"The America I Believe In..."
Sixth grade students in Ginger Colvin’s advanced English classes at Daniel Island School recently submitted entries into the national “Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest” sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. As part of the assignment, students were asked to describe the America they believe in. In recognition of Veterans Day, The Daniel Island News has printed excerpts from many of their stories below.
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…Freedom is such a strong, powerful word. It can pop different ideas into the heads of many different people. North Koreans might think about their dictator, who will not let them leave the country. People of a different religion living in other countries might think of how they are discriminated against, or treated unfairly. As an American, I think about how I am given the gift of freedom. I am free to vote for who I think will be good for our country. I am free to choose who I want to marry. I am free to choose what job I want. We do have to follow laws, some strict, but they keep men, women, and kids safe.
Honoring America and the people who founded our country is very important to us. Students recite the pledge to the flag during school near the beginning of the day. At professional and college sports matches and games, our national anthem is sung. These really do mean something. Our nation is as great as it is today because we are free to have our own beliefs. It does not matter whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, or Islamic, because in America, you are treated with liberty, justice, and respect. We all should be treated equally, as the Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal.” – by Grace Herman
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Abraham Lincoln once said, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” It’s called the United States of America because we are strong when we’re united. America has a gift that many other countries don’t have, freedom. Freedom can be influenced a lot by political leaders. I can’t imagine how different my life would be if we lost some of these wars…Many people in my family have served in the military. My great-grandfather fought in WWII. He made many sacrifices when he served. He went to D-Day. On the way, he dropped his gun in the water. He made it all the way to the beach, without his gun, and survived. He died of old age in 2014. He fought to keep America’s freedom safe. There are many people who serve and make these same sacrifices. – by Elena Graham
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I’m a 12 year-old and grateful that I live in America. Every morning at school we say the Pledge of Allegiance. When we say it, it makes me feel safe and that we are allowed to be free. Every day soldiers die to protect our freedom. That shows how much dedication they have for our country, and they are willing to die for our nation. I have 2 grandfathers and 2 great-grandfathers who served our nation as soldiers. It takes focus, hard work, bravery, and sacrifices to be in the military.
My grandfather served our country in the National Guard from 1969 to 1975 as a Staff Sergeant. He went one weekend a month to his unit in North Carolina where he also went to college. He also went in the summer to train in Texas and North Carolina. They had rifle ranges and shooting practice so they could be ready to go off to war when they get called. It took hard work to prepare for war.
My great-grandfather’s dedication and courage also helped secure our country’s victory in WW II. I’m very proud of him and what he did for our country. He went to Officer’s Training School in the U.S. Navy. During his training in England, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and General Patton visited his ship as well as Queen Elizabeth of England. It took lots of focus and discipline to prepare for war.
The D-day invasion was scheduled for June 5, 1944, but due to severe weather, the date was changed to June 6. He served as a gunnery officer and communications officer. He landed the first troops at Normandy Beach. He unloaded men and took them to shore. He walked in the footsteps of other men in the sand in order to avoid land mines from exploding. He continued to make many trips with more soldiers. He was a very brave man to fight for our freedom and risk his life.
The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by Francis Bellamy. On the last line it says “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Because of what our soldiers did for us, like my grandfathers and great-grandfathers, we have justice and liberty. I’m really proud to be in a nation built on freedom and justice for all. – by Wilson Brookes
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Arnold Schwarzenegger once said: “I believe with all my heart that America remains ‘the great idea’ that inspires the world. It is a privilege to be born here. It is an honor to become a citizen here. It is a gift to raise your family here, to vote here, and to live here.” As an Austrian-born citizen who immigrated to the US, Arnold’s life represents the truth of that American dream. From weightlifter, to actor, and finally to politician, he shows us that by working hard, we can aspire for greatness and succeed. The America that I believe in is that same land of opportunity, but it is also a land of freedom and greatness. For when we are united, we are a country that gives people the right to be free, to make decisions, and the opportunity to thrive. – by Calum Klimavicz
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…I’ve been to many different places in the states before. But the most exciting place was probably Washington D.C. Seeing all the history, the capital building, the White House. It made me see and appreciate how hard America worked to get where we are today. My grandfather was in WWII and tells me stories about the war all the time. I love hearing all his opinions about America. It makes me realize how lucky we are to have a country that will keep on fighting for our freedom. – by Ella Miller
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…A little bit under a year ago I heard that Syria was bombing their own people, and I was sad because, as a kid, there was nothing I could do about it. Then I realized how lucky I was to live in America and how bad that must feel to live there and what sorrows they must have. And I am still wondering about why they would do harm to their own country. I am thankful to live in America because America values its people. The America I believe in respects all people, even the ones we disagree with. – by Asher Western
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“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands for one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Every morning I say the Pledge of Allegiance to show my dedication to America. This is what the America I believe in stands for. The America I believe in is a place where everyone is respected, cared for and welcomed, and no one is left behind. The America I believe in is a place where women can be pilots, like Amelia Earhart and where men can be fashion designers, like Ralph Lauren. Different people of different genders are equal and different people of different races are equal in this country I believe in.
In 2015 my family and I visited Washington D.C. and on our trip one of the landmarks we visited was the Lincoln Memorial. I feel like this memorial embodies the fact that America is a great and proud country. Abraham is sitting confidently on a chair looking out into the distance. – by Caroline Raus