That is one too many. This is just unacceptable. Poverty does not only have a direct effect on the financial backing for these children and their families, but it has much higher physical, social, and emotional complications. Children who grow up poor, as a result have had worse access to medical care than someone who has grown up under better financial circumstances, so they are more likely to get sick and stay sick for longer, since they cannot get decent health care right away. This problem needs to be fixed before a generation of impoverished children lose out on what is equally and rightfully theirs as American citizens. Education should be equally accessed, and a proper future should be attainable by all children, regardless of their financial situation. It is not their fault that they are behind because of a social issue. In order for everyone to excel, especially the generation of tomorrow, they need to be given the opportunity, and in order for this to happen, the poverty rate among children needs to be diminished. This can become a vicious cycle after some point, and once these children become wrapped up in everything that being poor entails (dangerous and violent neighborhoods, easy access to drugs and alcohol, worse public schools) they can become stuck. Please save our children now before it is too late.

1.6C: Autobiographical Narrative

Directions: Now it is time to complete the autobiographical narrative you've been collecting ideas for during the preceding sections. Your final draft will be read and evaluated as part of your grade for this course. It should be at least five paragraphs long.

Look at the "Writer's Workshop" section on pages 130-132 of your textbook for a description of the narrative and steps you should follow to organize your thoughts and produce a polished final draft. There is a short sample section from the conclusion of a student narrative on page 132.

I always hated to do new things. I thrived on consistency and stability. I never enjoyed surprises, nor did I enjoy being told things last minute; I needed to have time to adjust and prepare for everything. That's why when my father told me that we were moving, my heart dropped to the floor. "Why are we moving dad?!" "Where are we going?!" "What happened?!" The same three questions just kept coming out of my mouth, without any sort of attempt on my part. They just felt like the natural transition to my state of despair. I did not want to move. I loved my house, I loved my neighborhood, I loved my school, but most of all, I loved my friends. What was going to happen to all that? But unfortunately, my father got a promotion which would require us to move to another state. I thought that my life would officially be over.

Leaving my former life as I knew it couldn't have come at a worse time. Being in the fifth grade was difficult enough, now I had to start everything all over again, in another state, where no one knew who I was, and where people might not even like me. I could not even look at my father. My anger about the situation and my frustration for everything that I had to give up was taken out on him. Saying goodbye to my friends was hardest of all. I had to hold back the tears that were inevitable. My emotions ran wild as I fought to keep my disappointment inside. It seemed like a nightmare that I would never wake up from. After the long goodbyes, and the strength that it took to hold back my feelings, we packed up our car and headed toward my unwanted new life.

How was I supposed to adjust in the middle of the year to a new school? Everyone already had their friends picked out. I was doomed to becoming the "new student," the one that everyone ignored because no one knew. Being shy and uncomfortable about meeting new people did not help out my situation at all. I didn't want to accept that I wasn't going to ever be with my old friends again. This inhibited me even more from trying to talk to new people. Going to school that first day seemed endless. No one talked to me, and what was worse...I had to find a table to sit at during lunchtime. My heart raced as I frantically looked around for a place to sit. I looked to the left...no empty seat. I looked to the right...nothing. I knew it. I would not fit in here. I was not going to enjoy this school. I already hated it.
Then out of no where, I hear a voice, "Hey, new kid, sit over here." At first I didn't know if they were talking to me; I didn't even realize where the voice was coming from. I looked up, searching for this ominous person who was inviting me to be a part of their table. Then I look over, and I see a table of kids waving at me. I was elated. I could feel my energy rising and my face lighting up. I walked over and sat down. "Hey, I know what it's like to be the new person in school." Those were the words that I would never forget. Taylor spoke to me as if we had known each other forever. It was a perfect match. All my worries were lifted once I found someone to sit with. As simple and superficial as that may seem now, to a twelve-year-old, that meant everything. Being in a new neighborhood didn't seem so bad anymore. Meeting new people was not as hard as I thought it would be, and that gesture from someone who would turn out to be my best friend, was something that I will never forget and something that made my life turn around at that point.

In retrospect, I realized pretty early on that things really weren't as bad as I thought they would be. I learned to break out of my shell. Although it seemed like it took forever and that it was the end of the world, it really wasn't. That was a very difficult thing to do at that point in my life. I was so used to structure, and I was so used to having a set routine, that anything outside of what I knew, would make me feel uneasy. I didn't realize it when I first heard from my father that we were moving, that this would end up changing the way that I learned to lead my life. I just saw it as an inconvenience and as an inconsiderate thing for my father to do to me.

But of course, as all life lessons are learned, I had to go through that troublesome experience to realize what I was capable of. I never thought that I would be able to meet new people and get along with them. Moving to another state and starting at a new school made me take risks that I never thought that I would be able to do. This incident in my life allowed me to be a more daring person. Being accustomed to having everything laid out for me and never exploring outside of my safety zone, made me very close-minded. But after having to leave what I was used to, I learned that change is good every now and then, and this is something that has carried on with me till this day. It allowed me to analyze things by not doing what I thought was safe, but by what I thought would benefit me most. It was an unforgettable experience that not only allowed me to grow at that point as an adolescent, but something that allowed me to keep growing as an adult.