Are Zoos Good or Bad

It was a typical day at morning assembly when Hanael came in. Hanael has always been picked on. Always. My classmates started making fun of her right away. She ignored them, sat down, and started handing out her birthday invitations. Right away, a handful of students started to rip up the invitations in front of her face. While Hanael picked up the remains of her invites, the students threw them back at her.

I finally stood up and did something. To Kyle, the Ringmaster of the Bullies, I said, “You’re always picking on someone.” Bystanders just stared at me. No one had ever said something like that to Kyle before. This was not a normal challenge like a test or sporting activity. This challenge involved talking, thinking about the right words to say, and strategy. This challenge was like a chess match where one wrong move allows your opponent to be two steps ahead of you. But this wasn’t a chess board, this was real life, and the challenge was to stop Kyle from picking on Hanael.

Part of the challenge was that I didn’t really know what to do or say, and I didn’t want to say anything I would regret. I had to take a risk and stand up to Kyle because he seizes every opportunity to bully someone without a thought. This was the first time anyone has ever done something like that, and I was not prepared to tell Kyle to back off. All I could do was use what I learned from my counselor. Although challenging, I said something to Kyle because it was the right thing to do.

I believe in being kind and helpful to others. In this situation, I proved to others that words can be your strongest weapon, and I hope others will follow my lead when facing a similar challenge.