What do Philly kids want in a president?

The presidential election has permeated everything, and if you think kids aren't paying attention, you're wrong.

The terrific Philadelphia students who participate in the Writers Matter program through La Salle University wanted the next president to know what's important to them. Robert Vogel, a professor emeritus involved with the program, shared a sampling. They want attention to schools, and they want attention paid to the violence that permeates their city. "I love the country I live in, but we have got some fixing to do," one student wrote.

A few letters follow:

A student at E.M. Stanton Elementary School wrote:

Our country needs help. The only person that can help us is our next president. There are three things that need fixing. So here are a few ideas that can help our country be a better place.
First is our neighborhood schools. Kids are the future and need better education. When kids grow up, they have goals and dreams they want to achieve, and our schools help make that happen. Our schools need better books and technology, because the books we have now are old, dirty, and rusty.
Next is racism. We are all the same, we have the same body and life. The only thing that is separating us is our skin color. The constitution states, "We the people, in order to form a perfect union." How can we do that when we are arguing about our skin tone? Also, it's not fair for kids to go through the same thing that their ancestors did.
Last is charities. Everybody needs help with a problem they are having. Mostly people and kids that have cancer. You can always help with your free time. Also, when people are off from work for the day. People matter too. You would want somebody to do the same thing for you.
I hope the you can address these issues because our country needs help. If you care, you would help. I love the country I live in, but we have got some fixing to do.

A student from Wagner Middle School wrote:

Dear Mr./Madam President,
Will you save our world or let it die,
Like a little bird dying before it could fly?
Our pain and struggle is hard.
We can be a jigsaw and you can put us back together.
Mr. Donald Trump, will you knock down ISIS
Like you said?
Well I don't know,
I think the answer is no.
Mrs. Hillary Clinton will you help children with their school?
I believe you will, don't make us look like a fool.
Our life is hard,
Be me for one day and see what I see.
People are dying for no apparent reason.
There are too many news reports,
Can't you see!?
Can't you at least keep the guns off the streets?
I'm so tired and I'm really, really trying.
Mr./Madam president will you help people get off the streets,
Stop the drugs,
Get guns off the streets,
And be an honest president?
I don't know.
You can help our world piece by piece.
Make fundraisers for cancer,
Give back to people,
Or just simply donate.
Our world isn't that bad.
Sometimes there can be rainbows, animals,
And peace.
But then there could be a cold and bloody war.
However, our planet, our world can change because of you.
Dear Mr./Madam President:
Let's take that walk to my neighborhood or just a walk.
You may see things that you may not like,
Or you may see things you want to see.
If you see bad …
You must do something about it.
If you see good …
You must do everything to keep it that way.
Mr./Madam President, our world can sink or float, it's your choice.
We will see.

Another Wagner student had this to say:

Dear Mr./Madam President,

There are a lot of things in this country that are just not right. Homelessness, killings, drugs, and even more that lots of people do. I could bet that about three-fourths of the people in the U.S. are drug addicts or alcoholics. This all needs to stop, and I hope that you will be able to fix this, or most of it.

In lots of bad cities and states it is bad for children because of all the craziness. There are problems in schools, jobs, and stores. Robberies, shootings, fires, and bad grades that kids are getting in school. I see these things and hear these things almost every single day.

My life doesn't relate too much to these things, but they do relate to some of the things that happened in my parents lives and other family members. First off, I will talk about my mom. She started off young with drinking and drugs. She went to rehab and some of the other programs to help with her addictions. Her addiction wasn't so bad to the point that she would be wasted every day and night, 24/7, but just as bad as a teenager or young adult might do. She finally got better and stopped all of her problems. A few years later, here I come! Me! I was a big factor in her being sober and clean for so many years. I will end it there about my mom.

My dad ... was a whole different story. Shootings, gangs, bank robberies, beatings, and so much more. But what I thought was so weird about all of this is he never did any drugs. None at all. Mind-blowing! I was so confused when he told me this. But a consequence of all of this, of course, prison came along. He finally got caught and served 12 long years in multiple prisons. He was so ruthless in the first prison that they shipped him all the way across the country to a maximum security prison. Hundreds of feet underground. In prison he was able to change his ways by studying the Muslim religion, and that completely turned him around to be the man he is today. After he got out, he got enough money to start his own business. He is now the owner of a banquet hall and is making his living from that. He turned out to be as cold as ice!

So, as you can see, some people can change their lives around by themselves, but a lot of people cannot. The main person that can help those people out and give them a little boost is you! Without a president, this country would be a big ball of trash and a gigantic Steph Curry would shoot us into the ocean like a basketball. Presidents are the glue that keep our countries from falling apart. My story goes to show what is happening all around the world to many people. But you don't have to take care of the whole world, just a portion of it. Hopefully you will be able to understand what I'm saying and can help all of this stop.

A student from Southwark School shared her thoughts:

Dear Future President,
Please stop deporting illegal immigrants. Please stop saying that Mexicans bring drugs and that we (Mexicans) aren't sending our best people to the United States. They should think for a moment that people aren't all the same. It irks me when people talk trash about my culture. Can you just think of the good people? Not all Mexicans bring drugs and do bad things. Some Mexicans are trying to get a job to prove to you, future president, that not all Mexicans are the same. Also, some other Mexicans want to help their families back in Mexico. I feel like you (Future President) are trying to stop us from success. By the way, I´m tired of racist people telling me in the streets, "I'm going to call deportation." Like they judge me before they even know me. I´m a Mexican-American, and that means I was born in the United States. I´m trying to get a good job to earn money to help my family back in Mexico. If you deport my family, I´m nothing. They are my support in my life. I don't want to lose them. I want them to be there for me, like for every graduation. I want them to see that I accomplished my goals. But if you keep deporting illegal Mexicans, you are ruining the lives of Mexican-American children.

A Wagner Middle School student wrote this:

Do you know America?
How this country has people struggling?
The family problems?
The corrupted schools?
How criminal actions are cries for help?
This country is still a bud,
make it blossom.
Give education to everyone.
Make public schools solid as stone.
Demand supplies for our schools.
Demand activities.
Turn down the dial on violence.
Help everyone and everything!!!
America is under a huge weight,
will you provide leverage?
The city is crying,
The struggle is now!
Do you know how hard your citizen's lives are?
The struggle to stay alive?
The 4th of July every night?
Pets on the street?
Kids without food?
Weapons being bought by adults as if it's kids buying hot Cheetos from the corner store.
Funerals every day?
Do you have the broom to sweep the people off the street?
The people need to stop fights at school?
Every time someone helps somebody it's on the news.
Would you have that all the time … with NO news?
Could you promise this, Mr. or Madam Future President?
We have our downs but we also have our ups.
Our past president has helped us with health care, schools, and gun violence.
But someone needs to continue this.
The positive things are becoming negative.
From good to worse.
Will you be able to keep the ups?
We are one country made from all different types of people.
This country is already good in its core,
Will you bring it out?
Evil has taken over and we need a hero.
Will you be Superman?
We don't need a show-off, flying around for the news ...
We need a crime-fighting,
School-building president.
Are you him or her?
When the time comes,
We need to know are you fighting the evil?
We are on the ground, will you pick us up?
The fight cannot be won alone.
Could you be by our side?
Good ideas are all over the place,
Could you bring them together and launch them into action?
We need a head, is it you?
A fighter?
A builder?
A lover of America and its citizens?
Could you give us a slice of the American pie,
A piece of the American dream …
Mr./Madam president?