Haxtun 4th graders pen "Fairness" essays for contest

The Jolley Dozen annually hosts an essay contest with Haxtun fourth grade students; each year selecting a topic for students to write about. This year's topic, titled Fairness, drew three winners in the contest including first place Jeorjia Stroyek, second place Ellery Bornhoft and third place Ruby Santistevan. Stroyek's first place essay will advance to the State competition. Winners receive cash prizes while every fourth grade student receives a book, donated by the Jolley Dozen Club.

Fairness

By Jeorjia Stroyek

Fairness means a lot to me. My definition of fairness is letting other people join games, following the rules, not cheating and not being excluded. Being excluded is a big thing in my life. It separated one of me and my friends and now we are never as close as we were. Cheating isn't fun either. When someone cheats in any game, I don't want to play anymore. Like when you play "heads up, seven up" and someone peaks. It just ruins the whole round. Same thing with fairness. You see, I like to sing. Singing is my passion. You can't just copy off someone else's song. I mean you could, but it wouldn't be fair. Right? Because they took time and effort to make that song. I also like to play volleyball. If someone served from up close and everyone else had to serve from the back line. Well, that isn't fair either. Nothing is fair in life. People just roll with it. If you saw your friend give another friend a piece of gum, and then you asked for one. Eventually your friend would have no gum, because everyone asked. She was being fair. But if your friend gave gum to you and not your other friend, that's not fair is it? I'll admit it, I have done most of these things. And now regret those things. And this is why I think fairness, is important.

Fairness

By Ellery Bornhoft

Fairness means a lot to me. If my mom, dad and I were at a baseball game and my mom and dad could see over the fence and I had a crate so I could see over the fence and. My dad said it's not fair. It is because we can all see over the fence. That is fairness! Another example of fair is there was a blind and a teachers was trying to teach music and everybody else had to read music. The blind person could learn by feeling the keybord and listen to the notes. Everybody said it's not fair but it is. They can see and read the notes but the blind person can't see and read the notes. They all can learn the notes that is fairness! Respect is a huge part of fairness. You have to respect others and they have to respect you. That if fairness!

Fairness

By Ruby Santistevan

It's important to be fair. I am writing about fairness. I'm going to tell you a real life experience I had. One day my brother and I were building a snowman. We made a bet with each other that whoever could throw a snowball and knock something off could tackle it first. So we both made a snowball. He threw and missed, I threw mine and hit the whole head off! Wow I thought. I got ready to tackle it, but my bother ran and tackled it! I realized that it was not fair. But I thought it was OK because I could still kick the remanders of it. My brother also apologized so it was OK and I had fun making it, right? Yes! Now I can know what fairness is so I can always try to be fair. We can make another snowman. The end.