Sophia+H.

Sophia Hylton


 * Sophia's Journal **

My HW Page

 __Bullying__ Sophia Hylton Per.3 10/11/13

Bullying today is a horrible thing and must be put to an end. According to American Justice Department, “1 in 4 kids will be bullied by another youth.” Also, “Surveys Show That 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically,” as said on MartialArtsForPeace.com. That is too many kids who are being bullied. This needs to end, and soon. More youth bullying happens at school, rather than on the way to or from school. Around 43%, of students, fear harassment in the bathroom while they are at school. Bullying is increasingly seen as a major contributor to youth violence.

Suicide, being the 3rd leading cause of death among young people, results in around 4,400 deaths every year! And, for every suicide, there will be at least 100 attempted suicides as well. 23 out of 510 students, at Innovation Middle School, have considered suicide because of bullying. When people are bullied, they’re 2-9 times more likely to consider suicide rather than non-victims, according to the studies by Yale University. “According to the latest poll, thirty-two percent of parents fear for their child’s physical safety when the child is at school. Thirty-nine percent of parents with a child in grade six or higher are more likely to say they fear for their child’s safety. Twenty-two percent of parents whose children are in grade five or lower fear for their child’s safety. (Parents Not Overly Concerned About School Environments for Their Children, Gallup News Service, 2001),” as said on MartialArtsForPeace.com. This is why we must crack down on bulling, too many people are getting hurt because of bullying, either self-inflicted, or from the hands of the bully.

Bullying is not just face-to-face; it can also be online, also known as cyber bullying. We need online social networking accounts to be monitored for cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can also lead to suicide as well. In fact, about 58% of kids admit that somebody has said mean or hurtful things to them while they were online. With out growing tech-society, cyber bullying continues to grow and grow. People like Amanda Todd, a girl who was cyber bullied wherever she went and eventually committed suicide, may be told they deserve what they get and have low self-esteem levels.  ‍

Prologue:

I guess most stories begin in a beautiful, sunny meadow, or a nice lake, maybe even a nice forest, but this story is different, this story begins in a school, on a dark rainy day, in a bathroom stall. Yep, a bathroom stall, I hadn’t been feeling my best and asked Miss Edmund if I could be excused. She’s good at seeing straight through a lie, and knew I was telling the truth. So, here I am, in a bathroom stall, wishing the day would end already. My name is Ramiel, and this is my life.

Chapter 1:

I was sitting in a bathroom stall, feeling sick to my stomach and having no way of making it stop, when I heard footsteps walking by the bathroom door. I felt too weak to get off the toilet lid, or even lift my feet off the ground, in hopes, if it was Miss Edmund, or a student she sent, that I wouldn’t be seen. But, I couldn’t, so I stayed where I was, waiting, listening. Then, the footsteps stopped, and a low, muffled voice came echoing into the bathroom. “Ramiel, you in there?” the voice said. I knew exactly who it was, it was my best friend Jake, he had been my best friend since we were in 1st grade, but I save you the story, it’s pretty long.

“Noooooo…” I replied in a voice like his. “I’m dead,” and I made a couple of noises for added effect, “Cough, cough, cough, cough, ahhhhh.” I tried not to giggle as I imagined him rolling his eyes.

“Ha, ha,” he said sarcastically. “Miss Edmund is about to throw a fit, you’ve been gone forever.”

“And she sent you?” I countered. I really didn’t want to get up.

“Well…” he paused, “I sort of asked to use the bathroom…”

“Typical Jake, always getting into trouble,” I laughed. “Well,” I said stranding up, “I guess I’ll come back now.” I opened the stall door and washed my hands, can never be too safe, and walked outside. Jake had already taken off, before he got in trouble. He knew I would beat him up, just kidding, if he stuck around to get in trouble with me.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I walked back to class, not wanting to get caught jogging after I had claimed to be sick. And when I got back, I snuck in, sat in my seat and waited for the bell to ring. I didn’t get in trouble, guess she must have forgotten, or didn’t care.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The bell finally rung for lunch and I was egger to be out. I stayed away from everyone at lunch, except of course, Jake, who always found me wherever I went. We ate, and then waited for the bell to ring once more. Then, it was back to our miserable day.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Chapter 2:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I was lying on my bed, that Friday afternoon, when I got a text from Blaise. It read:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Hey guess what?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I replied:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">What?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I found a flyer in my brother’s room when I got home…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">And…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">It’s for a circus…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A CIRCUS?! XD lol

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">An illegal circus. Where the people are crazy and wouldn’t mind killing people… A dangerous circus…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">And…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">That’s it

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">What’s so bad about that? Why don’t you, me, Jake, and Jett go? When is it?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Are you crazy?! Why would you want to go?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Hey, you brought it up, remember?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Yeah, but I was bored and wanted to talk. Besides, I didn’t think you would want to go

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Of course I would wanna go!! When is it?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Tomorrow @ 9:45… we really shouldn’t go though… XD JK

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">~

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">HA! I KNEW YOU WOULD WANT TO GO!! LOL XD I’ll call everyone tonight and see who’ll go with us!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">And that night I called everyone, the only one who couldn’t go was Jett, he was out of town that weekend. Blaise went and got the tickets that night, while I sat in bed dreaming of the night to come. I slept very little that night as I waited for the morning to come. And when it came, it was far from the best day of my life, as I had thought…

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Chapter 3:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I snuck out of the house that night around 9:25, it turns out it was near my house, and got there around 9:35. Jake and Blaise got there around the same time as well. We were greeted by a man who, I assumed, must be a clown. He took out tickets and led us to our seats. Then, it was time for the show to begin… <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The first act is a man who was an expert knife thrower. He threw daggers at targets, he juggled giant butcher knives, he even balanced knifes on his very own skin! The next act was a boy, not much older than me, who performed incredible magic tricks! “Hello ladies and gentlemen, I am Jager, and tonight I will be performing some very dangerous magic tricks. I advise you, do not try these at home.” And he walked to the back part of the stage. He nodded to someone backstage, and the stage before him opened up to a pit of stakes. He was shackled with his arms and legs behind him, then was attached to what must’ve been a line from a crane. He was hoisted above the pit, and the act was on! A giant timer was lower above him, it was set at 5:00, and counting down! It was obvious that the goal for this guy was to get out of the shackles before the time ran out, and he was dropped in the pit of stakes! "Now, if I do not make it out of the shackles in time," He began. "Do not panic. I am highly trained and will not be harmed.” After that last word, he began struggling with the shackles. The timer was at 0:03 when he finally escaped. Everyone there that night was releaved to see him freed. The rest of the night wasn’t as suspenseful as Jager’s act, but it was fun.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The show had ended, and since we were in the very back, we were the last to leave. As we got to the door someone blocked the passage way. “Hey back off!” Jake exclaimed. The man didn’t move, I realized that it was the man who did the knife tricks in the beginning of the show. As if out of thin air, a man appeared behind the knife thrower. He was huge! He was tall, and big, not fat, but not muscular. He tapped the man, who was blocking us, on the shoulder. He moved and the big man gestured for us to follow him. “Come, children, there is much we need to discuss.” He said in a calm, low deep voice. Jake and Blaise shared an uncertain look, but before they could call a shot, I spoke, “No.”

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“No… Why, you don’t call the shots here girl.” The big man sneered.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“Well, how ‘bout this? We don’t know you, we need to get home, it’s late, and it’s dark. We’re leaving, now.” I countered, and grabbed Jake and Blaise’s arms and started out of out of the room.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“Not so fast,” The big man said and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, we were in a dark room. The man’s face dark with delight.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">“Let us go!” I screamed. Suddenly, I was hit over the head with something big, then the world went black.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">When I awoke, I was tied up, and hanging upside down, above the pit of stakes we had seen earlier that evening- if it was the same day. I tried to get free, but was bound to tightly. I tried calling for help, but no one was around. Suddenly, a door opened to the room, as soon as I saw who it was, I realized I was being lowered into the pit. The people who came in the room were, Jager, the guy who escaped these deadly spikes I was now hanging above, the big man, and the man who did the knife tricks. I noted that the big man was covering Jager’s eyes. When they got to the stage the big man uncovered his eyes and said, “Taa-Daa!!” Jager’s eyes grew giant when he saw me, and his mouth flew agape with shock. He looked at the big man, speechless. The knife man showed the hint of a smirk. Jager looked back at the knife-thrower and the big man, in such shock, he couldn’t say a word. Being as I couldn’t talk, I was gagged, I continued with the struggle to free myself. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The big man laughed at my desperate struggles. I would have pained, where were my friends?, why were they doing this?, how was I going to get out of here?, if it weren't for Jager. He snapped to his senses before I could, he snapped at the big man and the knife-thrower, "What are you doing?! What's going on?!"

Prologue:

I guess most stories begin in a beautiful, sunny meadow, or a nice lake, maybe even a nice forest, but this story is different, this story begins in a school, on a dark rainy day, in a bathroom stall. Yep, a bathroom stall, I hadn’t been feeling my best and asked Miss Edmund if I could be excused. She’s good at seeing straight through a lie, and knew I was telling the truth. So, here I am, in a bathroom stall, wishing the day would end already. My name is Ramiel, and this is my life.

Chapter 1:

I was sitting in a bathroom stall, feeling sick to my stomach and having no way of making it stop, when I heard footsteps walking by the bathroom door. I felt too weak to get off the toilet lid, or even lift my feet off the ground, in hopes, if it was Miss Edmund or a student she sent, that I wouldn’t be seen. But, I couldn’t, so I stayed where I was, waiting, listening. Then, the footsteps stopped, and a low, muffled voice came echoing into the bathroom. “Ramiel, you in there?” the voice said. I knew exactly who it was, it was my best friend Jake, he had been my best friend since we were in 1st grade, but I save you the story, it’s pretty long.

“Noooooo…” I replied in a voice like his. “I’m dead,” and I made a couple of noises for added effect, “Cough, cough, cough, cough, ahhhhh.” I tried not to giggle as I imagined him rolling his eyes.

“‍Ha, ha‍,” he said sacasticly. “Miss Edmund is about to throw a fit, you’ve been gone forever.”

“And she sent you?” I countered. I //really// didn’t want to get up.

“Well…” he paused, “I sort of asked to use the bathroom…”

“Tipicle Jake, always getting into trouble,” I laughed. “Well,” I said stranding up, “I guess I’ll come back now.” I opened the stall door and washed my hands, can never be too safe, and walked outside. Jake had already taken off, before he got in trouble. He knew I would beat him up, just kidding, if he stuck around to get in trouble with me.

I walked back to class, not wanting to get caught joggin after I had claimed to be sick. And when I got back, I snuck in, sat in my seat and waited for the bell to ring. I didn’t get in trouble, guess she must have forgot, or didn’t care.

The bell finally rung for lunch and I was egar to be out. I stayed away from everyone at lunch, except of course, Jake, who always found me wherever I went. We ate, then waited for the bell to ring once more. Then, it was back to our miserable day.

Chapter 2:

I was lying on my bed Friday afternoon, I had just gotten home from school, when my phone vibrated next to me, saying I had received a text. It was from my friend

Sophia Hylton Per.3 10/17/13

<range type="comment" id="462093918_1">Darren began feeling distraught, and missed most of what the teacher was saying. I am a reading fiend! I can read all day long, if it's a good book, and not get bored. Saphira gained only a ghastly wound to her shoulder from the vicious fight. Steve was perplexed when nobody showed up that night. She had a spasm and could not control her powers. The smell was vile inside the cave. That man was a wretch, nobody liked him.

Sophia Hylton Per.3 10/15/13 __ 48. Convince someone why music or art or computers are important in your life. Make them appreciate your viewpoint. __

Music and art are really important in my life because they distract me from the real world and my life. It keeps me occupied and in a “trance” where I don’t have any worries, I am only focused on what I am doing, whether it is writing, drawing, or listening to music. I once saw a quote that pretty much summed it up as for how I feel about those things, and why I do them so much, the quote was, “People ask me why I draw so much, I don’t tell them, but I do it so much because it takes me away from the sadness of the real world. It takes me away from my life, when I draw I don’t have to worry about my life, or be stressed out.” When I saw that quote, I was so happy. I was happy because I finally found out that I wasn’t alone. There really are people like me who read, who draw, who write, who do things like me, because of reasons like mine!!

__ 15. Describe someone who is a hero to you and explain why. __ Sophia Hylton Per.3 10/14/13

Someone who is a hero to me is my best friend, and “sister,” Sky. She is a hero to me because she has been through so many things, things that people couldn’t even imagine, and yet she still has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. She has been on drugs, she didn’t grow up in a good household, and she still has people who try to drag her down to their level and mess with her for no reason. But, she ignores all of that, and goes to church every Sunday; she goes to Bible study every Wednesday, but she still knows how to have fun once in a while!! We still mess with each other and pull pranks every now-and-then, but she really is a nice person. I mean she’s a lot nicer than she could be to people! She could be mean and not care about herself or others, she could still be doing drugs, she could’ve let everything she has been through bring her down, but instead she uses it bring herself up. She motivates herself to no be like so many people who decicde to sink to such a low level, she makes sure she does good in school. She has even told me that she makes sure she’s okay so that I have someone to got to, besides my brother and sister, and someone to look up to, and just to know I have someone who will take me under their wing and help me whenever I need it. She knows how hard it can be to rise against everything that can bring you down and be good to others and yourself, and she makes sure, not only for me, but for herself, that she mustn’t go down the wrong path ever.

__Bullying__ Sophia Hylton Per.3 10/11/13

Bullying today is a horrible thing and must be put to an end. According to American Justice Department, “1 in 4 kids will be bullied by another youth.” Also, “Surveys Show That 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically,” as said on MartialArtsForPeace.com. That is too many kids who are being bullied. This needs to end, and soon. More youth bullying happens at school, rather than on the way to or from school. Around 43%, of students, fear harassment in the bathroom while they are at school. Bullying is increasingly seen as a major contributor to youth violence.

Suicide, being the 3rd leading cause of death among young people, results in around 4,400 deaths every year! And, for every suicide, there will be at least 100 attempted suicides as well. 23 out of 510 students, at Innovation Middle School, have considered suicide because of bullying. When people are bullied, they’re 2-9 times more likely to consider suicide rather than non-victims, according to the studies by Yale University. “According to the latest poll, thirty-two percent of parents fear for their child’s physical safety when the child is at school. Thirty-nine percent of parents with a child in grade six or higher are more likely to say they fear for their child’s safety. Twenty-two percent of parents whose children are in grade five or lower fear for their child’s safety. (Parents Not Overly Concerned About School Environments for Their Children, Gallup News Service, 2001),” as said on MartialArtsForPeace.com. This is why we must crack down on bulling, too many people are getting hurt because of bullying, either self-inflicted, or from the hands of the bully.

Bullying is not just face-to-face; it can also be online, also known as cyber bullying. We need online social networking accounts to be monitored for cyber bullying. Cyber bullying can also lead to suicide as well. In fact, about 58% of kids admit that somebody has said mean or hurtful things to them while they were online. With out growing tech-society, cyber bullying continues to grow and grow. People like Amanda Todd, a girl who was cyber bullied wherever she went and eventually committed suicide, may be told they deserve what they get and have low self-esteem levels.

Sophia Hylton Pd.3 9/11/13

My name is Sophia Hylton and I spend a bunch of my time in my room alone reading, drawing, writing, or just listening to music. I live with my uncle and brother here in Clairemont. My brother’s name is Chase, he’s 17 (almost 18), my uncle’s name is Richard, or Rich, and I also have a sister named Amanda who is 23.

This past summer I went to the beach about 3 or 4 times. I also went camping in the mountains at lake Henshaw. It was my first time in the mountains and it was so fun!!! I went with a bunch of my friends and we all slept in the same cabin!! It was so much fun. We went swimming, had a bon fire, and stayed up talking all night!!!