I can make a difference

Our world is always changing. Think about human history. How far has humanity come since the days of cave drawings and mammoth hunts? Primitive civilizations have formed. The use of agriculture allowed towns and cities to form. The arts and culture evolved our interest in the well being of others. Scientific innovations have made life easier and made the use of our resources more efficient. Mankind has evolved from primitive nomads into an articulate, complex human society.

So one may ask themselves, "How can I, after all that mankind has overcome and accomplished, make a difference?" Must we create the next artificial heart, discover the genetic code, or make the next combustible engine in order to make a difference in society. No! Of course not! One can make a difference in this world in much more subtle ways.

"But how?" many might ask. Simply stated, service to fellow humans can make a profound difference in the course of humanity. No, your service may not spur the development of humanity, but is that really what matters? Not really. Imagine the joy one can spread by helping out another. Can a person help but smile when he helps an elderly lady load her groceries into her car? I'll bet not. What about the local service group that cleaned up the park because it had accumulated an eyesore of trash? Were they bitter at the end of the job? Nope, not by any means.

Life would be bland, perhaps even feel empty, if society relied solely on technological and social innovations to make a difference. While these advances are wonderful contributions, the personal, sincere kind acts one gives to a friend, a co-worker, or a stranger in need will provide a greater sense of hapiness. Hapiness, the emotion that truly allows an individual to feel accomplished, is much more difficult to obtain than one may imagine. From personal experience, however, I will say this. Hapiness and true joy is most easily obtained when surrounding yourself with other people. Toys and games are great, but only provide the temporary emotion of pleasure. Hapiness and service to others; they go hand in hand.

CVHS issues

Canyon View High School is carrying dead weight. About 300 pounds of dead weight, and it is now time to get rid of it. Mr. Mumford, the school’s big-boned German and financial literacy teacher, has proven that he is incapable of passing knowledge from teacher to student, and most students could not agree with me more. I suggest that he needs to be replaced by a more capable German teacher.

If you interviewed any student who has sat through a year of his classes, I can almost guarantee that you would find a uniform answer. Every student would say they did not learn a thing in the class. Despite Mr. Mumford’s best efforts, he is far too easily distracted in class. When he is lecturing, a simple statement off the topic can throw the man completely off topic. The remainder of class is spent off topic. If he’s not lecturing, he’s given out an assignment. These assignments are far too simplistic or confusing to give us students any retainable knowledge. Almost any student at Canyon View will verify this claim. His ability to keep a class under control is very questionable, also.

Mr. Mumford should be removed from office. He is of no benefit to the student body. Canyon View would be better off with a more productive, effective teacher. Please, for the sake of your students education, Canyon View needs a more affluent German teacher. A load of dead weight will not help us students suceed in real life.