I have lived in Carlisle my entire life. I actually think it’s the perfect place to grow up in. Even though it isn’t exceptionally small, it has this great small town vibe. I’ve always felt there is a strong sense of community here. My Family doesn’t have any history here, so I can’t say I have deep roots, but Carlisle is a very welcoming and accepting place. I spend a lot of time downtown. We have a very diverse selection of businesses here and it’s to have a little bit of everything. I love how you can get obscure candy, vintage clothing, and Thai food, all in relatively the same place. I feel the same affection for Carlisle High School. With the War College so close by, I’ve met so many amazing people from all over the world., who I may never have met without this unique opportunity at school. I also think we have many exceptional teachers and solid academics. Carlisle is a wonderful place and I’m proud to be native.

I think a problem in our country right now is how divided we are about many things. People have become so passionate about their views, but they no longer are open to hearing anything that may go against what they believe. However, passion is good, when focused; it fuels change. But, we need to find a way to be both passionate and open-minded. Once we start hearing each other and understanding what we as a collective group of people want, only then can we progress as a society. Carlisle is a doing a lot to make that happen at the local level. We’ve had numerous community rallies centered around various issues within our country. There are public meetings and town halls scheduled regularly in order to improve aspects about the community. And there’s been a recent launch of a youth council. Carlisle provides people with a lot of opportunities to make one’s voice heard.

My hope for the future is that we will reach a point of peaceful coexistence. I don’t think we’ll ever reach complete agreement. I don’t even necessarily think that’s ideal, but I think we should be able to achieve a good balances of beliefs in the future. I also hope that we will live in a time when teenagers will able to share their voice, be taken seriously, and welcomed to the table for discussion on important issues. We have things to say and we are incredibly informed thanks to the unfettered access we have to educational tools, the media, and most important, the Internet. We also have a willingness to work hard for what we believe and I think it’s time that people begin to listen. – Josetta Checkett, Freshman at Carlisle High School