I’ve been lucky enough to have grown up in Carlisle all my life. I moved here from Chambersburg when I was a few months old and ever since, I have been living in the same house in North Middleton Township. During my elementary school years, I went to Crestview Elementary School. The part that stood out to me during my time at Crestview were the profound teachers that I was lucky enough to have. Their passion for their profession showed that they were more than just teachers. They showed that they truly cared for me and for other students and saw us as people, rather than simply just students in their class. These types of teachers have been a consistent part of my educational experience in Carlisle, following me through Wilson Middle School and Carlisle High School. After graduation, I plan to attend Gannon University in Erie, PA to study political science.

The thing I love most about Carlisle is how it is located near so many cities: Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, even New York City and Washington D.C. And while it’s still a small town, there is a lot to do. I also love the fact that there is so much diversity in our community thanks in part to the Army War College and Dickinson. When I was in 7th grade, I had the opportunity to make friends with other kids and families from the War College; from places across the world like Italy, Spain, and Egypt. Their different cultures and life experiences really helped me understand people that were different from me at an early age.

Carlisle is also a town to be proud to be from. We have seen this community respond to tragedies in our country in a very cohesive way. We saw rallies after the election, Charlottesville, and after the tragedy in Parkland. Even with a community that is populated by both republicans and democrats, conservatives and liberals, christians and non-christians, the community knows how to come together to seek peace.

I truly do believe we live in one of the best areas in the country. But, in every good community there certainly are issues that are present. While the community appears to be very diverse, there is a level of segregation in our community that exists. This isn’t solely a racial issue; it is also a political , socioeconomic, and cultural issue as well.

I feel I am part of a generation that will end this. The way this mindset changes is being open to dialogue and exposing yourself to the other side. For however many stories you read or comments you hear about my generation, whether it is “eating tide pods” or being addicted to the Internet and our cell phones, we are a generation with unfettered access to media and resources, more than any other generation before us. And we are a part of a generation that is incredibly open-minded because of this. I feel that this open mindedness is so prevalent in Carlisle. We are the ones who, when we see an issue, we respond. It is our generation that is willing to cross the barriers to talk to people who disagree with us. It is our generation who is ready to make a change in our community and our country.

Overall, Carlisle is just an amazing town to live in. It is full of people who do truly care for and love each other. We have an incredible mayor and great council members who feel the same about this town. There is still always room for progress. And progress won’t come from a politicians voice or a vote, it comes from us, our voices and our votes. Our voice is powerful, and we all need to learn to use it effectively. I have a challenge for everyone reading this – everyday, go up to someone new and do something kind for them. Do this for someone you don’t know or may not get along with and just do it out of kindness. Have an open and honest conversation with them and try to truly understand who they are and where they come from. If we are all able to do this, I believe we will be able to make Carlisle an even better place to live. – Josh Staley, Senior at Carlisle High School, Age 18