My current situation is very grim. I have spent my whole live in the city of East St. Louis; I really have no way of leaving. My family does not have much money so it would be difficult for us to move to another city. The schools around my house are in terrible condition, they are falling apart. Many have been contaminated by sewage and others do not have enough money to supply adequate books and learning materials for their students. At times I wonder if it is even worth going to school since my education will never go farther than high school. I do not have a very positive outlook on the rest of my life, I am afraid I will be in this decrepit town for the rest of my life.
No one is concerned about East St. Louis, we seem to get overlooked. After being left off of the Illinois map I have realized that there is no one that wants to help us. It is as if people believe ignoring us will make us go away. We are no different than other people living near us; we are just stuck in a difficult position. With little money and no real government there is really nothing that the people of East St. Louis can do to improve the community. With the presence of the factories and that there is little to no work nearby, there seems to be no hope for the people of East St. Louis.
My education does not seem worth it at this point. I am not at the same level as most people my age. I wish I was able to get a good education and change my life, but it is tough to escape this world that I am living in. Every day that I get up I wonder why I am spending my time going to school, I am not really learning very much; my school does not have a very good supply of books and lab materials for the students. It is somewhat miserable to go to school because the heating does not work correctly, it is either really cold or really hot, and it is never comfortable. It is all together a tough experience and it is very hard to keep myself motivated to continue going to school.
It is tough to get up every day and be optimistic about my current situation. With the condition of the city and the constant worries about disease and safety I have to constantly be alert. The one thing that I always wish for the most is to move to a better city and start a new life. Although this may never happen I imagine what my life would be like if I did live somewhere else. I believe I would have a better outlook on my life and my education. At this point all I can do is hope for someone who cares enough to give the people of East St. Louis another chance.
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