In order to improve their surroundings and share their opinions, students from the Irving Campus
of the Citizen Schools after-School Program wrote essays on a variety of topics. Select a topic from the list below to read their
opinions, or scroll down to read them all.
TOPICS
THE WORK AGE SHOULD BE LOWERED
MORE ELECTIVES SHOULD BE OFFERED AT SCHOOL
THERE SHOULD BE MORE FIELDTRIPS DURING SCHOOL
IMPROVING THE BACKYARD AT THE IRVING
THERE SHOULD BE MORE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
THE WORK AGE SHOULD BE LOWERED
I think that the work age should be lowered so that kids at our ages will have more experience when they grow up and
apply for a real job. Getting a job now at my age will teach me more about business, money, and the qualities you
have to have for each type of job or service.
At my age now from the way I see it I need all the experience I can get. I am already in Middle School and after
next year is over I will be graduating to High School and then College. I need experience if I want to apply and
receive a good job that I want.
Also at my age now if I received a job it would teach the three top qualities in life which are Discipline, Respect
and most importantly Responsibility. Those three qualities are important at home, at work, at school and in everyday
life. If I had a job now I would show these three qualities more often, at home and especially at school.
What I am trying to say is that without these three qualities you cannot succeed in life. To tell the truth I need to
work on those three things if I want to succeed in life and get a good job to support my wife and children.
Another thing with this responsibility of a job is that it has bad days and good days. It also has vacation periods.
I might have to take classes and do hard work but it pays off with a beautiful piece of paper called a check.
I can also earn a good salary. So it would be easier to buy the wants and needs of my family.
– Reggie, grade 7
MORE ELECTIVES SHOULD BE OFFERED AT SCHOOL
I think this school should have more electives for the kids that get good grades like woodworking, computer,
home economics, and art. I think if kids in the school have more electives in the school day they would have more fun
and kids won't be as bored and won't get too tired to do their class work because having more electives kids would
have more energy to go to class after the electives.
When I have an elective after it I have more energy because when I do my elective I'm relaxed and I'm having fun and
it gets me psyched up. Like when you're in your class you're just sitting there doing work. But when I'm in electives
I come alive because I'm up on my feet and moving around. But after your elective you have been psyched up and you stay
psyched up and that's how you're more alive when you go into your class after electives.
Another reason why we should have more electives is because to give young people a sample of what they might be
when they grow up like a computer technician, a person who designs buildings and makes them, and a chef, and a artist.
For example, someone taking computer electives might want to be a computer technician. Someone taking home economics
might want to be a chef. A person who takes art as an elective might want to be a artist. So electives might
help young people in the future if they take that elective and they want to be that it'll help them to know what the
job is going to be like. Electives will make you concentrate when you get in your class after you have the
elective and make you relax. So electives are a way to release stress from kids.
– Thomas, grade 6
THERE SHOULD BE MORE FIELDTRIPS DURING SCHOOL
Students need to have time to think about different things, so I think there should be more field trips in the Washington
Irving Middle School. Because we visit different places, and these places might help you in the future.
Field trips are educational. Sometimes it might help people get a sense of direction. So these are my reasons why
I think we should have a lot of more field trips in the Washington Irving Middle School.
I think we should have more field trips because it may help you in the future. One of my reasons is, say you went
to the Science Museum, you might want to be a scientist. Or if you go to the Aquarium, you might get interested and
want to be a marine biologist. My final reason is in the Science Museum there are a lot of exhibits that can help you
later on, like at school they tell you about all the living things in the Ocean, and if you go you well learn about it
at the Museum. These are my reason I think field trips could help you in the future.
I think field trips are educational, because I think all kids should learn something new everyday, and the more
they learn, the smarter you get. Or like if you go to the Science Museum, you will learn about bugs, experiments,
inventions, animals, and lots of other things. My last reason is, a lot of the time, teachers forget about things
they learned that they have to teach us, and by going on these field trips, not only can you help the teacher, but
you know the facts. This is why field trips are educational.
I think field trips give you a sense of direction. Because on some field trips, they teach you about being
respectful, like the DARE Program. Or if you go on the field trip it can help you in school with your conduct and
effort, it shows that you can be trustworthy. Like this boy that went to the program with me was always rude to
the teacher. And when he got out of the program, not only was he respectful, but he never did it again. These are
all of my thoughts why I think field trip give you a good sense of Direction.
These are all my reasons because I think we should have more field trips at the Washington Irving Middle School.
One, I think it helps you in the future. Field trips are educational. Last but not least, I think they give you a
sense of direction. Those are my reasons why I think there should be more field trips in the Washington
Irving Middle School. Kids should have more time to think about different things.
– Rafael, grade 7
The Irving students have an urgent lack of field trips. Field trips would allow the kids to learn more about places.
Also, the kids might not cause so much trouble. Children will often learn more about a certain topic if they can
experience it up close. So, that is exactly why I think that the Boston Public School system should plan more
field trips for the children at the schools.
In most cases, children learn a lot more important things out of school. For instance, suppose that the teacher
wants the class to learn about a fairly historically famous pizza parlor. Yet, it seems that it is not important
enough that it is in a textbook. Or suppose that your class went on a field trip to the aquarium. You might take
a look at all the fish and say, "Hey, it might be fun to have a job that deals with all those fish." You might
become an oceanographer, or a marine biologist. But suppose that you visited the Commonwealth Museum on a field
trip and said, "I don't think I'd want to do all that stressful digging." Then you'd know to cross off archeologist
and/or paleontologist from your mental list of things that you could be when you grow up. In all three cases,
field trips teach you something off school campus.
Field trips can get kids excited, and keep them out of trouble. I mean, come on, when you're happy, do you
usually cause trouble? No, I thought not. That's one reason that field trips are good. So, more field trips
equals happier kids. Happier kids equals happier teachers. Happier teachers equals more and more happy people.
Also, if everyone's happy, they're going to realize that the field trips are a good idea, and they're going to
create more. Then, the students will work harder, because they know there's going to be a field trip soon. So
field trips create a whole kind of cycle of happiness.
When you get an up close experience, you will often learn more. Suppose you go on a field trip to Concord, and
you visit a famous store. While you're in there, you see something that doesn't cost much and you know someone
who would like it. So field trips can teach you or make you realize something important. When you get to visit
places (e.g., go on field trips), you can really find out about something.
In conclusion, I believe that field trips are very good for schools and children. They teach children about
places. They often keep children out of trouble. Also, they allow kids to get an up close experience to learn
about something. If these field trips are so good, I don't see why there shouldn't be more.
– Alec, grade 6
IMPROVING THE BACKYARD AT THE IRVING
They should change the concrete outside to something better because it is dirty out there.
If you read this and listen to what I am writing, I promise that kids will be happy that the
Irving's backyard is not just concrete. They also should change outside because it is bumpy and
someone can fall or get hurt. They should build a park, basketball court, football field, baseball
field, and some ramps for bikes or things like that. They should build some new things because better
things can be there.
My first reason is it is very dirty out there. It is dirty because people throw things on the ground.
There are all kinds of trash such as soda cans, cigarette boxes, coffee cups, and people bring their
dogs in there and their dogs go to the bathroom. It is dirty because people do their graffiti out there.
They should make it nice outside because people would respect it if it is nice.
My next reason is because it is bumpy and people can fall and break a bone or fall and get cuts.
Seeing how it is dirty people can get bad stuff in the cut and get an infection. If they smooth the concrete
out people might want to rent the space for money and the school should be able to buy us some good materials
for our school work.
I think they should put a park, basketball court, football and baseball fields, and ramps for bikes or
things like that. They should do that because if kids are playing out there doing something fun and good
they won't be out on the streets doing drugs, smoking, doing graffiti on walls, or any thing like that.
In conclusion they should build something better than what's already out in the Irving School so people
will be playing outside instead of playing a videogame. It would be better to be playing outside then
playing inside because you can get fresh air outside. It is healthy to be outside and all people do inside
is do something not as good as being outside. They do things such as playing a videogame which is not good
for your body because all you're doing is sitting there not being active.
– Keith, grade 6
I am going to talk about the Irving Middle School because I have been hearing about kids complaining,
saying how they don't like being outside because it is too bumpy. The back of the school has too many rocks.
It needs to be smooth and the school needs to put a basketball court and put grass in one spot and put in a
football field. Now I am going to talk more about the Irving.
The school should make the concrete smooth so that people do not get hurt. The other reason is that people
get hurt because I have evidence and one of my pieces of evidence is that at the Irving the outside is too
rocky and when kids run that are in the Irving they get hurt and bust open their heads or get a bad scratch.
That could make them go to the hospital and maybe get hurt really bad. I know if that was me I wouldn't come to
this school so I wouldn't get hurt.
The school's back yard has too much junk. I don't want to come to a school with too much junk. The junk is
glass, paper, writing on the wall, dog's droppings, and people won't pick it up but that is a law. This is
school property and it makes the school look ugly and makes us have a bad reputation. That will make kids
not want to come here.
The concrete should be smooth so we could put a basketball court and a football field in the school's back
yard. They should put a basketball court and a football field because some people will like that. And when
we go to afterschool programs they would like to play those kind of games. Kids would just go outside and
play so they could have fun.
I am one of those kids that wants these things in the back of the school so it could look better because
there is too much trash there. There is no smooth concrete and nothing to do there. So that is what
I think and I think Mr. Maloney should put the basketball court and football field where it is needed.
Maybe Mr. Maloney could put more stuff like a go cart track because some people have go carts. Maybe we should
have a bike ramp because some people love to do tricks and like to do it off ramps. They might need it to
practice and if the Irving has the football field, basketball court, the ramp, and go cart track we will be
famous for every thing because we are so athletic.
– Steven, grade 7
I think that there should be more after school programs. My first reason is that afterschool programs would
keep kids from doing drugs, violence, or stealing. Another reason is that they will learn more and they can
be smarter than the other kids in school. Lastly they can do other activities like sports and games. For
these reasons I think that there should be more after school programs.
Kids would not get in trouble in afterschool programs. Kids would not have time to do drugs, steal or
do violent things because they would be busy with more important things. Also, afterschool programs have
a lot of staff members, and they help kids stay out of trouble.
When kids go to after school programs they will learn more. They will get better grades in all their subjects
by practicing their writing skills and doing their homework.
When you go to afterschool programs you would do different activities. For example, you can play activities
like sports and games, basketball, follow the leader and kickball. All these things that after school programs
do school does not do. Some people might say that if kids play sports and games they won't learn anything.
But I think they would learn something. Playing sports can teach you how to play games with rules and learn
teamwork and responsibility.
I think that there should be more afterschool programs for all kinds of kids around the world. Afterschool
programs would keep kids out of trouble, learn new fun activities, and help with their homework.
Afterschool programs are the key to the future.
– Charles, grade 6
I think that we should have more afterschool programs at the Irving Middle School that would give them a
better future. I think that would help the kids learn more because they help with homework and have
activities. They would also help them play sports. Lastly, they keep the kids out of trouble. For these
reasons I think we should have more afterschool programs at the Irving Middle School.
Afterschool programs are better because the kids could learn more. For example in afterschool programs the
kids do their homework and get help from the staff. In afterschool programs the kids can do writing activities
and games that make them think.
Also, afterschool programs are better because they show the kids how to play sports. Some kids don't know
how to play kickball and they could practice basketball. Also the staff show kids how to kick a soccer ball.
At home they can't get help in sports. Some people might say if they play sports kids are not learning.
But I think that they are learning teamwork.
Lastly, afterschool programs are better because they keep the kids out of trouble in the streets.
And the kids have responsibility in Citizen Schools. They have responsibility because they are busy in
Citizen Schools and this keeps the kids out of trouble and the streets.
In conclusion this is why afterschool programs are important for the kids. My reasons are that it
gives them a better future and help them learn. It helps them with sports and it keeps kids out of trouble
Thank you for reading my paper.
– Johan, grade 8
Washington Irving should have more afterschool programs. Afterschool programs would help kids stay out of trouble.
They would also help kids get homework done. Lastly, they have a lot of activities that would help them learn new
experiences. For these reasons Washington Irving should have more afterschool programs.
First, if you are in afterschool programs you would not get in trouble. Kids would not do drugs. They also
wouldn't hang around stores and they would not steal. They would not get into a fight.
Second it would help you learn. Afterschool would help you with your homework and study for tests, and a
staff would help you with writing. You can have an adult sitting with you. If kids were at home they would
not do these things.
Third, you can get new experiences. You could meet new people. You would play games you would never play
before. In school you would not play kickball and in school you will never write about school. And in
afterschool programs you can write about things other than schoolwork.
These are just some of the reasons that I think Washington Irving should have more afterschool programs.
First, if you are in afterschool programs you would not get in trouble. Second, it would help you learn.
Third, you can get new experiences. Please carefully consider my opinions and reasons.
– Kareem, grade 6
Would you rather sit at home being a couch potato, or would you want to be in an afterschool program where you learn?
I think that there should be more afterschool programs. Afterschool programs allow kids to make new friends.
They would also keep them out of trouble. Lastly, it would be a good experience for the kids. For these reasons
I think there should be more afterschool programs.
First, I really think that afterschool programs are good because the kids will meet people of different races
and from different schools. They will be able to get to meet more people and probably make new friends.
I can see that from experience because I made lots of friends and I made a best friend.
Second, they will stay out of trouble. It will keep them safe from harm. It would be a good way for the
kids to learn how to stay away from violence. They also wouldn't just hang out around a corner store, instead
they would be doing their homework and staying active.
And lastly, it would be a good experience. They will be able to to different things they wouldn't normally do,
like field trips to the North End, Chez Vous and Museums. At home, they would just stay home and act like
couch potatoes. Instead they would be active if they were in afterschool programs. Also, they will do better
in homework. I really improved with my homework because at home I won't do my homework but now I'm able to
finish my homework. And also kids will be able to get help from staff members. For example, some kids don't
ask for help because they might feel that the other kids will think they're dumb but here the staff will make
you feel good about getting help.
In conclusion, these are just some of the reasons, and examples why I think afterschool programs should be
considered. I really feel that afterschool programs will keep kids out of trouble, they would make new friends,
and it would be a good experience for them. Life is like doors - every step you take in life a door unlocks.
Afterschool programs are like lock picks that help loosen the locks on the doors. They make life easier.
– Nia, grade 7