Mayors for a Moment

COURTESY

Angel Cruz, 5th Grade

E.P. Foster Elementary School

Courtesy is being kind, like having respect for all people. Listening goes well with courtesy. Doing your best is an example of what courtesy is about.

When you are courteous that is when you have respect for different people, which means not calling them names. You should respect family, friends and everybody around you. Some people think they don’t have to respect each other since they are different, but having different skin color, blond hair, or speaking Spanish are not important differences. Respect is a good way of having courtesy for all people.

When you are courteous, you should always listen to what the teacher has to say and wait your turn to speak. The teacher might be saying something important and you may not be listening. Be courteous and don’t do something else when you should be listening. Also, you should wait your turn to speak, not only because it’s the polite thing to do, but because the other person might be saying something very important. Listening is having courtesy for everyone around you. For me, being courteous is always trying your best. Doing your best means putting all the effort you have in things you do, including tests. Trying your best is important to teachers since they know you are paying attention and being polite. You are courteous and respectful to your parents when you can show them a good report card that shows you are paying attention in school.

Those are three examples of what courtesy means to me. No matter if you are big or small, you are the same as everybody, and everybody deserves respect and courtesy.

RESPONSIBILITY

Fidelity Ballmer, 5th Grade

Saticoy Elementary School

The world is a giant puzzle, each piece being a person. In each puzzle piece, there are hundreds, even thousands of smaller pieces, each one being a trait of that certain person. Now as the world is growing and people are passing lines that have never been passed, (such as flying to the moon) some of these pieces are falling away into space. One of these is responsibility. To me, responsibility is doing the right thing.

Without responsibility, our world would stop spinning. Responsibility is what saves hundreds of lives each year, when people donate their time and money to starving children. Without these people, too many children would die, each and everyday.

Without responsibility, every single polar bear will die out, because of the green house gases, melting the ice away. Without responsibility, we will lose thousands of army men in the war.

Without responsibility all these things would just get worse, as we are on that path. But not everybody is irresponsible. With responsibility, firefighters will save people from the flames as they swallow a house, whole. With responsibility, people will donate their money to help people recover from natural disaster.

With responsibility, people will be responsible for their actions, and tell the truth. With responsibility, we will throw a dollar or two into a poor man’s hat.

We must find these pieces inside of ourselves, and put the world back together, piece-by-piece. And as the world grows and prospers, we will show that we have found all of our pieces, by being a better person, and by being responsible.

SELF-CONTROL

Lina Ajao, 5th Grade

Loma Vista Elementary School

The Importance of Self-Control

Self-control is extremely important because it is required for so many things in life. If you don't have self-control, people can get hurt.

For example, school requires self-control. If you don't use self-control at school, you may get sent to the principal's office. Driving a car requires self-control. Those without self-control might get in a car accident. Also, when you are around other people, you should use self-control. If you don't use self-control around others, someone could get hurt.

You should always use self-control. It's the smartest, safest way.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Kassandra Contreras, 5th Grade

Sheridan Way Elementary School

Sportsmanship is trying your best, not caring if you win or lose, having fun and not cheating. One example of sportsmanship is to be the best you can be.

Sportsmanship is trying your best. Why? It shows you did all you could. One example is when I was playing with my friends. I was trying to make a basket but I missed! My friends came up to me and said that was awesome. That moment they showed me sportsmanship because they were proud of me and they knew I was trying my best.

Also, good sportsmanship is not caring if you win or lose, it's just about having fun. For example, one day my team and I were going to play basketball with our PE teacher, Mr. Harris. Before we started to practice I gathered my team around and told them to just have fun and try our best. When the game was over we had won but we didn't care because we were just playing for fun.

Not cheating is an important part of sportsmanship. We were playing "Swatball" in PE. During the whole class, no one cheated and that shows sportsmanship because everyone was playing honestly.

As you can see sportsmanship is important to me and I know it's important to some people out their too.

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