KOREATOWN : School Essays Dream of a Better World

More that 250 inner-city schoolchildren recently shared their dreams of a better world with classmates and teachers in an essay contest at Cahuenga Elementary School titled “I Have a Dream.”

Organized in memory of the late Martin Luther King Jr., the contest asked children to present their vision of the future and what role they would play.

Calling her essay “ Yo Tengo un Sueno “ (“I Have a Dream”), fourth-grader Lorena Rogel, one of the winners, wrote eloquently in her native language about the career plans she someday hopes to pursue:

“When I grow up, I would like to be a lawyer so that I can help children and adults who have mental disabilities. I would also like to help poor people, who have no money, nowhere to live and no food. . . . Poor people make me feel very bad, because they have to sleep in the streets and look for food in the trash.”

Another fourth-grade essay winner, Sam Salguero, wrote of his desire to spread a message of peace through music: “My songs would bring peace to this world and stop the violence, and all the bad things. This world would be very cool if only peace existed, but it doesn’t.”

Many of the entries showed maturity and depth of understanding of the social problems that plague the children’s neighborhoods, said teacher Mark Anthony Beecham, who organized the essay contest.

Winners received prizes of school supplies and other merchandise from Hollywood Stationery and Printing.

In addition to Lorena and Sam, other winners were: Brenda Hernandez, first grade; Ilse Martinez, second grade; Christina Martinez, third grade; Diana Catalan, fourth grade; Karen Martinez, fourth grade; and Raziel Sanchez, fifth grade.