Our Rappahannock: Foothills Forum – Rappahannock News Essay Contest 2021-22

Presenting … words of wisdom from our future generation

Assembled here are the winning essays from the third Foothills Forum/Rappahannock News essay contest, held in conjunction with Rappahannock County Public Schools.

Rapp News reporter Julia Shanahan worked with the essayists to improve their works and writing as part of her service project as a member of Report for America, the national public service program that places journalists in local newsrooms.

The winners receive recognition and cash prizes from Foothills in two categories. Middle school: winner (Faith Harrison, grade 7), second place (Emily Matthews, grade 8), third place (Isabelle Robey, grade 7). High school: winner (Meredith Siqueiros, grade 12), second place (Heather Williams, grade 12), third place (Sarabeth Ellis, grade 12).

“I loved working with the students to polish their essays,” Shanahan said. “I was really impressed with their willingness to take edits and make their winning essays even stronger.”

We congratulate all the winners and essay writers (some 41 in all), and we thank the judges: Committee Chair Edie Tatel, Tim Carrington, Ann Crittenden, Sheila Lamb, Julie Ruth and Lilo Wolfe. 

Thanks also to Rapp News publisher Dennis Brack and Holly Jenkins of Rappahannock County Public Schools for shepherding the essay contest through the Covid years.

— Andrew Alexander for Foothills Forum

 The topics

Rappahannock County Public Schools high school and middle school students were asked to choose from the following topics and submit an essay of no longer than 750 words:

1. History: Explain why history and government courses are important for students in a free nation like ours.

2. Diversity in school: What does diversity in the classroom mean to you? Describe what a diverse education would look like to you.

3. Consider a time that you changed your mind about something important. Why did you do that? What results did it have?

4. STEM topic: Rappahannock County has a Dark Sky Park where people come to see unobstructed views of outer space. What impact, if any, does light pollution have on people living in the United States? How do you propose fixing the light pollution problem?

5. Climate change: The state and national data show that Rappahannock’s temperatures are warming. How will this climate change affect farming and agricultural production? What would you do to address the problem if you had the ability and resources to make a difference?

6. Explain the role of sports and/or music in your educational journey.

Preparing future generations

By Meredith Siqueiros | Grade 12 | First place, high school

The United States has always been characterized as a country of opportunity, freedom, and rights. Our mistakes and victories are embedded within our history and the products of each are reflected in our government’s system. History and government courses teach students more than past events but also how to prevent previous mistakes from recurring. Students need to learn and understand our country’s history and government so that they can make smart decisions like voting and being involved in government while having a clear understanding of our country’s structure and origin. 

As future voters and contributors to society, students must be equipped with the necessary knowledge to make intelligent decisions. Being part of a democratic country, students will grow to become leaders and have the power to decide legislation and choose government officials. Having students take government courses makes them keen to form educated opinions of what they wish to see in the country and how it could be improved. When voting, those that know history use their knowledge from the past to make the wisest choice.

Furthermore, as members of a free nation, our understanding of the United State’s origin and how its government system works is of indispensable importance. In our modern world, social media and news outlets have the power to influence our generation, but an informed individual knows how to distinguish between facts and false information. By understanding how laws and systems were formed within our nation, students have a clear understanding of policies and thus are less vulnerable to being fooled by disinformation and fake news. If students are taught things like the Constitution, they understand their rights as well. In other words, no one can take freedom away from those who understand how and why it came to be, what it took to obtain it, and what protects this freedom today. 

Besides this, history and government courses teach students about the flaws in our country’s past such as the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which forced indigenous tribes out of their land and caused the death of thousands of Native Americans. Another example would be the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII which violated the freedoms of innocent individuals due to their race. By knowing where the system has failed and becoming educated citizens, we are less likely to repeat the same mistakes. The same applies to the successes and triumphs of the past. Students with this knowledge can help make decisions that lead to successful outcomes based on their insight of history. 

Schools must give their students government and history courses to help them make good decisions, understand facts, and help prevent past errors from taking place again. Students with this type of education can help influence and guide our nation to a better future of prosperity. It is necessary to empower and equip them with history and government courses both for their success and that of the United States as well.

Softball, academics, and a new bat

By Faith Harrison | Grade 7 | First place, middle school

I was on second base when I heard the crack, a loud, smooth snap that I thought for sure was going over the fence. I watched the ball and realized it was just going excessively high over the short-stop’s area. My teammate caught the ball and launched it to me on second, getting a double play. I jumped off the bag and threw the ball like a missile to first, barely beating the runner, gaining a triple play. My team ran into the dug-out high-fiving and cheering. That’s been my life for the past seven years, softball. I think softball is something that people could and do use as motivation to do better in school, because sports are something that students can use as a getaway from life. 

Teamwork isn’t just an important part of softball, it’s also a good thing to have in school as well. Both on the softball field and in the school classrooms, sooner or later you’re going to find that you can’t do everything by yourself, and you’re going to need to rely on the help of others at times. Softball has taught, and still teaches me how to get along with others. When you work hand-in-hand with other people, the outcome will be a lot better than if you tried to do something all by yourself. Sometimes there are assignments or tasks that are too complex to be done by just one person. Typically in middle and high school, teachers will assign more difficult projects, so it’s important to be able to divide the workload and to communicate with your classmates. The same thing happens in softball. You have to communicate on the field so everyone knows what to do with the ball when they get it. Everyone has a specific role to play on defense, probably a position they are good at, to get the outs quickly, and hopefully go home with the win. 

Softball has meant a lot to me ever since I started playing. I’ve always played as hard as I can, and the best I can. In school, I do the same thing. I tried to pay attention and I studied whenever I could, and that’s why I ended up with pretty good grades. Softball has been one of the biggest forms of motivation for me to work really hard in school. For instance, my coach won’t let me play if I’m failing in school. If my grades are low, and I’m not listening or trying to do my best in school, it will show and my coach won’t allow me to play. Another way softball forces me to push harder in school are the rewards. My parents offered to buy me a new bat, a nice bat, if I could keep my grades up. A good bat is really expensive, so I thought it was a fair offer. I ended up getting my grades up which allowed me to get into a gifted arts program at school, so my parents rewarded me with the bat! Softball forces me to push harder and to do better in school.

I’m not the only one who could use sports as motivation. Other kids can also use sports as a way to do better in school. Most schools have a sports system where you could play for your school, but sometimes you have to have good grades in order to play, so it forces you to do well in school if you really want to play. Playing for your school could allow you to make friends with other classmates that you’ll be around. Instead of playing with random people, you could play for your school. Schools that do have sports systems usually have a selection of different sports, so it doesn’t have to be softball. You could choose from a bunch of different options including softball, baseball, basketball, soccer, football, and much more! If the sport you choose works as well for you as softball did for me, you won’t regret it. If it makes you happy, while also making you do better in school, then it’s a win-win!

So far, softball has been something I’m really passionate about, and it has helped me along the way through everything like school, problems with my family and friends, and other sports too. My friends have helped me alongside everything as well, both on the softball team, and in school. If it wasn’t for softball, I wouldn’t have some of the really good friends that I do now. Softball and school have both taught me many things I will be able to use throughout my life such as social skills, time management, and much more! In the future I would like to continue to play softball for as long as I can. It will help me to stay disciplined and active throughout my softball career, and the rest of my life. 

Boys — softball is a real sport

By Isabelle Robey | Grade 7 | Third place, middle school

The sport that helps me through school the most is softball. I have been playing softball since I was 9 years old, and I will be playing for the school this season. I think sports are important to education because they help students feel more involved in school.

Softball is one of the most looked down upon sports, especially by baseball players in middle and high school who are mad about the rules. The main rule they are mad about is that the girls pitch underhand. Lower fences is another rule the men hate, but the most important one is the balls are bigger. The girls get hate on rules they can’t even control. The boys who hate on the sport are most likely not involved and are trying to make themselves more involved. Even Though the boys try to make my life difficult by teasing, I still have the girls I play softball with to help me get through it all.

One of the most important things softball helps me with is doing well in a group setting. My dad taught me that sports help a lot with working well in classes when I have to do group work or projects. He said, “one day you’re going to have to work with people you don’t like and softball will help you with dealing with people like that.” And he was right. Playing softball has helped me deal with people I do not like. 

Softball also helps me with anger management. I get angry easily and softball helps me calm myself down. It gives me ways to let my anger out in a safe way. One of those ways is batting practice because it helps me with physical anger and lets me hit things that won’t hurt someone else. Another way is pitching drills. It helps me with the anger that makes me want to throw things at people. Those two factors are the main cause of me calming down more quickly and helps me not get into fist fights.

I hope that playing softball through middle and high school will help me get into college and make me a better person overall. The most important thing to remember is that playing sports can definitely make someone a better person through experience with team meetings and outings and even just practices and games. An amazing example of this is when someone starts to play a sport who has no friends or is a bully. They can become friends with their teammates or learn that people are different but have similarities. 

Softball has been an amazing factor in how I get through school and other aspects of my life. It helped me see the importance of friendship and teamwork through working with my teammates and coaches. That is why I think sports help student’s education.

Saving our skies

By Emily Matthews | Grade 8 | Second place, middle school

I am lucky enough to live in Rappahannock where on a clear night you are sure to see millions of stars. In other towns and cities, even Warrenton and Front Royal that are so close to us, people are not so lucky; you can’t see the stars due to light pollution. Some of the causes of light pollution could be headlights in cars and street lamps and other night time lighting. Most night lighting is excessive and unnecessary. It’s really a shame because I love seeing the stars at night and they are absolutely lovely to look at. The fact that other Americans do not know the joy that the stars bring is a sorrowful thought. I think communities should limit light pollution because it’s important for young people to learn how to preserve parts of the environment.

We do not need a light post every five feet, especially in neighborhoods where people might be trying to enjoy the night sky. A solution to this would be to take down the lights that are unneeded. Even the flood lights that some people have on the sides of their houses could cause light pollution, and I understand that people like them for safety reasons but if they knew the effects of the lights maybe they would consider taking them down. A different solution to this problem would be to purchase shields to cover the light bulbs. I remember a while back I went to a Dark Skies program, an educational program people of all ages could attend at the Rappahannock County Park. They were talking about purchasing shields to redirect the light into places it’s needed instead of being reflected or redirected into the sky. This solution also creates less of a conflict because there could potentially be people opposed to the idea of taking down some lighting. The shields allow them to keep the lights and not have them polluting the sky with a lot of light.

Informing the public by sending out pamphlets could be a cool way to bring attention to this issue. These pamphlets could include interesting facts and pictures to get people excited about the stars they could potentially be seeing. A way to get people to look at the pamphlets could be to have bright eye-catching pictures and words on the front, and maybe include a dramatic statement somewhere like, “Light Pollution is Ruining our Skies.” Things like this would make people more likely to look at and read the pamphlet. Another way to inform the public could be to invite other schools to see the Dark Skies program, which could also be a way to get the youth more involved.

It’s important for communities to embrace the stars so that young people like me can appreciate their beauty. Rappahannock County is a good example of how communities can incorporate Dark Skies into education.

Escape from reality

By Heather Williams | Grade 12 | Second Place, high school

Why do you play sports? What does it do for you? What’s the point? The answer to these questions varies per athlete or student. For me I play for the friendships, the love of the game, the dream of going big, and the strive for excellence. I play to be a role model for the little girl in the stands saying “I wanna do that one day.” I play to escape reality and dream big. I think sports benefit students because it serves as academic motivation, an escape from reality and as an inspiration to others.

High school sports have benefited me in a lot of ways. The main benefit is that playing sports gave me a reason to stay on top of my school work and strive for high grades. Some students who do not have the incentive of playing sports do not care about their grades and let them fall. I played softball and volleyball from the time I could walk and with that came much responsibility because when I started playing rec league sports, I had to immediately learn how to juggle school and sports at a young age. Later when I started playing high school sports and travel sports, I already knew how to juggle a hectic schedule. As I got older and classes got harder with more work I started to feel myself not wanting to put forth the effort anymore, but knowing that if I started to fail then sports would be out of the picture I refused to let my grades fall. Some people ask, “Why are sports so important to you, what’s the point?” The answer to that has changed a lot over the years. At first it was for the fun of the game. As I got older, sports became my escape. 

In 2019, my grandfather passed away due to kidney and esophageal failure. This was my first grandparent to pass. I have lost my great grandparents, but I didn’t know them that well, so this experience felt different. When my grandfather passed, I did not know how to take it. My brother and he were extremely close and I witnessed my brother start to go from this strong outgoing guy to a sad introvert. That itself was terrifying. I found myself falling right into the same place as my brother. I felt as though I was never happy, like the world was moving so fast and I was just a rock laying on the ground. Then I realized a change in myself, when I was on the softball field all my thoughts, sadness and worries were gone. The only thing on my mind was my team, the game and winning. When I started playing full time I found myself becoming happier and forgetting the negative things going on. I stopped worrying all together when I was playing. Everything outside the fence was gone. The only thing I was worried about was what was happening inside the fence. Then, the reason changed a little more for me. It went from not only a getaway zone, but a place where I could be a role model kids looked up to. 

After my cousin had a child and she saw me play, she decided she wanted to play too. That’s when I really started pushing. I decided I wanted to be the best role model possible for all the little girls sitting in the stands saying, “I want to be like her one day.” So I pushed and strove for excellence until finally my dreams came true. Not only did I provide a role model for them, I showed them anything is possible. This small town girl met her dream of playing softball in a division two school at Potomac State College where I’ll be this fall. I became the person they looked at and said “If she can do it, so can I.”  

In conclusion, sports are not just sports to me. Sports are my way of being an example for kids like me, pushing myself to be better, and having a safe space to forget everything. The role sports have had on me and many others is simple. Sports are our safe space and one thing that gets us through difficult times. Some people use drugs, or anger, but we use our teammates and coaches to fall back on when things fall apart. Sports taught me to believe in myself, because all things are possible. They taught me to be the best me possible. 

‘In the term student athlete, student always comes first’

By Sarabeth Ellis | Grade 12 | Third place, high school

Sports have always played an important role in my academic life. I learned focus, determination, and punctuality during my time as an athlete. I have used these characteristics to succeed all throughout my educational journey. Constantly practicing my swing or my shot has given me the consistency and patience that studying for an exam requires. Being an athlete has aided me in becoming the best student I can be. I think sports have helped my education because it has given me a support system and has taught me how to overcome challenges. 

As I began to start participating in school sports, I realized how time consuming it was. Starting from nine years old I have played three sports, volleyball, basketball, and softball. Practicing five days a week for two hours after school made it difficult for me to keep up with my schoolwork at first. However, coaches and teammates were constantly encouraging me to keep up with my academic life first and be an athlete second. “In the term student athlete, student always comes first,” is what everyone told me. Consequently, I made it my priority to prosper in my academic life so I could keep playing sports. 

Playing sports has allowed me to have access to coaches who are always willing to help. If I am struggling to keep up with my schoolwork, they are there to encourage me and give me advice on how to handle my problems. My coaches are my biggest role models and are always there to support me personally and academically. They constantly remind me how important my education is and give me motivation to keep working hard. I try to model myself after them by remaining positive and determined.

I compare a lot of the challenges I face in school to the ones I face in sports. For example, when the method I was using to study for a test wasn’t working, I remembered how writing out my basketball plays always helped me to memorize them, so I changed up my approach and rewrote my notes onto flash cards to use. Many people believe being an athlete makes it more difficult to be a good student, but playing sports has provided me with all the tools necessary to succeed academically.

Becoming a student athlete was the best decision I ever made. I have made countless friends and memories that have made me the person I am today. It wasn’t always easy to manage sports and academics but I learned how to manage my time through experience and hard work. Being an athlete has taught me many important lessons and made me an all around better student.