Paula Vargo
Hillside Middle School
Simi Valley, California

Paula Vargo is a 13-year-old student at Hillside Middle School in Simi Valley, California. She participated in the MindOH! Foundation's 2002 Character's Cool Contest, and won a FOX Sports water bottle.

The Character's Cool Contest was a national contest for middle school students to help stop school violence and to encourage the practice of ethical behavior. Participants completed an online survey about their experiences in the aftermath of Sept 11th, bullying and school violence, and the ethical behavior and character qualities needed to reduce school violence.

When asked about the first emotion she felt upon learning about the September 11th attacks, Paula felt stunned and not very safe. "But now I have realized that we are strong and we can make it through what ever comes our way," Paula wrote. "We have people from other countries cheering us on and helping us get through this. I am glad to be an American."

Paula's parents and school both talked to her about the events of September 11th. In Paula's school, nobody is getting treated differently after the attacks. "Actually everyone is much nicer to one another. I think that is how it should be."

Paula thinks it's possible for one country to bully another country, and she's actually seen someone being bullied in her school. According to Paula, Hillside Middle School takes measures to prevent bullying and violence. "If someone is getting pushed around and bullied, they tell someone and they have a talk with that person and the counselor
and try to talk it out and figure out a way to change it. If it still happens they would get suspended or expelled."

Paula thinks it's important for young people to learn how to manage their anger and resolve conflicts peacefully, and she thinks that it's important to be respectful of others, even when you disagree. Character qualities Paula thinks people need to have to reduce violence include Honesty, Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, Courage, Cooperation, Tolerance, Love, Patience, and Self Control.

Hillside Middle School teaches Paula about these character qualities. "We have a club at our school … called P.A.L.S. They help a lot. They answer your questions and take time to talk with you if something is really troubling you. The teachers also help you and teach you about these things."

Paula also thinks about and tries to practice these character qualities. "If I see somebody having a bad day I try to cheer them up and find out what is wrong. So if there is something wrong and it is a big thing, I could tell them to talk with their counselor."

Paula's hobbies include softball and basketball. "In softball I'm a pitcher and a short
stop. … I have been playing ever since I was 5 years old … and I have made the All-Star team five times for Simi Valley Girls Softball League. My pitching coach for softball is Kelly, who is head coach for Royal High School softball. I'm going out for the team next year when I start High School.

"I have been playing basketball for three years. I'm a forward and guard in basketball. I attended Morpark basketball camp, and it was hard work."

Paula admires her family, and especially looks up to her mom. "She had breast cancer, but she is making it with two children and a loving husband that help all the way through and support her a bunch. She is doing very good she is three years of breast cancer free now and I admire her for going the distant and not giving up no matter what bumps into her along the way. I love her very much."

According to Paula, Hillside Middle School is a very nice school. "My favorite teacher is...well...I don't really know -- they are all good teachers and they make you look at things differently," Paula wrote. "It is quite amazing about the world around us, now the
littlest thing is very interesting to me and amazing. I have a lot of friends, and it is very crazy … because of all of the sports that I am in. They are all very nice and it is fun to be with them. My favorite subject is science because I plan on being an ocean or marine biologist when I get older, or maybe even a pro softball or basketball player."

If Paula could travel anywhere in the world, she would go to Hawaii. "I would go with my family to Hawaii because I would love to go and see there oceans because I love the ocean it is a great place to relax and be free from everything at school or even work. I have never been in a plan before either and that would be a great experience to have."

Paula has many ambitions for when she grows up. "I want to be a pro softball or basketball player, a marine or ocean biologist, or a veterinarian technician, because I love animals the ocean and animals in the ocean and I am very good at sports and I think I could go far with that talent."

Paula is very organized, funny, athletic, has a very good attitude, serious at the right moments, and intelligent. Paula's piece of advice to other students across the United States about stopping school violence is "First think wwjd (what would Jesus do)? You have to think to yourself 'is this a good thing to do? Is it worth endangering myself, or will it mess up your life?' And if the answer is yes, don't do it and remember my phrase 'Be a leader, not a follower'.