Minority Students

The following was written by a student at Watertown High School. It wasn't because of race, gender or religious beliefs that made her a minority. What made her a minority was what she believed in! Wouldn't it be nice to see more of these minority students become the "norm"? I think there are more of these students who simply for whatever reason want to remain in the shadows of others who remain at risk due to the choices they make. These minority students should be looked up to as they are role models for others who find it difficult to stand up day after day in living drug and alcohol free and practicing abstinence. You might be a minority, but so was Martin Luther King Jr. He continued throughout his life to take a stand for equal rights of minorities.

I Am the Minority

“He dares to be a fool, and that is the first step in the direction of wisdom.”

-James Huneker

The smoke filled the air as the drinks were passed from one person to the next. No one worried how they would find a ride home; no one cared if they got caught. They did not have anything to lose. All except for me, if I would consume just one alcoholic beverage, if I breathed in just one breathe of smoke, I would feel completely lifeless. My life would have no meaning behind it. On Friday, or Saturday nights, I’m the girl that stays home and watches movies, the kind of girl others would want to look up to. Instead others feel the need to put me down. I’m the outcast, I’m the different one, and I am the minority.

To fit in is everyone’s dream in high school, to be noticed by that special boy, or girl. To be surrounded by a group of peers that are all amazed by your accomplishments, while others sit and are jealous of you. My dream is not so simple. I’ve never been the girl striving for the spot light; I have not been searching for accomplishments others would be proud. Instead, my journey entitles a more proficient dream. I live for lessons others have past on for me, I live for making myself proud of the young women I have become, I live for the ones that have loved me from day one, I live for creating a strong and stable future.

If I could improve myself in anyway possible, I would fix what others have made me become. A scared and timid girl, a girl without a face in a crowd, the girl with no voice but the one she sings to herself.

Getting back on your feet is one of the most difficult actions to do when people keep preventing you from standing. When I talk about my greatest pet peeve I always bring up the same thing. My pet peeve is that the people in your life that have hurt you the most, will never truly know how much they hurt you, and have affected your self pride. The more I hear the negative remarks the more I lose my self worth.

Building up my confidence was never easy. I relied on my family members and my closest friends. My family watched me grow up, they watched me suffer through grade school, they punished me when I made mistakes, and they always reminded me that beauty came within.

It wasn’t until this year that I felt completely beautiful from the inside out. I always knew my personality would shine, and now I finally walk with my head held high. I can now say I have competed with some of the most talented, intelligent, and beautiful young women in Wisconsin. I competed in the Miss Wisconsin Teen Pageant. When people think of pageants they think of the word superficial! I got to know these women and hear their high school, and college stories and I respected them, as they showed me respect. I will hold on to the memories and grow from this experience, because someday I believe I will wear a crown!

Throughout high school it was never about the stories you could tell, it was never about the most friends you thought you had, but it was about the journey you had along the way. My journey started with a shy young girl, a girl that was pushed thru the halls in high school, a girl who none of the high school boys seemed to notice, a girl that was scared. Now I have broken out of my shell, I have gained so much pride. I am not scared. I am the girl others underestimated, but now I truly shine!

The smoke filled the air, as the drinks were passed from one person to the next. The mood suddenly died out. They began to worry where their future would end up. They all took the same path; all except for me. I choose to live my life differently. While others sat and judged me, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I transformed into a young adult. I am now walking more confidently; I am now chasing any dream I can. I am the different one, I am the minority.