Students look at violence for Arkansas Peace Week
Observed in the third week of September, Arkansas Peace Week conducts art and essay contests that challenge students to think about the problem of violence in their world and to express their thoughts.
The 2023 Peace Week contests drew 2,000 artworks from firstthrough 12th-graders and 300 essays from students in seventh through 12th grades, around the state. Peace Week volunteers judged the students’ work and selected winners, who were celebrated Sept. 23 in the state Capitol rotunda.
Today and Oct. 9, Style will publish the first-place winning entries in the replica edition and will post second- and third-place essays online at arkansasonline.com/1002essays. All the winning artworks can be seen at arkansasonline.com/1002peace.
Here are the first-place essays written by seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders. They have not been edited by the newspaper beyond the addition of clarifying punctuation.
A Safe Place Amelia Grisham Seventh grade Hot Springs Junior Academy
“Peace cannot be kept with force, only with understanding,” said Albert Einstein. Violence has been going on in my community of Hot Springs, Arkansas for a long time. In two thousand twenty-two, the FBI reported that Arkansas has the fourth highest rank of violence in the nation. Violence has enormous consequences. I have been privileged in that I have never been directly subjected to violence, but I know it has affected others in my community. It can cause low self-esteem, bad health, both mentally and physically, injuries, and even death.
Violence has affected my learning in a couple of ways. Our school sometimes has to go on lockdown because there is someone dangerous or something dangerous is happening in our area. If there are people fighting in the hallway, it’s often very difficult to get where I need to go before being counted as tardy.
So we know there are people in our community who behave violently, but where does all this violence come from? A lot of violence is generational. If I was taught by my parents that it’s okay to act in violent ways, I might teach my kids that, and they would teach their kids, and so on. I believe most violence comes from poverty. Having to choose if I’m going to the doctor, or putting a meal on the table. This can cause so much stress that one may start behaving violently.
17.4% of Hot Springs, Arkansas lives in poverty. I think that so much could be improved when it comes to violence if Arkansas would spend the money to improve
poverty. If children stop witnessing violence, there would be so much less violence. If kids in Arkansas grow up seeing everyone acting violently toward one another, just imagine how that could influence somebody’s perspective. If you were constantly seeing fights or aggressive behavior anywhere you go, it could start to seem like the norm.
Hot Springs has been doing things to try and stop violence, but it may not be working as well as it was hoped to. Other communities have done things to improve violence, and it’s actually working well. Some communities have a CVI program, or Community Violence Interventions. It has been shown to significantly reduce gun violence. Others set up neighborhood watches or community patrols.
I believe if our community works toward a goal of a non-violent and peaceful community, so much would improve. To me, a peaceful community means a safe place. A place where Anyone can go far, Everyone is treated with equity, and no one is subjected to violence. In the wise words of Martin Luther King Junior, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction — the chain reaction of evil — hate adding hate, wars producing more wars — must be stopped.”
And I believe it can be. It’s up to you.
Arkansas Has A Problem Rory Strasser Eighth Grade Jacksonville Middle School
Arkansas is a state with a rich history and diverse culture, but it also struggles with high rates of violence and crime. According to recent FBI data, the state ranks among the highest in the nation in terms of violent crime rates, including robbery, assault, and murder. This trend is a concerning reality for many residents, and it has a significant impact on the overall quality of life in the state.
I’ve personally been impacted by violence in many ways. Growing up in a small rural town, I witnessed the impact of poverty, drug use, domestic violence, and lack of mental health services firsthand. As a result, I’ve seen the destructive power of violence in my community and the toll it takes on the lives of those affected. Although it’s heartbreaking to think about, I know that many others in my state have similar experiences.
One of the main causes of violence in Arkansas is the presence of firearms. Arkansas ranks fifth among all states in terms of gun ownership, with nearly half of all households reporting that they have at least one firearm in their home. Arkansas ranks 16th highest for gun violence in the U.S. This high level of gun ownership, combined with other factors like poverty, lack of education, and mental health issues, creates a volatile mix that can lead to violence. Residents in rural states much like Arkansas are not afraid to admit to owning some sort of firearm. It’s on plaques and signs just hanging up on people’s walls. In the average year 600 people die and 800 are wounded by guns in Arkansas.
Arkansas has many issues that need to be dealt with to ensure a safe environment for Arkansans everywhere. In 2022 Arkansas had around 54,000 total referrals for child abuse and neglect. Arkansas ranks 5th in America’s Poverty Rates at 15.2%.
In 2012 Arkansas ranked 17th in the nation for female deaths caused by males. In 2008 Arkansas was ranked 7th. 62% of the 2008 homicides were from gunshot wounds. This is an ongoing problem. Rape isn’t “over”; women fear going out alone because it’s always a possibility. Kids today still joke about rape and kids around my local middle school throw the claim around like it’s nothing.
To reduce violence and dangers in Arkansas, a comprehensive approach is needed that addresses root causes and promotes community-driven solutions. This includes investing in education, job training, and mental health services; addressing poverty and income inequality; promoting non-violent communication and conflict resolution skills; and implementing effective gun control measures. Additionally, it is important that these efforts are led by local organizations, such as those participating in Arkansas Peace Week, that have the trust and support of the community. By working together, we can create a safer and more peaceful environment for all Arkansans.
Violence in a Community Annaliese Brown Ninth Grade Woodlawn High School
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: It is the presence of justice.” These beautiful words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. highlight the goal of society, but to many Arkansas communities that suffer from high levels of violent crimes, they feel out of reach. In communities like my own in Arkansas, the transgressions that take place cause the area to be poorer, stressful, and less-populated; however, our communities can be improved with the right strategies that will build a peaceful environment.
Violence diminishes the social and economic welfare of the entire community. This is why my community and many others in Arkansas are so impoverished. Business owners do not want to build their companies in an area that has a lot of crime, especially violent crime. Individuals do not want to reside in a locale that they feel unsafe in. Therefore, since men and women do not invest their resources into the area, it becomes poverty-stricken.
Dangerous situations can cause people to have high levels of stress. An unhealthy amount of stress can lead to an individual developing anxiety or depression. Citizens of highly violent areas must limit when and where they go out into public to avoid stress from the dangers that are present. To avoid grave experiences from happening to themselves or their loved ones, people will leave an environment that might cause strain to their mental health.
When these felonies happen frequently in a place, that area becomes avoided so that people can stay safe. As a result, the community becomes a ghost town. The area becomes useless, so people move to a different region that thrives more than the previous place. This leaves a small group of people that do not flee the community, who are also not involved in violent activities, to deal with most of their surroundings being unsafe.
To stop a problem, one needs to find out how it starts. Most violent crimes come from difficult situations such as poverty, substance abuse, mental health issues, and others. Creating preventative services in the community such as counseling, job training, and youth services will provide citizens with the much-needed tools to overcome their circumstances. Strengthening law enforcement and criminal justice with proper training and sufficient pay will discourage offenders from participating in activities that hurt the community. Supporting faith-based and nonprofit organizations in their efforts to bring the community together would build understanding and engagement. And lastly, promoting activities such as sports, arts, and entertainment will encourage interests in activities that make the community a better place to be.
Arkansas struggles with a disproportionately high number of violent crimes. These felonies result in communities that are financially deprived, unstable, and less-populated. Yet with the right approaches to the crisis of violence in our community, we can create a safer place to call home.
Next Monday: Winners from grades 10-12