North Main third-graders make their cases

Editor’s note: What follows are the letters/petitions from four students of North Main Street Elementary’s third grade teacher Heidi Kassel.
“These were written during our persuasive writing unit based on the idea that their words can change the world,” Kassel wrote in an email exchange with The Photo News. “We wrote speeches, and then went on to learn about editorials and petitions. Although they are only third graders, they had strong opinions and backed them up with evidence. These four children chose to send their writing to The Photo News.
“Thank you so much for giving their words a place to be heard,” the teacher added. “Perhaps if they see that their words make a difference, they will go on to make our world a better place.”

We need to stop bullying
By Sean Colligan
We need to stop bullying, 100 percent - it does not only get you in trouble it hurts feelings and do you want that?
For example, my mom got bullied when she was a kid. She got bullied because she was poor. She got bullied for a year. When she got home she was too scared to tell her mom. She thought that the bully would be mad but it helped her.
Later on she told her mom. Then the bully stopped bullying her.
You can be bullied at the park, sidewalk, the bus, hallway, classrooms, when competing and lunch time. I know I am right because I surveyed 28 people. 28 people agree out of 28 people agree with me that we should stop bullying. I am just 8 but I know we need to stop.
Sign here for a better place, a better world. Sign here if you agree to fight for what we think is right. Sign here if you think we can stop this madness.
Mr. Cone must rise
By Vincent Polichetti
How? Why? It’s just impossible. How could you shut down Mr. Cone? There is no possible explanation for this monstrous, disastrous, catastrophic moment in history. We must bring back Mr. Cone in memory of Mr. Cone himself.
It isn’t just me who loves Mr. Cone. In fact, I surveyed 23 people and 20 of those 23 people said “Yes, of course” to bringing back Mr. Cone.
The desserts are the best from Birthday Blast to milk shakes, chocolate to vanilla, and strawberry to mint chocolate chip. Nobody, and I mean nobody, shuts down Mr. Cone.
I’ve been here so many times with so many memories. All memories demolished, it’s like my dreams got hit by a wrecking ball.
If you feel this way, too, then help, help me bring back Mr. Cone.
Every time I’ve been there it was crowded, crowded by people who loved it.
With that many people how, just how, could you shut it down?
Sign here if you want to join my protest to bring back Mr. Cone and make it rise.
Kids need to stop getting bullied
By Elijah Chacko
Imagine if whenever you go to recess you are sad because you always get bullied.
Well, this needs to stop Today: 19 out of 22 kids have been bullied. I know this because I surveyed my class. One kid in my class has been bullied four times.
This needs to stop because kids are getting bullied because of their height and that is how one of my friends got bullied. This needs to stop because this can lead to depression and that is bad!
So if you want bullying to stop today we shall stand up to bullies now or they will keep on bullying you over and over again.
Some solutions are tell an adult and the bully will get in trouble.
Another solution is defend yourself.
The last solution is we need to stand up to bullies now?
We need to help our world by recycling because ....
By Joely Levin
Imagine you walk outside and see glass bottles, cans and all sorts of stuff in your backyard. You see a grey sky. Everything looks like it is trashed. You need to stop littering if you don’t want that to happen! You also need to recycle if you don’t want that to happen, too.
Our world could die if we do not recycle. Would you want that to happen? Also, you need to stop littering. You don’t just have to throw out a can or glass bottle from your window to the ground. There is always trash cans and recycling bins around. This is not okay to me. People could get very hurt from tripping over a can or a bottle. What if it was your best friend? What if it was someone you knew very well? What if it was your mom or dad?
Also, it doesn’t just hurt people, it can hurt animals too! You wouldn’t want your pet or animal you knew very well to get hurt, right? And, it doesn’t just hurt people and animals, it can hurt our world. Our world does a lot of things for us. The world gives us land, water and a lot of other stuff.
So, you might be thinking we can throw away cans and glass bottles. No, you cannot! You can reuse that stuff. You cant really reuse plastic bottles again for drinking. But you can use it for fun crafts. You can also turn plastic bottles into a new product.
Another reason we need to recycle is because not even if you don’t know someone or an animal, then they can get hurt, too.
Animals in the sea can get hurt, too, by people who go to the beach or go by water or an ocean and they are drinking something from a can or a bottle and soon they finish it and there are no recycling bins around. So they might just throw the can or bottle in the water. Then, fish and other sea creatures eat it and soon get very sick or die.
So, that is why we need to stop littering and start recycling. Thank you if you do. But if you don’t, it’s not for me, it’s for our pets and other animals, it’s for people, and last of all, it’s for our world.
And if some of us litter, I guess you want no land and water and a lot of other stuff, right?
So moms, dads, aunts, uncles, children, and friends, you need to help our world and make it as beautiful as it can be. We need to make our world shine.
So, if you want a healthy world, please sign my petition! Thank you if you do! And if you don’t, I guess you want an unhealthy world. Right? That is what I am thinking.
I know I am only 8 but I know that our world has to not be trashed and dirty! It can be beautiful! It can be amazing! So help by recycling!
Also, to help you can pick up garbage that is on the floor. And I made a survey and I got 27 people that do recycle and two people that do not recycle.
So, do you want a healthy world or an unhealthy world?