Looking Back on 2014

Every week, our Week in Rap Shout-Out Contest gives students an opportunity to win a shout out for their school in the next Week in Rap. For our final contest of 2014, we asked you to take a look back at the last twelve months. In your opinion, what defined the year 2014? Was there a particular trend, news story or other even that you thought represented the year as a whole?

Our winner this week is Bunker Hill Elementary School in Houston, TX, where they determined that Ebola is the biggest news story of 2014. Ms. Sydow shared not only her 5th graders’ conclusion, but also how they reached it.

As instructed, students took a look back at the last 12 months. They found numerous stories about Ebola. One group counted 9 times that The Week in Rap mentioned Ebola: once in August of 2012, and a whopping 8 more times in 2014! Without question, the BIG DEAL this year was Ebola. We know this because:

1. Everyone is talking about Ebola: parents, kids, doctors, news reporters on the internet, TV, and radio – even President Obama is talking about Ebola. Ebola is on everyone’s mind. Students, parents, teachers, preachers, – everyone we know – has questions about Ebola; and
2. The threat of Ebola has influenced many of our everyday decisions.

We agree: Ebola is the BIG DEAL of 2014.

In defense of our consensus opinion:

Defense 1: Everyone is talking about Ebola

• Kids at school are buzzing about Ebola as if it were a new song or Google device. — Charlotte
• Even my little sister, who talks of nothing but Disney princesses, is talking about Ebola. She knows nothing about the virus, except what she hears from her little friends and maybe the news, but that doesn’t keep her from sharing her opinion. — Duaa
• Ebola is in Texas? I live in Texas! Houston is only 3 hours from Dallas. How fast does Ebola travel anyway? — Juliette
• There was a story on the internet about a man in Africa who died from Ebola and came back as a Zombie! I don’t believe that really happened. The internet is full of urban legends. But that’s SO COOL! It’s like The Walking Dead. — Ashwin
• I saw on the news that people flying to the United States from Africa are being scanned for the virus; I wonder how that works? — Charlotte
• Ebola is like Plague, a game I play on my smart phone; but it’s real. Life imitates art or is it the other way around? — Rebecca, Tess, and Walker
• Ebola came to the U.S. because someone who didn’t know he was sick flew here from Africa. People were exposed. And you can die from it. That’s something that catches people’s attention. — Aiden
• If it made The Week in Rap 8 times this year, then Ebola is THE Big Deal! — Arda & Jerry
• People are saying prayers over their family and loved ones. They are praying that they do not get Ebola. — Allyson

Defense 2: The threat of Ebola influences our everyday decisions:

• My whole Water Polo team was talking about Ebola. Coach and our parents decided to cancel our Dallas meet because it was an overnight event and we would be staying in hotels and eating in restaurants while we were there. That was when it was all over the news that Ebola was in Dallas. Everyone was concerned we might be exposed. It wasn’t worth the risk. — Daniel
• Some doctors and nurses went to Africa to help Ebola victims there. They have good hearts and want to help cure sick people using their skills and talents. They knew they were taking a risk, but they chose to go anyway. I think that is brave. — Jamison & friends
• I admire those people who went to Africa to help Ebola victims, but I would not go. I would be too afraid that I would get Ebola. I don’t think people with young children should go to Africa. What if something happened and there was no one to take care of their children? Some adults can’t afford to make a decision like that. It’s weird how a decision that is so thoughtful and selfless when you look at it one way, is really kind of irresponsible when you look at it from the view of a child. — prefers to remain anonymous
• The U.S. should adopt a policy to send West Africa more aid in the form of ZMapp. — Graydon
• … and in return, require that people in Africa stop eating bats and foxes! — Josh
• Ebola is a virus. It helps to wash your hands. I wash my hands more now. I sing “Happy Birthday” to know that I have washed long enough. — Emily

Congratulations, Bunker Hill Elementary, and thank you to Ms. Sydow’s students for your thoughtful answers!

Of course, there were many, many more big stories this year. Have your own ideas about how to sum up 2014? Enter our Year in Rap contest with the New York Times Learning Network!

The Week in Rap contest is taking a break for the holiday season, but we’ll be back in 2015 with more opportunities to win a shout out for your school.