Gabriella Fernandez
Kindergarten
Our Lady of Lourdes, Bethesda
My special day is when I am a fashion designer. I will create a dress with snow crystals. I will give the dress to a kid who has no clothes. I will design pants and shirts for the boys. My clothes will make them happy and be comfortable. My clothes will make wishes and dreams come true. I will design homes for the kids. On my special day, everyone will eat ice cream.
William Smith
Kindergarten
Our Lady of Lourdes, Bethesda
My special day is in Williamland. I drove my car to McDonald’s for a biscuit. I turned into an alien and went to outer space. I played hide and seek with other aliens. Then I came home to Bethesda. I became a knight. I went on adventures and killed a dragon and practiced with my lance. Then I went into my castle and fed my horses. I rode my horses home to Bethesda.
Linnea Hultman
Grade 1
Kensington Parkwood Elementary, Kensington
The first thing I would do would be wake up at 6. Then, I would remember I was at my grandparents’ house without my mom, my dad or my brother. It would be a beautiful spring morning, so I would go out into the yard with Grammy. I would see a fairy! The fairy would say, “Would you like to be a fairy, too?” “Really?” I would say. Then there would be a fairy party and I would be a fairy! I would get a pair of wings as a present! (Just butterfly wings.) But I would hear Grampy calling, and so I would turn into a human again, and would come in to have breakfast. (Steel cut oats with mango cubes on top.)
Then we would all grow wings, and fly to the airport. I would get on a magic plane heading toward England. It would be my birthday, so I would have a party with snacks and everything. By the time that it was done, we would be in England! I love England, so I would be very excited. I would like to buy a lovely house for only one cent. I would eat a croissant for lunch. I would go to Kate’s (one of my best friends) house to play, and finally, we would go back to the house we had bought and have dinner. (Dumplings and fortune cookies.)
Isabel Danzis
Grade 2
Bethesda Elementary
On my special day, I have to stay in bed a little longer so my wings can grow. On my special day, once I get out of bed, I fly to school instead of taking the bus. When I get to school the doors are closed so I fly up on the roof. All of the teachers are up there and we have a big party. Soon the doors open, I fly in. I fly down the hallway. I close my eyes and wish I had my own dog. I open my eyes and my dog Reggie is standing in front of me. I go up a ramp to my classroom. When I get up the ramp, I pass my sister Mimi. She wants to say hi to Reggie. I let her. When I get to my class, I unpack and read a book. My reading teacher comes and we go up to her classroom. We read a book called Cinderlad. Soon it is time to go back to my homeroom class. In science, I learn that I can control the weather. I make it sunny for recess. Lunch is great. Once I get home I go to bed right then and there. It is the best day ever!
Nayana MacMillan
Grade 4
Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Bethesda
My long eyelashes lift off my eyes and flutter like butterflies dancing in the wind. Sunlight streams through my windows and spills itself on my bedspread, creating colorful patterns. The leaves of the big magnolia tree gently stroke the window in their morning ritual before swaying in the breeze. All the sunflowers in their neat little rows turn their faces toward the heavens and thank their creator for their harmony of color. My room is filled with the scent of sweet-smelling lavender as I nestle close to my mother, who is ruffling my hair and whispering words of encouragement for my very much anticipated final basketball game of the season.
Energized, I dart to my closet and slip on my basketball T-shirt and shorts. I make sure I slip on a game-face, too, one that is of determination and hopefulness. Once at the court, my teammates and I search each other’s faces for winning spirit.
I am gasping for breath after playing two tough quarters of the game. I plop down on the bench as the sound of sneakers hitting the ground pounds my head like raindrops pelting down on a rooftop. Refreshing myself with some gulps of Gatorade, I look up at the scoreboard. I am dismayed to find a painful 28-16 staring back at me. I know that if we want to stand undefeated, we will have to play harder and cover our ground.
For the fourth and final quarter, I emerge from the stillness of the bench and plant myself in position. My team regroups and recovers. My head is pounding as we approach the final moments of the game. I jump as high as my legs can lift me and stretch my arms farther than I could ever imagine as the ball finds its way to me. Together, we race against time to negotiate our way into the basket. I hold my breath and search the scoreboard for clues. Triumphantly, my teammates and I congratulate each other and I in turn feel yet another victory slip into the palms of my hands.
Once back at home, I curl up on the sofa and ponder the pleasures of success and treasures that life offers us. I wonder about the blessings that come to us naturally and the rewards that we must strive for to accomplish. I watch the sunset as the unassuming gray sky turns into magnificent shades of yellow, orange, pink, red and purple which seem to light up the whole sky. The fading sun, looking like a big ball of honey, seems to wink at me before setting like a golden coin dropping into a slot. Watching the clouds move blissfully about in the dim sky, I take notice of the dragonflies’ flickering lights as they seem to flit noisily in their own world.
Looking forward to my own nightly ritual, I dive under my bed covers, where I can still feel the warm spot that I left behind this morning. I pick up my best friend, my diary, and feel my mind and soul longing to compose a poem. A poem that captures my dreams and aspirations. I take a deep breath, transforming pictures that have formed in my head into words of wonder. I like it and I hope you do, too.
I wish I could make a difference
Amidst this world of turmoil
To leave my imprint upon this planet
On each and every soil
And oh the world would turn to me
Thanking me for the world they would then see
A transformation of my creation before their
very eyes
I hold only one word for them and that is “surprise!”
The trees would bow their heads before me
The flowers would crane their necks to see
And then oh what a hero I would be
So now I wish I could make a difference
Amidst this world of turmoil
To leave my imprint upon this planet
On each and every soil.
