Writing Contest Reminder
Posted by Danielle Bean in News on Friday, September 05, 2008 9:50 AM
Reminder to all teachers, students, and parents—the 2008 Faith & Family Writing Contest is now underway! Kids in grades 3-8 are eligible to enter.
This year’s essay topic is: “What does the pope expect from young people in America today?”
See here for entry instructions and other details.
Last year’s essay topic was: “Caught Being Good.”
Eighth grader Megan Simms of Washougal, Washington won first place in the upper grade category. Here’s her prize winning essay:
We were walking down a busy street in Chicago when we decided to stop to get bread for the morning at a bakery. The baker had just laid out a tray of freshly baked pastries. Walking over to examine them, my 8-year-old brother asked my mom if he could have one. My mom then questioned my brother for whom he wanted to get it. Slowly replying, he said, “I want to get it so the girls can share.” He was referring to my sister and me as the girls. She agreed to buy it.
After getting all the things we needed from the bakery, we continued our walk down the busy street. Not long afterwards, there sat a homeless man on the street corner. Slowing his pace as he walked by the man, my brother whispered something inaudible to my mom. Pulling the small wrapped pastry out of her purse, my mom handed it over to my brother. He then began walking towards the man and, after reaching him, quickly offered him the pastry. Gratefully accepting the food, the man then acknowledged my brother by saying, “God bless you.”
This was the start of a very giving trip; one of the most giving I have ever experienced. My brother was charitable the entire time we were there. I don’t think he realized that so little could make someone so happy and that giving to others felt so good and could fill you with such joy.
Another account of my brother’s generosity was when he was asking my parents for change. This may seem common, but not for an 8-year-old boy. Every time we turned around, my brother would ask for extra change from my parents, who graciously supplied him with the change since they knew what he would do with it. Usually he would find the poorest people he could and would give them the money he had. Sometimes, he would even be lucky enough to have a small snack to offer them.
I tell these stories to show you what a subtly generous boy my brother is and to encourage you to be similar. From these stories, you can see how he was caught being good.
Enter this year’s writing contest here!
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