The Pen is Mighty :)

Yesterday, January 12, 2006, was probably the best day I have had this school year. It was so rad. Let me explain. Actually, well howsabout I just paste this letter I wrote to the administration of my school and gave a copy to the school paper:

December 15, 2005

Dear [the name of the school] Administration,

Being on time to class is a great concern of mine and my fellow students, and I am glad there is always a signal to make it clearly known it is time to start moving toward the next class...
… Except from lunch. When I am finished eating, I am left sitting there trying to figure out when I should leave. It’s a big deal knowing when to leave lunch because from there I go to a language class which is quite far from the Commons. The result is that it is not uncommon to see 3, 4, or even 5 people coming from lunch tardy to my fourth and fifth period classes.
Being tardy to any class, including from lunch, five times results in a Monday school, I suspect more tardiness results in a punishment far worse. Having a punishment for disobeying school rules is necessary, but giving students the power to obey them is needed as well.
What I suggest is that there be something to signal the end of lunch that is exclusive to the lunchroom. It could be maybe someone getting on the microphone and saying “This is the end of [insert number here] lunch.” It doesn’t matter what the signal is, but there needs to be a clear signal at the end of lunch in the Commons because the time we are supposed to leave lunch is different each day. Otherwise, my friends and I will continue to have to guess and often be wrong about what time we should leave the lunchroom.

And then it had "Sincerely" and my full name which I don't want to share because then what if I say something stupid and then become famous? It'll come back to haunt me for sure. Anyways, yesterday I got called down in the middle of my math class (of which my journalistic endevours seem to get me out of often), and I got called to the Administrator's office and I was actually kind of scared because I didn't know what the reaction was.

The reaction was a smile and a compliment on my letter. I was told that they are working with their bell company to get something better and hearable in the lunchroom! I guess letters actually do make a difference! Hopefully soon, I'll be hearing it.