Winning essays in our scholarship contest!

But first...

About the People for Peace Scholarships
by Pat Reckrey

For many years one of the most important efforts of Waupaca People for Peace has been to raise enough money to provide a scholarship to a graduating senior of the area who is committed to pursuing an education that will further the peace process.

Through an essay of about 250 words an applicant is asked to discuss his/her views on peace and how he/she intends to pursue them in life and through his/her education.

This year 6 seniors applied for the scholarship money and we were fortunate to be able to award $750.00 scholarships to both Robin ***** and Alicia Taggatz, outstanding graduates of Waupaca High School.

(We were able to give an increased scholarship amount and to award two scholarships because of the whopping success of our People for Peace rummage sale which was earmarked for this cause. Special thanks are due Sandy Testin and all the Rathjens for hosting the sale, all who contributed their “treasures”, as well as all the workers and purchasers!)

The essays that Robin and Alicia submitted follow. They speak remarkably of the passion of these young people in their pursuit of peaceful solutions to complex problems. A special congratulations to them and to all the other applicants as well. With young people like them working toward peace, there is great hope for our world.


Alicia Taggatz's Essay

I define peace as a state where an individual can pursue their own happiness undeterred by others. Peace is a hard thing to come by in a world where our economy is globalizing and people are using terror to get their point across. More than ever the pursuit of peace across not only our nation, but the world is becoming a seemingly impossible task. However, I believe that through cohesive leadership we can make peace a worldwide goal. In my own life I plan to pursue peace through my education, career, political awareness, and community projects.

Next year I will be attending Carthage College. While on campus I plan to be active in many organizations such as Carthage College Democrats, Amnesty International, Planeteers, Habitat for Humanity and Carthage United to Rescue the Earth. These organizations provide means of bettering my own community and those around me, which is the first step to peace. I have high ambitions to be an effective leader in society. Peace can’t come about if only one person wants it. It has to be something people work together for which is why working with others is so important to me.

After college my goal is to go on to law school and eventually gain the knowledge necessary to become an effective lawyer. I hope to get involved with criminal law, specifically sexual assault cases so I can promote peace by faithfully using the courts to stop people in society who infringe on their civil liberties and peace. I can’t think of a more rewarding career path to follow.

Other ways I hope to promote peace are through political awareness. I’m already very involved in politics. This year I have campaigned for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign several times. I think politics are the best way to get involved with spreading peace because with the right leader out nation can spread the message of peace across the world. President Bush has currently put a huge worldwide damper on peace negotiations because his foreign relations tactics were more about promoting war than peace. I feel with a leader who is able and willing to motivate change, it can occur. In the future, my goal is to get involved with politics by running for office in the Senate or the House. Government, when used appropriately, can be the most effective way to promote peace and change.

One of the last ways I hope to promote peace is through community projects. Peace has to start at home, and your own community is the easiest place to start. I have been involved in several projects to implement change in my own community such as clean up projects for lakes, parks, and the River Ridge Trail. I have done service by being involved with Bread Basket, the Veteran’s Home, and other key organization in Waupaca. Nationally I’ve made trips to Tennessee, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to do service projects. I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. Service is the best way to get involved in a community and to help others attain happiness. Together peace isn’t impossible. By getting involved in service projects, groups promote peace together and help change the world through their own eyes and others.

Peace is a hard thing for anyone to attain, but I believe with the right motivators the world can change for the better. I hope to promote peace throughout my whole life through my education, career, political awareness, and service. I believe peace isn’t that far off if we combine efforts with high hopes of changing the world. A little ambition and motivation can go a long way.