Project I-57

ESSAY 2: Chicago (Post-Survey)

Question:  After learning more about life in Chicago (suburbs) and students from there this year, what do you now feel are the good and bad points about life there?
-Describe what you now think the people are like who live there.
-Which place do you think is a better place to live: Benton or Chicago?  Why?

(write two to three paragraphs using complete sentences)

The good thing about life there is they have places to go, and they have friends and family.

They are just like us but they do different things than we do.

I think Benton is a better place to live but I have never been to Chicago.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

2. JW

(no post-survey returned, only questionnaire)

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

3.

I have learned some of the good and the bad points of living
in Chicago.  One good point of living in Chicago is that
there are more thing [sic] to do.  I have also learned the
bad points of living in Chicago.  One of the bad points is
that there are too many people that live in Chicago.  Another bad point is that there seems to be more violence in Chicago than in Benton.

I think the people are the same as the people I know in
Benton.  They seem a little bit different, but they live in a different environment.

I still think Benton is a better place to live than Chicago
is.  The reason I like [think?] Benton is better is because
there are less people in Benton.  In Benton there is less
violence, so I feel safer in Benton.

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

4.

In the paragraph above, there were questions asked about the
suburbs of Chicago.  One town that I have communicated with
was Main [sic] East High School.  I have learned much
communicating with this High School.  The good points of life
in Chicago are that there are a lot of shopping malls,
schools, people, and things to do.  Of all of these good
things in Chicago there are a lot of bad things that come
with it.  There was one girl that I talked to over the
distant learning program and she told us that her uncle has
been shot in a "drive-by".  This would have to be counted as
a bad point in Chicago life.  Also, another bad point that
would be considered [: you] would not know all of the people
in your school.  See I know who people are in my school.  In
fact, I'm pretty sure that I know everyone.  In the school
that is in Chicago, they don't know everyone.  I would think
that would not be a good thing to have.

I think that the people in Chicago are very friendly people.
They seem like they are just like one of us.  Even though
they [and] we are so far apart, we have much in common.  We
both like to play basketball, baseball, ride bikes, and many
more things.  I thought that it was very cool that we had so
much in common.  I just think of them as regular people.

I still believe that Benton is a better place to live because
I know everyone, and I don't have to be afraid of being at
the wrong place on [sic] the wrong time.  Chicago is still a
very nice place to live [,]though [,] with all of the stores
and advantages that they have, it's a good place to live.

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

5.

(no post-survey returned)

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East
 

6.

After learning more about the about the [sic] life of
students in the Chicago area, I feel that there are several
ups and downs about living there.  First, I still feel that
the kids in Chicago are subject to more violence out on the
streets then [sic] we in Southern Illinois have to face.  As
a matter of fact, we were told about one of the Chicago
students whose cousin was killed in a drive by shooting.
However, I also think the Chicago kids have a better
opportunity to experience more and different things.  They
have a ton of museums, theaters, and sporting events than we
in Benton ever have the chance to experience.

The students in Chicago, I don't think, are too much
different then [sic] we here in Benton are.  We found out
that they like to ride bikes and play sports just the same as we all do.  However, when we shared are [our] most prized
possessions, many of the Chicago kids bought [brought]
jewelry and things that had religious meaning to them,
whereas a lot of us brought things that we had won or played
with when we were little or something.

I still feel that Benton is a better place to live, mostly
because everyone in Benton knows everyone else.  In Chicago,
I think I'd feel so small and insignificant.  In Benton, I
have many friends and everyone knows what you did in the ball
game or if you made the honor role.  I like that a lot.

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

7.

I think the good points are that there are a lot of sports at the school in Chicago, lots of malls, and you can meet more people of different cultures in Chicago.  The bad points are in a big town like Chicago you can't really ride your bike with your friends, there is a higher crime rate, and there are probably more gangs in Chicago also.  The people that I have talked to so far seem really nice.  There are a lot of people from other countries.  They are a lot like us.  We practically have everything that they have, but they just have more of everything.

I think Chicago is a neat place to visit, but I like Benton better.  Chicago is too busy of a town and has a lot of traffic.  I would rather live in Benton and be able to ride bikes and take walks without worrying about all the cars going by.  Benton is a very clean town and most of the people in our town are nice people.  I also like Benton because not a lot of crimes are committed here.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

8.

By communicating with Chicago, I have learned that there are many good and bad points about the life there.  Two reasons I wouldn't like living in Chicago are: the amount of people in the school, and the violence that can happen.

There are many people in Chicago and many people go to the schools.  In most of the schools there, you have to wear nametags so your teachers will be able to identify you in the halls or such.  I like the size of our school because it isn't too big, but it's not too small either.

Violence in Chicago is a large factor someone moving there should consider.  One of my friends is from Rockford, which is very close to Chicago, and he said that there are certain things that could get you killed.  In Benton we have a sense of security so we can ride bikes wherever we want or stand on certain street corners without being scared.

Personally, I think Benton is a better place to live.  The reasons I believe this are:  the amount of people is less here than in Chicago, and also there is a sense of security that I think I wouldn't have in Chicago.

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

9.

Well, the good things are in Chicago.  There is Wrigley Field.  There are a lot of places to go in Chicago.  The bad thing is that there are a lot more shootings in Chicago.  There are too many people that live in Chicago.

I think that the people that live in Chicago are almost the same that live in Benton.  They're just a little different.

I think that Benton is better because Benton is smaller and I would not get lost.  Then I would feel a little safer because I would not have to worry about getting shot.

- M who didn't communicate with a specific student at Maine East

10.

(no post-survey returned)

11.

(no post-survey returned)

12.

(no post-survey returned)

13.

(no post-survey returned)

14.

I think life in the suburbs of Chicago would be very interesting and could also be disastrous.  I think there are many good things about living in Chicago.  One good thing would be all the shopping and the many tourist attractions that are there.  Also, with all the good things, there are many bad things that come with them.  Some of these bad things are the many gangs that are there in Chicago.  Another bad thing is the big traffic that comes with a big city like Chicago.

I thought the people in a big city like Chicago would be stuck up like snobs or something because they live in such a big city and that they might make fun of us here in such a small town because we don't have as many things as they have.  Now I realize that people there are very nice and treat us like we are just as privileged as they are.  They are human beings just like us.

I like Benton very much because all my friends are here and I am so much used to this place, but I would like to live in a big city just to see what city life is like.  I would like to live in Benton more than I would like to live in Chicago.

-M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

15.

(no post-survey returned)

- F who communicated almost every day with a specific student at Maine East

16.

I learned a lot about life in the Chicago suburbs.  I would have to say that finding out how big their schools were was the thing that impressed me the most.  I have a small school compared to theirs' [sic] but I feel that that is a good thing.  Having that many people in your school would mean that there is hardly anyway [sic] to know then [sic] all.  I know everyone in my school and I feel more comfortable that way rather them [sic] having so large of a school and not knowing everyone.  Another thing I learned is about the crime that goes on in Chicago.  One girl said her cousin was killed in a drive by shutting [sic] because he was mistaken for someone else.  I can't imagine that happening here and I like that idea.  But living near Chicago you [are] opened to many more museums and aquariums than you are in a small town like Benton.  There are so many more places you can visit and people you can meet than there are in town [sic] like Benton where you almost know everyone already.

I used to think that most people in Chicago were American.  I found out that most at of the students at Main [sic] East were from a different country and only spoke English as a second language.  I also learned that not everyone in Chicago were in gangs and are criminals.  The students I talked to were just same as the students in Benton in a lot of ways.

Based on everything I have learned [,] I feel that I would rather live here in Benton.  As I mentioned before, I like the idea of attending a smaller school and knowing most of the students than going to a larger school and not knowing most of the students.  Also, Benton is not a very large town and is nor [sic] crowded with people [,] and traffic is not that bad. Urban areas like Chicago are crowded and it takes a long time to get somewhere that is only a couple of miles  away. Finally, the crimes that happen in Chicago are a lot worse than they are in Benton.  Like I said earlier about the drive by shutting [sic], I can't imagine something that awful happening here.  It could happen but the chances are probably greater in Chicago.  Gangs are also a part of urban life.  I don't here [sic] much about gang violence around here too much and I like it that way.  Based on what I know about Chicago so far I still think that I would rather live where I live now, Benton Illinois.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

BA

Yes I do.  I feel there are many good and bad points of living there.  They all have told us that there are drive by shooting often.  That would be a definite bad point there.  They have a lot of violence there, and threats.  Their school is so big with so many people.  I would be afraid to walk the halls.  I like living with many people around in my community, but I wouldn't want to live with as many as they have around.  Everywhere you go, you would have to wait in a line of some sort.  There was a girl form [sic]  Main East that brought a ring to show us at the Distance Learning center at our High school.  She said it had came [sic] from her favorite cousin that was mistaken for someone else and shot in a drive by shooting.  We all just broke down at that moment.  We just couldn't even imagine.  The people at Main East on the other hand didn't act as surprised because they had had so many loved one's [sic] lost because of the things like this.  I just couldn't deal with it.  On the other hand, Chicago could also be a very fun place to live.  There is so much to do and places to go up there.  Not only have I talked to the students about it, but I have also been there too.  They have so many fast food places to eat, and the Wrigley Field!  That is so awesome to have your own pro baseball team right there living with you.  There are also water parks and things like that to do too.  Just everywhere you turn there is something you could be doing.  I think it would be a perfect place to live if there weren't so many people, and there was no violence!  But then again, wouldn't it be better everywhere????

I think that they are very nice people.  They do talk different then [sic] us, but that's usual.  I'm very glad I got to meet these people, well really not met them, but talk to them and see what they look like.  I think that this I-57 project is the neatest thing.  Are [our] class is very appreciative for all of this.  I know I am.  They people there are always saying something nice to us and we all get along great.  They know who certain of us are and ask for us sometimes when we are in different classes.  It is really neat for them to know us so well to ask for so many different people.

I still think Benton is the better place to live.  I have lived here all my life and just couldn't leave anyway.  I think Benton is better anyway.  We don't have so much violence and drive by shootings.  I mean, of course, we have violence and threats and stuff, but not like they do.  They have them all the time.  I just like Benton!

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

SJ

I really think there are good points and bad points about life there.  The good points; bigger, more chances at finding jobs, more business'.  All kinds of good things!  The bad points are crimes in the streets, to many factories letting off smog, different things.  The schools are a whole lot bigger, and different, with many types of religion and race.  They have a better chance of getting bombed, and having shootings than a smaller school would, in which I think that is a bad point.

What I think the teenagers are like that live in Chicago.  There will be many opinions from different teenagers my age; about what they think the teenagers are like in Chicago.  I think they are more advanced in other different categories, or subjects than we teens are in Benton.  There are also many different categories that we are more advanced than they are, too.  For example they may know more than we do about certain subjects, and the same with us!  The teenagers in Chicago are city teens!  We are known to be as country farmer teens, an Illinois peach!  They are use [sic] to more crime than we are.  We are use [sic] to more peace.

I honestly think Benton would be a better place to live.  I'll give you some examples of why.  Benton is small, not a lot of crime, more spaces, not a lot of pollution, and so forth.  If you want more noise and excitement then I suggest you move to Chicago!  Benton is peaceful, just about everybody knows everybody!  It's not big but again I'll tell ya, it has space!  I luv BI! [Benton, Illinois]

- F who communicated a couple of times a month with a specific student at Maine East

TH

The good points about Chicago seem to be, active life, lots of things to do, and lots of different people, cultures and religions.  However, there are some bad parts, they are a feeling of not being safe, and the feeling of being with way too many people.

The people who live there are pretty much the same as the people that live here.  They do pretty much the same things.

I would rather live in Benton.  Because it is safe, not to many people, plus, I know everyone who lives here, which makes me feel good and safe.

- M who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

BAl

I believe that is [sic] Chicago is a very nice place and their schools are very high-tech and well-funded.  The students that I've met there are very social and courteous.

The people there are very nice and respectful; they are just like us in many ways.

I think Chicago is a very cool place, but I strongly feel that Benton has a lot of security being a small town.  I have a lot of friends and family here and I would dread leaving them behind.

I hope my answers to these questions will help you in your research on the I-57 project.

- M who

SD

In the paragraph explaining what to write about in essay two, we were asked to explain the good and bad points about the life there at Chicago.  I feel that one bad point to Chicago is the drive by shootings.  We have never had a drive by shooting here in the town of Benton.  One girl that spoke on the distant learning informed us that her cousin"[s] ring meant so much to her because he was shot by a gang because they mistook him for another person.  The numerous gangs that are the center of Chicago's crime rate.  I am not saying that we don't have gangs in our town, which is very seldom any gang comes through here.  We maybe [sic] not rich our [sic = or] well-known around the country, but we are a very safe town.

I imagine the people there are very outgoing and loud.  I also think that the children there are very polite.  There have been plenty of famous people that have grown up from this town.  For example, Doug Collins.  Down here we are always informed by the news or the newspapers about the fantastic team Chicago Bulls.  We have a lot of talented area basketball players, both female and male.

If I had to choose a place I think was better I would have to say Benton.  I love this community because you know all the families and you know all about the town and the history.  Pollution in a city is terrible, especially in a very busy and huge city.  I have been to Chicago before and there is a lot of traffic and busy industries.  Pollution is given off by all the things that are being used.  Animal life is also affected by this because pollution kills.  Animals become very weak and soon will die if they take in a huge amount of dirt.  Plus, I love this town and the people that live in it.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

LM

The good points about living there is that there is a lot of activities and things to do.  You can always go places and have things to do.  Some of the bad points that I have about Chicago are the gangs, violence, drugs, and teen pregnancy.  I am not saying that we do not have any of that down here but there is a lot more of it up there.

I think that the people that live there are pretty good people.  But a lot of them that I talked to like going to clubs and dance places.  And I do not think that I would be allowed to do that if I lived in Chicago.  Especially going by myself.

I still think that Benton is a much better place to live.  Even though there is so much more to do in Chicago, I just would not feel safe there at all.  When I go to bed at night I here [sic] nothing, if I lived in Chicago I know that would be very different.  When I hear people out by my door and in front of my house I get scared and I do not feel safe.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

JS

I think that Chicago suburbs have many good and bad points.  I will first mention their good points.  No matter where you go, the place that you are living will have both good and bad points.  Chicago has about the same amount of good point [sic] as bad points.

To begin, one of its good points is how you can learn more about different religions and race.  In Chicago, there are many races and many religions.  So I feel like this is a good point of Chicago.  Another good point are the malls.  They have some pretty big malls, and I would love to be able to go to a mall like theirs anytime [sic] that I wanted to.  Another good point is how they have a lot of people at their school.  If you went to a school with as many people as they have you could learn a lot from them.

Now we can move on to the bad points of Chicago. I feel that the biggest bad point of Chicago is the high crime rate.  For instance, we were talking to this girl on the CUCMe, and she said that her cousin got shot in a drive-by.  It was really sad to hear, and I think that it would be horrible to have to be in fear of getting killed in a drive-by. Something else that goes with the high crime rate is how they can't go riding around on their bikes.  Here in Benton we can go bike riding without our parents having to worry about us getting hurt.

I think that the people from Chicago are just like the people from Benton.  I think that they are all down to earth and nice.  I think that some of them are mean, and others are really nice.  But, don't all towns have a bad seed?

I think that I would rather live in Chicago.  I would rather live there because I feel that there is more to do in Chicago.  In  Benton, the only thing to do is go to the movies.  In Chicago, you can go to the movies, the mall, and many other things too.  I also think that Chicago has a lot more jobs than Benton has, and I think that their jobs pay more too.

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East

CD

(no post-survey returned)

- F who communicated at least once a week with a specific student at Maine East