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About MMA MMA News MMA honors 2009 student essay contest winners
Annika Lange, a sixth grader at the Freeman-Centennial School in Norfolk, told 350 local officials about her idea for a town volunteer bank during the MMA Annual Meeting on Jan. 23 in Boston.
“Volunteering changes people’s way of living by redirecting efforts toward the greater good,” said Lange, reading, with remarkable poise, her winning essay in the MMA’s third annual sixth grade student essay contest.
Lange’s essay was chosen from more than 2,100 entries in the statewide contest. The student essays covered a range of local issues, including recycling, wind energy, affordable housing, animal protection, youth programs and healthy living.
Gloucester City Council President Bruce Tobey, the outgoing MMA president, presented Lange with a certificate of achievement and a $300 savings bond. Lange also won dinner tickets for her and her family from the MMA and a complimentary one-night stay from the Sheraton Boston Hotel.
Second place in the essay contest went to Kathleen Criscitiello, who attends the Hingham Middle School and will receive a $150 savings bond. Third place finisher Samantha Stalford, who attends Littleton Middle School, will receive a $100 savings bond. Criscitello and Stalford will receive their awards this month in their respective town halls.
All of the student essays began with the line: “If I were elected leader of my community I would make a difference by …”
Judging criteria for the essays were creativity, clarity/sincerity of thought, proper use of grammar, and an understanding of local government.
Judges were Easton Selectmen Chair Colleen Corona; Amesbury Mayor Thatcher Kezer; Charles Lyons, superintendent, Shawsheen Valley Regional Technical School District; and Dina Segal, Boston’s deputy director of inter-governmental relations.
Every student who submitted an essay received a small participation gift. Every participating teacher was entered into a drawing for a special gift.
Winning student essays
First Place
Annika Lange, Freeman-Centennial School, Norfolk
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by creating a volunteer bank.
The volunteer bank would consist of people ages 10 and up. Everyone would be encouraged to contribute at least 50 hours a year.
People that need help with something would put the task on a note card with their name and phone number. Also, people could list services they were able to contribute.
In Town Hall, a big community bulletin board listing services needed and offered would serve as the “bank.” A person would choose a note card with a deed they would like to grant. Upon taking the card home to communicate with the requester, a time and date would be arranged. The deeds could range from cleaning a person’s house, making a dinner, pet sitting, being a senior citizen’s companion, or tutoring a child.
A volunteer bank in our community would generate many benefits. Adults and children would make new friends by helping others. The person that is contributing the time would feel positive because he or she took time to brighten another person’s day. The recipient of the deed would also feel cared for and supported because he or she knows people are willing to help. Volunteering also teaches kids to grow up as responsible and caring adults. Most importantly, volunteering changes people’s way of living by redirecting their efforts toward the greater good.
Community benefits also include awareness of people’s talents and how neighbors help neighbors. The community as a whole would feel grateful because they helped others and generated compassion that would spread throughout the community. By matching the needs of people, the volunteer bank allows the community to work together with one another so the community is a kind and caring place.
Second Place
Kate Criscitiello, Hingham Middle School, Hingham
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by letting kids have their voice heard when the community is making important decisions.
It’s unpatriotic for just adults to have their say when making decisions. The Declaration of Independence states that all citizens of America are created equal. Age is but a number, so kids aren’t that different from adults. Having kids voice their thoughts would be a fantastic way to make the best decisions possible. Whether an issue is related to school (because kids will be the ones going to school everyday) or on what type of material should be used for replacing a road (our generation doesn’t want to replace it in 10 years), kids would help to make the community a better place.
For this idea to become a success, at the open town meeting of our community there would be five to seven students to represent their school at the town meeting. The students would be able to share and give suggestions, and be able to give their thoughts and points of view to everyone else. Some of the best ideas for our community could be given by a kid. Kids are very intelligent and they know what they are doing, despite sometimes making a wrong decision. Anyway, nobody’s perfect, and people learn from their mistakes.
Having kids being able to be heard by adults and the rest of their community would increase the amount of good decisions made. Helping your community is what being a leader is all about. Therefore having to try new and different ideas in order to reach success is important for everyone. This would make our community even better, if kids were able to voice their own opinions and thoughts so everyone could hear them.
Third Place
Samantha Stalford, Littleton Middle School, Littleton
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by creating more kid-friendly activities.
Our town has a grocery store, a pharmacy, small cafes, but no fun places to go for children. There is always a new building being built, but they are often banks, or car dealerships. It would be nice if there was a building that held activities for children such as a movie theater. Another idea would be more after-school activities like field hockey, art classes, and track. So many surrounding towns have these types of activities, and all of the children seem to be closer, so I feel that we should too. I feel very strongly about creating activities for children so that, in the future we will always have something to look forward to.
It would also help our community if we could all come together because everyone seems to keep to themselves since there is nothing for everybody to do together. If something were to be created such as a community pool, an outdoor ice rink, or just a recreation center, I think that everybody would become much closer. From what I know, many people would enjoy something such as this, but it never gets to happen. Instead, another building is built that will not do anything for the community.
As you can see from my essay, I am very interested in connecting our community to simply have some fun and get to know each other. There are so many people in our town that everyone would love to meet, but there isn’t a way. I would love to help my visions become real, but that will take time. I hope that in the future, other members of my community will come together and realize that this is the next step in making our community better.
About MMA MMA News MMA honors 2009 student essay contest winners
MMA honors 2009 student essay contest winners
Annika Lange, a sixth grader at the Freeman-Centennial School in Norfolk, told 350 local officials about her idea for a town volunteer bank during the MMA Annual Meeting on Jan. 23 in Boston.“Volunteering changes people’s way of living by redirecting efforts toward the greater good,” said Lange, reading, with remarkable poise, her winning essay in the MMA’s third annual sixth grade student essay contest.
Lange’s essay was chosen from more than 2,100 entries in the statewide contest. The student essays covered a range of local issues, including recycling, wind energy, affordable housing, animal protection, youth programs and healthy living.
Gloucester City Council President Bruce Tobey, the outgoing MMA president, presented Lange with a certificate of achievement and a $300 savings bond. Lange also won dinner tickets for her and her family from the MMA and a complimentary one-night stay from the Sheraton Boston Hotel.
Second place in the essay contest went to Kathleen Criscitiello, who attends the Hingham Middle School and will receive a $150 savings bond. Third place finisher Samantha Stalford, who attends Littleton Middle School, will receive a $100 savings bond. Criscitello and Stalford will receive their awards this month in their respective town halls.
All of the student essays began with the line: “If I were elected leader of my community I would make a difference by …”
Judging criteria for the essays were creativity, clarity/sincerity of thought, proper use of grammar, and an understanding of local government.
Judges were Easton Selectmen Chair Colleen Corona; Amesbury Mayor Thatcher Kezer; Charles Lyons, superintendent, Shawsheen Valley Regional Technical School District; and Dina Segal, Boston’s deputy director of inter-governmental relations.
Every student who submitted an essay received a small participation gift. Every participating teacher was entered into a drawing for a special gift.
Winning student essays
First Place
Annika Lange, Freeman-Centennial School, Norfolk
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by creating a volunteer bank.
The volunteer bank would consist of people ages 10 and up. Everyone would be encouraged to contribute at least 50 hours a year.
People that need help with something would put the task on a note card with their name and phone number. Also, people could list services they were able to contribute.
In Town Hall, a big community bulletin board listing services needed and offered would serve as the “bank.” A person would choose a note card with a deed they would like to grant. Upon taking the card home to communicate with the requester, a time and date would be arranged. The deeds could range from cleaning a person’s house, making a dinner, pet sitting, being a senior citizen’s companion, or tutoring a child.
A volunteer bank in our community would generate many benefits. Adults and children would make new friends by helping others. The person that is contributing the time would feel positive because he or she took time to brighten another person’s day. The recipient of the deed would also feel cared for and supported because he or she knows people are willing to help. Volunteering also teaches kids to grow up as responsible and caring adults. Most importantly, volunteering changes people’s way of living by redirecting their efforts toward the greater good.
Community benefits also include awareness of people’s talents and how neighbors help neighbors. The community as a whole would feel grateful because they helped others and generated compassion that would spread throughout the community. By matching the needs of people, the volunteer bank allows the community to work together with one another so the community is a kind and caring place.
Second Place
Kate Criscitiello, Hingham Middle School, Hingham
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by letting kids have their voice heard when the community is making important decisions.
It’s unpatriotic for just adults to have their say when making decisions. The Declaration of Independence states that all citizens of America are created equal. Age is but a number, so kids aren’t that different from adults. Having kids voice their thoughts would be a fantastic way to make the best decisions possible. Whether an issue is related to school (because kids will be the ones going to school everyday) or on what type of material should be used for replacing a road (our generation doesn’t want to replace it in 10 years), kids would help to make the community a better place.
For this idea to become a success, at the open town meeting of our community there would be five to seven students to represent their school at the town meeting. The students would be able to share and give suggestions, and be able to give their thoughts and points of view to everyone else. Some of the best ideas for our community could be given by a kid. Kids are very intelligent and they know what they are doing, despite sometimes making a wrong decision. Anyway, nobody’s perfect, and people learn from their mistakes.
Having kids being able to be heard by adults and the rest of their community would increase the amount of good decisions made. Helping your community is what being a leader is all about. Therefore having to try new and different ideas in order to reach success is important for everyone. This would make our community even better, if kids were able to voice their own opinions and thoughts so everyone could hear them.
Third Place
Samantha Stalford, Littleton Middle School, Littleton
If I were elected leader of my community, I would make a difference by creating more kid-friendly activities.
Our town has a grocery store, a pharmacy, small cafes, but no fun places to go for children. There is always a new building being built, but they are often banks, or car dealerships. It would be nice if there was a building that held activities for children such as a movie theater. Another idea would be more after-school activities like field hockey, art classes, and track. So many surrounding towns have these types of activities, and all of the children seem to be closer, so I feel that we should too. I feel very strongly about creating activities for children so that, in the future we will always have something to look forward to.
It would also help our community if we could all come together because everyone seems to keep to themselves since there is nothing for everybody to do together. If something were to be created such as a community pool, an outdoor ice rink, or just a recreation center, I think that everybody would become much closer. From what I know, many people would enjoy something such as this, but it never gets to happen. Instead, another building is built that will not do anything for the community.
As you can see from my essay, I am very interested in connecting our community to simply have some fun and get to know each other. There are so many people in our town that everyone would love to meet, but there isn’t a way. I would love to help my visions become real, but that will take time. I hope that in the future, other members of my community will come together and realize that this is the next step in making our community better.
Written by MMA Member Services Coordinator Ellen Stoolmacher
