2004 Get the WORD Out! Contest Entry: Ages 14-18

Felicia Gallone, 17

There is several meanings of respect. In the Webster Dictionary, respect means an act of concern or giving attention. To me, respect is the way you treat a person. The way you would like to be treated. After two years of having a seizure disorder, I came out. I did a presentation project and taught the school on what it is like to have epilepsy and what it is. Before, when I would have a seizure in school, kids stared at me. They would point and whisper behind my back. They would isolate me and treat me different then other kids as if I were contagious. They made jokes, but I would never say anything because I knew they didn't understand the concept of seizures. But once I told the school that I was no different just because I had a neurological disease that gave me convulsions every now and then. They treated me a lot better. They became interested and asked me a ton of questions. In otherwards, kids at school disrespected me because I was different. But being different is a gift. If everyone was the same, I don't think there would be a concept of respect. Although, kids still makes jokes I treat everyone with respect. Not only because it was the way I was raised and taught but because it is the way I would like to be treated.