Independence Middle School is proud to recognize eighth-grade student Karson Kirth for being named a finalist in the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage’s 2026 Stop the Hate Contest.
The Stop the Hate program encourages students from across Northeast Ohio to share personal stories and ideas that promote empathy, understanding, and positive change in their communities. This year, more than 3,600 students from over 150 schools participated in the contest, submitting essays, poetry, and songs focused on building a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Karson was selected as one of the Grade 8 essay finalists, representing Independence Middle School among a talented group of students from throughout the region. His writing stood out for its thoughtful message and commitment to promoting kindness and understanding.
Finalists will be honored and winners announced during the Stop the Hate Awards Ceremony on April 14, 2026, where students will be recognized for using their voices to inspire positive change.
The Independence Middle School community is incredibly proud of Karson for this outstanding achievement. His recognition highlights the power of student voices and the important role young people play in shaping a more respectful and inclusive future.
Stop The Hate
By Karson Kirth
I realized how unfair the world was the moment right after I got diagnosed with type one diabetes. I remember walking into school after I was at the hospital for three days. Everyone was asking me what happened and was I ok, so I told them. Some were interested and wanted to help, but the other people just laughed and made fun of me. By the end of the day, almost all of my grade knew and most of them were asking questions and some were making fun of me. I did not really care what they were saying, but I realized that I have to live with this for the rest of my life.
Before that moment, I did not think that because I had a chronic disease people would look at me differently. It wasn't the comments; it was that people judge on things that they don't understand. Before I could even try to help them learn, they would just make assumptions. At that moment, I realized how exclusion felt. This wasn't because I was being left out of a game, it was being left out of something because of the disease I can't control.
At first, I just stayed quiet. I did not want to make the situation worse. In my eighth grade ELA, we had an assignment where we had to describe either internal or external scars. I chose to write about diabetes and everything I knew about my disease. I read it to a few of my classmates, and they realized what they were saying was about something completely different. Some even apologized and started asking me questions about my chronic disease.
Looking back, that moment shaped the way I wanted my life to look - one where everyone tried to understand before judging others. A world where differences didn’t push people away but gave chances to learn something new. I don't want anyone else, whether they have diabetes or something different, to feel smaller because of who they are or what their body needs.
Now, I try to speak up for anyone who is being bullied for things they can't control. I correct people when they talk about myths about diabetes. I try to help others that feel less than the average human being. In the future, I want to be the person that makes these conversations normal - someone who uses their own experiences to help others.
Diabetes taught me that unfairness doesn't always look big or dramatic.
Sometimes it’s a classroom assignment. But those moments matter because it can push you to choose silence or choose change. I chose change. And I hope that piece by piece I can build a world where one feels less ashamed of what makes them different. I just want to make it clear that just because someone is different does not mean they want it brought to their attention all the time. I plan to volunteer to work with Breakthrough T1D as a youth ambassador.