How do teens count in America? Read the winning essays published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune

By Minnesota teens

This census season, more than 400 middle- and high-school students from all over Minnesota wrote essays to explore how their families, friend groups, schools and souls combine to weave threads into the fabric of America.

The essay contest grew out of ThreeSixty, a collaboration of the Star Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the University of St. Thomas, which trains high school students in journalism. The program sponsors online essay contests throughout the year, but for this topic, organizers sought a broader platform.

Essays ranged broadly in depth and scope. Some added up to a tally of likes and dislikes, of physical attributes that link or set writers apart from others. Others mapped birth order or explored ancestral attributes.

New Americans tested the label gingerly, often choosing to embrace multiple cultures. Some expressed thanks for a life free of terror and want, while others noted the barriers that America still erects — skin color, accent, poverty — against efforts to blend in.

Some native-born Americans also embraced their ancestors’ origins elsewhere around the globe. Others noted that their ancestral roots were too numerous and too long ago to matter much.

Their essays, judged by writers Maria Elena Baca (Star Tribune) and Ruben Rosario (Pioneer Press) and ThreeSixty staffers Lynda McDonnell and Anne Nelson, are published today in the two newspapers and their websites.

KARI NEUTZLING

Age: 17

School: Cathedral High School, St. Cloud

Regardless of how we got to this country, we are here. And there is no way we were put in America to just sit back and watch life and opportunity pass us by. Being an American means taking advantage of the chance to change the world. We were put here to create change, no matter how small. Whether it is something big, like organizing a mission trip to a foreign country, or something small, like smiling at people you see on the street, living in America means taking advantage of the wonderful life we live. I do not deserve to live in America; I am not better than anyone else because I live in America. However, because I live in America, I have been given opportunities, and throughout my life, I have taken full advantage of them. In my quest to change the world, I have served people in my parish, school, city and state. Soon, I will be taking my service global through a mission trip to Tanzania, Africa. My goal in life is to embody the American ideal and change the world.

OGUD OMAN

Age: 16

School: Edison High School, Minneapolis

I’m a black African male. I’m Christian, as are my parents and all my family members. To be an American is not easy, because race matters wherever you go. You can’t just consider yourself an American without being born in America, because the way you talk still reveals your background. I tried many things to fit in, but it never works out. It’s hard fitting in. Everyone always judges me. They just come up to me and ask what part of Africa I’m from. I just can’t fit in no matter what I do or how I act. I see myself as a half-American because I came to America as a refugee, but sometimes it doesn’t really matter because everyone is considered American. To be an American, you have to be a citizen. Maybe if your skin is white, no one will identify your background.

ROSE ANDERSON

Age: 11

School: Olson Middle School, Bloomington

In 2010, I have golden brown hair, sky blue eyes, and slightly blemished, light skin.

In 2010, I am the tallest in my class, skinny, and shy.

In 2010, I am smart, have a lot of friends, and completely content with myself.

In 2010, I’m an all-American girl.

In 2010, I’m me.

SIDRESHIA FLOYD

Age: 16

School: Armstrong High School, Plymouth

Being an African-American girl with a name like Sidreshia, I barely fit to be an American. Statistics say that since I’m 16 and African American that I should be pregnant and be on my way of dropping out of school. To be an American I think it means that you have to fit the statistics that America sets for the people that live here. I fit into none of the statistics that they set for people like me. I refuse to be a statistic. I’m in school. I’m succeeding pretty well at school; I excel at my sport of track, and my family is all together. I don’t want to be a statistic; I want to stay as far as possible away from what America wants me to be. I don’t fit the picture to be an American and truly, I never want to.

SYDNEY LANGFORD

Age: 11

School: Cityview Performing Arts Magnet School, Minneapolis

Some people don’t take me serious because of my age. I’m a girl. I have brown hair with red highlights. I live with my mom, her boyfriend, my sister, brother and dog. The neighborhood that I live in is dirty. Litter fills the streets. There are too many crimes, and it is loud. I am half black and half white. But people think I’m Native American. I listen to any music except country. I write books, because I want to be an author. I don’t know my religion. I don’t know about what my culture is.

VONG LAO

Age: 14

School: Eastview HighSchool, Apple Valley

How would a 13-year-old Asian boy fit into the world? How I fit into the world is I count in the Census. One count in the Census is a big deal if you think about it. One person can count as one more people in the Congress. One more congressmember counts as more power for the people of the lower class and the middle class. In Asia one person is not even half a person. How I fit into the society? I fit into the society by having a voice. Having a voice in everything that goes on. Having a voice for the future of our family and for the future of the children.

LILY FLUHARTY

Age: 16

School: Home School, Prior Lake

I live in a culture where I’m judged by my appearance, what I wear and what I listen to. My generation is filled with superficial masks that people hide behind to be accepted. I want to show the next generation that it is not about what you look like but about who you really are, when no one is watching. I’ve been called old-fashioned. If standing up for what you believe in and not conforming to what everyone else is doing is considered old-fashioned, then I am guilty as charged. With so many of today’s headlines filled with violence, I want to tell people about the peace that fills my life in spite of the chaos around me. My peace comes from Jesus Christ. As a teen, I have a chance to make a difference and I have a voice that can address difficult issues. I cannot make America a better place on my own, but I know that I have something unique to offer. Me.

TASHA OLSON

Age: 15

School: Faribault High School, Faribault

I am a sophomore at Faribault High School. My family is extremely important to me; I have an older sister, an older foster brother who has graduated and is not living at home, a younger brother and, of course, my parents. The biggest part about me as a person is that I am a CODA, a child of deaf adults. Both my parents are deaf and I wouldn’t change a thing about them. Faribault is a great place to live, especially for our family. There is a deaf school right in town, and many people know ASL around here. ASL stands for American Sign Language. It’s tough to summarize my life into just 200 words, but you now know the basics of me.

ASHLEY CHADWICK

Age: 17

School: Watertown-Mayer High School, Watertown

Living in a safe, middle-class neighborhood is comforting. However, if I’m not happy about where I am, I have social mobility. If I work hard, I have the opportunity to become a high-class person of society. I am of a white race, but that doesn’t mean that I think I’m better than another person of a different race. Just like in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal,” and that’s the way it should be. I see myself as one puzzle piece of a very large puzzle. The other pieces are made up of everyone else in this wonderful country. No matter how big or small someone is, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t a vital piece of the puzzle. We all fit together and need each other to make the big picture. I also feel that my life is significant to other people in my community, and their life is significant to me. Everyone counts.

SAMIRA CARLSON:

Age: 11

School: Lake Harriet Community School, Minneapolis

I was born in Minneapolis, and have lived here my whole life. My real name is Samira, but I go by Sammy. The name Samira is very unusual in this county. It is an Arabic name that means “entertaining or enchanting.” Like my country, I am a mix of different nationalities, which together make me a great, unique individual. I am Arabic, German, Norwegian and Swedish. Each of these cultures contributes to who I am today, a spunky, energetic kid who loves sports, travel, reading, music and friends. Unlike most kids my age, I speak Spanish. My parents take me to a Spanish-speaking country every year to practice. I have traveled all around the U.S. and Mexico, and next summer I hope to go to Europe. My home is crammed full of music, instruments and books! My parents played music and read books to me before I was even born. Now I play the piano and violin. I also have a love for sports! I got the athletic genes from my dad. He is small and fast, just like me. Culture, travel, music and sports are only some of the things that make me unique.

ABDI JINED

Age: 17

School: Lincoln International High School, Minneapolis

I was born in Kenya, Nairobi. I have been living in the United States since 2000. My mom is Somali and my dad is Arab. I’m Muslim. I seriously don’t know if I am an American or not. I’m not from here. This not my homeland, and someday I want to go back there and visit my relatives and my family. About eight years ago, I had an accent but not no more. Every time I opened my mouth and say something, people used to look at me different. Now it has been a while since people have said something about my accent. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch me pronouncing some big words wrong. In the past, I never felt like an American. I do now, because people understand what I say, and it makes sense.

REVA HILL-CRAWFORD

Age: 15

School: Edison High School, Minneapolis

I am an African-American female who lives in Minneapolis. I am very active in school. I am captain of my high school varsity cheerleading team, choreographer and dancer of the dance team, and a catcher for the softball team. I love America and I like to think of myself as an all-American girl. I love sports, but family is more important. Being an American we celebrate a lot of things, specially things with our family. My family is big and we’re very close. We’re always playing and laughing together. Every holiday there is a new story to tell. Everyone in my family is a hard worker; we try to do our best at everything we do and never give up. We care for others and laugh with each other no matter what. So being an American is important, but family is what matters to me.

JANGCHEE VANG

Age: 18

School: Armstrong High School, Plymouth

It has been a long time since I heard my dad’s laughter. He was always serious and tried to use every second as if he could. “Time is money” is what my dad always said. My family ran away from war and we became refugees for 30 years. Dad must work 10 times harder than others to support our family. He was always covered with dirt and sweat. Every time I tried to help, he said, “Son, Dad is not tired and will not tire too; someday, son will be better.” This seemed far from the truth, until Dad secretly smiled. It was the first time again to see his smile when we first stepped on the land called the United States of America. We were going to be American, and live the life of having a house, an education, jobs, hopes, opportunities and everything that we have a chance to reach. Others couldn’t say we were nothing anymore. I represent the Hmong and will prove that we are part of something. Just a step through the dark night, just a short distance to go, we would step it, and reach to the moon.

JORDAN PALUSKY

Age: 18

School: Cathedral High School, St. Cloud

My name is Jordan. A common name in America. However, I am unlike any other American. I am a white high school senior boy who has endured many things in life that other people fear (i.e. moving schools, the death of a best friend, etc.). I think that I fit into the picture of an American, but not the everyday American on TV. I am an American in the sense that I am proud to live in the U.S.A. I take advantage of the freedoms and advantages that only America can provide. I may not follow the politics and news and other media, partly because I belong to the youth of America that feels misunderstood and at times cheated. I don’t think America would be devastated without me, and I highly doubt that I make an impact on our nation as a whole. But I do believe that I have an impact on many of my friends and classmates, and I do what I can to improve the world around me.

AMY VANG

Age: 15

School: Johnson Senior High, St. Paul

I consider myself a Hmong-American. In our culture we practice Shamanism. My mother and grandmother were both born in Laos and moved to the United States in the 1980s. My mom has told me several tales of what her life was like in Laos; it was rough on them and they had very few opportunities and freedoms. Because of this, my mom constantly inspires me to be the best person I can. Being an American means I can have my own culture and follow my family’s traditions. I can be an American and also belong and participate in the Hmong community. Most important, being an American means that I don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. I think that to be an American, you’ve got to be proud of your own cultural traditions as well as being comfortable with who you are.

SAMUEL RUELAS JR.

Age: 15

School: Eastview High School, Apple Valley

I was born a Mexican citizen. At the age of eight going on nine, my family decided to cross over the big gate, meaning the Mexican border. I was terrified when I was sent out to the desert at such a young age and only having one parent with me, because my mother was already in the U.S at the time. That’s right, I was raised by my father for a year and now I carry his name and birth date. Samuel Ruelas Castellon Laureano de la Cruz “junior” the 3rd is what I have on my birth certificate. Now that I’m an American citizen, life is free. My heritage is Mexican Aztec American, with the heart of a someday pro soccer player. Now I’m a proud American and I don’t regret leaving my past country because now I have more freedom.

WLEGIE SWEN

Age: 16

School: Armstrong High School, Plymouth

Dark skin, nappy hair, African immigrant. Born and raised in the middle of the most deadly civil war in Africa, violence, pain and hatred was all I knew. As a child, I watched people die everyday in the war in my country. Death became a way of life to me. Losing my dad to the civil war when I was a few months old, my life and my family’s life were in danger. At age 2, I was put into a river to be drowned by a rebel. At age 10, I was beaten almost at the point of death, and I’m left with scars all over my body. As a result I cannot wear sleeveless tops without people asking me, “What’s that on your arm?” All of these questions have made it hard to forget my past. Being in America, I’m counted as a girl who can grow up in a society where she can be safe from violence and harm. As a girl who can grow up into a strong woman regardless of her past experiences. As a girl who, for once, can have a normal childhood.

ALEXIA MARTINEZ AVILA

Age: 11

School: Plymouth Middle School, Plymouth

I am a girl. I am Mexican. My parents were born in Mexico, and I was born in Minnesota. I have a mom and dad and brother. I am in sixth grade. An American is a person that lives in the United States or was born in the United States. I consider myself to be half Mexican and half American, because I was born in the United States. I speak two languages, Spanish and English. I sometimes help my parents with the English when they don’t understand. They like me most because I teach them English. As an American I feel safe, because some police are people that take people away back to their country. And I feel not so safe because there is violence and I don’t like that, because I worry about my parents, if something is going to happen to them. When I grow up I might live with my mom and dad to help them, and I want to take care of them, too.

TASHA JOHNSON

Age: 17

School: Armstrong High School, Plymouth

Being an American means being allowed to think and say what you feel. I feel that because I live in the U.S. I’m labeled an American. However, I don’t even feel like I am an American because there is the typical idea of what an American should be. Take a girl, for an example. To be the “All-American girl” you need to be white, skinny, long silky hair, smart but not too smart, able to dance to show grace and elegance, and the most important thing of all — you have to know how to be girly! On the outside I appear white, but in my blood I’m a mutt. I am middle-class. I believe in God but I don’t have one specific religion that I believe in. I am not the All-American girl, I am the individual American girl who loves her country and the freedom but does not like the typical idea of what an American should be. Americans are people and they come in all different races, personalities, shapes, ages, culture, and religion. I fit into America by being able to have the right to stand out.

CASEY SMITH

Age: 12

School: Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School, Bena

I am enrolled as an Ojibwe Native American from Red Lake, Minn. I am a young boy who dances and sings. My Native name is Makoonce, which means “Little Bear.” I live in Bemidji with my father, my stepmother and two of my five brothers. I also have a sister who had twin baby girls. I like being an uncle. In America, I see myself as a future actor. I would like to be in movies and programs that show Native Americans in a positive way. I would like to show my talents as a singer and a dancer. I like to sing and dance because I would like to carry on the Ojibwe traditions for future generations. I see myself as a role model for younger Native American children.