By Maggie D., Washington.
Her smile was as great
Big and beautiful as
A sunrise above the
Grand Canyon
Gripping the
Stars and Stripes
The Pledge of Allegiance
Was softly spoken
Without a hint of hesitation
Her human spirit
Held onto a future
Hope
Of making her free
From the tyranny
She once experienced
With a salute to her
Deepest desires of what
She was about to
Become
—Maggie D., retired educator and African American poet, Washington.
“I spent much of my childhood in Honduras, where I was able to observe firsthand the disregard for children’s education. Children without the means to pay for tuition were not assured of a quality education. Later, I was fortunate enough to move to the United States. Nevertheless, when a family member who works as a teacher in Honduras begged my family for school supplies for the children she teaches, I was moved to revisit this harrowing subject. She mentioned the number of children who don’t even have notebooks or pencils. These children also had difficulty traveling to school, and once they were there, they were not provided with the necessary amenities, such as air conditioning in the classrooms to deal with Honduran intense heat. I was astounded at how little thought was given to obtaining the right materials for these young students, and how the teachers were forced to seek assistance because they were not receiving any. My awareness of the severity of the issue has increased as a result of these first-hand encounters, which is why I feel compelled to discuss it and perhaps help others see how serious it is.”
In America, the majority of children eagerly await their summer break. They look forward to living in June and July, when there are no obligations related to school. These children enjoy those months as they are unaware of the privileges of the months that come before June and July. These formative months are filled with possibilities for education.
In contrast, according to Latin America Resource & Training Center (2023), only about 46.8% of children in Latin America are thought to have completed their high school education, compared to 86.7% in the United States. Moreover, approximately 50% of Mexicans, Colombians and Brazilians do not have the skills necessary to solve simple math equations or to explain basic scientific phenomena. They are not granted the same benefits as the children who look forward to summer vacation, the same children who possess something so precious that appears to be a burden to them: an education. Due to their poverty and the lack of government support for these issues, these kids are unable to receive the fundamental right to an education. Additionally, for those that do, the challenges of poverty resurface, forcing them to drop out of school and find employment abruptly in an attempt to support their afflicted family.
The ability to receive a quality education creates a clear divide between the rich and the poor in Latin America. Identity, background, and ability determine educational opportunities for many of these children. According to the Global Education Monitoring Report, “In Panama, 21% of indigenous males aged 20 to 24 had completed secondary school, compared with 61% of their non-indigenous peers, in 2016. In Paraguay and Honduras, 32% of indigenous people are illiterate. Afro-descendants were 14% less likely in Peru and 24% less likely in Uruguay than non-Afro-descendants to complete secondary education in 2015. On average, 12-to 17-year-olds with disabilities were 10 percentage points less likely to attend school than those without disabilities.” These unfortunate children on the other side of the border struggle with discrimination in their education, which leads them to not qualify for prosperous jobs in the future. In a report published by the World Bank it was determined that the completion rates of lower-secondary school are lower for boys than for girls in most Latin American and Caribbean countries. All these factors contribute to children remaining in poverty, unable to access proper education, and subsequently as adults, they bring up children who also face similar struggles, thus continuing the cycle of poverty. Additionally, the World Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean (2023) states that Latin America was the area most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many school closures.
It is still challenging to offer these students the education they need and return to normalcy following COVID as a result of the lack of resources in most Latin American countries. Even the kids who are lucky enough to attend school frequently struggle to get enough supplies. In several countries, buying school supplies is not a yearly ritual, and many children are lucky to own a book-bag at all. For these kids, going to school is a hardship in every way, including getting the materials they need for the entire school day.
Finding qualified educators to instruct these receptive minds also becomes difficult, particularly in underprivileged areas where a large proportion of the people lack the necessary skills. Furthermore, children’s transit to the schools is often troublesome due to the rural seclusion in some areas. A report by UNESCO highlighted that “while nearly all children living in urban areas eventually enter the education system, the problem of lack of access to primary education is much greater for those living in the more impoverished rural areas.” Families often find themselves contributing to the truancy of the children, as the students oftentimes forgo attending school altogether due to the family’s inability or stagnation in their efforts. I have seen first hand that often the rural communities are less developed and therefore more impoverished. By giving more focus and resources to something that’s so important, many of these problems could possibly be mitigated over time. These children are their most valuable resource, yet they aren’t receiving the education needed to succeed in life and improve the communities in which they live.
Much of this could be improved by making efforts to fund school infrastructures and guarantee an equitable resource distribution. Everyone should be able to learn, regardless of their financial situation, so more efforts should be made to support children from low-income families and to provide them with high-quality education and whatever flexibility they may require. In order to help these children as well as themselves, the governments of Latin America should take a more serious approach to the problem of inadequate education. After all, as more people receive adequate education, more prosperity will be brought to these nations.
The education of these young people deserves international investments, and even though we reside far from them, we can still contribute by supporting educational initiatives financially and in other ways. Individuals possessing financial resources and power ought to think about investing in something truly worthwhile. Even though going to school can be stressful, knowledge and growth serve as the cornerstone for all future endeavors, and when these things are denied to you, your life’s foundation begins to splinter. We ought to remain strongly committed to education for all because it’s not always a given and those who understand its value should do their part to assist the unlucky ones around the world who lack it.
By Camila Ayala, age 17, Georgia. Having migrated from Honduras as a child, Camila is fluent in Spanish and English. She values family time and her education. Discovering a passion for writing, she dreams of becoming a lawyer to help those in need. Her future is guided by a desire to advocate for justice and compassion.
References:
During my childhood years of growing up in Peru, as the first-born grandchild in the family, I spent a great deal of time with my loving and nurturing paternal grandparents. Papapa and Mamama patiently indulged me with clever age-appropriate answers to my many questions. I was intrigued by my grandparents’ art collection—serene landscapes and stormy seascapes kept me entertained, but I was most fascinated by the formal portraits of our family members and predecessors. Little did I realize we had such illustrious relatives in our family tree, for the family to commission portraits from popular artists of the time.
My Mamama and Papapa on their Return Voyage from Europe, 1953
Recently I spent time organizing my own family memorabilia, collected over the years, and found myself transported back in time to childhood days at my grandparents’ sprawling house in Miraflores, a suburb of Lima, Peru (see below). The family had gathered at Sunday luncheon to celebrate my grandparents’ return home from Paris. Papapa had served four years as Peru’s ambassador to France.
The Author as a child at her Grandparents home in Miraflores, Lima, Peru. 1948.
This particular day is etched in my memory. Papapa stood beside me while I gazed wide-eyed at the painting of a smiling beautiful young woman. “Is she another of our famous relatives, I asked him?” Papapa shook his head and smiled. “This is a copy of the world famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa. Mamama and I saw the original painted on wood, at the Louvre Museum in France. We found our oil-on-canvas copy at an art gallery, during an evening stroll along the Ponte Vecchio in Florence (Italy).”
“Mona Lisa” Replica. Illustration by Daemion Lee. Oregon.
Papapa and Mamama showed me photo albums and art books collected during their European travels. These were filled with photographs of renowned paintings and illustrations with captions, along with artist biographies and exhibition notes. I learned the difference between an original piece of art and a reproduction, like the one in my grandparents’ house. Later, we stood by the floor globe in Papapa’s study and charted the voyage of the replica Mona Lisa. Our Mona Lisa had traveled inside a wooden crate from Europe across the Atlantic Ocean and through the Panama Canal to reach Peru!
Growing up in the exotic land of the Incas, I was impressed by my grandparents’ eclectic art and stamp collections, the leather-bound books, and encyclopedias lining the walls of the library where my grandfather spent hours reading and writing. Mamama and Papapa’s home opened a whole new world to explore and study during my sleep-over adventures. Five decades ago, following in my grandparents’ footsteps, I visited la bella Firenze, walking across the beloved 16th century Ponte Vecchio, peering into the windows of the art galleries, goldsmith shops, and souvenir sellers. And I imagined Papapa and Mamama enjoying a romantic afternoon stroll along the picturesque bridge, the only one in Florence that was spared from destruction during the Second World War. I was transported back in time and reconnecting with my dear Papapa and Mamama missing their presence in my life.
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy. Illustration by Daemion Lee, Oregon.
All these years later, I am grateful for my childhood memories of Peru, and the way that a painting or a photograph can keep my grandparents in my life, even today. In my kitchen I keep a watercolor painting of sunflowers in a Tuscan (Italy) field, which I found along the Ponte Vecchio. It keeps the memories alive and is good for my soul. Who could ask for more?”
Katacha Díaz is a Peruvian American writer and author. Wanderlust and love of travel have taken her all over the world to gather material for her stories. She has been published in many outlets, including in several issues of Skipping Stones. Katacha lives in the Pacific Northwest, near the mouth of the Columbia River, USA.
Can You Live? The summers of New York You feel the fresh tar Boiling Melting Your feet are scorched You lived, I lived The harsh cold winter What's red and white all over? Your face stinging from the stabs of ice and snow Slush at your feet Cold and wet The consequences of the cold You lived, I lived I survived a disease Manifesting into our lives Becoming the new normal It starts to become hard to breath Pieces of cloth cover our mouths Painting over our personalities I lived Many didn’t I lived through walks in Mexico Walks at 2am in the Bronx Track meets “Extra time” Slide tackles Shots (soccer balls) to my stomach Bloody noses Broken arms People have lived through war Shots to the chest Death People can live with no eyesight, no hearing, they love to live They survive fights They can move on They can live I can live You can live too
EL MUSICO
By Denisse Gonzalez-Amador, age 14, Texas.
My fingers were tired from strumming the guitar
they rested on the small table I sat at
while I ate the freshly made quesadillas
the little money I owned was put into something I loved the most,
being a musician like the ones on billboards
but I was different
I performed at restaurants that gave me breakfast, lunch, and dinner
I cherished the small things
the flowers were thrown onto the small stage where I had poured my feelings into a loving song
the walls had my name painted, to come and watch me do the thing I love most
I have sung and played all the instruments to each song
As the customers eat their food while listening to the songs I handcraft
the luminosity in their eyes push me to continue my job
It doesn’t matter if my apartment is falling apart
whether my clothes have tears and stains in them
I will continue to showcase my one true talent
This is what I am, el músico.
By Denisse Gonzalez-Amador, Texas.
Denisse adds: “I am a 14-year-old student at Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts. I’m a part of the creative writing magnet program. My cultural background is Hispanic culture, where we celebrate Quincenera (a celebration associated with turning 15 year old), Dia de los Muertos (a festival that celebrates our ancestors and loved ones that we have lost), and the Three Kings Day (The three wise men who came to see baby Jesus). I speak English and a small portion of Spanish. What is important to me is my life and family. My dreams and visions for the future are: becoming a businesswoman, a popular artist, and a poet. What inspired me to create my submission is the thought of my work being read and being published. I want people to see the work I create.”
By Skipping Stones Staff
Museums can provide an essential, interactive, and engaging way to learn about cultural history—both for our own culture, and the culture of other people. Without knowing our history or roots, we may not fully feel like we belong—especially if we have differences from other people in a society (ethnicity, heritage, etc.). Many museums in the United States help teach about the multicultural history of the country. Some of these museums are located in the nation’s capital—Washington, D.C. They include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, among others. If you get the opportunity, take time to explore them!
1. National Museum of African American History and Culture
One of the newest additions to the Smithsonian family of museums is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It shows the history of African Americans, from the first slaves brought over to the U.S., to the reconstruction era after the Civil War, and the civil rights movement of the 20th century. The museum helps visitors understand the impact of these experiences through stories, interactive exhibits, and the overall atmosphere. Many visitors say the experience is very powerful. and that it helped them better understand the history of the United States, because the history of the country has been significantly impacted by the history of African Americans.
The museum also contains exhibits and cultural items showcasing the lives of famous African Americans, from basketball player Kobe Bryant to singer Chuck Berry. It shows how these cultural icons have contributed to American culture and inspired countless people of all races, and it teaches about the racial barriers they faced in climbing to their success.
The museum also shows how African American culture is not just a unified block. There are different African American subcultures in various regions of the country. We see how geography affects the traditions, identity, and community of a group of people. Thus, African American culture in Chicago will be very different than in Birmingham, Alabama, for example.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture not only helps African Americans better understand their own history, but it also helps people of all races understand the contributions of African Americans in shaping the country’s culture and history.
Museum Website: https://nmaahc.si.edu/
Digital Resources from the Museum: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/nmaahc-digital-resource-guide
2. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Another museum that tells the powerful story of a people is the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. It offers visitors a glimpse into an event that killed six million Jews—approximately two-thirds of Jewish people in Europe, during the 1930s and ‘40s. The museum depicts some of the events leading up the Holocaust, the horrors of the genocide that occurred, and how the events of that time shaped global history and culture. The exhibits help us understand how and why the Holocaust occurred and how to ensure something like that does not happen again. To that end, there are also other exhibits that detail types of genocide occurring in the present day, in places in the world.
One floor of the museum is dedicated to understanding how the Nazi Party gained power in the 1930s. This is particularly poignant because it shows how blind hatred for a group of people can lead society to allow extremist governments into power. Obviously, it is possible for this to happen again, unless people avoid getting complacent when they see hatred swelling in a society.
Another floor is dedicated to showing the Nazi’s policies towards Jewish people, including their ostracization, relocation to concentration camps, and mass murders. The final floor covers the liberation of Jewish people from concentration camps and the events after the Holocaust. The museum depicts these eventsthrough photos, Holocaust artifacts, historical footage and commentary.
The museum also hosts conversations with Holocaust survivors to provide first-hand takes on the experience, and has special exhibits dedicated to other genocides around the world, including those occurring in Burma, Sudan, and other places. Furthermore, it has online exhibits that generate further discussion about events and people related to the Holocaust, including Anne Frank, the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany, and global responses to the event.
Visitors to this museum come away with a much better appreciation for the specific details of what occurred during the Holocaust and why it is so important to be aware of what is going on in the world today, so we can avoid another atrocity like this from happening again.
General Museum Website: https://www.ushmm.org/
The online exhibits can be viewed at: https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions
3. National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian
Located in Washington, D.C. with a branch in New York City, the National Museum of the American Indian is also a part of the Smithsonian Institute. This museum presents a lot of information that is left out of school textbooks about the history of Native Americans, Native American treaties, how Native Americans viewed the relationship between people and nature, and more. It’s the first national museum dedicated to Native Americans and has a series of rotating exhibits that ensure during each trip you take there, you learn something new.
As the first national museum in the country dedicated to Native Americans, it not only contains objects, photos, media, and videos about Native Americans who lived on the land that is now the United States, but it also offers exhibits about Native people from what is now northern Canada all the way to the southern tip of South America. The exhibits don’t just show people the ways of Native American life, but they also give a taste of the Native American spirit. People who have Native American heritage can learn about their ancestors and get in touch with that aspect of their culture; People who don’t have that heritage can learn about the unique traditions, perspectives, and ways of life of people who lived in this part of the world long before European settlers arrived.
Museum Website: https://americanindian.si.edu/
Online Resources: https://americanindian.si.edu/online-resources/exhibition-websites
4. Latino Museums
Additionally, a new Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of the American Latino, will be constructed in Washington, D.C. Although an opening date is not yet available, the museum will be dedicated to showcasing Latino history, art, culture, and scientific achievement. It aims to show how these contributions have influenced American culture overall.
While it won’t be ready for a while, there are many other museums around the country that you can visit and learn about Latino heritage. One of these is the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas. This museum strives to preserve Latino and Mexican art and cultural artifacts, and it also aims to engage with the community in discussions about Latino heritage. In addition to showing the art of various Mexican and Latino artists, it conducts outreach events, cultural programs, and hosts speakers. Some of the rotating exhibits contain work by up-and-coming artists and teenagers. Others focus on showing the variety of traditions and lifestyles within the Latino community. Visitors get a much richer appreciation of the diversity of Latino culture.
Museum Website: https://mexic-artemuseum.org/
Mexic-Arte Online Exhibitions: https://mexic-artemuseum.org/online-exhibitions/
National Museum of the American Latino Museum: https://latino.si.edu/about/national-museum-american-latino
Museums can be powerful learning experiences. We often may walk out of the doors feeling solemn, as though we have learned something important, because we see in vivid images and stories how various ethnic groups have been treated or persecuted. Many ethnic groups have faced violence simply because of who they are. Visiting museums is an enriching experience, providing a detailed knowledge about the history of different cultures in a way we do not get at school.
By Connie Salmon, bilingual author, originally from Puerto Rico, lives in Connecticut.
You put it in your cereal. You eat it with peanut butter and bread. You eat it with ice cream in a special dish. But have you ever wondered where your banana came from?
Many people think that bananas grow on a tree. The truth is that they grow on an herbaceous (herb) plant. It’s leaves sprout from the ground and wrap around each other very tightly, forming the stem. Large purplish red buds push through the center of the stem and later form smaller purplish flowers that grow into bananas. The banana got its name from the Arabic word for finger, banan. A single banana is called a finger.
Bananas most likely came from South East Asia, about 7,000 years ago. Then they were taken to Arabia, and later to the Middle East and Africa. They were transplanted to the Canary Islands. From there, the Spanish brought bananas to the New World, after the voyages of Christopher Columbus.
Bananas grow in plantations in countries with a tropical climate. Leading exporters of bananas to the US are Columbia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and West Africa.
The banana is America’s favorite fruit. There are 500 different types of bananas. The most popular one in the US is the Cavendish.
If the bananas are going to be harvested the traditional way, they are sprayed with pesticides (chemicals to get rid of insects) at the plantation. Then the farmers add fertilizers (artificial nutrients) to the soil to help the crop grow.
If the bananas are to be harvested organically, natural fertilizers like manure and seaweed are used. Insect predators and barriers are used to prevent pests. For example, crushed eggshells or pistachio nut shells prevent slugs and snails. The plants are weeded by hand or mulch is used to prevent weeds.
Farmers tie banana plants to long poles for support and cover them in large, plastic bags to protect them from insects and birds. The clear plastic lets light reach the leaves, allowing the fruit to mature.
Nine to twelve months after planting, the fruit is ready to be harvested. The bananas grow in large bunches. These are broken down into smaller groups. 10 to12 bananas are called a cluster, 4 to 6 are a hand, and each individual banana is a finger.
There are many steps to the harvesting (gathering) of the bananas. They are picked while still green to prevent them from spoiling while being shipped. A worker called a cutter cuts down the plant with a machete. Another worker, a backer catches the plant as it falls into a large cushion on the backer’s shoulder, to prevent the fruit from bruising. The backer attaches the bunch to one of the overhead cables that run between rows of plants. The moving cables bring the bananas to the packing shed, located in the plantation.
The bananas are washed in large tanks of cold water. The water removes most of the chemicals from the fruit. It also lowers the temperature of the bananas, which are still warm from the tropical heat in the field.
Inspectors then examine the bananas, to make sure they are of good enough quality to export. Once they pass inspection, the bananas are carefully packed into boxes, so they don’t bump against each other and bruise.
Boxes of bananas are loaded into huge, refrigerated ships or reefers, to prevent the bananas from ripening any further, putting the bananas “to sleep.”
Once the reefers arrive at their destination, they dock at food terminals. They are then inspected for insects, snakes and other tropical pests (spiders sometimes hide in banana leaves).
Then the fruit ripens in special rooms for 3 to 8 days. Ethylene gas, which is produced naturally by all fruit, is pumped through the ripening rooms to speed up the process. The temperature is lowered as days pass, so the bananas don’t over-ripen before they are loaded onto refrigerated trucks and brought to the market to sell.
The banana has at last made its long journey to you. The next time you are in the supermarket with Mom, you can pick out a hand or a finger of bananas and tell her all about them.
Sidebar: TOP EXPORTERS OF BANANAS TO THE UNITED STATES
The banana is the most traded fruit in the world. Bananas started to be traded internationally by the end of the 1300’s. Today they are grown in over 150 countries.
There is an organization called Banana Link in Latin American countries like Ecuador, Honduras, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Nicaragua. It campaigns for fair and ethical trade practices for banana (and pineapple) plantation workers. In a largely hostile work environment for trade unions, there is a high level of violence and repression.
There is also a failure of health and safety standards, that causes much devastation of human health and natural environments, due to the use of toxic chemicals in banana production.
Banana Link fights for the dignity of workers (both men and women) and trade union rights. Trade unions try their best for workers to have better wages and benefits as well as better working conditions.
Bananas and plantains are a staple food in many tropical countries and play a major role in food security for many households.
TOP EXPORTERS:
ECUADOR: US $3,68 millions in exports. Total Banana production: 6.28 million metric tons.
THE PHILIPPINES: US $1,608 million in exports. Total production: 8.4 million metric tons
COSTA RICA: US $1,083 million. Total Banana production: 2.27 million metric tons
COLUMBIA: US $990 million. Total Banana production: 3.7 million metric tons
GUATEMALA: US $956 million. Total Banana production: 3.8 million metric tons
Other smaller banana exporting nations include countries like Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Ivory Coast.
Sources for the Information:
“How bananas are Grown, Banana Link” www.bananalink.org.uk
Encyclopedia Brittanica.com: “Banana (Description, History, Cultivation, Nomenclature)”
By Connie Salmon, bilingual author, originally from Puerto Rico, now lives in Connecticut.
Imagine a beautiful, tiny island located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 25 miles off the coast of Brazil. Here you’ll find tropical weather, luscious rainforests, and a breathtaking coastline. But the island’s creepiest residents are several thousand deadly snakes.
This island is called Ilha da Queimada Grande but it is better known as Snake Island. On the island, there are between 2,000 to 4,000 deadly snakes. There is at least one snake per square meter, so if you were to take several steps, you are likely to come across another snake!
The island is the only home to the golden lancehead (a type of pit viper). It is one of the most venomous and endangered snakes on earth. This snake is yellowish brown in color with a black-tipped tail and can grow from over a foot and a half to well past three feet in length. Its venom is three to five times stronger than that of any mainland snakes. If the golden lancehead bites someone, it can melt human flesh, and that person could be dead within an hour.
You may wonder how all these snakes arrived on an island located so many miles from the mainland. Actually, the snakes appeared over thousands of years on their own. Approximately 11,000 years ago, sea levels rose to separate Snake Island from Brazil. The species that then lived in Brazil were called jararaca snakes. This same species became stranded on Snake Island and began increasing in population because they didn’t have any ground-dwelling predators. Without having any food sources, the snakes began slithering up trees to prey upon birds that migrated to the island. Over time, their venom became much stronger because they had to compete for food, and they had to kill the birds instantly so they wouldn’t fly away.
Over many years, the golden lanceheads developed a method of attacking their prey. The golden lanceheads coil up and draw the tip of their tail close to their head. The movement of their tail helps to attract birds. They then strike their prey and wait for the poisons to take effect. They paralyze, or prevent their prey from moving, so that they can melt its flesh to make it easier to swallow whole.
No humans live on the island now, but some did for a while up until the late 1920’s. A lightkeeper and his family lived there to maintain the island’s lighthouse. According to legend (a story believed by many people but not proven to be true) several snakes entered their home through some open windows. As a result, the entire family was bitten and soon died. Another legend involved a fisherman who arrived on the island looking for bananas. He was later found dead in his boat with snake bites all over his body.
It is now illegal for anyone to step upon the island without special permission from the Brazilian government. The Brazilian navy makes a yearly visit to maintain the island’s lighthouse and to trim surrounding trees and plants. Scientists and researchers are the only other groups allowed to visit, but they must bring a doctor along in case they need to be treated for a snake bite.
Scientists and researchers are studying the golden lanceheads’ venom to support health issues. Brazilian scientist, Marcelo Duarte, who studies venomous reptiles for medical purposes, described the potential of the golden lancehead. “We are just scratching the world of possibilities for using this venom,” he said. He further commented that golden lancehead venom has shown promise in helping with heart disease, blood circulation, and blood clots.
Unfortunately, the golden lanceheads are now considered critically endangered, which means they are at high risk of becoming extinct. Wildlife smugglers who trap the snakes and sell them illegally for thousands of dollars have caused a decrease in their population. Also, snakes captured for scientific studies have added to the problem. Removal of some of the island’s trees and plants by the Brazilian navy as well as disease among the golden lanceheads have also reduced the snake population by approximately 50 percent in the last 15 years. This may come as good news to people but not for the snakes!
Isn’t it fascinating that something so beneficial could come from something so deadly? However, if different approaches aren’t taken, we could lose the golden lancehead species forever. This could mean throwing away the key to a future of life saving medications and procedures. Protecting and preserving nature can truly help everyone.
SIDEBAR: If you would like to help protect wildlife, here are some steps to take:
• Learn about threatened and endangered species in your area. Use your knowledge to teach others about these species.
• Install a birdhouse or feeder near your yard.
• Keep your pets, especially cats, indoors. Cats kill billions of birds each year.
• Avoid the use of fertilizers or pesticides on your lawn or garden as they are toxic to wildlife.
• Let local or state wildlife agencies know that you don’t support the use of cruel or inhumane traps to capture wild animals.
• Write a letter to your local or state officials requesting that they follow regulations that support wildlife.
By Debby Shade, Texas. Debby is a writer, former school teacher, and a nature enthusiast.
Darkness and suffering
Sadness and fear live in the streets
Some of my own never get an opportunity
To be scientists
To reach the planets
But light lies ahead
It surrounds us
Sometimes physically around a neighborhood
Dry to those who cannot see
But full of soul and dreams
On the inside I am
Strong Super-cali-frigi-listic Sophie
On the inside I am the
Brave beautiful Believer
On the inside I am one
Respectful Resilient Rodriguez
On the inside I am a
Passionate Peaceful Protester
On the inside I am a
Caring Creative Kind Community
On the inside I am the
Heavenly Hopeful Huasteca
On the inside I am the
Meritorious Motivated Mexica
A Mindful Marvel Miracle
Who are you on the inside?
By Sophie Rodriguez, age 9, Huasteca and Mexican American, Illinois. The poems were entered for the 2021 Youth Awards Program.
Dare I Say By Cassandra Martens Diaz, Mexican-Canadian, 17, Manitoba, Canada I do not pronounce it with familiarity I do not read it I do not spell it Dare I say I speak it at all Pepper burns my tongue I turn away from the heat I do not take the spice Dare I say I have a taste at all The Jalisco too small Tucked away, unused, unworn Body stiff, and still Dare I say I can dance at all Though in my blood Though in my citizenship It is not to be found in me Dare I say I am Spanish at all Y Me Atrevo a Decir por Cassandra Martens Diaz, 17, Manitoba, Canada No lo pronuncio fácilmente No lo puedo leer No lo puedo deletrear Y me atrevo a decir que lo hablo El ají quema mi lengua Prefiero alejarme del chile No tolero el picante Y me atrevo a decir que lo saboreo Mi traje de charra me queda chico Alzado, sin usarlo ni vestirlo Cuerpo rigido, e inmóvil Y me atrevo a decir que bailo A pesar que está en mí sangre A pesar que está en mí ciudadania No lo he podido encontrar en mí Y me atrevo a decir que soy LatinaCassandra adds: "My family immigrated to Canada from Chihuahua, Mexico when I was very young. Since I was raised in a country that was culturally very different from Mexico, I have always felt detached from my extended family because I lack a lot of the experiences that they’ve had. It is important to me that I continue to work on my Spanish and learn more about my mom's culture.. I am just beginning to submit my work for publication. I was inspired by Jessica Wang’s heartfelt story submission, Xiang Xiang, published by Skipping Stones."
