My Neighborhood

 I want to to take some time to talk about the neighborhood I grew up in.

I lived in the suburbs in Olathe, Kansas for my whole adolescent life. I went to the local elementary school right smack in the middle of the neighborhood, so I got to know many of the kids from the area. A new middle school was built less than three minutes from my house the year I was going into 6th grade, so I also went to the local middle school as well for all three years. Most families were middle class white families with jobs in the Kansas City area, and I always felt like at least on my street there were not many other kids my age. Most of my neighbors on my street were old people or had kids in high school or college. I don't remember any minority families on my street and very few kids at my school.

When I go back home, I see how things have changed a little bit. There are a lot more businesses in the area and the demographic is still largely the same; there are a lot of white people, but on my street there is a Black family that lives across from us and a couple doors down. I haven't had the chance to talk to them-or anyone on my street as of recent.

From what I can remember, I did not have any non-white friends throughout middle school, but in high school I did have a couple Black and Asian friends. However, most of us played into the predominant culture at our school and the only thing I can remember about social groups that differed from the norm were groups of Hispanic kids that would talk and sit together a lot. Since I have no connection to that culture and can't speak Spanish I never really talked to them.

Like I said, most of the families in my neighborhood were middle class white families and on top of that we had a city-funded neighborhood tennis court, walking trail and two swimming pools. We had a small lake that people could fish or canoe on as well. In the past couple years the tennis court got redone and the forested area was trimmed and cleaned up. 

People in my childhood neighborhood cared about being friendly towards one another. Neighbors would talk to each other and sometimes bake something for someone else, especially if a new family moved into the neighborhood. Many houses put an American flag on display in front of their house to show their patriotism. I don't pay as much attention anymore when I return back home, but I feel like these things are disappearing slowly. Maybe it's due to Covid-19 or maybe people's values are changing.

I used to think my neighborhood was especially safe for families and specifically children to grow up in. I never had to worry about leaving my house, walking to school, or even walking throughout the whole neighborhood. I am so grateful that my neighborhood made me feel so safe and secure, and that there were well-funded and close schools that I was fortunate enough to attend.