, however, that we should be pouring all of our money 
     into military efforts there. Instead, we need to make more 
     money available for the most pressing issues in our own 
     country.
       One way to make more money available is to stop giving the 
     wealthiest people the biggest tax cuts. It is understandable 
     that politicians are concerned about backlash from these 
     influential citizens, but the majority of people in this 
     country--the middle class--needs to be taken into account. 
     With the national debt becoming greater and greater, these 
     tax cuts simply are not sustainable.
       So where should our money go? The first priority should be 
     education. Successful experiences in the early years of 
     school make children much less likely to drop out or end up 
     in prison--an entity that tax dollars pay for, with less than 
     stellar results. Investment in public elementary schools 
     benefits both the children and the general public. We also 
     need to spend money on college financial aid programs. The 
     most successful students who cannot pay their own tuition 
     deserve to have this opportunity, and will most likely make a 
     large contribution to society in their adult lives. All 
     contributions to education will help make Americans qualified 
     to obtain jobs that will provide them with comfortable wages, 
     and stimulate the economy.
       We also need to spend money on healthcare. Every American 
     has the right to ``life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
     happiness.'' Life, especially, is very hard to maintain 
     without adequate healthcare. The right to be safe is 
     something that needs to be provided

[[Page S155]]

     to all citizens. It is simply not acceptable for a child in 
     need of a treatment such as chemotherapy to not be able to 
     access it. It is time that we live up to this responsibility. 
     And in providing safety, a clean environment is also 
     essential. Clean air helps reduce our risk of cancer, lung 
     disease and numerous other health issues.
       America--now is the time to make choices for the benefit of 
     our national community. We need to fund education. We need to 
     fund healthcare. We need to take environmental action. It is 
     time for each of us to advocate and actively work for these 
     policies so that America can reach its full potential.
                                  ____


  Erin Clauss, Champlain Valley Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       My fellow Americans, as we move into 2012, there are 
     serious issues that must be resolved. The American middle 
     class is in crisis. Hard-working Americans are losing their 
     jobs, and are unable to care for and provide for their 
     families. This nation is drowning in debt. Americans are 
     unable to pay for basic needs, like healthcare.
       The Occupy Wall Street movement has brought to all of our 
     attention how important fixing the economy is. As of November 
     2011, 7.6 million Americans have lost their jobs during this 
     recession. The unemployment rate is declining, but there is 
     still much work to be done. These people want to be able to 
     support themselves. They don't want to be living off food 
     stamps and have their homes foreclosed on. They want to work. 
     They want to be able to afford to give their children a 
     college education. The United States has the most expensive 
     college tuition in the world, leaving young adults struggling 
     with debt. They have difficulty paying off that debt when 
     they are unable to find a decent job after graduation.
       Part of the solution must be to raise taxes on America's 
     wealthiest citizens. This isn't about class warfare. It's 
     about saving the American economy. Those who can afford to 
     pay more have the responsibility to do so. To be able to pay 
     off our debt and bring back the so-called ``American dream,'' 
     we desperately need to raise revenue, and this is the clear 
     solution.
       Due to this recession, many Americans cannot afford to buy 
     health care. They are uninsured and unprotected. Over 44 
     million Americans do not have health insurance. This is an 
     outrage. Health care is a basic right that should be 
     guaranteed for everyone. If, in the Declaration of 
     Independence, we, as a nation, claim to guarantee the rights 
     to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we must do 
     so. By allowing insurance companies to deny our people 
     adequate medical care, we are taking away their right to 
     life. This must be remedied.
       What we really need now is compromise. Nothing can or will 
     be achieved if the leaders of our nation, the representatives 
     of the people, refuse to compromise and work together towards 
     the betterment of our country. This crisis is not unsolvable. 
     We have the tools to fix the situation in our nation today, 
     but only if both sides are willing to make concessions to 
     help us move forward into the future as a powerful nation.
       Thank you.
                                  ____


         Yamuna Dahal, Winooski High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       The United States of America is country of opportunity and 
     success. We believe in our country and our confidence. We 
     believe that we would eventually succeed overcoming any 
     obstacles. We never fear to try something new. We are always 
     trying to show the world our power of unity and diversity. We 
     got the best entrepreneurs in this country whose continues 
     hard work and confidence made our country the best among the 
     world, we do have some issues that need to be fixed.
       Our parliament system is based on equality and liberty. Our 
     democratic governmental system enhances the public voice to 
     be heard. Anyone, who is capable and willing of leading this 
     country, could be elected freely regardless of their 
     ethnicity, race or social background.
       For the last decade, our country is facing many problems. 
     The average income for the American family is falling down. 
     Many of our American families are losing their jobs because 
     companies outsourced their jobs to foreign land. Companies 
     and rich peoples are getting richer whereas the average 
     income families are falling towards the poverty line. There 
     are others concerns like illegal immigration, and increasing 
     crime. There are also issues such as recovery of hurricane 
     Katrina at New Orleans, Oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico and 
     California fire. I could go on and on and never finish 
     mentioning our problems.
       However, for our generation increasing college tuition is a 
     matter of headache. Our parents' incomes are spent paying 
     their college loans and home mortgages. Today `saving for the 
     children's college' is rarely heard from average income 
     family parents. Today, it's very hard to get accepted for 
     scholarship at colleges and university so the only way to go 
     to college is to `take a loan.' However, in this economy, 
     many of our college graduates are jobless and are under the 
     debt of more than 100K dollars. And the numbers of those 
     college graduates are increasing along with their debts. Many 
     students get frosted about their college loans and choose to 
     go to community college. Universities and research centers 
     are beyond their imagination. It is decreasing our confidence 
     and our hope for the better future. As a young high school 
     student, I myself have to start thinking about college and my 
     future jobs as early as my eighth grade.
       To prevent ruining our future the government should put a 
     limit for private colleges and universities tuition. There 
     should be more scholarships available for needy students. 
     High school students should get opportunity to take college 
     courses during summer to reduce their semesters when they 
     actually go to college. They should be properly trained about 
     money management and time management. The government should 
     increase and improve community colleges and government state 
     universities and reduce the price. The number of colleges and 
     universities should be increased in the remote site of the 
     country and make it more accessible for everybody.
                                  ____


Julienne DeVita, Champlain Valley Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       Dear Fellow Americans: Today, I stand before this great 
     nation, to speak to the concerned, hardworking Americans, 
     with the intent of bettering the state of this country. I 
     would like to bring to your attention three of the most 
     pressing issues which I feel need to be addressed in 2012 in 
     order for the United States of America to reach it's full 
     potential; the environment, our economy, and college 
     education costs.
       This past year, after 10 years of war, and frustration, the 
     United States Military Forces found and defeated a key leader 
     of the Al Quaida movement; Osama Bin Laden. This brought 
     relief and feelings of security back to Iraqi and American 
     citizens. We ended a war and are bringing our troops back 
     home. Now however, it is the time for our government to focus 
     on domestic issues, three important things that need to get 
     done in our country.
       Firstly, fossil Fuels are a finite commodity in our world 
     today, and whose dwindling supply has lead our country to 
     face the unavoidable subject of Global Warming. We need to 
     focus the public's attention not only on the devastating 
     effects of the environment, but ultimately what will happen 
     to human life on this planet. There needs to be more public 
     awareness of the long-term disastrous affects that global 
     warming will inevitably bring to our world. We need to 
     commission scientists to create more practical and affordable 
     solutions to this problem.
       Another issue that is of paramount importance is the state 
     of our economy. We must invest in America; American jobs, 
     American-made products, and the American people. Companies 
     need to be rooted in this country so that more jobs can be 
     made available to the 8.6 percent of unemployed Americans. 
     Financial incentives must be available for businesses to stay 
     in the U.S. and employ the American workers.
       America needs to close the vast gap between rich and poor 
     in this country. Actions that progress the wealth down 
     through the middle and lower class are essential. Since 1978, 
     the cost of college tuition has increased more than 900 
     percent. Costs of a college education have to be more 
     affordable for our young adults who are planning and 
     investing in their futures.
       As we reach towards these goals, our country's leaders have 
     to come together and put aside their religion, skin color, or 
     the fact that they are a Democrat or Republican in order to 
     address these issues and find solutions. We must put aside 
     our differences and compromise towards the common good. 
     Individually we are not as strong as when we all work 
     together.
       We are a country rich of talent, knowledge, and resources. 
     By vowing to work together on the issues of the environment, 
     our economy, and college education costs, we will be ensuring 
     a better future for all Americans. Let's make our future one 
     to look forward to.
                                  ____


 Alden Fletcher, Champlain Valley Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       Our union is a union of people, a people who recently have 
     been vocal about the state in which they find themselves. 
     From the tea party to Occupy Wall Street, everywhere there is 
     a movement rising up, demanding similar changes to a broken 
     system. The people are hurting, they have lost their jobs, 
     they are dealing with a harsh economic recession and thus far 
     our government has failed them.
       Our government has proven itself incapable of effectively 
     dealing with the diverse and complicated problems currently 
     threatening this nation. Our legislative body is crippled by 
     partisan gridlock, the executive branch has been lenient in 
     its duty to protect the American people and their rights, 
     and, the power of common citizens in politics is being 
     marginalized in favor of the interests of the wealthy. The 
     need for reform is evident.
       First the influence of special interests in government must 
     be diminished; legislators should be motivated by a desire to 
     ensure public good, not a job at a lobbying firm. In 
     addition, the effects of Fec v. Citizens United must be 
     reversed, and new restrictions must be established that limit 
     an organization's media power and its access into the 
     political system.
       Second, we must be certain that the federal government is 
     vigorous in its regulatory capacity. Whistblowers, people who 
     report

[[Page S156]]

     nefarious or negligent activity against the public, must be 
     protected to the utmost; further initiatives need to be taken 
     that increase accountability within the government 
     bureaucracy. This will guarantee that the federal government 
     does not abuse its power in the same manner as it has with 
     national security.
       Our country is a democracy, and it is the citizens' 
     prerogative to keep government in check. However, many states 
     have instituted laws that place unnecessary burdens upon 
     voting rights. In order for a democracy to function it 
     requires popular participation and it should be the 
     imperative of government to encourage all those who are 
     eligible, to vote. Through the means of a constitutional 
     amendment, the federal government must be granted increased 
     jurisdiction over national elections. Thus the government can 
     create standardized voting requirements, implement automatic 
     voter registration and facilitate absentee balloting, all of 
     which are vital steps to giving underrepresented groups, for 
     instance young people, more of a say in the national debate.
       Finally there must be a new a sentiment of cooperation and 
     compromise in Washington if there is to be progress. A 
     government that continually threatens to shut down due to 
     petty disputes does little to serve the people. Changing the 
     way this nation is governed will allow us to tackle issues 
     from climate change to inequality, from the rising cost of 
     college education to promoting human rights across the globe. 
     However, if no action is taken we can accomplish nothing, and 
     it is our responsibility to be an educated and vigilant 
     electorate, to ensure that this does not happen.
                                  ____


      Jack Du Pre, Vergennes Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       The state of this nation is declining. It has become an age 
     where men and women of higher education status can't find 
     work and an age where the natural order of employment has 
     been shaken by a decline in productivity and availability of 
     jobs. Teens, like me, cannot find work due to the fact that 
     many ``white collar'' workers have no choice but to take jobs 
     that they would normally not consider. At a resort near my 
     school, the common denominator of the wait staff this summer 
     was that most held Masters Degrees and two held PhD level 
     educations. Waiting tables was what they could find for work.
       From our youngest days in school we are charged to go to 
     college and further our education. We are taught that the 
     American dream is alive, well and available for those 
     diligent and hard working. The present realities make that 
     seem more like a fairy tale and the realities of the current 
     economic situation more of a harsh reality. America is in 
     need of a direct approach to stimulate the economy. The 
     answer is not pouring more money into the economy, but 
     deciding what will be made here and made with precision, 
     passion and pride. The economy is stagnant because of lack of 
     direction and focus.
       In conclusion, the mending needs to come from three places. 
     It needs to come from a Congress joined by a common 
     interest--America and not divided by partisan rhetoric and a 
     current state of blaming the other side. It needs to come 
     from American corporations who decide to invest in America 
     and in American ingenuity. Lastly, it needs to come from the 
     people who are mired in frustration and apathy. If all three 
     forces face the future and address the issue of what America 
     truly needs, then the country can begin to live as it has in 
     the past, as a beacon for other countries as a place where 
     dreams can come true.
                                  ____


 Emma Hamilton, Champlain Valley Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       At the dawn of 2012, the United States is facing a 
     multitude of pressing issues. Currently, the U.S. poverty 
     rate is 15.1 percent, the highest since 1993; the 
     unemployment rate is 8.6 percent; and an unprecedented string 
     of natural disasters has overcome our country in 2011. 
     Compounding all these problems is our divided Congress, which 
     has proven to be largely ineffective in addressing these 
     daunting issues in a concerted and resolute manner. In this 
     critical time, it is imperative that change comes soon.
       The root of many of our country's problems originates with 
     our degraded education system. There is a great gap in 
     opportunities for early education, which is in large measure 
     based on income. Studies have proven that a quality early 
     education is essential for a successful future. Re-building 
     and strengthening our early education system must become a 
     top priority if the country wants to see future positive 
     change.
       When American children are born, they are told that if they 
     follow the rules: go to school, work hard, and attend 
     college, then they will be rewarded with a promising future. 
     Nowadays, graduates fresh out of college find that even 
     though they followed the rules, they struggle to find the 
     promising future that they were led to believe would be 
     there. America needs to find a way to put our educated people 
     back to work with jobs that will build our economy, 
     community, and country.
       This past year extreme tornadoes ripped through the 
     southeast. Hurricanes and tropical storms flooded communities 
     along the eastern seaboard. Furthermore, the summer of 2011 
     was the hottest ever in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, 
     causing heat waves and record droughts. This extreme weather 
     has cost our country over $35 billion dollars. Most can agree 
     that the climate is drastically changing at unprecedented 
     rates. The time has come that the human race faces the 
     effects it has on Mother Earth. The United States emits more 
     than 5,425 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, ranking 
     it second highest worldwide. We must join together as a 
     nation to find quick solutions to this ever-growing problem 
     before it is too late.
       In 2011, Congress proved to be one of the most divided and 
     uncompromising Congresses the American public has ever seen. 
     In a time of crisis, America needs congressional leadership 
     with creative solutions and a willingness to work together to 
     get things done. It is vital that Congress moves forward 
     without partisan bickering and focuses on making positive 
     change.
       During a time of high unemployment, living with a degrading 
     education system, and increasing environmental catastrophes, 
     our country cannot afford to wait anymore. The time has come 
     for Americans to come together to solve the problems we are 
     facing. Although we are confronted with many issues, there is 
     hope for a brighter future. America has repeatedly shown it 
     is strong and can and will restore itself to become the 
     thriving and great nation it is capable of being.
                                  ____


  Zach Holman, Champlain Valley Union High School, (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       I stand before our great nation to address the current 
     state of the nation. 2011 was a struggle for many people, 
     students were ending college carriers thousands of dollars in 
     debt, scraping every last penny to cover medical bills 
     because health insurance is too costly, or many were just not 
     able to find a job whether he or she was an adult or 
     teenager. 2011 is behind us and 2012 is here, things will 
     improve. For this year there are three crucial changes our 
     government must make to make America truly great again and 
     fully prosperous we must get people working, enact a one-
     payer healthcare system that ensures coverage to all, and a 
     higher education program that makes college affordable for 
     levels of income and status.
       The past few years have led to the demise of the middle 
     class. This is due to the fact higher paying positions do not 
     exist and no one is hiring. Everyone from the age of 16 to 65 
     is under pressure to find work and yet most cannot. This 
     year, 2012, it will change. At the end of the 2011 the 
     unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent, an improvement, not 
     a solution. We must make it so those able to and willing to 
     work can. My plan is to start programs that train a work 
     force for different skilled positions that there is a demand 
     for. Then I will make sure that these positions are 
     available. If this means subsidizing certain industries to 
     increase demand and promote hiring, I see that it happens. It 
     is time to get America working again whether you are a 
     teenager or elderly adult jobs will be available.
       This country has attempted to tackle the healthcare 
     problem, and each time it does not succeed in the way most 
     hope. It is time to throw away the old system and start new; 
     it is a new year and a time for new ideas. The only way to 
     bring quality healthcare to all Americans is through a one-
     payer system. A system that makes sure no citizen goes 
     uncared for. To make this possible we must de-privatize 
     insurance companies and give coverage to all. Life is not a 
     luxury only people of certain socioeconomic statuses deserve, 
     it is a basic human right and a one-payer system is the only 
     way to make it possible.
       Education is my last topic for the night. Today only 
     students in dire need of financial aid receive it to attend 
     college. This is not right and does not work. Middle class 
     families barely can afford the outrageous price of tuition 
     for one child let alone two or more. We must enact new forms 
     of aid that make college affordable for all and give everyone 
     an equal opportunity.
       The country needs help, but with a few small changes 
     success is possible. God bless you and God bless the United 
     States of America.
                                  ____


     Katie Leavitt, Woodstock Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       Crises encourage friendships. They force people to act as a 
     community and work together, especially when they involve 
     those that they care about. They create situations that bring 
     out the good in people who would otherwise never step up to 
     lend a hand.
       The town of Woodstock has lived through a crisis this past 
     fall: Hurricane Irene. In the months and weeks afterward, the 
     town saw first hand that people come together and do the 
     right thing when they need to. Community members recognized 
     that friends and relatives who were dear to them were in 
     trouble, so they stepped up to help make a change, because in 
     light of a crisis, they cared. When a tree lay across my road 
     after taking out a power line, everyone in my neighborhood 
     helped those who weren't able to get to their homes by 
     providing them with food, showers, and shelter. My family 
     even created a path through our field to allow people to 
     drive through to the other side. Crises involving family, 
     friends, and neighbors force people into action, and they 
     create a better environment through a sense of urgency and 
     caring.

[[Page S157]]

       A major issue in our country today is the poverty crisis. 
     One cannot enter a city without passing someone with all 
     their belongings in a bag, asking for any money to help 
     alleviate their situation. The majority will walk by and do 
     nothing. The whole country begs for change: an end to 
     poverty, yet they walk right by when a person in need asks 
     for help. The only feeling in walking by is guilt that you 
     have more than they, and can relieve the guilt by handing 
     them a dollar or two. However, this does nothing to solve the 
     problem as a whole; it only gives one temporary peace of 
     mind. They do nothing to truly help because there is no 
     intrinsic pull to help them, just a sudden guilt. They feel 
     no real sense of urgency to do anything, as they have no 
     connection to the person. It is the sense of caring for this 
     person and the urgency to alleviate their situation that they 
     lack.
       The solution to the crisis of poverty is to replicate this 
     feeling. To find a way to make people truly care about those 
     that they walk by in the street everyday to get to work. 
     Organize committees to issue government grants to motivated 
     groups of people who will find a way to engender the feeling 
     of community in their own hometowns and cities. Grant them 
     the money for them to create ways for the poor and wealthy 
     alike to become friends, and begin to form a community. 
     That's all it takes: when you know someone, and you realize 
     they are having a crisis, you go out of your way to help fix 
     the problem, because that's the way it always works: absolute 
     neediness from people you care about brings everyone 
     together. The wealthier people will begin to look around and 
     realize that their new friends are deep in the middle of a 
     crisis, and they will do something about it. Trust me. I've 
     seen it.
                                  ____


    Theophila Lee, South Burlington High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       As a nation, the most pressing concern we currently face is 
     our current education system. An issue of vital important to 
     the next generation of this country, and therefore to the 
     nation itself, I am dismayed by the lack of progress our 
     nation seems to be making in this area. Instead of further 
     sensationalizing the statistics of the abysmal standards of 
     U.S. students in comparison with their international cohorts, 
     I have decided instead to give some practical suggestions.
       The change has to come from all levels--from the students, 
     the teachers, the schools, and the communities. At the basic 
     levels, subjects should be taught in a more integrated way. 
     History, literature, and art should be interwoven and studied 
     together. This ability to reach across traditional 
     disciplines and explore their relationships will develop 
     increasing well-roundedness in student. It will force pupils 
     to make interdisciplinary connections, an educational 
     experience that I believe ultimately makes a better informed, 
     creative, and open-minded student. Collaboration should be 
     encouraged more often. For teachers, teaching skills should 
     be continually sharpened, with time to take courses, attend 
     conferences, and share lessons and tips with other teachers, 
     online and in person. Should school districts want to explore 
     the option of merit pay, they should base it on the above 
     criteria, certainly not test scores of a teacher's students. 
     Additionally, schools (with the assistance of the community 
     at large) should require that students complete various 
     internships with businesses, government agencies, etc. This 
     allows students to explore their passions and expose them to 
     the world of work through school-to-career programs and 
     internships.
       Finally, I find it appalling that lowering the cost of 
     college tuition while still maintaining the quality of our 
     higher education system is still not a high enough priority.
       Our higher education system is something America should be 
     proud of; every year, the Ivy League and top liberal arts 
     colleges receive an increasing number of international 
     applicants, all who recognize the superiority of a U.S. 
     education. However, the price tag is an entirely different 
     issue. While it's understandable that cutting costs will 
     inevitably create conflict, couldn't college presidents be 
     held more accountable for the rising costs? This previous 
     semester, a Stanford professor tried an experiment where he 
     opened up his class to anyone online--for free. Expecting to 
     get only 10,000 people, he instead found that by the end of 
     his course, 140,000 pupils from all around the world had 
     enrolled. Perhaps the government should encourage top 
     colleges to explore technology in higher education through 
     government subsidies. More paying students would lead to 
     lower prices. It would also reduce the frenzy of high-school 
     seniors as we find ourselves competing with as many as 10 
     other students for a place in our top choice college. I 
     believe this would be a win-win situation for both parties 
     involved.
                                  ____


       Giovanina Mier, St. Johnsbury Academy (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       In the eternal words of our country's Preamble of the 
     Constitution, it is stated that the purpose of the United 
     States is ``to form a more perfect union, establish justice, 
     insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, 
     promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of 
     liberty for all''. Today, over 224 years later, these words 
     may seem distant and unreachable. However, they still remain 
     the foundation of our government and ideals that we, as the 
     American people, should strive to achieve.
       In recent years, our government and political systems have 
     become increasingly polarized and radical. While this is not 
     inherently unfortunate, it has led to the inability of groups 
     of differing opinions to compromise. Without compromise, 
     democracy cannot function. In order for the people to 
     exercise their sovereignty in such a way as to spark change 
     and improvement in both our country and the world, we must 
     first be able to express the will of the majority. With two 
     equally unbending political parties pitted against each 
     other, our government has become stagnant. This effects even 
     minor problems, but is especially crucial in the economic 
     recovery that is the desire of every American. With the 
     inability to come to agreements on smaller negotiations, how 
     can we expect to solve the larger problems of our staggering 
     debt, unemployment, and inflation? The economic recession has 
     injured every American, from the college student unable to 
     find a job with a Master's degree in their field to the small 
     business that must close its doors.
       These problems facing the American people cannot be solved 
     by simply holding fast to one's beliefs. While it is valuable 
     to have those in government that adequately and accurately 
     represent the ideas, morals, and beliefs of the American 
     public, compromise does not mean that one has to entirely 
     renounce everything they hold to be right and true. Instead, 
     compromise asks that we come to a place at which both parties 
     can agree upon one idea or principle. Does that seem so much 
     to ask? Of course, compromise in practice is more difficult 
     than in theory, but by striving for this ideal, we can create 
     a foundation upon which compromise becomes possible. The 
     intensive media coverage extended to the extreme ends of the 
     political spectrum drowns out the rest of the American 
     public; yet listening to the less heard voices of the 
     moderate American people is one of many ways in which we can 
     begin to meet the challenges of compromise.
       To restore our country to prosperity and success that will 
     extend to all Americans, we must listen to both the minority 
     and majority. We must not allow the media to create 
     entertainment and triviality out of such serious matters of 
     government and politics that affect all of us so greatly. We 
     must overcome our differences and disparities to become a 
     more unified nation truly built upon compromise, and achieve 
     the dreams articulated in the Preamble of our Constitution.
                                  ____


   Travis Kent Reed, Vergennes Union High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       In the past our country has been a world leader in freedom 
     and democracy, but this unfortunately is no longer true. When 
     I was little, I remember my father explaining to me that in 
     places like Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany if people were 
     suspected of opposing the government or expressing a 
     divergent viewpoint, they would simply disappear. Today the 
     United States government has made moves toward emulating its 
     past enemies and even such fictional totalitarian states as 
     ``The Party'' from the book 1984, by passing bills that 
     designates the world as a battlefield and allowing the 
     indefinite detention of any person suspected of terrorism, 
     including American citizens, without trial or other 
     Constitutional rights.
       Recently Occupy Wall Street protestors have been labeled in 
     the same vein as domestic terrorists and the United States 
     military has been mobilized to stop these protestors who are 
     being attacked and brutalized for attempting to carry out 
     their rights to peaceable assembly guaranteed in the Bill of 
     Rights. Just recently a bill was sent to committee to be 
     discussed. Called ``Stop Online Piracy Act'', it was 
     introduced by Representative Lamar Smith of Texas. This bill 
     is one that would seriously engender freedom of speech on the 
     Internet by allowing for copyright holders to take down any 
     website with a copyright claim against it. For sites like 
     YouTube, and Reddit that had previously been protected by the 
     Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1996, this would mean 
     death. What is the terrifying thing about this bill is that 
     it isn't the only one like it. In the Senate there is a bill 
     called Protect IP ACT, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy 
     which will perform the same function as the SOPA. These bills 
     have been introduced into a nation that has long criticized 
     countries like China for censorship and the suppression of 
     human rights.
       Our nation has long prided itself on how it treats its 
     citizens and how the rights of the individual are the 
     backbone of our democracy. It seems today our country is 
     going away from this model and the value placed on the 
     citizen is less and less important. While the wars of 
     terrorism are being fought, a greater threat is looming, and 
     the rights of the American people are slipping away, quietly 
     and with deliberate purpose.
                                  ____


    Dahlia Somers, South Burlington High School (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       America has been able to spread her objectives of freedom 
     and democracy throughout the world. Together we have overcome 
     one difficulty after another and now we face a new challenge: 
     to create an even greater and more progressive America. To 
     remain a world leader change is inevitable: otherwise our 
     country will take a back burner to rising super powers. We 
     will always be a great nation, but to remain an important one 
     the

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     issues of economy, education, healthcare, and environment 
     must be addressed.
       Currently we are in debt to China for over $15 trillion; 
     this means our population of roughly 311 million citizens has 
     a debt share of around $49 thousand each. East Asian 
     countries and European countries surpass us in education--
     especially in the academic subjects of math and science. 
     Japan has a universal health care system and an average 
     population life expectancy of 82.25. Germany understands that 
     our environment has a finite supply of resources and imposes 
     an environmental tax on its citizens.
       Focusing on the economy, we need to generate more jobs and 
     discontinue outsourcing. It is time for heavy regulation, and 
     an end to the laissez-faire relationship with big businesses. 
     This is evident in the Wall Street bailout, the outraged 99 
     percent, and the unacceptable (though declining) unemployment 
     rate of 8.5 percent. The warfare against the middle classes 
     must be addressed, and the lower classes must be bolstered.
       Education is success. The focus of education should be 
     aimed at life achievement rather than standardized tests. The 
     problem now is that schools don't have a large enough budget: 
     if teachers had larger salaries more competition would be 
     created and our children would be taught by the best 
     qualified. Parents, when they motivate and assist their 
     children, can become invaluable components in this exciting 
     process.
       Our healthcare system is a painful topic. America has the 
     most expensive healthcare system without the better results 
     of less expensive European systems. We should follow the 
     European models. Well, at least all children, seniors, and 
     disabled should have assured healthcare. Vermont is an 
     innovator in healthcare, and if we are successful the rest of 
     America might follow our example.
       The environmental issue is not to be taken lightly. Global 
     warming is real and we perpetuate the harm caused to our 
     planet. It is our responsibility to work with other powerful 
     countries to limit our ecological footprints and conserve the 
     world's natural resources. Steps must be taken not only on a 
     political level but on a cultural one as well. It must become 
     part of our culture to consume less extravagantly and recycle 
     more diligently.
       To make these ideals a reality our government must find 
     harmony between the Democrats and the Republicans. We need to 
     remember that this is not an issue of which party is most 
     correct, but what can be compromised to create a better 
     America. We still haven't seen all America can be, she is 
     still growing and we, the present and the future, must guide 
     her to the best outcome.
                                  ____


               Kidder Spillane, CVU, (Honorable Mention)

                           [January 23, 2012]

       Dear Fellow Americans, I am reporting to you as the New 
     Year is starting I would like to inform the state in which 
     the country is in and in which subjects we are going to push 
     our efforts toward.
       I believe the most important subject to address first is 
     our problem with oil. We depend a lot on Middle Eastern 
     countries for their foreign oil. The oil is running out and 
     we need to put a lot of our efforts into alternative energy 
     sources including solar, wind and even hydroelectricity. We 
     can't just make this happen overnight it's going to take a 
     lot of time and effort; this can be looked upon as a 
     positive. This brings me to my next subject, if we create 
     more alternative energy productions this will open a lot more 
     opportunities for job creation. In November of 2011 the 
     unemployment rate dropped to 8.4 percent from 9 percent. 
     There are still over 13 million American without a job, and 
     these alternative energy products can reduce that number 
     significantly.
       The next subject I would like to address is healthcare. 
     Healthcare is a necessity that I feel every American should 
     be able to have with no cost. Healthcare shouldn't be 
     something people have to worry about, our country should 
     provide universal healthcare across the nation it is our 
     right to get the treatment they need to survive.
       The country is in debt, that's the truth we are in a 
     deficit of $1.48 trillion. This is a cause of overspending by 
     the U.S. simply just raising the taxes for everyone is not 
     the answer. I believe the way people should be taxed is the 
     answer if a wealthier individual has the money to be able to 
     pay more in taxes than he is doing than he should be paying 
     more than somebody who is working a middle class job living 
     in the suburbs. There needs to be a higher minimum tax 
     payment on the less wealthy citizens. Not just a low 
     percentage of somebody's income.
       I also believe we need to support student loan reforms. In 
     the future almost 60 percent of future jobs will require more 
     than a high school diploma. We want every American to have 
     the opportunity, and the ability to get a college diploma. 
     People shouldn't have to be in so much debt from their loans. 
     We need to help the people that aren't able to pay for 
     college by themselves. The interest rate on student loans 
     will be lowered.
       Thank you fellow Americans. It is not just congresses job 
     to make this happen we need to unite as a nation everybody 
     needs to be a part of the action of strengthening our nation. 
     This is a tough time right now with the economy it's going to 
     take effort from all Americans. Thank you for your time 
     America. God bless you and may god bless the United States of 
     America.

                          ____________________