Essay from a Third Grader

So Kaylee has to submit an essay for the Freedom Festival Essay contest and this is her essay. I helped her with the typing and the "editing" but most of the thoughts were completely hers, I had to keep asking her probing questions and we came up with this : Mind you she is in 3rd grade and 8 years old (she'll be 9 in April)

Awesome Things Called Values

By Kaylee Randolph

I am going to let you know about some American Values that I get to enjoy. They are Family, Freedom, God, and Country. If we lived in a country where these values weren’t important our lives could be miserable and terrifying. We would be miserable because in other countries God and Freedom might not exist, and without our freedom there could be slavery, and as a kid we might not be able to play inside or outside on a nice sunny day. Without God, we might not be allowed to pray. So these four values practiced together are important to Americans.

Family is important to me because I would not be alive without them. They make me feel good inside because they love me, and teach me what I need to know to be a good person. They also support me when I am afraid. If I didn’t have my family I would be lost, scared and confused. So I’m glad that I belong to a family that is nice to me, and includes me in the games that they play, and make me feel special.

I love freedom because we are able to have our families live together. Families are good to people like me because they can support us when we are sad. We have the freedom to love someone when they need to be loved. Our freedom is possible because our ancestors fought in wars, which made it hard on their families. They even had to fight in war in the winter when it’s snowing, raining and even in the negative temperatures. Their families sacrificed their loved ones so that we can enjoy the freedom we have today. I’m grateful for our ancestors working hard to help make it possible now. Freedom is important to me because I would not be able to go to school or maybe I would, but I might not be able to say the Pledge of Allegiance if I didn’t have freedom.

I love God because he gave me a family, freedom and lots of things. I love God because he gave me a friend; she plays with me at recess and is nice to me. God made this country for me because He loves all of us. With God all things could be possible. If everyone believed in God, and he was here everyone would be nice to each other and there would be no wars.

I love my Country because I am free .I love to be free because I can speak what I want to, and walk where I want to and not be scared. I love my country because I am able to learn and be educated because I like to learn everything I can.

These awesome values I’ve mentioned are important when we are lost, sad, confused, and also when we are happy. When we are lost, sad or confused we can go to our families for help, and we can even ask God for help. When we are happy and things are going well we can also have fun with our family and share our love and good times with them too. When things are going very well I am allowed to pray to God and thank him for the good things he has given me. The American Values of Family, Freedom, God and Country help make me happier since they are valued in the United States of America.