2008 - Secondary - Runner-up - Roden

When I was younger my family and I moved around a lot. We ended up living in Geneva, Switzerland. There, all of the kids were nice and did not make fun of me or call me names.

After about four years, we moved back to America. We ended up in Connecticut because of my dad’s business. In the first week or two of school, all of the kids made fun of me. They made fun of my name, Henry Roden, by calling me Henry Rodent. They would also ask if my parents were mice or rats. They also teased me because every day I would wear a collared shirt, tucked into my pants, with a belt. The kids asked why I dressed like that and why I had to dress so formal. I explained that my dad told me to dress like that because that is the way he taught me to dress when he was raising me.

After another four years we moved down to Miami, Florida. The teasing did not stop. Children still made fun of the way I dressed and talked, and also made fun of my name, and even how white my teeth were. Everybody thought my failed attempts to fight back were humorous. It gave them a feeling of power when I became upset and excluded myself from the rest of the class. After another year or two I started to acquire a sense of defense for myself. I started wearing my shirt outside of my pants. I was able to defend myself from the other kids that used to tease me.

Looking back, however, I feel that I have become the bully. I got in trouble for bullying in school and I realize now that it makes me no better than the kids who were making fun of me in the first place. I also realize that kids tease other kids because of their diversity. It is hard to tell the difference between defending yourself and being a bully. Bullying is also a hard habit to break because it feels good to have so much power.

After a while you realize that you do not have to hurt people to have power. Even though bullying is a nationwide thing, I still believe the majority of people should respect you if you are nice to them. It took me a long time to learn that lesson and I am glad I did. This whole experience has changed my life.