Fourth-Graders Write Words From the Heart

On the day before the war in Iraq began, my Somis School fourth-graders took California’s Writing Proficiency test. They were asked to write a fanciful story about an imaginary creature. A few students wrote creatively and enthusiastically, many wrote adequately but without apparent inspiration, and some truly struggled with the task.

More recently, I invited my students to write cards to our servicemen in Iraq. Ninety percent volunteered to write, and the results were some of the most heartfelt, tender, loving comments I’ve ever been privileged to read. These children once again reminded me that when it comes to writing, the audience is everything. May the brave U.S. soldiers who receive their cards know in their hearts that they mean everything to the children who wrote them.

Shirley Otero

Somis