Courtney Smith is a featured editorialist from Granite Hills' AP English Language class. She encourages adoption as someone with an adopted sibling.

On September 30, 2003, the United States Children’s Bureau calculated a total of 520,000 orphans in the United States. This statistic shows a desperate need for people who are willing to adopt children in the United States. These statistics, however, fail to show the number of orphans in the world.

Around the world, parentless children left with no one to rely on are becoming more and more common every year. For example, “in Russia, the number of children who each year are left without parental care increased from 49,000 in 1989 to 114,000 in 1999,” according to the research of the Innocenti Research Center. As a result, more kids are growing up without the love of a family. In Russia, the government is putting these children into orphanages with hundreds of kids and only a few workers to care for them. These children have no home to rely on. These children have no parent to rely. These children have an uncertainty of what truly belongs to them. Therefore, orphans experience a lack of security and are unable to consistently rely on others. Poverty-stricken countries are in need of people to help their orphans who are now in a grave situation. We, as Americans, have the opportunity to step out and help those less fortunate than we.

For those who are unable to have children or want to have more kids and feel they are able to open up their lives to an orphaned child, adoption may be right for you. I believe all who are able and willing to adopt should take action to help a child in need of a family who desires to love them. By adopting a child, your life will be truly blessed by the new joy that will enter your life. Andrea Della Vecchio, author of The Unofficial Guide to Adoption, felt “the emotional highs will outweigh the emotional lows” of an adoption. You may face difficulties in the process of adoption and may undergo frustration, but when you get a chance to hold your child in your arms, those hard times will seem like nothing compared to the love you share.

I understand that not everything about an adoption is easy. Adoptions are costly. For instance, according to adoption.com, “international adoptions can range from $7,000 to $30,000 [and] agency and private adoptions can range from $5,000 to $40,000.” Also, the adoption process can be a long, stressful time full of pitfalls with filling out paperwork for many different government and local agencies, but I guarantee, after spending time with your child, it is all worthwhile. I do, however, feel that it our government should provide financial aid to those willing to adopt. Children throughout this world are struggling yet we seem to only think of ourselves. If our government would help those who do not have the money needed by giving them money, orphans could be given hope and they would no longer be a responsibility of the state.

I also believe we should provide pro-adoption seminars. I do not believe many people even realize that adoption is an option. If people knew it was possible to choose the ethnic background of their child, I believe people would be more likely to look into saving the life of a child. We, as Americans need to realize that there are children out there who have no hope and there are children out there who have no one to love them and there are children out their who have no future. We need to start to be aware of the problems around us. We can no longer be self-centered. Instead, we need to raise awareness of the injustices in this world.

Already, I could not imagine life without my adopted sister, Megan. She brings life and enjoyment to my family and me. The money, pitfalls, frustrations. They are all well worth it when I weigh it against the joy Megan has brought to my family. Adopt a child. Their life may depend on it.