Superpowers: Influence

Aliyah Singleton


If I had a super power that enabled me to make my community a better place, it would be the power of influencing all children to do the right thing. I would be able to positively impact all kids and teenagers by encouraging them to stay in school, stay away from drugs, alcohol, violence, and always have the highest expectations and beliefs in themselves. This influencing super power is important to me because it is essential for youth to grow up with a sense of direction, college education, and desire for success. 
       
In my community it's common to see kids hanging out on the streets doing absolutely nothing, and having absolute no one to make them do something productive with their lives. Specifically, in the summer I see young kids and teenagers standing on corners, getting into trouble, and some even smoking and drinking. All of these negative acts made by young people are the result of discouragement and neglect from their parents, families, teachers, and/or friends. It's terrible that some kids do not have positively supporting people in their lives because this destroys their self-esteem, self-respect, and makes them give up. 

When young people do not have anyone to teach them the right things to do, they may turn to drugs and alcohol because of peer pressure or the media's influence. Once kids start abusing drugs and alcohol they care less and less about school and other important things, leaving them addicted and uneducated. Some kids even join gangs and by involved in unnecessary violence to find a sense of family, support, and success. My super power would be extremely helpful because I could vastly improve all young kids' lives by just telling them to believe in themselves, get the best education possible, and to not be influenced by drugs/alcohol/gang violence.  
        
When I tell them those things, all of the kids in my community would automatically heed my advice, and in turn they would become positive leaders of the community. Sharing encouragement and positivity will allow the youth to make their community a much better and safer place because when they grow up and become adults they would give the same advice to their children. They would continue the supportive, loving, positive cycle while completely eliminating drop-outs, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gang violence, discouragement.