Set the Record Straight! by Rachel Wise Page A

around and bullyme for it, both in private and in public, as well as anonymously, was cowardly, dangerous, and hurtful.
    I am doing the best that I can with this column. I give the best possible advice I can give, based on my very limited knowledge of a situation. I try hard, and I try to give active solutions. I try to be positive, and I try to be right. Sometimes I’m wrong, and I admit it. But I don’t hide behind taunting or bullying or public shaming. I know that there is a real live person writing to me, just as I expect people to understand the same about me on this end. Just because we’re all anonymous in this column doesn’t mean none of us has feelings.
    The worst thing in life is to not take chances or try new things. It leaves you stagnant, and you can’t grow or change the world in your own special way. Most people try, and some try hard, to change things they don’t like. Complaining might feel good, but it’s not productive. It’s better totry to be part of a solution than sit around criticizing something. Someone with more guts than you might have said, “Hey, I tried something, and it didn’t work. Let’s share this information so others can learn from it.” But no, instead you holed up and just tormented me from a distance. I can’t help someone like you.
    To everyone else out there, keep on trying to change the world for the better. Stay strong, and don’t let the bullies get you down. And no matter what, never suffer in silence.
    Yours truly,
    Dear Know-It-All

Chapter 13
    JOURNALISTS EFFECT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
    When the next issue of the Cherry Valley Voice came out, the school was electric with feedback. Everyone was talking about the Dear Know-It-All rebuttal, cheering when they read it, and high-fiving. I felt great witnessing it. And Mr. Pfeiffer told Mr. Trigg that three different kids had come to him to report bullying, and while he wasn’t glad to hear it, he was glad they’d come. Even more, they’d come with friends who were there for moral support. That detail made me feel even better. No one should suffer alone.
    The lunch article was a smash hit too, and since Mr. Trigg had agreed it should be part of an ongoing series, we would continue to check backin. He also noted that it would help keep things moving and developing if the administration knew they were going to be held accountable for their progress in the paper every other week.
    What ended up happening, besides the creation of the bonus item every day, was Mr. Pfeiffer and the science department agreed to incorporate a greenhouse growing unit into next term’s Earthonomics class. We’ll be growing six kinds of herbs, and Mary will come in once a week to demonstrate recipes using the herbs. Then we’ll get to vote on what we like, and she’ll incorporate the recipe into the “bonus” item rotation. Journalists Effect Change for the Better.
    Michael Lawrence saw me in the hall and gave me a high five. “You did it again!” He smiled.
    â€œWell, we did it again!” I said.
    â€œYeah,” he said. “We did. But you really did the right thing.”
    I froze. Did Michael know?
    â€œJust out of Earthonomics class,” said Michael. “It’s going to be way more fun in the next couple weeks!”
    Whew. I think.
    At the library I e-mailed Allie an electronic copy of the lunch article, with photos, so she could post it as a PDF download on the high-school website. With Mrs. Moseby’s website so popular over there, it made sense that the older kids should know about the other half of Mary Bonner’s life.
    Meanwhile, Mr. Pfeiffer and Mary are going to take this year (I know, it seems like a long time, but at least they’re trying!) to develop a new lunch plan that will pass government muster. I am pretty hopeful they’ll get it through, even if they have to do it in some kooky backdoor way—like the way