I chose these three essays: "What a Snowman Carries," "Why We Must Increase Employment-Based Green Cards," and "The Problem with 'Meatless Mondays'".
I chose these essays because I believe they are a diverse selection of the types of essays I've written this year. I believe these essays are all a good reflection of my work and scope in writing.
The first essay is more of a creative and fictional piece, as I wrote from the perspective of a fictional character. This essay was fun to write, as I got to develop a depth to a character that didn't exist before. I didn't revise this one as much, as I felt good about the content, and only wanted it to count for more of a grade.
The second essay is a contrast to the first, as it is serious and regards a very real issue. It is a somewhat political synthesis that I felt conveyed my understanding of a problem in this country. I had a good amount to revise on this essay, and I believe I added content of value.
The last essay is a less critical issue and shows how I developed a meaningful synthesis argument about something that might be less consequential. I feel that my connection of sources in this essay was the best that I did this year. It is a shorter essay yet gets the point across comprehensively.
Leah Kuhnert
Ms. Hagge
AP Lang
13 January 2023
What a Snowman Carries
My dearest Sven,
How long ago was it that we trekked across Arendelle with missions and heroic acts to fulfill? Our job as essential sidekicks meant everything to me. Of course, this job is not yet over, but as I sit here at the footboard of Elsa’s bed I can’t help but feel pensive. As we both know, she’s aging. My whole life I’ve carried the knowledge that I only exist at the whim of her power. Elsa created me, and as she gets older, I can’t help but wonder what will become of me when she goes.
My prized (and perhaps only) possession is the life-sustaining fluffy white snow cloud that follows me everywhere, dusting me with delicate snowflakes, and floating lightly above my head. This personal flurry was a gift from Elsa so that I can live through my favorite season each year: summer. I am a simple being, as this snow cloud is the only tangible thing that I carry. Granted, oftentimes my body parts have the tendency to come apart, so then I carry my abdomen or foot respectively.
I admit Sven, sometimes I feel more like a snowflake than a snowman. A snowflake “...appearing aimless, just like love, / but sensing, seeking out, its destiny.” After all, my personality was borne of symbolism for the love between the two young sisters who built me. I’ve always wondered though if I was even created to have a destiny to seek. I’m a sidekick after all, and I carry responsibility for the lives of Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff: my family. But is the life of a sidekick resigned to comic relief and emotional support? Don’t be mistaken Sven, I love my family and would do anything to protect them, but how much protection am I really? Sometimes I can’t help but feel like a burden, I mean, I’m living snow for heaven’s sake. I do my best to hide it, but I will always carry punctured confidence from everyone being scared to death when they first hear me speak.
Most people don’t understand the weight that a snowman can carry, probably not even you, my best friend. Let me tell you the story of our last adventure. After we got separated from you and Kristoff, Anna, Elsa, and I continued our journey to find answers about Elsa’s magic. When Elsa found out that her parents had set sail to the river of Ahtohallan before they died, she left us and went to Ahtohallan herself. While walking through a cave, I began to feel… light, like a delicate butterfly. I realized I was flurrying away. Elsa had gone too far into Ahtohallan and froze. I lost my magic. I tell you this now to try to explain my perspective. I carry the weight of only existing at the will of another person. Like all snowmen, the awareness of your own impermanence and reliance on others becomes a heavy load. I carry this weight because of my role in society, but without this knowledge that I could be gone in a second like I was when Elsa froze, I believe I wouldn’t be able to fully grasp my gratitude for life.
Really, the weight I carry isn’t a negative thing at all. Because of it, I feel that the positive light within me has taken hold. I see only beauty in a world that I wouldn’t otherwise see at all if it weren’t for Elsa’s creation of me. I will tell you Sven that the stress and anxiety people feel so deeply is what makes me the saddest of all. It is so easy for humans to lose sight of how incredible it is to have a life in the first place. There are so many amazing things in this world! The scent of wildflowers in the spring, the feeling of the swirling summer breeze against your snow (or skin, or fur of course), the taste of sweet hot chocolate with marshmallows, and most importantly, the people who share them with you. Right before I lost my life force for a quick second in that cave, I said, “Hey Anna, I just thought of one thing that’s permanent, love.”
I have to apologize, Sven, I think I was having one of those ‘seasonal depression’ moments that are chronic for snowmen when I started writing. I carry many things that one might not anticipate when they meet my endlessly cheery self, but although Elsa might be getting older, and my magic a little weaker, my impermanence doesn’t bother me as much anymore. I know that those truly permanent things won’t ever leave me, and that’s all that matters.
Warm hugs,
Olaf
Snowflake by William Baer
Leah Kuhnert
Ms. Hagge
AP Lang
26 April 2023
Why We Must Increase Employment-Based Green Cards
The United States has many restrictions and guidelines regarding the amount and type of immigrants that can enter our country. Employment-based green cards are one way that immigrants can secure a position in the country. These green cards grant temporary citizenship to immigrants who come to the US to work in certain fields. The amount of employment-based green cards available each year needs to be increased, and per-country restrictions need to be eradicated, in order for the US to fulfill increasing worker demand and remain a global competitor in the coming years.
The US is currently facing a severe labor shortage that can only be solved by bringing in more workers. “Despite economic uncertainty, the U.S. continues to face critical labor shortages, with over 10 million job openings and only 5.7 million unemployed workers. As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported: ‘If every unemployed worker took an open job in their industry, there would still be millions of open jobs.’” (Source E) This lack of manpower is adding strain to the economy, and causing many companies to struggle to maintain operation. As stated, even if every worker took a job in their industry, this issue would still be left unresolved. This shows the immense need for an influx of more immigrant workers. The number of people in the US on green cards decreased dramatically from 2019 to 2020 due to the pandemic, but despite these labor shortages and the recovery of the economy after Covid, immigrants with green cards increased only minimally from 2020 to 2021. (Source C) If the US wants to begin to fix the employment crisis, employment-based green cards need to be increased.
Immigrant workers contribute greatly to innovation and the advancement of the US as a global competitor. “‘The ability to recruit global talent is a key factor that has contributed to U.S. leadership in science and research,’ according to the MIT Science and Policy Review. ‘This talent has been vital for the development of U.S. science and responsible for numerous discoveries and innovations that have improved quality of life.’” (Source F) Many immigrants have professional skills and expertise invaluable to advancing America’s growth. Immigrants with experience in STEM fields, in particular, have great potential to help the US not lose ground to other countries in technology and innovation. “At U.S. universities, Indian graduate students in science and engineering declined by nearly 40%, between 2016 and 2019… ‘During the same period (2016 to 2019), Indian students attending Canadian colleges and universities increased 182%.’” (Source F) Already, the US is falling behind other countries in immigrants wanting and willing to study and work here. Our harsh immigration restrictions are to blame for these people who could be a great asset to the economy, choosing to relocate to other competing countries. It is necessary to increase the ease of access for employment-based immigrants so we don’t continue turning away a very important resource.
It could be argued that granting more employment-based green cards risks letting in immigrants who don’t fulfill their promise to join the workforce. In 2021 42,000 legal immigrants were unemployed in the country. (Source B) However, the proportion of immigrants who enter the country and don’t work is insignificant compared to all those who come join various fields of work. In the same year, 122,866 immigrants worked in management, professional, and other related fields, and many others in service, transportation, construction, etc. (Source B).
Immigrant workers bring great value to the US economy, yet are being limited by per-country restrictions that bar more than a certain percentage of employment-based green cards granted for each country of origin. “Due to a low annual limit on employment-based green cards and a per-country limit of 7% from a single country, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimates that more than 2 million people from India will be waiting in the U.S. employment-based immigrant backlog by 2030. Many foreign-born scientists and engineers will potentially wait decades before gaining permanent residence and a chance to become U.S. citizens.” (Source F) These restrictions disproportionately affect immigrants from countries where many others seek green cards. Countries like “...Mexico, China, and the Philippines also far exceed their country limits, and have longer wait times because of the backlog.” (Source D). Because of these caps, the US isn’t allowing potential workers in just because of the country they’re coming from. This is wasting potential workers who could help minimize job vacancies and benefit the country.
Getting rid of per-country limits and increasing the number of employment-based green cards being granted is necessary now more than ever to help fix labor shortages, and rebuild a stronger, more competitive, and sustainable economy.
Leah Kuhnert
Ms. Hagge
AP Lang
1 May 2023
The Problem with “Meatless Mondays”
Schools are always seeking to promote nutrition and healthy practices for students. This is a good thing, as starting good eating habits young will greatly benefit students in their futures. However, the trend of "Meatless Monday" should not be adopted by school cafeterias in my area since it isn't beneficial for students' health as claimed, and the practice is harmful to farmers overall.
Meat has been demonized as an unhealthy food option even though it's the effect of other unhealthy food sources that is actually the problem. "Meatless Mondays" promote the idea that meat is bad for your diet and should be limited but, "Children in particular have shown to benefit greatly in terms of physical and mental health when modest amounts of milk, meat or
eggs are added to their diets..." (Source B). Meat is a source of protein that is beneficial to human health and functioning. It is much easier to become protein-deficient when one is avoiding meat consumption. Additionally, in New York City schools who've adopted “Meatless Mondays," a dietician commented, "My kids might get a big pretzel or garlic bread at school – I don't know where the nutrients are, but I know it's meatless" (Source D). It isn't meat that is the problem when it comes to nutrition in schools, it's these other fried and oily processed foods, that are the real issue.
Another problem with "Meatless Mondays" is the negative impact they can have on farmers and Americans' perceptions of agriculture. "... the hard thing for us is to take into account all the criticisms of conventional agriculture, and to also continue to feed the world on the scale we are doing now” (Source E). This was the comment of a recent graduate and farmer. This singular idea that Americans have of farmers, that is supported by popularity of "Meatless Mondays" or Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" as mentioned earlier in the source, is supporting a society that has the wrong enemy when it comes to health and the environment. This negative image of meat farmers adds stress to an industry that needs more support. "I think a lot of young people are primarily worried they won't be able to have a career in farming at all in the future” (Source (E).
In conclusion, we shouldn't be teaching kids that the meat industry is the enemy through practices like Meatless Mondays. We should be trying to promote health by taking out foods that are actually harmful, and creating a desire in students to not boycott, but learn about and help create a more environmentally friendly food system/meat system.