Every year the Jolly Dozen Family and Community Education group in Phillips County hosts an essay and artwork contest for fourth grade students in Haxtun and Holyoke. The theme of this year's contest is caring, one of the six pillars of character. Students are required to write an essay on the topic and create a hand-drawn picture.

The FCE nationwide contest provides opportunity for students to improve literacy skills and develop ethical values.

This year, Holyoke's Taisley Rosane won first place and Haeden Daniel earned second. Haxtun's Adley Kurtzer took third place honors. Each student in both fourth grade classrooms receive a book from the Jolly Dozen group and top winners earn cash prizes as well as the opportunity to compete at the State level.

Life's blessing

By Taisley Rosane

Have you ever witnessed an act of pure kindness? One day when I was at the store, I saw a man help pay for a family's groceries when they were checking out and didn't have enough money to cover the total cost. It was a day I will always remember. An act of pure kindness makes both people happy because it shows a caring spirit.

It is hard to tell when someone might be facing a hardship in their life. Someone could have lost their job or hand an unexpected bill to pay without having the money to do it. And with the prices of food and other thing going up, it can make things even harder on people.

Luckily, this man was behind this family in the checkout line and was able to help them out in this situation. He showed a lot of compassion and selflessness when he gave up some of his own money to help them pay for their groceries. This man truly cares about other people. He was an example to me.

It is nice to see people help each other out when they are able to. There are probably many times a day that we can show people that we care about them if we pay attention and help out when we can.

I will never forget the look of fear and sadness on that family's faces when they couldn't pay the total due. And I will also never forget the look of relief and the thankfulness that was shown when the man offered to pay. He really saved the day and showed that he cared by helping this family buy their groceries that day. He performed an act of pure kindness that probably made both people happy because he showed a caring spirit.

Caring women

By Haeden Daniel

Have you ever wanted to change the world? One day of doing that is caring about other people. If you do, you will have to learn about the compassionate women who already did it like Malala Yousafzai, Susan B. Anthony and Rosa Parks. Women have changed history because they cared about people's rights.

Malala Yousafzai - Malala helped make school for girls in her home country possible all because she cared so much about education. Malala's dad took her to give her first speech about her school closure when she was 11. It was called "How Dare the Taliban Take Away my Right to Basic Education." In 2012, Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban because she was fighting for the education of girls. Surprisingly, she lived and she kept being devoted to fighting for educational rights. As a young woman she won the Nobel Peace Prize because of her enthusiastic caring fight. She cared about girls' rights to go to school and she individually changed her country.

Susan B. Anthony - Susan changed the United States because she cared about woman's rights to be treated equally. She and a team of women fought for woman's rights. She wanted woman to have the same rights as men. Woman couldn't do the same thing as men. Men had the right to vote, to ask for a divorce, to own land, to get an education at a school and to get paid more than women. Susan B. Anthony cared so much that she voted in 1872 and got arrested. It was illegal for women to vote at that time. After she got arrested she made one of her speeches. It was called "On Women's Right to Vote." She traveled all over the United States to give compassionate speeches and have people sing her petitions. She gave all these speeches because she wanted others to care. She also organized people who were against slavery and the unfair treatment of women. Susan died on March 13, 1906, before all her hard work paid off, but her impact was still significant. She was very caring to help women get the right to vote.

Rosa Parks - Rosa inspired the Montgomery bus boycott and was a leader for the Civil Rights movement. She fought for African American rights. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was arrested by the Montgomery Police because of this. Rosa only spent a couple of hours in jail though. The unfairness of this incident inspired the boycott. When she did this she was fired from her job as a seamstress. Everyone chose to walk instead of taking the bus for 381 days. The city of Montgomery lost money. This showed the passion of African American people when they took a stand. People walked for that amount of time until the Supreme Court said it was an unconstitutional law. Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks were good friends after they got acquainted. Showing their concern, they kept fighting for African American Rights.

Obviously, caring about people's rights has changed history. Nowadays there are rights that all countries need to work on, but most countries have done work to improve rights. These women caused a stir. They made a difference. They changed history because they cared about people's rights. You can too.

By Adley Kurtzer

(Courtesy photo)

PEGGY Davis of the Jolly Dozen, Taisley Rosane, first place essay contest winner, Haeden Daniel, second play essay winner, and Helen Murray of the Jolly Dozen.

To me caring is when you're at school and your best friend gives you a dollar to buy ice cream or they go out of their way to invite you to the ballgame or simply gives you a hug when you sister is mean to you because they care. If your mom and dad get you some thing you really wanted for no reason at all that is being caring. It does not matter how you are being caring, but it will make you and others feel really good. Being caring is being kind to yourself and others, too.