2007 - Primary - Honorable Mention - Beckwith

Emma Beckwith, 3rd Grade (Age 9)
Hayward Intermediate School – Hayward, WI
Title: We Are All the Same, Essay
Parent: Susanne Beckwith



Jan 16, 2007

We are all the same, even if we don’t look the same on the outside. Years ago, black people were teased because of their skin color. They could not go to the same schools as white people did, but had to go to different schools. Black people couldn’t even drink out of the same water fountain! Even though that problem has gotten a lot better, mankind has still a long way to go. Instead of judging someone by what they look like on the outside, look inside where it really counts.

I like people who are kind, polite, caring, and who do not judge others by what they look like on the outside. You could be black, white, tall or short and still deserve the same kind of respect that everyone else gets. Just because someone doesn’t look like you, or doesn’t speak the same language as you, doesn’t mean you can’t be friends with them.

I don’t think it is right to not like someone just because that person is different. We need to get to know what kind of person he or she is. I know a lot of people who either speak a different language, have a different skin color or look different in another way, and I know that we should still respect them. How would you feel if people were teasing you because of the way you talk or the way you look? You wouldn’t like that at all. So we shouldn’t tease people because they are different. We should help anyone who is weak. We should help others no matter who they are. Parents need to teach their children to be respectful to every one. One of the best ways that children can learn this is from their parents. Respect is important, no matter if a person is black, white, tall, short, elderly, young, or look different from us. We are still the same on the inside.