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Two junior journalists tackle gas consumption

One fictional entry tells how a shortage would affect schools. Another says who should get priority on usage.

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 2, 2006

The Junior Journalism program is a partnership between the Citrus Times and the Citrus County School District. Students were supplied with prompts and asked to write essays. The topic for sixth-graders was: "Gasoline is one of the world's greatest natural resources. You are the reporter writing the student's perspectives on this natural resource for the St. Petersburg Times."

Students could choose between an expository or persuasive story. Expository: Explain ways a gasoline shortage would affect your school or school day. Persuasive: There is not enough gas for everyone, as the school reporter, write an editorial persuading officials who should get the gasoline.

Fuel Shortage Impacts Our Local Schools!

By Sarah Godlewski, Inverness Middle School

Students and their families are in an outrage as word has been leaked that those living more than eight miles from the school will have to be moved into a homeschooling program and will only meet at the school twice a month for progress reporting and new assignments. This move is necessary as it will cut the school's need for gasoline by approximately 40 percent. Many families will have to sacrifice to carry out the mandatory homeschooling order but, according to our source, the School Board members had a tough decision to make and believe this is the best way to reduce the school district's need for gasoline. A spokesperson for the school district would neither confirm nor deny this information. Details will be forthcoming as soon as they are made available.

School employees will also be affected as the homeschooling program will certainty lead to school district layoffs. Those employees still kept on the payroll will have to participate in a soon-to-be-announced mandatory carpool. One source who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed strong negative opinions of the changes. "I am absolutely against forcing homeschooling on our students. Not only is that unfair to the students and their families, but it will result in a loss of jobs for faculty and support people at the schools. There must be a better way!"

The internal running of the local schools will be affected as they are forced to look into ways to conserve. One suggestion to cut fuel consumption is to restrict delivery of school supplies and food to the schools to once a week. The schools currently receive deliveries three times a week. This will require the schools to budget the consumption of food and the use of school supplies.

The gas shortage and its potential effects have put a strain on school employees, faculty and students. All are pressured to fulfill their assignments under worsening conditions and worry about what the future holds. As fuel becomes more and more inaccessible, the schools will have to make tougher and tougher decisions to keep the Citrus County School District intact and not suffer the fate of many schools in the North that have had to shut down completely. We must all make sacrifices and work together to make the best out of this bad situation.

By Abby Ruppert, Citrus Springs Middle School

During this drastic shortage a decision must be made as to whom the remaining gas will go to. Personally, I think gas should always be made available to our emergency services. That includes police, fire departments and all ambulances. Think about it. It is one thing if you could not go to the store to buy makeup or a new pair of shoes, but on the other hand, it is another thing if you were seriously injured and there was no ambulance to take you to the hospital.

Similarly, if a burglar was breaking into your house and the police could not get to you because he had no gas in his squad car. What if your house was on fire and no fire truck came to put out the fire? It would be chaos!

Although it makes life inconvenient, there are always advantages to a gas shortage. It would be a nice, healthy change to see people out walking or biking instead of clogging the roads with cars, vans, and trucks. Furthermore, imagine what it could do for our environment! There wouldn't be half as much pollution in our city.

I think one part of the solution to the gas shortage would be an increase in hybrid cars. We wouldn't be using as much gas and we would still have fast and easy transportation.

In other words, what I am trying to say is that gasoline is still a very important part of our modern life but especially for our emergency services. No matter who else has to do without gas, we must always provide enough fuel for them.

[Last modified March 2, 2006, 01:32:18]