To the Editor:

I believe in many things including the healing powers of laughter and the strength of a sense of humor. I believe in loving everyone regardless of differences. I believe in standing up for yourself and your values.

But most of all I believe in the superiority of collaboration. Throughout my considerably short life I have learned one major rule that always stood out to me, teamwork. We hear about it everyday in our lives and dont stop to think about it. Therefore, I will tell you about the strength of collaboration and the huge effects it has on our world today.

Recently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere was hit with a devastating earthquake. It destroyed almost all of the local buildings and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and unemployed. The already weak government was ruined along with the economy.

The country, Haiti, if it wasnt already desperately in need, has certainly become so now. As a result countries all over the world have been collaborating to give Haiti the help it so badly needs. In addition Haitians have helped now another by saving trapped survivors from fallen buildings and taking relatives and other distressed people into some still standing homes in the outer regions of the country.

Doctors of many nationalities have also collaborated and volunteered to go to Haiti to treat the thousands of injured people with little supplies other than very rudimentary tools and little support. Though things have been rough going for the Haitians, I believe that cooperation among them and the rest of the world could, without a doubt, save Haiti and rebuild it for the better.

Throughout history there have been two major World Wars in which the good guys united against the bad guys to defeat them. For example, the Allies used cooperation to defeat the Axis Powers.

Another case of teamwork also relating to the wars is the effect they had on Americans and how, during both World Wars, regular citizens collaborated to support the soldiers fighting in the battlefields. They accomplished this by many of the men at home helping to make guns in factories that might have previously made cars. Women also helped by making uniforms instead of the mittens and sweaters they normally were required to make at the factories.

I believe the superb teamwork among Americans off the battlefield played a major part in winning both World Wars, which explains, once again, why I believe in cooperation.

In my personal life I have a few hobbies and activities that justify my belief in teamwork. I see teamwork in sports, I see it in band and I see it all the time in just working together to achieve a common goal.

In sports, everyone knows a team with a ball hog will never win. Only a team that collaborates will have an undefeated season.

Furthermore, in band if there is no cooperation among the musicians they will never achieve a standing ovation. Only a band that acts as a team will create a masterpiece. Anyway you think about it, cooperation will always thrive.

When you hear about teamwork now you should realize that if everyone works together we are capable of so much. Therefore the acronym, TEAM, together everyone achieves more truly spells out my belief. This is why I strongly believe in the value of collaboration.

The collaboration in Haiti has saved many lives. We should use this example of collaboration in our own lives, banding together as the good guys, to help and serve our neighbors and communities.

J. Gavin Roser, 7th grader