Young Writers Spotlight

Thank you to all who contributed to our December Young Writers Spotlight! Your responses to the prompt “Our elders can inspire us …” were moving, compassionate and uplifting. Your work will surely give our readers much to smile and think about! I hope you enjoy a happy and healthy holiday and that in 2021 you continue to celebrate what makes you unique and valuable. Enjoy the work of your fellow authors, check your email for your certificates and see you in one month. The next topic will be posted soon!

Finally, I hope the rest of you can make time to read the following poems and essays. Feel free to share this page so that these words may be enjoyed by many (especially our senior friends!). May we all help to build up the vital resource that is youth.

— Elizabeth Allison, The Write Profile

Our Elders Haiku

by Sophia, age 12

Know about the past

Help us with the present to

make tomorrow bright

My Nana

by Gabriella, age 8

My Nana is like my mom. She is at the gate when I leave school and helps me until mom gets home. She teaches me to write my paragraphs and how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. My Nana makes sure I say please and thank you. She does not let anyone use bad words or say mean things. She gives me kisses and cold towels when I don’t feel well. I always know I will get better when she is helping me. She comes to my soccer games and cheers. Together we play on the piano and play songs. She does not mind if I make a mistake. She just shows me the right key instead. She does so much for me and she does not get paid. She does so much for me because she loves me.

We Owe Our Elders

by Madalena, age 12

Every time we leave the house we owe our elders. They built the places that we use every day, the schools, libraries, and stores that make our life easier. Imagine if those things did not exist? Life would be boring and we would not become educated. Life today is not as harsh as it was in the old days because they came up with ways that we can help each other. Also they built places that make our lives safer like hospitals and fire stations. Our elders invented the ideas that make our lives happier like free education and national parks. What would have happened if a long time ago all the land was sold? We would not be able to visit the Smoky Mountains. Finally, they were brave and fought to make sure that we are free. We owe our elders so much.

Elders

by Aubrey, age 11

Experience from years of living

Lots of love, just for the giving

Dependable family for my brother and me

Every day the best they can be

Ready to help with all they know

Stories they share so we learn and grow

Our Teachers

by Christina, age 10

Our elders can inspire us like teachers. They have so much they can teach us. They are like our second set of teachers. They teach us about life before technology. It was harder back then. No machines to clean our clothes and dishes and not as many ways to watch movies and videos. There was a time when there weren’t that many cars and people had to go to work and school by walking or taking long bus rides. We can go on Zoom or Facetime and talk to our friends and family. But our elders tell us that in the old days you could not see or even talk to your friends or family that easily. So in conclusion I would say that our elders teach us that we are lucky to be alive now because life is easier now.

Inspiration

by Autumn, age 12

Our elders can inspire us to think about where we came from. They are our links to the past: the people who came to this country, the old jobs they had, and how hard they worked so we can have the lives we have. Our elders can inspire us to make our ancestors proud by also working hard for the next generation. We must take care of everything that our ancestors made. We must remember that our elders worked so hard so that we can enjoy a good life, not just so they could. That is what it means to think about the future. Our elders lived in the past but thought about the future for us. We must protect the future they made for us.

Our Elders

by Naomi, age 11

Telling funny jokes that make us slap our heads and giggle

Giving big kisses that leave red lipstick on our cheeks

Putting out bowls of bright M and M’s for us to enjoy

Cheering for our somersaults and handstands

Reading our favorite book to us over and over

Turning on the fireplace so we can watch the flames

Believing that we can do anything

My Elders

by Joseph, age 9

Grandmother and Grandfather Holding Child on Their Lap

My grandparents do so much and ask for nothing back. First, they care for us. They babysit and invite us to their house and make so much food for just the six of us. Second, they are always there for us. They come to our shows and school events even when I do not ask them to. Third, our grandparents show us constant love. They always tell me they love me and show us how much they love us by all the things they share with us and the way they seem so excited to see us. I respect my elders like my grandparents. Mostly I love my elders.

Living History

by Ben, age 11

Our elders did not live history. They are history. They describe the people who came before us. The great-great-grandparents who helped our family get what we all have today. They are our family history. They tell us the stories of important people we may not learn about in school. The people we might miss. Our elders explain great successes from the time before we were born, which can inspire us. They also explain the sad times, so we can work hard to not make the same mistakes. They are our country’s history. They have so much to teach us. But it is up to us to listen.

My Grandma Taught Me

by Abbie, age 11

My grandma taught me how to grow a garden.

“You must be patient and check every day,” she said.

She let me trim the dead leaves and water the soil.

She was always patient with me.

She let me pick the tomatoes off the vine.

Then we would scrub them in the kitchen.

And eat them on the patio.

“Just a sprinkle of salt and pepper,” she said.

I was sad when it was time to pull it all out.

“We can plant a new garden next year,” she said.

My grandma taught me how to grow a garden.

My grandma taught me how to be patient.

To Inspire Someone

by Ronaldo, age 12

To inspire someone is to make them want to do something and elders are people of an advanced age. Our elders inspire me all the time. At school our librarian inspires me to want to read more and more challenging books. She helps me pick out books that are not too easy but also will be interesting for me. I like to read more because of her. At karate our elders teach us how to respect our bodies and respect each other. They talk a lot about respecting our elders. They are strict but funny. This inspires me to want to be my best. When I see my grandparents they inspire me to treat my family right. They always teach me about family being the most important thing and make me want to treat my parents respectfully. You can learn a lot from your elders.

Take Care of Our Elders

by Jackson, age 7

Viruses can hurt our elders and we need to take care of them because they always take care of us. We need to keep them company after the virus because they are our family. They love us and they can show us how to do new things that maybe even our parents don’t know.

Elders (in Haiku)

by Jess, age 10

grandma and grandpa

watch me, love me, spoil me, too

whisper, I love you

Our Elders

by Cam, age 9

Our elders can inspire us to act like you can do anything at any age no matter how old you are. Some of our elders still play sports and are really good. My grandfather is a better bike rider than me! Some elders join races and marathons and show us that being older does not mean that you are slower. Some elders still work and make important decisions that affect many people. They are smart and careful. My grandfather’s friend is a great artist and had a show last year. Her paintings were beautiful and huge. Our elders inspire us to stay healthy and active. They show us that you can do anything young people can.