Writing Sample from DC High School Graduate

Published June 1, 1999

The following paper, presented exactly as it was written, was produced by a youth who is ostensibly a success story for the District of Columbia Public Schools–a student who graduated from high school with a diploma and is now enrolled in college, albeit in a remedial English class. The paper says much more than just “don’t smoke”–it demonstrates the need for school choice far more clearly than a learned policy study ever could.


Something I Never Done Before Smoking a Cigarrett

I remeber think I was about thirteen, and I tryed smoking a cigarrett for the first time. It was with my oder sister, and middle sister to.

When I first took a puff of, the cigarrett I started to cough, choke. Then I started to fill really dizzie, so my breath had started to semll bad.

I was like I can’t smoke no cigarretts, because its just not me. And I can’t see myself ever doing it again. Somking can be really bad for your Health, it can cause lung cancer.

Basically your dying slow as you take a puff of a cigarrett. so now I just say no to smoking cigarretts.

One more thing they can also cause you to get head aches if your around someone thats somking.