Stop The Youth From Destroying Themselves by Luis

Stop The Youth From Destroying Themselves by Luis - September 2023 Scholarship Essay

Livingston High School is a small, diverse town in the Central Valley. Livingston is a place that is considered to be poor, which as a result has caused there to be bad influences in the community. One of the major influences is smoking/vaping. Kids throughout my school are constantly smoking and vaping at school. The harmfulness of smoking to our youth causes a scare in their health and behavior. In today's world, where health and well-being are paramount concerns, it is imperative that our educational institutions take a proactive stance in promoting a smoke-free environment. Smoking not only poses significant health risks to both smokers and those exposed to secondhand smoke but also sets a detrimental example for our impressionable youth. Therefore, it is crucial that schools steadfastly prohibit smoking on their premises to safeguard the physical and mental health of their students and to foster an atmosphere conducive to learning and personal growth. In part, if I were to have the authority to change things at my school, it would be to make students more aware of their smoking habits and the harmfulness they can cause.

One thing I would change is to make sure that precautionary devices and staff are set up inside the school. Usually, the staff is very lenient when it comes to dealing with issues like these because there is no way to stop or prevent kids from doing it. Typically, at my school kids are constantly smoking/vaping inside the restrooms. In this scenario, I would implement a device in each restroom that could detect smoke and certain fumes. This would allow students to be more cautious before they decide to smoke or vape, as they risk themselves being caught. In addition, I would like to implement more staff around the areas where children are smoking. Implementing certain smoke detectors or fume detectors in the restroom would make it easier for staff to catch the kids who are smoking in the restroom. This would result in students being punished for their actions. Also, the punishment for being caught is not going to be light since this is a very serious matter. I would like to develop a system in my school that causes kids to think about their decision to smoke as it can come with severe punishments/discipline.

Another thing I would like to change is making students more aware of the harm being caused to their bodies and minds. I would achieve this by creating programs at school on the harms of smoking. Some programs I would like to implement are: DARE,SAP, and bring in people who can talk about their smoking/vaping addiction. I would enforce these programs to come in and talk to the students monthly, as I feel that it is important for students to hear about the effects smoking/vaping can cause. Bringing on these programs can cause students to seek change and look for change as they are walking through the hallways. Also, making the students knowledgeable about how they are affecting their futures with these harmful things can cause students to stay away from them. I am just hoping to motivate students because smoking/vaping is becoming a huge issue in the United States that has unfortunately reached the youth. Children's minds are just being crushed and destroyed by these harmful products. As a result, I would implement drug-preventative programs in my school because they can make students aware of their overall development.

In conclusion, schools play a crucial role in preventing smoking and vaping among students. To effectively combat these harmful habits, schools should employ a multifaceted approach that combines education, policy enforcement, and support for both students and staff. Smoking and vaping are severely hindering the youth's functional brain development. Schools are one of the top places for students to be aware of the harms drugs, smoking, and vaping can cause. It is up to staff, adults, and schools to support the change!