Wredling writing club speeches call to end war, bullying

ST. CHARLES – Grace McGill, a 12-year-old sixth-grader, said bullies can "crush and liquidize a kid's self-esteem into a smoothie."

McGill also condemned war as the ultimate act of bullying – “And wars! What are you fighting for!? Land? Money? What’s more important to you: The few dollars you will never spend and the inch of land you will never step on, or the thousands of lives that are lost each week in war?”

McGill’s words are part of her 10-minute “Dear World” speech, one of seven by Wredling Middle School students who attend Clarissa Barbosa’s after-school creative writing club.

Clarissa, 14, is an eighth-grader from St. Charles who started the club in October. A fluid group, it attracts 10 to 25 kids at a time – including her younger sister Sofia, 12, a seventh-grader. Participants share writings electronically, as well as read them out loud and take comments and criticism.

“I like writing,” Clarissa said, explaining why she started the group. “I just approached my teachers, and they were very supportive and open to the idea, and we made it work.”

The group writes fiction, science fiction, some poetry or whatever comes to mind, Clarissa said.

They respond to readings with snapping fingers to show they like it, offering encouragement and feedback in a lively give-and-take.

“Every week, I create a presentation about some aspect of writing,” Clarissa said.

Presentations have covered everything from foreshadowing to character development, plot lines to dialogue.

Clarissa recently offered a prompt asking students to write out the speech they would give if they had the opportunity to talk to the entire world for 10 minutes.

“They spoke of their wishes, not only for their generation but also for the world,” she wrote in an email. “The speeches I received were both inspiring and educational.”

Several “Dear World” speeches focused on ending bullying and war, like Grace’s did, including one from C.J. Metz, 12, a seventh-grader from St. Charles.

“Why are we always fighting wars?” C.J. wrote. “If we start to work together and compromise, we may get world peace.”

Regarding bullying, C.J. said it might be seen as “just teasing” but the victim sees it otherwise.

“Bullies, STOP! You probably don’t even know how much you affect the victims’ lives,” C.J. wrote. “Sometimes the victims commit suicide because of your bad actions.”

In his speech, Sanjeev Viswan, 14, an eighth-grader from South Elgin, focused on respecting different opinions.

“We shouldn’t undermine someone for simply having a different opinion,” he wrote. “So, I ask the world a simple thing – respect each other’s opinions, please.”

In her speech, Madeline Swan, 14, an eighth-grader from St. Charles, calls upon those who want to make their mark on the world to be remembered for good deeds.

“It doesn’t have to be a lot, just a small deed will do,” she wrote. “Whatever you do, it impacts someone.”

Jazalyn Belz, 13, a seventh-grader from St. Charles, detailed heroes from fictional stories that teach lessons of “love, loss, loyalty, bravery [and] teamwork” and urged the world to follow their lead.

“Just think of what we could do in a world powered by the lessons in our stories,” Jazalyn wrote. “World peace, end of corrupt rule, bullies ceasing to exist, and equality are just the beginning.”

Jessica Heiser, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from St. Charles, writes under the pen name Jenny Rose. In her “Dear World” speech, she asks not to be judged because she has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.

“I am just like you,” she wrote in her “Dear World” speech. “There is no difference between us besides my disability.”

Wredling literacy teacher Danielle Dean said Clarissa’s work to with the writing club shows how motivated students are.

“She saw a need in herself and her fellow students, and she rose to meet it,” Dean said. “She is just an amazing human being.”

Clarissa will be a freshman at St. Charles East next year.