Our Look At The Kids,

The Stars

Their Worlds, In Their Words

 

I introduced the students to "The Star Thrower" with a read aloud. The 16- to 18-year-olds were surprisingly moved by the story. We have spent much time writing poetry and I allowed the students to chose to either write a short story related to Dr. Eiseley's story or to write poetry about their own experiences as the starfish who are in need of assistance. After all, it's important to them... and it's important to me.

Here are their stories (in the form of poetry):

 

I Am

 

I am a child born into this world African American

Raised in a land of ill repute

I survived drive-bys, drug dealings, pimps, and hoes

I am a child whose family wanted him to live the life they never had

I am a person whose life has gone up and down

I went from the brokehouse to the townhouse

No money to mo money

I am the son of a groundskeeper, son of a mover, and grandson of a teacher

I am a child who you wouldn't think twice about giving a dollar to

For the fact you think you wouldn't get it back

I am a person who police harass

Because I am darker than he or dressed differently than he

Now I am a child who is older and wiser

I am a child who little kids look up to

I am a child

I am a person.

~by Derrick Jernigan

11th Grade Student
 

A Young Black Man

 

I'm an African American male,

An athlete, born in the U.S.

A child of the ghettos of San Diego.

A young slave to a cruel and undefined society.

A great young black man who has been judged by the color of his skin.

A young black man who has been stopped three times this week for being the young black man that I am.

I am a young black man who who has been stopped many times for wearing red.

As I'm being questioned,

I see a white man wearing the same color.

But I am a young black man.

~by Will Scott

11th Grade Student
 

Still I Rise

 

Living in the ghettos of San Diego

Surviving everyday

Not knowing what's around each corner

Not knowing if you'll meet an

enemy or a friend

 

Getting into gangs to have each

other's backs, roaming the

Streets to see what's up...

Not knowing if you'll get jumped

Or even come home alive

 

But even though you still live on

You still have to be on the lookout

For anyone that comes around

 

Living in the ghettos

Is still a lot of fun

But if they maddog or start shit

Living in the ghettos can

Be the pits

 

~By Isaura Cardenas

11th Grade Student
 

Trying To Survive

 

I am a young Latina

Who is trying to survive

I am a confused child

who thinks that life is difficult

I am a young independent lady who

works very hard in life

I am a young Latina who is trying to

survive

I am a young child who is scared of

life and the many obstacles that it has

I look forward to a better life with my

family and friends.

I am a young Latina who is trying to survive

I am a girl who comes from parents

who are having a hard time raising

me and my brothers and sister

I was born at the crossroads and I am

whole.

 

~By Vanessa Orecha

11th Grade Student

 

In her article, "Terrain of Listening" (1986), Lim-Alparaque lists the three structures for language analysis: resonance, reverberation, and recognition. In respect to resonance, the students are entertaining while telling their personal, unique stories of life in the "ghetto". To any child, young person, or adult who lives outside of this realm, their poetry is fascinating and compelling. These students may realize this. After all, I remind them to keep in mind their audience. They may be striving to stir emotion and get reaction from the broad audience who will see this Web site. Reading of young people living amongst "drive-bys, drug dealings, pimps, and hoes" is saddening, and knowing that the young man is judged by the color of his skin on a daily basis stirs anger for those who would like to see racism abolished. However, this is just the surface.

 

When engaging in reverberation, one may see that it is interesting that both Will and Isaura speak of their experiences in a more removed viewpoint, in the third person. They are mere observers of their own existence whereas Derrick and Vanessa bring their audience straight into their lives through their eyes. Also, Isuara uses slang to get across her message when she writes, "roaming the streets to see what's up " instead of what's going on". Vanessa continues to remind her reader(s) that she is " a young Latina who is trying to survive." I find it odd that these "kids of the streets" use terms like "ill repute" and "a young slave to a cruel and undefined society." It is as if they are emulating the infamous filmmaker, Spike Lee -- an educated but "street wise" black man. They know where they come from but they are "trying to live the life (their parents) never had ." The students bring their reader(s) right into the streets and their homes with them.

 

This is where recognition comes in. When stepping back, one sees these kids in their own environments, their space in the world. They spell it out for their audience: they come from "the ghetto" and they know exactly what is happening to them. They are aware of who they are their place in society. But, they want more. They, in essence, want to be thrown back to the waters where they have a chance to be, as Vanessa put it, "whole".

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