High school students are constantly engaged in a process of self-discovery, of sorting out what they believe and why they believe it, but are often not provided structured outlets to do this challenging thinking. This project provided a structure for students to convey a significant, guiding belief and to emphasize why they hold the belief and how they came to believe it. Using examples from the non-profit, This, I Believe, an organization dedicated to assembling the personal belief essays and recordings of Americans based on the premise of the 1950’s original radio program hosted by Edward R. Murrow, students investigated and discussed what they hold most dear and have presented here for others to learn from and explore.
To read the student essays, click on the author's name below. You can see the project description here.
Anthony Castellucci: I Believe in Kindness "What do I believe? I believe in kindness. I believe that kindness is a virtue in so many more ways than one. It brings people together. It turns..."
Addison Olson: Nothing is Impossible "I believe you can do anything you put your mind to. I have had many difficult tasks to complete throughout my life. I always tried to avoid the task and give up, but time after time..."
Matthew Pfeifer: Speak For Yourself (with video) "Advocacy, a word we have all heard at some point and thought “hm, I don’t need to worry about that I’m doing fine; I’ll figure it out by myself, I can do this” and that might work for you, maybe you truly don’t need to worry about if the way ..."
Ava Carver: I Believe in Art "I believe in Art. I believe in self expression and emotional connection through Art, and that's all because forms of art have the power to say everything that words and facial expressions can’t..."
Ash Glaser: I Believe it is important to stay silly "I believe it is important to stay silly. Being silly doesn't mean assuming the role of the jester whenever you walk into a room, but rather it can manifest as having a more joyful outlook on life..."
Max Dow: Family is Not Just Blood "Family is not defined by blood. I’ve come to understand this because of my stepdad and his family. From the moment I met them, they welcomed me as one of their own. I’ve never felt more at home..."
Bread Kowalczyk: Coming to Terms with Myself "I believe in being yourself. Being yourself and having an identity are all important parts of being human. If you’re not letting yourself be you, then who are you living for? I believe if you prevent yourself from being authentic, then you are living for others..."
Allison Palmer: Advocate for the Less Fortunate "Many people walk through life in a bubble; a safe and comfortable space where everything is familiar. Wrapped in their thick security blanket, they’ve never experienced life outside of their bubble. On the other side of that bubble are people that are..."
Jade Mitchel: I believe in Jesus Christ "I believe in Jesus Christ because his sacrifice on the cross to atone for our sins is a token of his perfect love. His love is unconditional, unwavering, ever present, steadfast, and unchanging. It does not depend on our actions, worthiness, or circumstances..."
Hazel Graves: I Believe in Music "I believe in music. Music is something that brings almost everyone joy. It brings people close together, and is more than just words being sung. No one should take music for granted and I think..."
Sydney Levesque: I Believe in Being Present "I believe being in the present can help you through life’s troubles by facing them right then, right there. It can also help raise self-esteem, be a wise way to spend time, can individually help people with most problems, and is good therapy overall. Being in the present helped me figure..."
Tallyta Ferreira: I believe in taking care of people "I believe in taking care of people. Helping people is one of the most noble things we can do. Not everyone is able to take care of themselves. Every person is important, and everyone deserves to be listened to. Most people need comfort, support, and kindness from others..."