"I feel that no matter what anyone does or says, it is MY work, MY time, MY effort,
that makes the difference. My parents are responsible to guide and help me - but I
take the biggest responsibility in MY future. (8th grade boy)
~
"It is up to me to make sure that I am paying attention and on the ball at all times in
the classroom. Teachers don't have the time to hold every kid's hand through school.
I have to be responsible for myself to stay on the ball." (8th grade boy)
~
"Because no one else can force or tell me to study and do my homework but myself
and I plan to do well in school." (8th grade girl)
~
"Because no one can make me learn, so I have to be responsible and learn it myself,
even though the teachers teach, doesn't mean the student is learning, this is why I feel
that I am responsible for getting my education." (9th grade boy)
~
"I should be concerned with my life, and although my parents have a right to be con-
cerned about it, it is not their responsibility." (9th grade boy)
~
"I am old enough to shape my own destiny." (9th grade boy)
~
"I think I am responsible for getting a good education because really no one can help
you if you don't want to learn. And I have to have the power to go through all the bad
things that go along with school to stick to it to learn and get a good education so
therefore I think I am responsible." (9th grade girl)
~
"I put the most pressure on myself to do well in school." (10th grade girl)
"I think that no matter how much you are taught, it is up to you to actually learn. A
teacher or parent can't make you do work or learn the material. It is all on you."
(11th grade boy)
~
"Getting a good education depends on they way I feel about school. I can learn a lot
if I want to." (11th grade girl)
~
"It is my choice to do the work. If I didn't want to do it, then I could destroy my own
education, even if I got the best schooling." (11th grade girl)
~
"Because I am the only person that I would hurt if I didn't." (12th grade girl)
~
"Because I am the one who has to go everyday and learn the skills, do the studying,
paying attention, keeping myself out of trouble and keeping my grades up to the stan-
dards that they need to be." (12th grade girl)
~
"Because my parents did not graduate high school, so I have to help myself with class-
es like advanced calculus or computer programming." (12th grade boy)
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