Category: Another Viewpoint || By Submitted Report

The McKeesport's Message Committee asked students at McKeesport Area High School to write essays on the theme of "respect."

Winners were honored Tuesday during a celebration at Jacob Woll Pavilion, Renziehausen Park, and received gift cards donated by state Sen. Jim Brewster and state Rep. Marc Gergely, along with Kennywood tickets, passes to White Oak Pool, and other prizes.


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First Place Winner: Nayelle Williams

Respect is something that everyone expects, but not many people have the willingness to show.

According to the dictionary, respect means to admire someone or something deeply, as a result of their abilities, qualities, or achievements. I believe that respect is valuing others' opinions, being kind and compassionate, and accepting people as they are. This powerful and significant word is integral to the main message of the city of McKeesport, along with the words love, hope and dignity.

I am blessed with two wonderful parents that respect themselves, their elders, and their peers making them a perfect example of respectful people. Ever since I was young, my parents taught me how to be a respectful lady. No matter where you go someone is always watching you. Since they have instilled the valuable lesson of respect in me, I know how to treat adults and my companions. My pastor has also taught me that respect is not how you act but how you live your life. In my opinion, my generation must improve on this attribute. For this reason, I greatly admire McKeesport's attempt to bring respect back to our community.

With all the violence, and consequently, the bad reputation our city has acquired, outsiders need to know that McKeesport is a beautiful place filled with amazing people. The four words chosen for the message of our wonderful city all complement each other. They are hope, love, dignity, and respect. In order to love, one must have respect. In order for there to be hope, respect must first exist. Finally, in order to have dignity, one must possess self-respect. These words are vital and need to be put into action. I have been taught that actions speak louder than words, and for this reason, I live every day of my life proudly displaying the actions of hope, love, dignity, and respect. In doing so, I honor my parents and everyone else who has had apart in teaching me what respect really is.

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First Runner-Up: Keshon Ball

Respect. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. It's that seven letter word that you hear so many people talk about and everyone wants it. What is respect first and foremost? My 6th grade principal, Mrs. Pamela Gordon, always said, "Respect yourself, Respect others, and Respect Property," but it is so much more than that! Is it a trait? Can you buy it? Are you born with it? Where do you get this "noun" with which everyone is so obsessed? Well, I can not even tell you where to begin. You can look it up so many times, but the definition is so diverse to everyone. I can at least share with you my ideas and thoughts on Respect and how you acquire such a phenomenal trait that can build your world or destroy it.

My first idea on Respect centers on the way you get it. There is not one easy process in acquiring it. It takes a lot of time and effort to actually grasp the basis of Respect. Your parents start you off by teaching you manners. This is a Life Lesson that educates you on how to treat and approach others and property. I do not know how to express how important manners could be in everyday life! For example, if you are talking to an elderly person, and you are using slang and profanity in your conversation with them, that is showing your lack of respect, education, and also giving everyone the first impressions on how you were raised. You do not want that, do you? Did you know by saying please and thank you could brighten up someone's day? Another way to earn respect is to be yourself. No one likes people who act differently and try to copy others! "You were born an original. Don't die a copy." (John Mason). Do not let others limit your abilities, and shine bright like a diamond!

My next idea on how to earn respect is to respect others. If you show one person the smallest ounce of respect, that same person would show it right back to you, and that one little spark will cause a fire! For instance, you could be at work in a tough situation with someone there that you never saw nor met before. You meet the person and once the person sees how respectful you are, the trouble has been knocked down to a little problem all because you thanked them for doing an excellent job which no one has ever did before.

My final thought on how to earn respect is to do your best at everything! Never approach a job or school work with no effort at all. You classmates or coworkers will find you unable to do day to day tasks. They may treat you as if you were a little child and give you neither respect nor freedom. As you can see, these are little idea about earning respect that will make a big difference in life.

In addition to my ideas on how to earn respect, I have a perceptive outlook on how I see respect. Respect can be seen by many people as different things. When I think of it, I think of manners, politeness, education, and effort. I also think of many other features to respect. You need manners in order to give and gain respect! For example, when you meet someone important, you should address them as properly as possible while not showing any informalities.

This would showcase your maturity and level of education. Education sometimes shows your level of respect. Finishing high school shows that you can accomplish many things, and that you will persevere through tough situations.

Respect does not have to be shown simply by through the actions I stated. Respect can be a fight! Yes, that may sound absurd, but it is true! For example, in Harper Lee's famous novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird," when Mrs. Dubose slowly weaned herself of her Morphine addiction, she showed the power and the strength that one can have in themselves. The willpower to carry on and never give up is truly something to respect!

Some people may receive respect for one thing but lack it in another area. For instance, a football player may be the star athlete of the school, but he may also be very disrespectful and known as a bully in school. He does not deserve any respect. In my opinion, it is imperative that you treat others as you would want to be treated!

My last idea on respect deals with the need for it in today's world. It could separate you from others, build your life drastically, or destroy it in a heartbeat. It could separate you by giving you a more meaningful perspective on life and, in turn could allow people to see you as a greater figure in their lives. The ways it could build your life is that it will permit others to see you as a greater being. With respect, you will be able to receive a better job, start a family, and those things will make you feel as if you are on top of the world. Without respect, your life could be filled with misery as many people may view you as disloyal and rude.

It may seem that my opinions on giving, earning, and keeping respect are strong. However, I believe wholeheartedly in every idea I have about respect. I will always live by these guidelines, and, in doing so, I believe that I will make positive decisions in my life and on the lives of others.

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Second Runner-Up: Jacob Garwood

"If we lose love and self-respect for each other, this is how we finally die."- Maya Angelou.

What is respect that makes it such a key part of society? How is it that without respect, society falls into ruin? Respect is seen as something different by everyone. Some people think it is earned, others say it is given. Yet what Maya Angelou said applies to everyone despite their views. She is stressing the basic respect for human life, which when lost, causes a community to die in both spirit and life.

Everything stems from respect. From respect we gain dignity and the ability to love. Dignity is the state of the being respected. When we respect each other we instill dignity into the community. With dignity we have the confidence and drive to go out and achieve something.

Thus, dignity brings success to life. Love is only a more powerful form of respect. When we are able to love, we bring a new energy, purpose, and happiness to life. Respect is what we need to survive, dignity what we need to be a success, and love what we need to be happy. Everything builds from respect.

When you have respect, dignity, and love in a community, you have a fourth thing, Hope. Hope is necessary for survival and success. The Rule of Three, a key part of wilderness survival, says that humans can only go three months without hope before they die. Hope is the will to live; it can be a shelter against a storm, a rock to lean on when weak, and the light at the end of the tunnel. When hope is gone, a community is gone. A community needs respect, dignity, love, and hope.

Maya Angelou was spot on; no respect, means no love. With no love there is no hope. Without hope we have nothing to live for and even if we are alive our community is not. Everything stems from respect; respect each other and our community will thrive. Lose respect and our community dies.

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