“Live Together, Learn Together”

By: Khaliyah Thomas

Diekman School

Grand Prize Winner

Grade 5^th

2008-2009 Write to Achieve! Writing Contest

 

Page Ten in W2A Journal

 

“Live Together, Learn Together”

We should always stay in school

A lot of African-Americans went through

A lot of things just to be in school

 

From 1896 to 1954

All schools were separated

By race and color

Until parents in Topeka, Kansas

Fought for schools to be segregated no more

 

That was Brown verses Board of Education

But the struggle didn’t end there

 

In 1960 three black 1^st grade girls

Also known as the McDonough three

Faced protests, harassment and physical abuse

To attend a white school in New Orleans

 

In 1957 even President Eisenhower

Had to step in to allow 9 students

From Little Rock to attend Central High

 

You see that people have fought

Just to be in school

That’s why we should

Live Together, Learn Together, and STAY IN SCHOOL

“Live Together, Learn Together”

By: Chanel Butler

Wendell Green Elementary

Grand Prize Winner

Grade 8^th

2008-2009 Write to Achieve! Writing Contest

 

 

Page 26 in W2A Journal

 

Live Together

 

It was a non violent night

At least that’s how it began

When a shot broke out during a fight

And lying dead was a man

 

The mom was watching a TV show

When the phone rang that night

The officer told her what she needed to know

Of that terrible fight

 

They caught the man and brought him in

He denied doing that horrible sin

He was big and told of how he killed someone

But he wasn’t that big when he didn’t have a gun

 

Sure he made some money and was on a roll

But at the same time he took someone’s soul

What does violence solve which we go through each day

Nothing at all so why do we do it anyway

 

Learn Together

 

The answer that comes to mind in ignorance

Not knowing the other’s feelings or the effect

Of his wild actions during those moments

Or of the man lives that he chose to wreck

 

The violence needs to stop but we don’t know where to begin

The will to change and help to come from within

The best way to help is not to hurt a single person

So the world gets better and doesn’t worsen

 

“Live Together Learn Together” yes we can!!!

 

Welcome to the mind of Jerome Smattering

By: Christian Dickens

Rich East High School

Grand Prize Winner

Grade 10^th

2008-2009 Write to Achieve! Writing Contest

 

Page 60 in W2A Journal

 

Darkness consumes

Death revives

Torment and suffering

Factors of life

Lovers die as hatred grows

Hatred is the reds river flow

 

A current of despair

Death resumes

Time is of essence

Darkness is after you