Junior high students write letters to the editor

Dear readers,

The following letters are the result of a lesson in persuasive writing. In order to give my students a more realistic experience in this process, I contacted Mr. Dennis Anderson of the Lawrence Journal-World about giving them advice on effective persuasive writing. I would like to thank Mr. Anderson for his time and effort when assisting me with this project. I am grateful for his time spent in my classroom, as well as his offer to publish these letters.

As you read the following letters, be aware that the students are new to the process of writing an effective argument. They researched their topic and were to include a good mix of facts and opinions. As with all projects within the school setting, this is a learning process that is always in progress. My goal for this project was to help teach these young adults how to present their personal opinions in a manner that is fitting and effective. It is my hope that constructive criticism will be provided to further stimulate the learning process.

Sally Landoll

Language Arts teacher

Southwest Junior High