It’s not for me to decide whether I am good.

My good qualities may or may not outweigh the bad ones, but I don’t think that’s up to me to decide. The people I meet create an image of me for themselves. What they see is what they believe, and if they only see the good in me they will think I’m a great person. If people were able to only see that bad, then I’d probably be considered evil. I tell myself that I’m a good person because that’s what I want to be.

— Bobby Patterson III, Quaker Valley High School, PA

I don’t think I should be the judge of whether or not I am a good person. Determining that is something that the people around me should do, and not myself. My family gives money to a hospice/charity every Christmas. Giving is one of the things you could do for people to consider you a good person. People appreciate it when you sacrifice something of your own to improve the life of someone else. It is important to look at the lives of the people around and think about how you can help them out if they are in need. That is what will make you a good person. It is not about the amount of money or the things you have, but about your heart and your kindness.

— Elizabeth Sevrukov, J.R Masterman

For my standards, I’m a decent person. But again, that’s my standards. People probably think differently. Some people call me nice and others call me mean so it’s not really a perfect answer. I do things that make people proud and stuff that disappoints people. I get good grades in school and I feel that I’m a good student. But my mom always complains about me not doing my chores or me making a mess …

I set my own standards and if I don’t meet them then something is wrong. Because I’ve realized I’ll never be perfect because there will always be something “bad” about you that people will exploit. Whether I’m good or bad to other people doesn’t really bother me that much. Because they really don’t know my full life either way.

— Kaitlyn G., J.R. Masterman

“Goodness” is a spectrum.

One concept I would like to bring to the table is that I do not believe in the black and white idea of an individual either being a good person or a bad person. Goodness should be thought of as a spectrum, with good and bad as extremes on either end, and individuals’ goodness falls within the scale. The four insights of goodness mentioned at the end of the article are all characteristics of a good person; although, what makes an individual “good” is entirely subjective to that very individual and those who witness their behavior. People are nurtured throughout their life to understand how to be a good person and how to perceive a good person. Because no individual shares the same perspective, these ideas of “good” people are nuanced from person to person.

— Jae Thomas, Bryant High School, Arkansas

To me, goodness does not have one set meaning. It involves caring for yourself, others, the space around you all at the same time. It means promoting a sense of well-being by doing what you believe is right. This can all be very difficult when you have conflicting information, obstacles in the way, or a tough decision to make, but all the tips in the article have a part in choosing what you think is right. I think that step 1 to being a good person starts with being kind to yourself. This means that you are optimistic about what you do, caring for yourself by thinking positive thoughts, being nutritious, and identifying what makes you happy. If you are kind to yourself, the chances are higher that you will be kinder to others, becoming more thoughtful about the present time and considering how you are making an impact in shaping the future.

— MC, Masterman

I feel that it’s not just one factor or one part of a human that determines whether or not they’re a good person at heart, but rather a serious of parts bonded together that make them who they are. People make mistakes, have bad days, and aren’t nice at every single moment. This by no means makes someone a bad person. It just makes them a human being. Trying to be perfect is unhealthy, but trying to be a good person is something that everyone should be practicing, everywhere, everyday.

— Sadie Dunne, Hoggard High school in Wilmington, NC