Peer Pressure (author: female, 13 years)

Have you ever heard the words Peer Pressure? Well, it is a very common thing. Everybody goes through it in their teenage years. Peer pressure makes kids, teenagers and even adults do crazy things just to look good in front of other people. Peer pressure is a huge problem when it comes to teenagers. I see peer pressure work every single day; sometimes I feel that pressure gets to me, too. I also see girls and boys feel bad when they are chased away by a group of other people and that is causing peer pressure. The feeling of not belonging sometimes gets to us, and then we do things just so the other group of people accepts us.

Peer pressure leads to many bad things. For example, it might lead you to drugs, pregnancy, violence, discrimination. It might lead you to drugs because, let's say you want to fit in with a group of others your age. They look cool and very fun to be with but there's a problem, they do drugs. You want to be with them so bad that you try to be with them a lot. Then one day they offer you some drugs and they tell you that if you don't try it, you are not one of them. In your mind you might be thinking this is bad, and that you shouldn't be trying it, but then you say that you are going to try it, but never do it again. The problem is that after you try it, you might like it, and not think of all the damages it does to your life. These things happen very often.

With pregnancy it comes kind of the same way. You see your friends doing it and then you want to try it and before you know it, you are pregnant.

Discrimination is another bad thing peer pressure brings to you. For example, a girl from India starts coming to your class and you see that your friends are teasing her and making fun of her, and you do it too. The next morning you receive news that the girl from India committed suicide. Then your conscience comes in and you feel so bad, you commit suicide too.

All of these are examples of how peer pressure works. I think some ways to solve it is having talks with the children and giving them advice. Sometimes when I feel like I am being a victim of this pressure, I start to think about my future, of the career I want to get and what I would do if I get caught doing something bad. So that is why peer pressure doesn't hit me so hard. Another way I think would help is joining a club where you love doing something; and there you meet people who love it too. You have something in common and you don't have to go through a lot so that people will like you.

You can also put in your head that you are unique and that God loves you the way you are; that is why he made you so.

Pollution (author: male, 13 years)

Pollution is one of the most concerning and dangerous problems nowadays in our society. One type that is really destructive is air pollution. Air pollution is destroying our society because of all the fumes from vehicles, burning of tires, papers and rubber, and chemical gases that go into the air. All of these things are now destroying the ozone layer, which is like an armour protecting our planet earth from getting directly hit by the rays of the sun. Now a hole has been made in the ozone, and each day it is getting bigger. Summer sun has always been hot, but it is so hot nowadays that not even a fan can cool you down. This has shown us how our climate is changing as the result of air pollution.

Scientists have already estimated that if the hole in the ozone layer gets bigger, all of the ice on Antarctica will melt from north and south, meaning there could be a huge Tsunami coming down destroying everything on its way--even the whole human race.

What can we do to stop air pollution? One way is by recycling tires, papers and rubber, instead of burning them. We can make posters to make people aware of the dangers to the environment from burning these things. We can also use spray products that are ozone friendly, because they do not contain dangerous chemicals that destroy it.

If you want to preserve our beautiful and wonderful planet, please do not be a person who wants to destroy our ozone layer. Our planet is full of mysteries and beauty and every day we find many of those mysteries unlocked. Help preserve our planet by following instructions and by being a better person, because one day you'll be rewarded for all the good things you did.