D.C. students get special lesson on good qualities

Kate Ryan, WTOP Radio

WASHINGTON--In a town where spin control is a fine art, and minimizing the fallout from a personal failing is standard operating procedure, some D.C. students offer a lesson to grown-ups.

An essay contest organized by Global Harmony Through Personal Excellence asked students to write on what qualities they admire in themselves. A public reading of the essays was held at D.C.'s historic Sumner School where students were honored.

Key Elementary fifth-grader William Grummer talked about kindness. He said kindness was shown to him by friends and family when his father died.

"I admire people who use kindness to do what they know is right," he said.

Other qualities that students said they admire includes acceptance, integrity and forgiveness.

Harriet Tubman fifth grader Raul Torres discussed a moment when he failed to demonstrate honesty.

In his essay, he told of the time when his friend Christian showed off a crisp new $20 bill. Later in the day, Raul found $20, and pocketed it. When Christian told him he'd lost his money, Raul realized the bill he had in his pocket belonged to his best friend. But he kept quiet, saying simply "too bad."

He planned on spending the money on a video game, but his decision ate at him, then it hit him, he said. By the time he got to the cashier, he decided to do the right thing, and return the money. He was relieved to find his friend was willing to forgive him.

"So, from that day on, I have always been honest with my friends. I never want to feel like I did while I was standing in that line, ever again," he said reading the final lines of his essay.

Alice Deal Middle School seventh grader Evey Cahall was also frank in assessing her own failure about the time she started a rumor about a girl in her class who trusted her as a new friend.

"Nobody bothered to figure out who had started the rumor, so I was never caught, and everyone forgot about it. Everyone but me," she said.

In addition, Cahall said the incident helped change the way she looked at others, and how it made her more compassionate and accepting.

And the kids showed empathy for each other during the public reading.

When asked which essay they liked the best some the students didn't hesitate. Ericka Nicole Rodriguez de Diaz' essay on being strong moved them deeply, they said.

Erika is a fourth grader at Key Elementary School and her essay revealed that she had been beaten by her grandmother, and was shuttled among 14 different homes until finally landing in a 'nice family and a nice school."

The older girls gasped when recalling Erika's story

"It made me cry so bad, it was absolutely amazing!" "Oh my god, I was like, Taylor! Get me a tissue!"

When told that her story was the favorite of the older students, Erika was modest as well as strong. With a big smile she said, "It's nice of them that they liked my essay."

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