Submitted by Tessa Wilkerson
Class of 2010

Friday, December 12, 2008

Dear editor, I am usually impressed with the HiLite and its careful coverage of modern issues from a student’s perspective. I was, however, shocked and disappointed with the article “Wishlist 2008: Recession Edition” that appeared in the December 12 edition of the HiLite. A more accurate title would probably have been “Carmel’s Wishlist 2008: Recession? What recession?”. While the article offered more expensive comparisons to the items listed, the gift ideas listed were all by far too expensive for the average teen to even consider as practical gifts for friends and family. The cheapest item on the list cost fourteen dollars and the prices increased exponentially from there! Perhaps a $250 game console is bargain spending for a privileged few Carmelites, but most students at this school would not even have considered that a practical gift when the economy was still thriving. I would so much have preferred to see an article about great gifts that can be made or purchased for under ten dollars, or the best gifts to give that cost no money at all. The lucky few who can buy all their friends Bearpaw boots or Rock Band 2 probably very much enjoyed the article, but for myself and my fellow students who make $6.55 an hour and don’t have our holiday spending reimbursed by Mommy and Daddy, I was disappointed.

Sincerely,

Tessa Wilkerson, 2010