1st Place, Bylined Opinion Article
2021-22, Division 1, News Writing
By Berlyn Hillman
The Generator
Henry Ford II HS
The United States Congress is supposed to be a representation of this diverse nation, yet there are only 144 women out of 535 people serving in Congress today. It seems difficult for women to have an equal voice when they are overpowered by men in a position that makes decisions for this country.
Although there has been improvement with the amount of women in Congress, 144 being the most there has ever been, the United States still has a lot of progress to make. This progress has to begin at home and at school. Kids absorb the most information when they are young, and if they are taught that women are powerful and that they deserve to be an equal power in their nation, they will believe.
When young people do not have successful people to look up to, people that look like them and act like them, they start to believe that they cannot be successful.
Young people need role models and if they do not have that, their confidence can become diminished. Therefore, when young girls see a lack of women in Congress, or just a lack of women in power in general, they will start to believe that they do not deserve to be in power either. This needs to change.
The American government is built upon integrity, equality, and dependability to make the right decisions for the United States. More women, need to be included in government for these aspects to truly be held up. Right now the government, including Congress, is dominated by white men. Individuals, as a society, are making improvements; but to continue to do so, the people must keep emphasizing these important aspects that the government is built on and how minorities fit into these aspects.
For starters, there needs to be more women who run for Congress. A great example of this is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC. She is a member of the US House of Representatives and is well known amongst the younger generation because of her activity on social media along with her interactions with the people. It is important for young girls to see a powerful woman in office who also leads a normal life and has normal social interactions day to day. This shows young women that the women in office are just like everyday people, and that they can run for office too one day if they choose to do so.
When decisions that impact women greatly, like abortion laws, are put in front of Congress, it is crucial to the nation to have people participating in the decision that represent the people that the law will affect the most. When Congress is dominated by men, there is not an equal representation of voices that will be affected by the decisions they make. Without this equal representation, opinions and votes that are critical for laws to be passed will not be there.
The United States is built upon equality, which is why it is important for all races, genders, sexualties, relgions, and ethncities to be represented in these power positions.
NW-07. Bylined Opinion Article
Article of personal opinion carrying the byline of the writer(s) presented in a style consistent with modern opinion column standards. The article should comment on a news or feature subject of interest (including sports) and/or concern to the readers, or may express dissent from the majority opinion expressed in editorials. Submit a PDF of the print page(s) on which the story was published or the URL to the story on an online news site.
JUDGING CRITERIA
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with a compelling lead that urges action
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue; avoids preaching, rhetoric and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and knowledge of subject, developed with personal style
- Proposes solution where appropriate
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar