As We See It:
a column from neighborhood school children

by Ms. Field's Class, Allendale Year Round School

Allendale students contributed these stories. We invite other schools on the Metro map to contribute.

Freedom to Me

By Elyse Thieme

Freedom to me is being able to make decisions and learn. Even kids should be able to make some decisions for themselves.

The things that I treasure are my mom, my dad, my brother, and my dogs. My brother is special because he's my brother and because he makes me laugh. My dogs are special because they protect me from danger. My mom because I know that she will be there for me, and the same way with my dad. I have the freedom to have a mom and a dad of different nationalities.

Freedom can mean different things to different people. It may mean to adults that they can do whatever they want whenever they want, as long as they obey the law. But for kids it may be to choose when to enjoy TV, toys or spend time with friends of different nationalities.

People have different opinions about this subject, but that's how I feel.

Freedom

By Leslie Situ

If you live in America or read the newspaper, you'll know we have freedom. We can do a lot more things than the other countries do, like vote, speak freely, and write what we want in the newspaper.

I used to live in China so I know there is no freedom in China. When you read the newspaper, you want to know the truth, right? I bet you do. But in China they sometimes tell lies because the truth is bad. If you say something bad about the president of China, you could go to jail. Now if you compare them together, you know the difference between them. Then you will think you're lucky.

We Love Freedom

By Dianna Pho

The United States is a land of freedom. The freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of news.

All that does not come naturally. President Lincoln fought for freedom for slaves and lost his life. Martin Luther King fought for freedom for Black people and minorities and lost his life too.

So we love freedom.

Why Freedom Is So Important

By Leslie Wong

Freedom is important because you can go anywhere you want, and you can do any kind ofnice things you like.

You can try on new, clean clothes and not have dirty ones with holes in them. You can try new foods, and you can go shopping in any market, anyplace, anytime.

I think that people are glad to have freedom, and it is a precious gift to let the ones be free that are not free.