Local sixth-graders recently delved into matters of truth, fairness, goodwill and team benefits through the Luverne Rotary Club’s Four-Way Test.
The Four-Way Test is the ethical code that Rotarians live by, challenging them to ask four simple questions:
•Is it the truth?
•Is it fair to all concerned?
•Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
•Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
To engage students in the code, the Luverne Rotary Club sponsors an annual essay contest for Luverne sixth-grade English class students.
The essay must be 200 to 500 words in length, and it must address the question, “How can I apply the Four-Way test to my life?”
Marin Oakes was the first-place essay writer and essays by Tiana Frankenstein and Emma Nath were second and third place, respectively.
The three students and their parents attended a Rotary Club meeting last week in Luverne where they read their essays and were awarded prizes ($75 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third).
Oakes’ winning essay has been forwarded to the Rotary Club district president for a districtwide contest.
Four-Way Test ‘The Mask’
By Marin Oakes
I believe that the greatest problem in young teens is that they can’t be themselves while near certain people. It is like they are wearing a Halloween mask that you never take off. They believe that if they act cooler or funnier that they will make more or better friends.
This behavior will attract fake friends. The kind of people that only want you for what they have, not by your personality. If they just act themselves they will have nice, kind, and good friends that like the real them. Friends like these will be more likely to be nicer and truer friends.
Is it the truth?
The thing about it is it is not true, it is not really you, it is fake it is not real. The truth is you, the real you. Good, kind people like the real you. Never be afraid to show who are you and what you like. You are the only you and never let people change that. It is a lie it is not you; it is an imposter. You are wearing the mask.
Is it fair to all concerned?
It is not fair to show people the fake you. They show you themselves. Why won’t you show them what’s under that mask. If you do that, true friends will come and know you better. It is harder to fake you than to just be you, so why wear that mask? People want to get to know you and become your friend but they cannot do that if you just fake it and never take off that mask.
Will it build goodwill or better friendships?
Being the fake you will not build goodwill or better friendships, it just builds fake friendships. The “friends” you make when you are wearing the mask are not good or true friends. By being the real you it will show how you are worth the better friendships and good at building goodwill. By faking you it just proves that you won’t and cannot do it.
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
It is not beneficial to others if you don’t take off that mask but it is beneficial to others by showing people the real you, it shows people to be themselves and that it does not matter how popular you are or how good you look that it just matters by your personality and that will bring good friends your way.
Real friends care about you so why don’t you show it to them and let the world get to know you, the real you so why not take off that mask.