Excruciating Doesn't Begin to Describe It

We spent three weeks working on a paper, the kids had everything scaffolded, wrote the paragraphs ahead of time, organized and laid things out in an outline, and spent a week writing a rough draft, editing, and typing a 2 page paper. These are some samples of what I am reading - typed exacty as I got them, and the picture on the left is a pretty good example of what their papers look like when I am done with them.

"There are many negative results of the protestant reformation for Africa (what? I have no idea what she is talking about...we did not mention the PR in relation to Africa even once.). The increase in the global trade was bad for the Africa. One reason it was bad was because their population went down. If their was disease and hard labnor Europe put them thru then their population is likely to decreases."

"Also there were many more results and a conclusion that you can conclude but this is what I thought was most important."

"Throughout parts of the global trade mark there were many good things they benefited from and also a whole other half that was not so beneficial in other words they were bad." (this was an OPENING sentence, one of 5 sentences that she typed in a 55 minute period)

"A positive result of Islamic reformation was Arabia Somali is created (second time I have gotten that term so far...they are corrupting Saudi Arabia). This was a positive outcome for Muslims because if samalic Arabia was created. Then Islam's can establish homes for them self's." (It makes me want to claw my own eyes out, seriously.)

"When I was In preschool I went to toddler tech and had to leave because my two cousins got kicked out for two much bad behaving." (students were taught - by both myself AND their language arts teachers this year AND last year - how to write an introductory hook. This one A) had nothing to do with change, and B) was the 4th sentence into the essay, falling smack dab into the middle of a paragraph about global trade. I cried.)
I'm not even done with one class. It gives me a headache to read these papers. I keep debating with myself if I should just let some things go,  but seriously, how are they going to get better if I don't tell them how to improve? But it takes FOREVER to grade these.