This week, we read about Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani education activist who was shot by the Taliban. After hearing her story, we watched the speech she gave at the United Nations on her 16th birthday. Students then responded to various parts of her speech. Here are a handful of the amazing essays they wrote!
“I don’t want revenge for the Taliban, I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban.”
- Malala Yousafzai
Peaceful. Peaceful is a strong word, but peaceful is nothing compared to Malala. Malala has gone through a lot and a lot sounds like nothing, but you have no idea. Malala has fought for female education, and it hasn’t been easy. The Taliban put her in danger’s eyes and no harm is what she wants to do.
“I don’t want revenge on the Taliban, I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban” is what Malala Yousafzai said. In my eyes, it means that revenge won’t help the situation, although she has every right to want revenge. She has enough care, passion, and forgiveness in her heart to not retaliate. That takes a loving and forgiving person. I choose this quote because it stood out. The Taliban shot her in her face, but she still doesn’t want harm. I deeply agree with her, but no way on Earth that I would be that calm and forgiving. What Malala said surprised me. I would think that she would want to take them down.
Malala reminds me of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. because of her heroic actions and her never giving up, even when she could die. Dr. King wanted to fight, but with non-violence. Malala is a peaceful girl, heroic girl, and determined girl. No one can silence her. Peaceful. Peaceful is nothing compared to Malala.
Written by AC
“I am not here to speak against the Taliban. I’m here to speak up for the right of every child.”
- Malala Yousafzai
“...Thank you,” says Malala Yousafzai. The crowd is going wild for Malala’s speech on how she believes that girls can go to school. Malala has done so much. She got shot several times, she faked her age, and she made a blog to stand up for children. She did all of that for education at the risk of being killed. But she recovered and she gave a terrific speech at the United Nations on her 16th birthday.
The reason I picked this quote is because she is trying to bring peace and is standing up for children. This quote means that Malala does not want revenge or to hurt the Taliban, but she wants them to have education and that it is important not to hate.
That’s what all of the children want. I do very much agree with what Malala said. I do because there is non-violence. The quote does surprise me because Malala Yousafzai didn’t want to fight back. However, at the same time, it does not surprise me because every action and word she said before that was encouraging, thoughtful, and kind.
Now when I think of Malala Yousafzai I think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., of how they told everyone of their beliefs but in peace. They both wanted equality, but without violence. Now I ask my family members and friends if they know Malala Yousafzai, then tell them about her. So this is a story about a girl who wanted equality in education, however, in peace.
Written by SR
“They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed.
- Malala Yousafzai
- Malala Yousafzai
Do you know Malala Yousafzai? She got shot in her eye socket and survived. She wanted to let girls go to school. Today she is succeeding in her dream. She went to the U.N. and she gave a speech there.
I chose this quote because what she says just explains her. To me this quote means she wants everybody to be educated. No matter what race, no matter what color, no matter the way you look. I’m very surprised that Malala Yousafzai said, “They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed.” If someone shot me, I would get revenge, but Malala just kept on doing what she was doing. If you were Malala, what would you do?
This quote applies to my beliefs as well and tells me how everybody looks at each other in different ways. For example, Malala looks at everybody and says he/she should get a good education. Are you like Malala Yousafzai?
Written by LK
“They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed.”
- Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai was a very powerful little girl. She was shot in the face and still fought for girls’ rights for education. She was threatened, but still fought. Malala grew up in Swat Valley, Pakistan. Her father taught her everything she needed to know. When Malala was old enough she went to a school that her father founded. In 2009, Malala began blogging for the BBC about living under the Taliban’s threats to deny her an education. Soon her blog became very famous and she was awarded the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011. On October 9, 2012 on her way home, a man boarded the bus Malala was riding and demanded to know which girl was Malala. When her friends all looked at her, that was all that was needed. The man shot three bullets, one hit Malala in the face and the other two hit her friends. Malala did survive.
The quote, “They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed,” stood out to me because the quote showed that she was still going to fight for her rights and was still standing strong. I think this quote means that she doesn’t care what the Taliban does to her, she will speak against them.
Malala is and was a very powerful girl and young woman. She reminds me of Ruby Bridges. Malala reminds me of Ruby Bridges because they were both girls and fighting for their rights. Malala Yousafzai really inspires me. Who inspires you?
Written by NN
“They thought the bullets would silence us, but they failed.”
- Malala Yousafzai
Some people thought that education for girls was wrong. Malala Yousafzai thought otherwise. Malala Yousafzai was one of many girls who couldn’t attend school because of the Taliban. But Malala went anyway. One day she was riding home from school and Malala was shot in the head three times. She survived and ended up giving a speech at the United Nations on her 16th birthday.
This quote surprises me because she survived a shot to the head. She also made a blog talking about how women should have an education as well. She knew that Taliban would try to kill her again if she did not stop, but Malala still wanted to fight for women and girls’ education.
In conclusion, this quote and Malala reminds me of Martin Luther King, Jr. because he wanted to fight for civil rights and Malala is fighting for educational rights. I think that they are both inspirational people. Malala is an awesome woman and I hope she continues the great work she is doing.
Written by KA
“Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons.”
- Malala Yousafzai
It’s awful! Malala Yousafzai was a young girl who did not like things that were happening. When she was 11, girls over the age of ten were not allowed to go to school. Malala lived in Pakistan when people started threatening to kill her if she kept trying to make girls go to school.
I chose this quote because I liked how she does not want to use weapons, but knowledge. That is also what the quote means. I agree with her because if you hate people, they will never learn to be kind.
What Malala said relates to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It relates because he didn’t want to teach them to respect everyone with weapons, but with words. I think Malala is very brave for doing all these things just so girls can go to school.
Written by TD
