2024 SECOND PLACE WINNER
Emma M.
5th Grade, Ocean Grove
I would like to thank small business owners and workers for making America a better place, because most of the big companies in America started as small businesses, and businesses need owners and workers. Another reason is that they work long days, and their work provides goods and services to the community.
In Downtown Morgan Hill, there are a lot of unique stores, and it’s not just goods and clothes stores that make America a better place, restaurants give exhausted and tired adults a meal off of cooking and washing lots of dirty dishes and silverware. Grocery stores also provide food so that not everybody has to work on a farm and grow and harvest good crops.
Most helpful inventions and businesses started when people saw a need and want for something and filled it, and, it usually makes life easier. For example, cleaning businesses make it so that if you do not have time to clean your house, they will do it for you. Building companies make it so you do not have to spend time building whatever you need. If we did not have grocery stores, restaurants, and clothes stores, then you would have to plant, grow, and process your own food, sew your clothes, and take care of animals. And because everybody, including kids, would be busy all day, kids would not be able to go to school!
Thankfully, though, this is not how we live today. And, we even have activities like sports and games, and entertainment like the movie theater and the Morgan Hill Playhouse. Also, there are lots of programs run by people which may include; theater, sports, sewing, and gymnastics.
In some places, there are not many activities for kids. Business owners and workers help make these opportunities possible. There are so many stores and restaurants in Morgan Hill, I can’t even count them all! There are also bookstores, toy stores, and craft stores.
Because of all the workers and owners, businesses help make America a great place. America is still not perfect, but people and businesses help make it better. Again, I would like to thank all the small business owners and workers. If you are a small business owner or worker, THANK YOU!
2023 SECOND PLACE WINNER
Andy T.
Grade 5 – Mrs. McDonald
When I think about Independence Day, I think about our country’s heroes, our rights, and our freedom in this country. Imagine being in an area that has absolutely no freedom, your country has unfair laws, and you have no control over your choices. I would not be happy, but many countries today still face this issue. These countries have no independence whatsoever, and are miserable. However, we should be grateful we are independent and never have to worry about this happening to us.
Independence Day is a day to celebrate our independence, which is why we should be thanking those who fight for our freedom and rights, such as the Armed Forces, or police officers, who do a big part in conserving our rights and keeping us safe.
When I hear about Independence Day, I also think about how we have our own freedom, we have freedom of speech, the freedom to play our favorite video games like Roblox. And, we have the freedom to read our favorite book series and the right to express who you are.
Our celebrations here in Morgan Hill already do a big part in helping us celebrate Independence Day. I love the parade because I get to eat popsicles and hold flags. A lot of people come so it is fun to celebrate together as a community.
I am writing about this because it is important to recognize that we are Independent, we have many free choices. We can also express ourselves however we want. I am proud to be an American!
2022 SECOND PLACE WINNER
Karl Shreve
“LET FREEDOM RING”
Barrett Elementary School
4th Grade – Mrs. Keener
The theme, “Let Freedom Ring” reminded me of the song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”. It also reminded me of the Liberty Bell that didn’t ring like it was supposed to. Sometimes life doesn’t go as it is supposed to, like the pandemic. We still have to be proud and thankful for our freedom and what we have.
The song, “My Country ‘tis of Thee”, shared different points in American history. These points include “Land of the Pilgrims pride”, “Sweet Land of Liberty”, it describes many locations in our country where we are free and our Freedom Rings free.
The Liberty Bell was an important part of the history of our country, the bell was rung when the Declaration of Independence was read on July 8, 1776. The bell was rung at Independence Hall in Philadelphia when it was first rung, it cracked. It didn’t ring like other bells. It has also been said that the bell became famous when a story said the bell-ringer rang the bell on July 4, 1776, after the vote for independence identifying our first 4th of July, our first Freedom Ring.
The pandemic has changed many things but, freedom is not one of them. It changed how we go places, and how we dine and how we live our lives. It hasn’t been easy and we’ve lost loved ones and friends. We are making it through together and we are still free, so “Let Freedom Ring”.
We need to be happy that our lives didn’t get taken. We have our freedom and life to be thankful for. Our country has many things others don’t, like Freedom. We can be thankful that we are safe and not at war like Ukraine is right now. We are safe in our own homes, in our own country. We are lucky and thankful that we have people to fight for us and protect our country and state.
Lastly, we have to be thankful for what we have. We have to be proud and keep letting Freedom Ring by helping others, being kind, nice and brave.
2021 SECOND PLACE WINNER
Ava L.-O.
“POSTAL WORKERS ARE HEROES”
Nordstrom Elementary School
5th Grade - Ms. Hemeon
In December of 2019, the first COVID-19 case appeared in Wuhan, China. A month later on January 15, the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Washington State, USA. By March of 2020, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, called for a state of emergency after the numerous confirmed cases in CA. The first death was confirmed in Placer County, CA. Cases skyrocketed nationally. The pandemic has been really hard on our community. There have been many heroes throughout this time. Some are firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers, and teachers but in this essay, I will focus on postal workers. Postal workers have been continuously helping our community by delivering our essentials, working long hours, and putting themselves at risk of Covid-19.
I think postal workers are heroes because they are constantly putting themselves at risk. At the beginning of the pandemic, their health was at risk. There was a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) like N95 masks, disposable gloves, and sanitizing gel/disinfectant. Postal workers were worried about being exposed to Covid-19. They were not receiving the funding they required to purchase the PPE and there were few available vendors with what they needed. There were no emergency approved vaccines available in 2020. When vaccines were available, postal workers weren't vaccinated in the first group. They ultimately ended up as part of phase 1B of the immunization schedule. Phase 1B of the vaccination process is the group of people who are second in line to get the vaccine. Examples of these people would be postal workers, workers in agriculture, education workers and child care workers, and emergency services. Even though there were many challenges, they kept working.
Postal workers worked long hours - delivering our packages starting early in the morning until late in the evening when it was dark. They knocked on our doors or rang our doorbells not knowing if the surfaces they touched may have been contaminated by Covid-19. They heroically continued to deliver our essential needs despite their concerns. People ordered clothes, school supplies, food, and more online. Without postal workers to deliver these essentials, we wouldn’t have been able to set up our home offices for school and work. Almost all schools were conducting learning online which proved difficult for students’ minds to work with as digital learning was not a part of normal life. Students and teachers had to buy computers, computer accessories, blue light eyeglasses, headphones, and workstations. If postal workers weren’t working regularly during the pandemic, we wouldn’t have been able to be prepared for school and our parents couldn’t complete their work tasks.
I am so thankful for the postal workers that have been working in my community throughout this pandemic. They are true heroes that deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic.
2020 SECOND PLACE WINNER
Samantha C.
Charter School of Morgan Hill
4th Grade - Mrs. Crispin
If I could write a letter to any American woman it would be Ellen Ochoa. Ellen was the first Hispanic woman to go to space. She had a great education and got a degree to be an electrical engineer. She inspired me to reach my dreams and reach for the stars. I knew that I won’t give up my dreams. I will work hard like she did. She also inspired me to go for it and take those risks.
First of all, Ellen made all Hispanics have a chance to follow their dreams. In 1993 Ellen Ochoa sent off on her first mission into space. In 1990 she was selected by NASA to be on the team. She worked hard to be on the team. I know that I won’t let down my team. I will work hard and believe in what I am doing. She also inspired me to be me and know that I can do anything. Ellen had 4 successful missions, I will complete my missions just like she did.
Secondly, when I learned about Ellen Ochoa and her school experience it looked like she was just a normal kid in class, turns out she was the top in the class. For her to go to Stanford and get a degree in electrical engineering then be selected by NASA, made me wow. I now know that you don’t need to look smart to be smart, you don’t need glasses to be smart, you just have to listen well and follow directions to have a good education.
However, there are some people that might wonder that Ellen Ochoa is not useful in American life and just Hispanics, but Ellen has pushed me everyday to believe what I can do. I work hard and motivate myself like she did. She is the person that motivated me to try new things. It’s like she is saying to me “Go for it” and believe what I can do.
Ellen Ochoa inspired me to work hard and believe in what I am doing. I now know you don’t need to look smart on the outside, you just have to be smart on the inside, to get a good education and to look at her now and where she is. Maybe I can make a difference someday.
Ellen Ochoa motivates me to think about self-discipline. Most importantly, Ellen is the one who made me think in what I can do even though I am just a swimmer and normal student, I can be more.