2021-2022 Paragon 4th Grade Essay Contest
Last year’s school year is over and after the last few years with Covid and on-line learning, our essay contest was a great success. The contest allows fourth graders to select a topic, from two provided, and practice their skills that were learned in school. The topics were: What is a problem that you as a fourth grader can help resolve; and what kind of a new animal could you discover. There were 264 entries from seven schools. The schools were St. Ann, Sacred Heart, Queen of Peace, Fairfield East, Riverside, Crawford Woods and Fairfield Compass.
The judges of the essays were members of the Paragon Optimist Club. This was very difficult since there were so many wonderful ideas suggested. There were many times the essays were read and reread. Once the winners were selected, they were awarded a certificate and cash prize. Each student who entered were given a piece of candy.
In awarding the winners, it was amazing to see the congratulations given to the winners by their fellow classmates. The surprise looks on the winner’s faces was memorable. This was a wonderful experience for the children and the adults involved. We cannot wait for this years contest entries to again be amazed.
Pat B.
Being the Easter Bunny
It’s that time of year when we get together and assemble Easter baskets to be given out to kids in need. We want every kid to have a great holiday and feel that they’re important.
School Days, School Days. Dear Old Golden Rule Days.
Many of the older generation heard this song when it was the beginning of the school year.
Many parents and children dread the beginning of the school year because it is hard to buy all the needed supplies.
When you have job loss, reduced work hours or loss of housing, school supplies are a hard items to buy. Once again the Paragon Club bought school supplies to donate.
This year we chose to donate the supplies to St Ann School.
The items donated are as follows:
49 packs of index cards,
260 pencils, 137erasers,
142 notebooks,
25 paper towels,
19 disinfecting wipes,
179 pens,
1 box storage bags,
17 packs of markers,
47 binders,
92 boxes of crayons,
129 glue sticks,
29 glue bottles,
15 packs of colored pencils,
160 mechanical pencils,
113 highlighters,
13 pencil cases,
4 rulers,
312 pocket folders,
5 scissors,
35 packs of dry erase markers,
33 pencil sharpeners,
14 boxes of tissues,
26 glue bottles,
60 composition notebooks,
80 mechanical pencils and
2 bottles of hand sanitizer.
Pat B
It’s Not About Perfect Spelling or Grammar
Each year I can’t wait for the results of one of my favorite programs, the 4th Grade Essay Contest, to be announced. The Paragon Optimist Club submits topics to teachers in the area and asks the students to write their thoughts. This contest may be the first time these children are asked their opinions and feelings about something going on in their lives. The teachers educate the students that by writing an essay their thoughts matter and can be “heard” through the use of the written word.
And, it doesn’t have to be perfect to “win” a contest. I have helped judged this contest in the past, and some of the most memorable essays were not the ones with perfect grammar or spelling. The best ones are the ones that convey the kids’ message in a way that makes the reader take notice and think. Some of the essays I have read are heart breaking and some of them are comical. However, they all provide insight into how the future generation considers topics or wants to contribute to the world.
This year was more difficult than most I imagine with the advent of schools shutting down due to the COVID19 pandemic. The essay author I resonated with this year was a student that stated they wanted to be a teacher when they grow up because they “help lots of kids in all different ways.” And, it struck me, now more than ever we need to support and encourage students to be teachers. Living in Denver, CO, I have seen stories on the news about how much the students will be missing out on with no in person classes, and it isn’t just educational opportunities. There are schools that provide meals to their students, and teachers are worried about how their kids will eat if they aren’t getting the supplies provided by the school. During this difficult time, we see more teachers being creative in the way they not only educate, but also in how they encourage and support their students. It makes me wonder if through this pandemic whether more students will be inspired to be teachers as well because they see the dedication their own teachers have to them and their classmates.
Now more than ever, contests like the one our Club sponsor are important. It provides the students a safe place and opportunity to talk about their lives, thoughts, and opinions without having to worry about being graded on improper spelling or grammar. They are given the chance to creatively think about what they want to do or see in the future. And, during this time of pandemic, allowing and encouraging students to dream of their futures may be one of the best ways to overcome fear and isolation caused by COVID19. Listening to the dreams of tomorrow allows the thoughts of today to be filled with hope.
Lizzy S.
Kids should get candy
At Halloween who doesn’t get candy? Since I was a little girl, I can remember Halloween and it meant candy. After hours of going door to door yelling ‘Trick or Treat’ at the top of my lungs I would end the night with a large bag of candy. Looking back, I also remember smiling adults who filled my bag and filled my heart with childhood joy. The joy of Halloween candy can be similar to the joy of Christmas gifts. With that in mind, at Christmas many children qualify through a school or church support program, but what happens during the holidays like Halloween?
While assisting at Lutheran Trinity Church’s ‘Feed your Neighbor’ program I unfortunately have seen children not getting to be children. Isn’t is bad enough that these kids have no idea where their next meal will be coming from, but many times they are also coming alone because their parents work 2 jobs to make ends meet.
Many of our club members had heard about schools and churches hosting Trunk or Treats, but it wasn’t until we worked with these children first hand that we realized the huge need for such a simple event. The kids get to dress up or face paint or wear their clothes in some silly way pretending that it is a costume. Then they go to the church and one by one travel from trunk to truck, not even knowing what to say or do. But after hours of going from trunk to trunk they end the night with candy and snacks and smiles and loving support from the community.
I am proud to say that this is the second year that the Paragon Optimist Club attended and hosted a trunk for the kids. It has been fun to dig out old costumes, so I too can dress up like the kids, and so they also see that it is OK to be silly and smile.
Andrea R
Amazed by Fourth Graders
I am struck by the students essays we read aloud as part of the Paragon Optimists Club’s essay contest the other night at our meetings. Many of the children wrote on the prompt: “Don’t Judge Me Because…” These young people are so affected by feeling judged. So many wrote that they felt judged for liking “boy things” or “girl things”. They felt judged for their clothes and shoes and whether or not they have a dad. It was heartbreaking to hear kids felts this way. At the same time, to be so young and yet so in tuned to others’ feelings is amazing to me.
I tried to remember myself as a 4th grader, and I don’t think I was so in tuned with others’ opinion of me. My heart goes out to these girls and boys. I want them to know they aren’t being judged by me and so many others and that they are special and loved.
It was incredibly interesting to hear about machine inventions from other classrooms. There were machines that made a disabled person’s day better and easier, to a machine that reads minds, the ideas were quite varied. So many students thought of machines to help people. This is so far beyond their 10 short years.
The last prompt that struck me was about the child’s hero. A young child thought their mom was a hero for adopting and taking caring of them. These essays revealed how adult issues are so apparent to children. Another child wrote about their grandfather who fought in a war for their family. To hear these children and their very mature statements is overwhelming. It makes me wonder what we could do for them; how can we spread these positive messages?
I’d like to let them to know, we won’t judge you but are here to support you. We love your imaginations and we know you will make the world a better place. We are proud of your heroes, who are true examples of how we should strive to live. In the words of one of our essay winner’s we want to “be the reason someone smiles today!”
Erika W
Learning Through Fourth Grade Essays
The mission of the Paragon Optimist Club is to provide hope and a positive vision for the youth, and to improve our community as a whole. One way our Club accomplishes this is holding a fourth grade essay contest in local schools.
Essay writing is a core element that is developed during the fourth grade. Every school is given topics and a deadline. The students are educated by the teachers on how to construct a paragraph. The teachers also provide guidance on how to support a topic. After the deadline, all essays are judged, and two winning essays are selected from each school.
There were thirteen participating schools with 1,023 student essays submitted!
This year the students had the choice of “Don’t judge me, because…. ,” “I’d like to invent a machine that… ,” or “My hero is…”
While helping judge the essays it was very difficult to pick winners. The authors wrote from the heart. These authors, these kids wrote about the environment, special needs, other current topics, and some that I never thought a 9/10 year old would be concerned about. When the winning essays were read aloud at the club meeting, there were tears, laughter and empathy expressed. Below is a quick list of various subjects the students chose to write about:
Do not judge me, because…
I’m not a ‘girlie’ girl, but enjoy sports and/or being a tomboy
Because I work hard on schoolwork, or I’m a nerd, or I’m honest and persistent in solving issues
I sit alone so I don’t have to hear the unkind words spoken to me
My father left and we were homeless, but now things are better. We do not buy many new things because we’re saving money for grandfather’s surgery
My physical limitation, my autism, my english as a second language, or that I’m just different
Have any of you had the same experiences? Are these the issues that lead to school fights or shootings we’ve heard about?
I’d like to invent a machine that…
Would help other people
Would help the homeless
Helped people with Down Syndrome
Get the world with more air and renewable resources, a machine that helped trees grow would be invented
Would take me back in time to meet presidents, Martin Luther King Jr., and my great-grandparents
Allowed less items will go in the landfill by reusing/changing those items into water and food for Africa and other counties. The machine would be called the “reuseanator machine.”
Killed bugs, or reading minds, or shrinking people, or cancer cures, or creates friends and removes negativity from your DNA
These ideas were very creative. Their awareness of issues to improve this world is awesome. It is nice to hear about the good in our future leaders.
My hero is…
Jesus because no one believed Jesus except for the eleven disciples and had to fight for his life for a long time
The astronaut Sally Ride. She is an inspiration to little girls and women to follow their dreams
My father, he is a police officer and has saved a person. He spends time with helping with homework and lots more. He shows how to help and love other people
My foster mother who takes care of them and their other siblings. The birth mother was on drugs and died and dad is in jail. Because of the foster mom the family gets fed, helped with homework and various other things
In looking at these young authors, they notice what is going on around them. They see the good role models they have. They have good examples to guide them through life.
The students had a chance to practice what they were taught. They had lots of wonderful ideas. They should be very proud of what they achieved. The parents and teachers of all the students who enter should be proud as well. Good job everyone! The Paragon Optimist Club is happy and honored to enable these students to express their thoughts through our essay contest.
Pat B