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SCMP Reporter

Welfare recipients need our support
 People receiving social welfare payments are having a tough time these days. 
Under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance scheme, individuals or families in need receive a small allowance to meet their basic needs. There are also allowances to help the elderly and the disabled.
 We should not discriminate against people who are on welfare. We should ensure that the children of welfare recipients are well looked after and have a good education. 
They may not have the money to join extra-curricular activities or buy reference books. 
Welfare recipients need our support. We can organise various activities to help the underprivileged. For example, students can organise a marathon race, a jumble sale and a dress casual day.
Children are our future. We should make sure every child gets a good education.
Joyce Lai , STFA Tam Pak Yu College 
Save resources and don't destroy Earth
 Rice is very important to humans. We can't live  without it. Every day we reduce  the Earth's ability to produce food.
The exhaust fumes from cars and waste from factories pollute the air and the environment. The chemicals we produce damage the Earth.
And look at how we waste food. So many people around the world don't have enough food. We don't value our food enough. If we don't change our ways, one day we will be left without any food.
Hong Kong people are too extravagant. We waste a lot of food. From now on, we should treasure our food. 
Make our planet a better  place. 
Dickson Kung Cheuk-fung, Tsuen Wan Government Secondary School
A smile can lift teachers' spirits
Studying in Hong Kong is not easy. We face a lot of homework and exams. 
When we complain about how stressed we are, we rarely think of our teachers.
 Teaching in Hong Kong is also not an easy job. 
Due to the language proficiency benchmark, the pressure on teachers has increased. Not only do they have to worry about preparing teaching schedules and marking test scripts, they may lose their jobs if they fail the assessment. 
They are also required to monitor and coach students, and help them win trophies in competitions. 
 Next time when you pass a teacher in the corridor, find a way to show your appreciation for the work they do. It will help lift their spirits. A simple smile can make a big difference.
 Joseph Young
Getting teens back on the right track
 Many teenagers in Hong Kong are going astray. They smoke, take drugs or behave badly. We need to help them get back on the right track.
Anti-smoking activists say shopkeepers should ask teenagers for their identity cards before they sell cigarettes. 
They say this will prevent underage people from lighting up. I don't think it will work.
Underage smokers can easily get cigarettes from their older friends. 
I think we must rely on education to promote correct values among teenagers.
Teachers, parents and friends can play a valuable role in guiding teenagers onto the right path. This will help create a better society.
 Sophia, Yuen Long Merchants Association Secondary School



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