WVHKFC
Essay Contest
(Click on the winner's name to read his or her essay)
Nick Koenig
Kanawha City Elementary
Kanawha County
West Virginia would be a great place to be a kid if you
had one or two hours of gym every day. It would be a
nice place to do activities such as rock climbing,
baseball, and football. If we had a more physical
playtime we would be healthier because our bodies would
be more fit. A lot of exercise will help you with your
problems. After I exercise I pay more attention to my
teacher in school. Other ways to exercise in our state
include mountain climbing, kayaking, and a swimming in
lakes. Other ways to stay healthy are to not do drugs,
smoke, or drink alcohol. Eat healthy foods like apples,
peaches, pears, plums, and other nutritious foods.
Hydrogenation and foods are bad because they are
unhealthy. Washing your hands is important because you
will not spread your germs. Go to the doctor for a
yearly checkup so you don’t get sick. West
Virginia is one of the best states to do rock climbing
and kayaking. A lot of people travel from far away to do
skiing in Beckley. West Virginia is the best state
to live in and I'm proud to be a mountaineer.
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Pamela Nestor
Spanishburg Elementary
Mercer County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
schools would have more recess since recess is being cut
short or even disappearing! Recess is an important part
in kids’ lives, the reason being is if us kids don’t get
enough exercise we could grow up overweight we could be
teased and made fun of which would make us grow up not
wanting to go to school. If we don’t want to go to
school we might not get enough education and that would
lead to getting bad grades and that could lead to
getting held back which could lead to more to teasing.
Kids need exercise. It’s a necessary thing in our lives.
I did not write this to win. I wrote this because it
should be that way!
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Logan Campbell
Ellenboro Elementary
Ritchie County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
people were nicer to others. If people would try to keep
it cleaner and neater, everyone would see how pretty the
state is. I love West Virginia. It is already a great
place to live. I feel safe in West Virginia because not
so many people live here. If people respected one
another and people could be more kind. Everybody should
take turns everywhere picking up trash and litter around
homes, roads, public areas, lakes, anyplace. And then
stop littering. Then it would be healthy for the
animals, people and fish. I think West Virginia is the
best place to grow up I do not want to grow up anyplace
else because I think lots of people are already working
to keep West Virginia healthy and also safe and that
makes me very happy.
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Leanne Anderson
Geary Elementary
Roane County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
we knew we could always be able to feel secure about
three important issues. First of all, it would be great
if we wouldn’t have to worry about our parents jobs.
They would make enough money to allow us to have the
necessities we need such as clean water, three
nutritious meals a day, and clean clothes, but our
parents not having to work two jobs to achieve this. I
want them to be able to spend time with me not to work
all the time just to make ends meet.
Second of all, that West Virginia children would not
have to worry about our education. We would be able to
receive quality education from qualified teachers all
the way from kindergarden through 12th grade. No matter
what our parents income is, we would just have to worry
about getting good grades so we can get into college,
not if we have enough for it. Also, for us to know we
have good jobs to go to after our education is done.
Last, but not least it would be a great if we would not
have to worry about losing our state’s. beauty. That our
mountain peaks would always stand tall and be visible.
Also, our streams and Rivers will always stay clean. If
we had this to depend on I think West Virginia would be
on top of the list for the greatest place for kids. I
know it would be on the top of mine.
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Ellen Freeman
Wheeling Park High School
Ohio County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
we could to make it last longer. Our youth grows up
faster each year due to technology and its need for
speed. Doctor Bob Moorehead once said that society has
added years to life, but not life to those years. I
could not agree more. The children of our state have but
one chance to live a carefree, leisurely life. We rush
of them with school at younger ages, competitive sports
teams, and extra curriculars. In moderation, these time
consuming activities inspire and encourage success, but
do we know our limits?
Kids in West Virginia have the vast advantage of our
outdoors. We are surrounded by the beauty of nature
throughout the state and while they are still kids, our
emphasis should not only be placed towards education,
but also to the beauty of mountains and wildlife. To me,
West Virginia is one of the most beautiful states and I
wish I would have taken more advantage of all it has to
offer
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Whitney Hacker-Minigh
Gilmer County High School
Gilmer County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
there were adequate job opportunities for our youth.
West Virginia has outstanding colleges and universities
for higher and vocational education, but what comes
after graduation?
West Virginia is bursting with small welcoming towns;
many families would love to make West Virginia their
home state, but cannot because of the lack of job
opportunities. West Virginia is a wonderful place to be
raised. I wake up every morning with no fear of going to
school. West Virginia is rich with friendly faces, but
our graduating students are forced to depart to
different locations of the country after graduating.
These students do not want to leave the “security” of
West Virginia, but are compelled to go elsewhere to make
better lives for themselves as well as their family.
I’ve loved every aspect of being raised in a rural west
Virginia and would have it no other way. I live in a
beautiful state full of beautiful people. My only fear
is what will happen after I complete my education. “Will
West Virginia have a job opportunity for me?”, or “will
I have to do what so many have done and leave my home
state?” I know these students would return home to the
beautiful foothills of the Appalachians with smiling
faces if at all possible. Therefore, I do not ask for a
new mall, arcade, or amusement park, but I ask for a
state willing to go the distance for the next
generation.
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Justin Harvey
James Monroe High School
Monroe County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
schools didn’t focus on getting us ready for college,
but focused more on getting us ready for our lives
ahead. A lot of our childhood is spent in school, so
school should be the place to ready us for what is to
come.
It would be great if we were given a good balance of
physical, social, and educational time at school. Many
kids in West Virginia are suffering from obesity due to
lack of exercise. Much of this comes from sitting in a
desk in class for seven hours a day. During that time,
your brain may be working hard but your muscles aren’t.
Another thing that a kid should have is social time.
Many kids live far from town, so the only place for kids
to be socially active is at school. It is fun to hang
out in the classroom, but it can benefit us in many
other ways as well. Many kids’ futures consist of
working well with other people and there is no better
way to obtain the skill than socializing at a young age.
For students to prepare for their future, schools should
help them experiment and reach their goals. Physical
activity at school will be fun and give us a healthy
start to our life. It would also be great for kids to be
experienced with others and social time would help
develop the skills. West Virginia is a great place that
I have grown to love and all kids should be given a fun
running start to their future!
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Brianna Mayo
South Middle School
Monongalia County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
there were more volunteer programs. This would be good
because if there were more programs, children would have
a chance to help out and explore the context of their
community. Additionally, they would be encouraged to get
involved in other more complex and widespread programs
and help more than just our local community, but the
entire state of West Virginia as well.
West Virginia would also be greater if we found another
way to get rid of waste other than to dump it in our
water, and we should eliminate trash cans altogether.
There should only be recycle bins. Then, the things that
can’t be of reused are burned and used as natural
resources so that children can have clean air and water.
In addition, I think that schools should serve less
salty foods and foods that promote high cholesterol and
cause HDL levels to skyrocket. I also think schools
should provide vegetarian choices and that candy should
not be distributed in schools. Additionally, I think
that the cost of healthy and unhealthy foods should be
equivalently low so that kids will be encouraged to buy
and eat foods that are healthy. These things would
prevent obesity in children and reduce the occurrence of
heart failure.
In addition, I believe that all schools should enforce
code of conduct laws a lot better, because explicit
content sometimes is displayed two young children, and
is promoting the idea that violence and inappropriate
contact with one’s peers is acceptable.
In conclusion, I believe that these ideas would make
West Virginia and even greater place for children to
grow up healthy and happy because they promote better
nutritional values, citizenship, responsibility, and
education which leads to a brighter future generation
and a stronger West Virginia.
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Bobby Fetty
Dunbar Middle School
Marion County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
all the kids in our state could afford health care.
There are many childhood diseases that are preventable
if families can afford to take their kids to the doctor.
This would make our state a much healthier place for
kids to live. Having better facilities for educating
kids would also make West Virginia the greatest place
for kids to live. Our schools need to be modernized or
updated to meet the needs of kids today; not only the
size to conquer the overcrowding issue that makes
learning more difficult but also providing hand
sanitizer outside each classroom door to help reduce
absences due to illness, which in turn would promote
learning. A final thought that I would like to mention
is that of recreational facilities for kids of West
Virginia. There needs to be more recreational facilities
where kids can go to have fun and enjoy themselves
during their “free time,” but at the same time feel
safe. All kids in West Virginia deserve these things –
affordable health care, better schools, and safe and
secure recreational facilities – and that would make
West Virginia the greatest place to be a kid.
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Lindsay Gallegly
Cheat Lake Middle School
Monongalia County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
pollution wasn’t as bad. Currently, one out of every
four kids have asthma. This problem could be seriously
reduced by cleaning up our environment. Although mining
is our biggest industry, steps of precaution need to be
made. At the power plants, very serious measures need to
be taken before releasing things into the air. Our air
quality is already at a critical level but more power
plants have been authorized to go into production. As
you can see, the money these plants produce has come
before the children’s health.
Another thing that would make West Virginia more
beneficial to children would be the addition of
recreational areas. The addition of swing sets and
jungle gyms would be a great place for kids to burn off
energy. Also, these parks would help in trying to reduce
the ever increasing problem with child obesity.
As you can see, a few simple precautions could be taken
that would greatly improve our health and allow us to
have more fun. So what will you choose, health or
wealth? It’s your choice.
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Melissa Hope Cole
Gilmer County High School
Gilmer County
West Virginia has been the greatest place to be a kid
because being surrounded by: honest, hard-working
people, rolling mountain tops, and a great education
have molded me into the appreciate it if, hard-working,
ambitious person I am today. I wouldn’t change it for
anything.
I have lived in a small college town in rural, central
West Virginia my whole life. From a very early age
everyone around me has cultivated me to understand and
appreciate the feeling of a job well done. I have also
instilled in me off the value of being an honest person
no matter where I go or what I do. These are qualities
that you don’t always find in people from other parts of
the country.
The rolling mountains that I call home have taught me to
appreciate the beauty of the landscape. This great state
has shown me the value of the land through our natural
resources. I believe that the scenic beauty of West
Virginia is one of the most memorable things about
growing up here.
When people think about West Virginia they probably
don’t think about education. I know differently. The
most important things about West Virginia are the safety
of our schools and the value of education. I never
wake-up scared to go to school and in my school not a
day goes by without teachers pushing the value of
education for everyone.
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Lauren Dittebrand
Capital High School
Kanawha County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
it could accomplish three goals: safer neighborhoods,
increased healthcare for all, and allow more
recreational activities and facilities that we could all
enjoy. Let’s face it, the world today is not as safe as
we would like, so trying to keep our neighborhoods safer
would only help to make things better. For example, no
one should feel unsafe about walking the streets of
Charleston. In order to ensure this, things like
lighting, neighborhood watches, and law enforcement in
the community should be increased. In addition, West
Virginia’s healthcare should be available to lower
social economic groups. The issue is that no matter who
you are, any kind of healthcare is expensive. For
example, those who are of lower class often give up
their healthcare in order to pay for other necessities
like eating or electricity. No one should be denied
decent healthcare based on social status. This is why
since cessation programs, free clinics, and other
healthcare centers should be opened to better
accommodate everyone’s needs. One final goal to make
West Virginia more enjoyable would be to provide more
accessible facilities for teens. In my opinion,
Charleston is small, a little too small and progress is
a good thing. These days there is not a lot to do in
Charleston, and I can speak from personal experience. In
other states there are always raging activities for
teens, but here, it is not the same. Building things
like museums, music halls, teen clubs, sports complexes,
and even an amusement park would certainly give us
somewhere to go and keep us off the streets. All of
these changes would not only make West Virginia a more
enjoyable, but more “wild and wonderful” as well. These
would benefit not only adults, but teens as well, who
are the future of our great state
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Raquel Fagundo
Wheeling Park High School
Ohio County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
we changed the eating habits of our state. Everywhere
you look there are people, both young and old, who are
overweight or obese. West Virginia has one of the
highest obesity rates in the country and I think that if
you want to have a better better future for the state,
there needs to be people in the future.
Our eating habits grow progressively worse every year. I
know that the state has begun to take measures to make
our schools healthier by requiring physical education
and banning the sales of soda and junk food within the
schools. However, I think you should have started with
the school distributed food.
The first thing that needs to be changed is the meat
grade. That meat that is one of the lowest grades and
could very possibly contain E. coli. The chicken that
the schools distribute could possibly contain
salmonella. Both E. coli and salmonella can cause very
serious illnesses that could lead to death. I’m not
asking for gourmet meals at lunch. I just don’t want
children getting sick from food that the state approves.
Not only does the child gets sick, but it makes the
decisions of the state look bad.
I know the obesity issue has been a big problem lately.
I know that the government has been trying to solve the
problem. The resolution needs to start in the school. If
they are not learning healthy eating habits at home,
they should learn them where they learn everything else:
at school. By helping the children learn to eat right,
we will be saving lives of their lives in the future and
our population.
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Nainka Nanda
Woodrow Wilson High School
Raleigh County
West Virginia would be the greatest placed to be a kid
if it had more ways to teach children about the state’s
history, had more sources of entertainment, and had more
environmentally friendly industries. West Virginia is a
wonderful place to raise children. It is low on crime,
low on pollution, and children can have much exposure to
wilderness and natural resources. Even though West
Virginia is a great place to raise children, it can
still improve.
First, West Virginia should educate children more, about
the state’s history. West Virginia has an extremely rich
hertitage, but sadly many people don’t know much about
it. The board of education should provide more field
trips to historical monuments and natural wonders, such
as the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry and Seneca Caverns.
West Virginia should also build more museums and
monuments to recognize historical events. Also, they can
show movies in schools that teach about the history of
the state. By having more museums and field trips,
children will know more about the state and how much it
has gone through to become what it is today.
Next, West Virginia should have more sources of
entertainment. West Virginia can build an amusement park
that is unique, because it incorporates the heritage and
industries of the state, in the rides and attractions.
Also, we can try to promote and announce more new
devices that are popular with children, like the
Nintendo Wii. Instead of people going to other states to
get these new devices, people from other states will be
coming here
Last, West Virginia should have more environmentally
friendly industries. West Virginia has so much
wilderness and natural beauty and we need to do whatever
we can to preserve it. Having more industries, such as
computers, will make the state more high tech and
environmentally friendly this will cause people to want
to remain in West Virginia after completing their
education and raise their children here.
West Virginia has so much to offer children. The best
way to make people want to raise children here is to
take advantage of all these wonderful resources. I
believe that if we take advantage of all these
resources, West Virginia could be the greatest place for
a kid to grow up healthy and happy.
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Jennifer Thompson
Capital High School
Kanawha County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
we had smaller schools that so that teachers would be
able to spend personal time with each student to get to
know them and to be sure they understood what is being
taught. I attended Valley Grove Elementary School, which
was merged with Ruffner Elementary School one year after
I entered middle school. My fourth grade class had less
than fifteen students, and that was great! Our teacher
was able to control the classroom and spend more time
teaching than disciplining unruly students. Truthfully,
I feel that I have learned more in one year of
elementary school than I have learned throughout the
middle school and high school.
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Tyler Chiplinski
Wheeling Park High School
Ohio County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
West Virginia put more emphasis on crime control,
reducing the price of college, and giving more money to
the local community. These are all factors I feel could
be improved.
In this time period you turn on the news and all you
hear about is bad stuff happening all over the world. I
feel West Virginia could start small by making life
safer for children and teenagers. West Virginia could
increase the size of police forces and it also would
help if they increase the wages of the officers too. The
state could setup classes for parents and children that
were free, and talk to them about how to be safe in
their neighborhood.
I feel a lot of students are unhappy about West Virginia
because the educational opportunity isn’t there for
everyone. College opportunity is not equal. If we
lowered the price of college and made it a little bit
easier for in state students to get in then West
Virginia would keep more students in the state.
Some communities are in real need with poverty stricken
children. Just a little bit of money could help them.
When the money is given it always isn’t enough. Also it
always isn’t used properly I feel that West Virginia can
work on that to better communities.
These are just a few examples of ways to make kids
happier by making them safer, smarter, and more well off
this will prepare them for the future. If we start now
West Virginia could be the ideal place for children.
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Samantha Smith
Parkersburg High School
Wood County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
you wouldn’t ever have to worry about anything. The kids
shouldn’t have to worry about things and be under stress
early in his/her life, because it causes too much
pressure. A kid can’t handle the pressure of being an
adult.
In today’s society people expect way too much out of
kids. A kid should be able to grow up just being a kid,
and not have to deal with the pressures of being an
adult early in life. Pressure and stress can drive a kid
to suicide. So many kids now days commit suicide because
they think life is just too hard to deal with. Life is
worth living, you can move past those rough spots. There
will be a future when you grow up in West Virginia.
West Virginia should help kids deal with the pressures
of life. West Virginia should help kids get through
school and college, help them with the hardships of
growing up. Their main for focus should be their
education and being a kid. West Virginia would be the
greatest place to be a kid if you didn’t have to worry
about anything except for your education and just being
a kid.
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Mac Roberts
New Martinsville School
Wetzel
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
the state had more attractions. A science center would
be great. Families and school groups could go and do
hands on activities. We could learn about our
environment in West Virginia and how to conserve our
natural resources. There could be displays of how glass
is made. We could learn how the sound barrier was broken
by a native West Virginian. They could have the
interactive displays showing how the locks and dams on
the Ohio river works. They could show how cold is mined.
We could learn about our fossil fuels. They could turn
the old West Virginia penitentiary into a history
museum. I think a history museum would be an asset to
the state. I have been to history museums in other
states that have been really interesting. The museum
could have reenactments of the Civil War and other
historical events. There could be displays showing many
of the industries that helped to support West Virginians
such as the Marx toy factory, glass industries, steel
plants, coal, chemical plants, railroads. The last thing
I can think of would make West Virginia a great place to
be a kid would be an amusement park. The amusement park
would have lots of cool rides and a fantastic water
part. And outlet shopping malls for my mom and sister to
shop at would be great. Some very nice national chain
hotels and restaurants would be needed. Maybe even a
sports museum showcasing our famous athletes could be
added. West Virginia could also use some new roads to
make travel faster and safer so that my family and other
families wouldn’t have to travel long distances to have
a summer vacation West Virginia would be a great place
for kids if there were more fun and learning for kids
and gambling places for adults.
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Senaia Harris
Kanawha City Elementary
Kanawha County
West Virginia would be the greatest place for kids if we
had better health care. It’s common for kids under the
age of eight-teen to die because of poor health care. I
think some ways that we can fix this problem is by
getting better dental care, more pediatricians, and
longer gym classes at school.
Some other things we can do is start more health clubs
that show us kids how to eat right, exercise properly,
and just stay healthy. I also think that the health
clubs should be affordable, so that more children can
join, and with some adult help West Virginia can become
one of the healthiest places in America. That’s how I
think West Virginia could be one of the greatest places
for kids.
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Skylar Kipps
Coal City Elementary
Raleigh County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
our state had better health care system. This will give
us better doctors who will take care of people the way
they should be. In addition, we need to have a better
garbage disposal system. Some people who smoke
cigarettes do not realize what they’re doing to our
state. They are making our state of horrible and ugly
just because they’re throwing their cigarettes on the
ground. Next, there should be good menus at schools that
include more fruits and vegetables. These products are
very important for the human body. Finally, I would
invite industries to come into the state. That could
raise paydays for the people we have in this state. The
jobs should pay a higher amount of money so families can
survive. Our state should do all of this because when we
grow up we need of good health care system, a nice
garbage disposal system, higher paydays so families can
survive, and we need a good meals for good health. If
West Virginia wants to shine then these things need to
happen. I hope you take my letter serious because my
future is important.
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Shelby Montgomery
Geary Elementary Middle School
Roane County
West Virginia is already a wonderful, peaceful, and cozy
place to live. It has an interesting history and fine
schools. But no one and nothings perfect. I have some
ideas that may or may not make West Virginia a better
place for us kids and the adults to live and grow old.
One of the ideas is to conduct a community building for
kids. This would be a good idea because it would give
kids something to do. It would help them stay out of
trouble and that would make our community a better place
to live. It would also make it a lot safer.
My second idea is educational and fun. It is more camps.
This would include history, math, English, science.
There could also be sports, band, or classes to get us
ready for the future and college. Sports is a big one
because it could make this more healthy. This is a good
idea because one day one of us kids is going to take
your job.
Well, thanks for listening you don’t have to pick me
just take some of my ideas into consideration.
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Hannah Osborne
Wayne Elementary
Wayne County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
there were more parks and playgrounds so the kids can
get together to play games (like softball, baseball, or
basketball). Some kids don’t have the opportunity to get
involved with sports.
Another reason is because people need places to get away
from home and get out and about. So they can see the
beautiful colors of the leaves on trees in the fall.
Smell the new grass in spring. Watch the snow fall
during winter. So I think we need more parks so people
can see all the season’s changing.
That’s why I think we need more parks and playgrounds.
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Nicole Bailey
Lasmeet/Matoaka School
Mercer County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
all West Virginia children were safe and protected at
home and school. Children should never have to worry
about being victims of abuse from a teacher, parent,
other student or stranger. We should be able to play in
our own yards or go to the park and not be afraid that
someone could come along and take us from our friends
and family. No kid should ever have to worry about
someone touching them when they don’t want them to. Kids
should be able to go to school and not have to worry
about another student getting angry and bringing a gun
to school. We are children and we need to be safe when
we are playing and when we are learning.
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Jade Cullers
Moorefield Middle School
Hardy County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
there were more opportunities for children to grow. West
Virginia is a rural state with lots of small towns.
Children from small towns have the advantages of feeling
safe and with children living in small communities they
can help take care of one another.
The state of West Virginia is a great place to live, but
there are many children who are suffering from poverty.
Children from poverty have many disadvantages. Some of
their disadvantages are neglect, such as no clothing,
poor supply of food and their parents are normally not
educated themselves to help their children. I think WV
should strive harder to help children that are less
fortunate.
Many children in WV are not fortunate enough to have
good health care. If children don’t have health care
then there are many things that can go wrong, such as
sickness, and their teeth become rotten, which causes
them to become very ill. I truly believe that they
should provide health care to all children. If they
would give children health care, the children would be
happier and have a better chance to get out to enjoy the
world and participate in many activities.
I think children in WV have a good education. I also
think that us being from a small state, we don’t have
the advantage is that the larger states have. West
Virginia has a strategic of teachers and staff and, to
help educate our children.
West Virginia is truly a great state to live in. We just
need to give those that are less fortunate a chance for
a new beginning.
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Emily Pedigo
Spanishburg School
Mercer County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
there was better public transportation, sidewalks
everywhere, and more job opportunities for teenagers.
First, better public transportation should be a top
priority. There are very few areas and here in the
country where one could catch a bus to go to their
desired destination. I just believe that we need better
shuttle services, not only here in the Beckley and
Princeton town areas. We kids that live out in the
boonies are basically isolated. But I don’t suppose that
there that that can be helped much, due to the rural
circumstances.
Secondly, I feel there aren’t enough sidewalks bordering
our public streets. It would be safer for kids to get
around, not mentioning the older population who can’t
hurriedly get out of the way and who accidentally get
hit. During the bus safety program that was recently
held at our school, the bus driver even mentioned how
hard it was to see people on the side of the road early
in the mornings.
Thirdly, I would love to see more job opportunities for
young teenagers. I feel like fourteen is a proper age
for someone to begin a job, and I don’t mean
babysitting. I feel my responsibility is being wasted.
Also, if kids are preoccupied with being cool and having
a job with money; then they may not try to be “cool” in
other ways such as doing drugs
In conclusion, I think that West Virginia would be a
more improved place for kids to grow up if there was
better transportation, more sidewalks, and job
opportunities for teens.
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Ethan Glover
Hamlin Pre-K – 8th
Lincoln County
I’m writing to tell you what I think would help make
West Virginia’s children happier and healthier.
First, I think that all counties in West Virginia should
have access to funds to build recreational centers which
would include basketball courts, swimming pools,
computer labs, and weight rooms, along with other
educational and recreational activities. Use of these
centers should be made available to all children and
families in the county. This would give children
something to do and provide an alternative to drugs,
gangs, and other problems facing West Virginia’s
children. I understand that some larger counties already
have recreational centers, but children in rural
counties, such as Lincoln County, where I live, do not
always have transportation or funds to travel the
distance to the centers.
Secondly, I feel that all schools in West Virginia
should have the technology to provide their own school
based television news channel, which would provide
information on all school related and community
activities, which might interest the students. The
programs could be produced by students, and provide
guidelines on healthy lifestyles, among other things.
West Virginia is filled with children who just need to
opportunity to reach their full potential, and for those
of us who live in isolated, rural areas, this is hard to
do, because we do not have access to the things that we
need. Providing recreational centers and technology to
these were rule areas can help some to reach their
dreams, whether it is and sports, broadcasting, or some
other field.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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Alexis Kimbrough
Dunbar Middle School
Marion County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
all of the adults around us would work together. The
adults are the educators, parents, leaders and our
protectors. If we see that they’re not allowing race,
culture and religion to affect their attitude towards
others, then we (the children) will have one less thing
to divide us. Seeing the adults working together will
make the children become one unstoppable force.
Drugs are a big problem and if our parents and other
grownups did not sell or use drugs, including
cigarettes, then children would not even have to think
about those things. Feeling safe is one of the biggest
problems kids have. We are always worried about someone
hurting us so we don’t even meet new people. If all of
the adults work together in love we would feel safe all
the time. I guess the point I want to make is West
Virginia is the most perfect place to live. It is a
beautiful and quiet. Kids have so many adventures they
can go on because there’s so much beautiful land to
cover. However, if all of the adults would be our
foundation, strong and together, we (the children) could
just the kids that would make West Virginia the greatest
place to live .
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Annamariah Hopkins
Jackson Junior High School
Wood County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
everyone was able to participate in the many
opportunities afforded to emerging leaders of medicine,
business, the arts, sports, and academics. West Virginia
has a rich history of being a champion for equal rights
in the attainment of healthful living and long-term
happiness, from the Underground Railroad to modern day
coal mining reforms. West Virginians are passionate
about their state, the kind of passion derived from hard
work and making do with what they had. Generations
believe in this philosophy of struggle, determination,
and survival.
West Virginia is a state with raw talent. Its youth are
among the best and brightest in the nation. They are our
future in medicine, science, and business. But how many
were born privilege? It’s expensive to participate in
many of the opportunities our kids qualify for. How will
they compete on a national level? Many find the doors
closed. As a result, the communities are responsible to
assist kids in fund-raising, which places a financial
burden on local businesses and homeowners.
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
a nonprofit organization was established to help its
youngest citizens compete with kids from all over the
United States. Our future depends on being able to
continue the tradition of equal rights in the attainment
of healthful living and long term happiness. Let’s level
the playing field. Let’s give the kids of West Virginia
a voice. If West Virginia is truly "Open for Business",
let's expand the theme to include kids…West Virginia’s
raw talent…West Virginia’s natural resources…and West
Virginia’s future.
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Ashley Moore
South Middle School
Monongalia County
West Virginia would be the greatest place to be a kid if
the government paid for children’s supplies for school
related activities. This would make children happy
because some of them cannot afford the things needed,
but they want to do the activity. Paying for the
supplies would support children and encourage them to be
in activities. Of course to be in a school related group
they would have to keep their grades up. Many children
would be happy to finally be a part of a group.
West Virginia would be the greatest place for kids if
they all had families. There should be more we can do
for kids who don’t have families. We should start a
program that pairs kids up with families for the
holidays. That way they would not have to spend the
holidays alone. There should be a law making parents
take their kids for three doctor and dentist checkups a
year. Kids shouldn’t have to miss school because they’re
sick. There should be more we can do for the children
who have no doctor. Like the homeless children for
instance. All children should have people around them
that care and love them.
If West Virginia were to be the greatest place for a
child to grow up healthy and happy changes would have to
be made. Students need school supplies, the homeless
programs would need improvement, and more caring adults
need to get involved. If these changes can be made, West
Virginia can certainly be named the greatest place for a
child to grow up healthy and happy.
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