Earlier this year, Safe & Sound hosted an essay contest and asked young people to share how to keep communities safe. Here are the winners and their essays. First Place: Sebastian Rubalcava, 17, attends St. Francis High School In our homes, in or schools, our places of employment and in our communities, there’s one thing all those places put ahead of everything else: SAFETY 1. Everyone has the human right to be safe and to be safe in all these environments. Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! What does it mean to be safe or feel safe? In our homes, to be safe from abuse or neglect. In our schools or safe place, to be ourselves without being bullied. Safe to be able to talk to our teachers. In our places of employment, do we have proper safety equipment, being safe from sexual harassment, racism, or sexuality. In our communities, being safe from violence or other dangers such as drugs and gangs. Now, how do I play my part. Where do I begin? Let’s start with where I spend most of my day: In school, being very active in the athletics department; involved in three sports – football, wrestling and track. I spend most of my time at school. For me I want my school to be a safe, fun, and memorable experience. Safe from being singled out or bullied. So how do I make my school a safer environment? My biggest thing is awareness, which will be talked about in all my aspects of safety in different environments. I make students aware of other students who might need a little more help than others. For example, if my friend broke his leg, I’ll be aware to give him a little help with doors or even carry his books to his next class. If there are students in wheelchairs, open doors for them. Being kind to people is one of my ways to make school a safe place. Another way is by standing up to bullying. I would run an anti-bullying after-school program once a week for students to understand cognitive behavior and have self-awareness events. Not only for those getting bullied but those who wanted to help stop bullying. It would be a total success. Bullying is no longer a big problem at my high school. This is just a small part of what I can contribute for safety in my school. I would also start telling students who walk home to stay in bigger groups to feel safe getting to their destination after school. This would keep them safe from violence outside of school. Also, it is more visible to drivers. It’s easier for motorists to see a large group of kids than just one or two. So being a student for me, school is first when it comes to safety. Now, to help peers at home be safe is a little more challenging. First, we must be aware of our friends and other students’ mental health and emotional state of mind: If they keep coming into school looking sad, depressed, wearing the same clothes, and even as far as bruises on their body. Also, if they are eating lunch fast. These are signs of things that are going on at home. There have been a couple of times I have seen some of these things in a friend and in other students. One of my friends would eat all his lunch and ask others for food they weren’t going to eat. He never did that before. So, I spoke to him and came to find out his father lost his job and couldn’t afford much food after paying bills. So, I asked my friend if I could organize a food drive. He felt embarrassed but agreed. My friend was a good student and was a friend to everyone. Word got out and by the end of the week, the family had food that would last about a month. His father got a new job, and my friend was safe. These are just some ways I try to make our homes a safe environment. Another time my friend told me about his parents constantly arguing. We made the principal aware. The principal ended up having a conference with the parents regarding what students reported. The parents ended up having family counseling. Now the student feels safe being at home with no arguments. Now for my community /neighborhood. I volunteer at a food pantry on the South Side of Milwaukee, I also volunteer for a nonprofit organization Core El Centro, Your Move MKE Community Center and for Saint Adalbert Parish Church. I have various duties, from interacting in the community, serving meals, setting up events and volunteering at those events. How do I help make my community a safer environment? Awareness. During the times that I participate at the food pantry, I talk and interact with the people from the community and get to know the stories they have. They would tell me things such as a little girl hit by a car because the driver was speeding and not following the streets signs to how they end up losing their job, even worse how they end up losing a love one.