Adoption: A Family Choice
Do Not Copy, Reproduce, Publish, etc., any article, story, picture, etc., from any part of this website, without my permission. Janice’s Speech for

The Mayor’s State of the City Speech

January 9, 2002

By Janice

7th grade student in Middle School

Hi Everyone. My name is Janice and I am 13 years old. This is my Choir director for the state Children’s Choir, Jennifer. I was born at (our local) Hospital, and I weighed only 3 pounds 4 ounces. There wasn’t much hope for my life, but I showed everyone that I could survive and become a valuable person. Someday, I want to go to (a Christian) College, do volunteer work in China, be a choir or band director and be director of the a Mission…but I’ll wait until the director retires. I have been surrounded by love and encouragement from my family, my church, and my schools.

There have been many great things for me (here), like, the school band, choir performances, the Kawanza celebration, a Braille book club, a summer inter-racial poetry session, and things like that. My town really is a great place to grow up. But, some kids grow up in fear, fear in their home or at their school. School really can be a scary place for kids who feel different. In order for kids to feel good about themselves, they need to have lots of opportunities to learn new things. They need after school programs, led by people who love and support them.

All us kids will someday be adults, many living in this community. We will be doctors, bus drivers, a mayor, and some will be criminals. But, if all you adults can continue to make plans to help us kids, there will be a future filled with more happiness, and less crime.

So, every time you make a decision or law, think of the effect it will have on kids like me, kids who want to feel loved, safe and valued.

I am going to sing a song called "Don’t Laugh At Me." Listen to the words carefully, because they apply to everyone here, to every child and adult in our community.

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