For this Junior Saints, students were invited to draw a picture of themselves, and to write about their dreams for the future.
St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is to be a judge, because I enjoy proving who is guilty or innocent in certain situations.” – Artwork above and writing by Segen Tewelde, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“When I grow up, I want to be in the WNBA. A few reasons why are… I would get to play the sport that I love, and I would get to play with a lot more amazing women!!!” – Artwork and writing by Abigail Thomas, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“…What I would like to be in the future is a better version of myself, like spreading kindness, getting good grades and being happier.” – Laila Abdul-Rahim, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is to help people. It was not always my dream when I was younger, (then) my dream was to become a millionaire. But my mother works in the medical field, so after seeing how many lives she was saving, my dream switched. I want to work in the medical field and hopefully save lives like my mother.” – Artwork and writing by Nathanya Kidane, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream for my future when I get older is to become a Hollywood actor and work in action genre films and become rich to help the poor and those who lost hope in their lives. The way I can make this come true is attending a school for young actors like Duke Ellington.” – Makbel Tirfu, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“I have a dream that our world will be a peaceful place and that wars will stop, because this world has lost many lives, and we shouldn’t see some people’s loved ones die because some other country didn’t get what they want…” – Artwork and writing by Saron Mesfin, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“I have a dream. My dream is to stop separating girls from boys. Even if there is a law to give women rights, we all know the law isn’t enough in certain place. I want to stop it completely. That is why I want to become a judge. I want to make laws fair for every gender. Not only women are getting unfair rights, some men don’t get fair rights because they’re men. Everything is going to change when I become a judge. I will promise the United States of America that I will make it a better country.” – Artwork and writing by Bien Tirfu, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is to be an engineer/computer engineer. I want to be a computer engineer, because I am really good at computers, phones, iPads, etc. I feel it would be cool if I was a computer engineer, I can help people who need help. But the most important thing is to do good in school and study. I have a relative who is a computer engineer, she shows me how she works, and I want to follow my dream.” – Lydia Palmore, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“In the future, I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I want to help people for a living, and I want to spread the Gospel with others and spend time with those I love.” – Hiyab Abraha, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“In the future, with great determination, I hope to be one of many things. Over the years, many things have fascinated and inspired me in my career choice, such as becoming a college history and social studies professor, a singer-songwriter, a music producer, owning my own record label, a pastor or an anesthesiologist. Even though many of these careers have nothing in common, they are very important and help our community. Whatever career path I end up taking, I want others to feel safe and included. I want to be able to share my knowledge of Christ in whatever I do, and I truly believe with the gifts God has blessed me with, my hard work and effort and a strong prayer life, I can become one of these things.” – Kayden Frederick, eighth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is for this country to be more nice and giving. This country has improved a lot from the past, but it still needs improvement. There are some people who are selfless and others are selfish. I’m not saying that we all need to become selfless, but for us to try to be at least a little more kind to others. What I hope will happen is slowly happening, but I wish the rate of this would be faster. Maybe it will happen. Maybe it won’t. But I want all of us to just try to be kinder to one another. Imagine what the world would be like if we were just a little kinder.” – Artwork and writing by Tsion Denbu, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is to become a computer doctor like my mom. I want to graduate with a Ph.D. in computer science. My dream is to be very successful in life and keep worshipping the Lord and his Son.” – Naomi Nwosu, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream is to be a basketball player, because I love playing basketball. Basketball, I think, is a very interesting sport, and basketball is a very physical sport. To be a basketball player, I have to work very hard at basketball practice, do my push-ups and be good at school, so I can remember what plays we have to do for any game, and figure out what I am supposed to do during those plays. We also have to be disciplined to be basketball players, because if we are not disciplined, then we might miss practice and a game.” – Elliot Dempsey, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“In the future, I want to be a soccer player or an entrepreneur.” – Leykun Endalkachew, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“In the future, I want to be a basketball player, and teach other people how to be themselves.” – Artwork and writing by Kebba Samba, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“I want to be a pediatrician, a children’s doctor, in the future.” – Artwork and writing by Haset Yonas, fifth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My first dream is for me to focus on school and my grades and still continue to be on the honor roll and possibly to make it on the principal’s list. My second dream is to go to my dream high school. My third dream is for me to share the word of God with people who don’t know Him. My fourth dream is to become a doctor, maybe a lawyer, or a teacher. I want to be a doctor, because I can make sure that people are okay. I want to be a lawyer so I can defend people. I want to be a teacher, because I can make sure that students are educated and smart. I really want to be one of these, but I know that God has a plan for my future life.” – Artwork and writing by Salome Demissie, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“I have a dream to be a nurse and help people when they’re hurt or need help. I like nurses because they help people… Being a nurse sounds serious but fun. I feel that you learn something every day with nursing, and you can meet new people.” – Amelia James, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“My dream for my future is to be a nurse, doctor or a therapist, so I could help people feel better. If I become a doctor (a pediatrician), I could help kids who are sick, and I can check if they are okay. If I become a therapist, I can recommend things that will help people feel better. Or I can ask questions about why they are feeling this way.” – Batel Reday, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
“When I grow up, I want to be a faithful person with a heart full of kindness. I want to be successful and give my mom and my mom’s mom a life they deserve. They have worked so hard to get me where I am today. Most of all, my grandma was the one who thought to always tell the truth. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time with her… My mom always works hard so we will be successful one day and do what we wanted to make the world a better place. They are my role models. They are always here for me when I needed them the most. I will always be thankful to have them with me in my life.” – Saron Aseefa, sixth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.
St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“My dream for the world is peace, since there is a lot of enmity between the countries nowadays. ‘Imagine all the people living life in peace.’ – John Lennon.” – Artwork and writing by Sarah Juzbasic, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda, Maryland
“I created this drawing to show all of my dreams and things I aspire for. I dream of playing basketball in college and becoming a singer. I have a lot of dreams for the future, and even though I don’t know what I will end up being, I know if I put my trust in God, He will put me on the right path for my life!” – Artwork and writing by Maddie Perraut, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“When I grow up, I want to be a singer, artist or actor. I also want to be on Broadway and maybe even be featured in the musical “Hamilton.” I’m in love with musicals. For art, I might draw portraits of people and sell my pieces for money. Also, I love drawing anime style animals or people. But my biggest dream is to be on Broadway.” – Artwork and writing by Emme Work, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“When we fall asleep, we can have crazy dreams, but sometimes we are very passionate about them. For example, I want to be a pediatrician or a sheep farmer, and those ideas come from dreams. We can learn from our dreams to work hard and thrive in school. As a pediatrician, I want to see the smile on a little girl or boy’s face when they leave the doctor’s office. I also want to care for the sheep, be around them, and have other animals on that imaginary farm. When we wake up, those dreams inspire us to strive for our goals.” – Artwork and writing by Elena Millan-Obregon, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“In the future, I want to be an engineer and car developer. I want to become an engineer and car developer because I want to help other people with advanced technology and make transportation and many other tasks easier. I also want to make technology more efficient and make sure that our environment is safe in the process. I feel like I could really help this world with my technology.” – Artwork and writing by Panav Gambhir, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
“When I grow up I want to be an athlete, specifically a tennis player and a track runner, I also want to be a videographer or filmmaker and an author. I want to write mystery novels full of exciting scenes and make beautiful movies and videos that make people laugh and cry. Most of all I want to be able to do all these things while being close to God.” – Artwork and writing by Siena Auzoux, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda
St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“The future is unpredictable, but dreaming is still possible. When I grow up, I hope to finish high school with a high GPA. If I get the opportunity, I will apply to Princeton and keep working hard. My dream is to be accepted to Princeton University and become a space engineer. I want to design different rockets and spacecrafts that are new to our knowledge. Hopefully if I keep working hard, then maybe I can achieve this goal.” – Artwork and writing by Abigail Getachew, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“In my future, I want to grow and prosper in every way. I want to become stronger as a person and to become an advocate for myself and others. I want to put my heart on a pedestal for everyone to see and never be afraid to do the right thing. Finally, I want to grow in my faith above all else. I want to strengthen my relationship with God and display my love for Jesus. The symbol of the cross ties my whole drawing together.” – Artwork and writing by Katie Splaine, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville, Maryland
“I have a lot of dreams for my future, but this is what I truly hope happens! I hope that I can graduate from med school. After that, I would like to move to Iceland. I want to then work in Reykjavik, Iceland. I would work at the hospital as an anesthesiologist (the doctor that puts you to sleep for surgery). I would like to do this not only for the high income, but mainly for helping people every day! I hope my dreams for the future come true, and everyone else’s do too!” – Artwork and writing by Lily Nolan, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“In my future, I want to be an aeronautical engineer. I want to learn how to fly and how to design and build airplanes. By doing this, I can help make air travel safer and faster. I hope that I can connect people with their friends, family and relatives. I can also help to make travel more efficient. This will cause people to save money when traveling.” – Artwork and writing by Mac Enos, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“My dreams for the future are to: 1.) finish school, 2.) get a Ph.D., and 3.) become a biochemist in the pharmaceutical industry. I want to become a biochemist because I have loved science my entire life, and I want to make medications to help people who struggle with illness. I have struggled over the past year with chronic illness myself, and I know how awful it is. I want to help those who are suffering to cure them of illness.” – Artwork and writing by Sam Hess, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“My dreams for the world are things to do with love and peace. One hope is that in the future, we don’t completely rely on technology, not for awhile at least. Another hope is world peace – so many people die from wars and in the end, all they want is land. Stewardship is about taking care of the Earth as God said. Instead, we are destroying it. I believe that the people and the world can achieve these with enough effort.” – Artwork and writing by Saoirse Payne, sixth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“My dreams for the future are that everybody will get along. I hope that countries, people, (and) everybody finds a way to live peacefully without any harm. I hope to grow up and be a kind person who helps others. I hope to be passionate about whatever I choose to do career-wise, and that I am good at what I choose to be. I also hope to be a good friend to everybody, and that I can be a good listener to anybody who needs listening, and that I can positively affect anybody I meet.” – Artwork and writing by Daniela Pineda, seventh grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“My dream in life is to educate others or to become a musician. Education is the key to success, whether it’s how to annotate an excerpt from a novel, or it’s how to invest in a company. As I grow, I would love to spread this gift of learning and of knowledge with others so that they themselves can prosper. On the other hand, becoming a musician would allow me to immerse myself in the beauty, diversity, creativity and expressiveness of music. Every song, band piece or whatnot tells a different story, and I would love to share my own stories with others through music.” – Artwork and writing by Bryce McFadden, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
“My dream for my future is to play on the USA lacrosse team. I can represent my country in my favorite way. The USA lacrosse team plays every four years, and I always look forward to it. I want to be a part of the team that little girls look forward to watching. I could get the opportunity to play with all-star lacrosse players and build close relationships with every single one of them. I will continue to work, dream and believe to make the USA lacrosse team until it’s finally a reality.” – Artwork and writing by Megan Silverman, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth School, Rockville
“In the future, my main dream is to bring Jesus to other people no matter what my career happens to be. I enjoy spreading joy to others through performances like musicals, concerts and dance recitals. I also enjoy math and science, so my dream job would involve STEM with enough time to pursue my passion for dance and music at the same time. In addition to bringing Jesus to others through my future job, I’d like to have a faith-filled family one day. More than anything, though, I’d like to contribute to changing the world with one kind act at a time. Some day in the future, I’d like the community, faith, compassion and love that I see in my own school family to be reflected throughout the entire world.” – Artwork and writing by Sarah Marie, eighth grade, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Rockville
Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“In the future, I want to be a teacher and teach little kids.” – Artwork and writing by Molly Manfreda, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington, Maryland
“When I grow up, I want to become a violinist.” – Emma O’Neill, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“My dream for the world is for it to be a non-polluted, happy, dangerless place. This is because every time I go outside, I see trash, and it makes me sad. Also I see homeless people outside, and they are all sad…” – Drawing and writing by Addy Hart, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“When I grow up, I want to be a music teacher.” – Anna Weber, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“I want to be a dermatologist when I grow up.” – Taylor Elphick, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork by Ellie Paparizos, seventh grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork and writing by Fiona Farkas, eighth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher. I want to stay close to God and teach kids about how to pray with him.” – Artwork and writing by Drew Meringolo, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork by Maddie Burke, seventh grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
Artwork by Caroline Fry, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington
St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“For the future, I hope that we will find a solution to war, poverty and hunger so we can have peace…” – Artwork and writing by Gemma Soriano, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“My dream for the future is that I want to become an engineer when I grow up. I love to build things with my own hands that can help other people. I also want to have a world that is peaceful and loving in the future. I am hoping and praying to God that wars and chaos will stop. I pray that greed for power and money will be gone, and people will live a simple life.” – Lorris Pangilinan, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“My dream in the future is to be a writer. I enjoy writing a lot and writing stories seems fun. I would like to write about any genre, for example, I would like to write about life, action and more. I want to write about my life and the events that happened during my life.” – Artwork and writing by Keymi Alvarez, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“My biggest dream is to be a voice actor. I love recognizing voice actors in shows. I hope one day, there will be a person that recognizes my voice in a show. I pray that one day, all of God’s children will be equal and love each other.” – Artwork and writing by Julie Contreras, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“One day, I hope to play Division 1 College Football (especially the SEC), and even play in the NFL maybe. Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps playing football.” – Artwork and writing by Bryson Johnson, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“My dream for the world is to make people stop littering (and causing) pollution, and to have world peace.” – Artwork and writing by Lynne Gonzales, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“In the future, I hope to finish school, then become a doctor. Then I can use that money to donate to the poor and help others.” – Artwork and writing by Leena Gonzales, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“When I grow up, I want to be a lawyer, because I like debating.” – Artwork and writing by Elysia Proctor, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“…I just don’t know what to dream (about my future). But if I have to think of something, I would say to be successful when I grow much older, to get a nice job, to make enough money and raise a family. I want to make my parents and family proud to see me successful one day.” – Artwork and writing by Maya Hipolito, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“In the future, I dream to be an OB-GYN. I want to be an OB-GYN because I want to help women with one of the hardest, and most beautiful events in their life. I also believe that this line of work is really male-led, and in some events in this line of work, women can be racially discriminated (against). I also want to be a fashion designer and cosmetologist, I just think this line of work is so fun. You can use your creativity to create new styles. I’m so excited to pursue my dreams and spread my kindness and creativity to the world.” – Artwork and writing by Zoey Kuuya, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
“My future goal and my dream is making it to the NBA. But there are many obstacles of making it there. You need to go to a good high school (and) a good college, and you just have to work hard to make it there.” – Artwork and writing by Saul Vergara, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill
Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork by Deziah Johnson, kindergarten, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork by Everleigh Gardiner, kindergarten, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork and writing by Sadie McKenzie, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“(My dream is) to be a singer.” – Artwork by Annabel Kortokrax, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Artwork by Meshach Dippold, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I want to be a cartoon animator... I could use my skill to make educational cartoons on the life of Jesus. Doing this can teach a younger audience to understand the miraculous things that Jesus has done…” – Lorenzo Cruceta, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Ever since I was 6 years old, I knew I wanted to be an artist, because when I draw, it helps me to express myself in different ways. Another reason I want to be an artist is because when I draw, it helps me take my mind off things. A third reason is because it helps me relax if I feel anxious. The last reason is because when I start drawing, I feel like I have been teleported to another world, a world of imagination and peace.” – Artwork and writing by Lillian Palmer, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“When I grow up, I want to be in the NFL, and my reason why is because I can make a living for my family and me, and all of the money that I earn, I can give to my family and to the poor…” – Artwork and writing by Colton Van Roon, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“What are my plans for the future? Well for starters, I am going to finish school and go to college to major in political journalism, which I have wanted to do since the second grade. After college, I will begin my career, making people feel heard and valued. In high school, I plan on playing basketball and soccer like I do now, and maybe even volleyball. I also plan on getting good grades and being a good example of character. Though these might be my plans, I know God will lead me in the right path. Always remember to follow your dreams.” – Artwork and writing by Kalina Dillard, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“My dream for the future is to live a good life and get a good job. My most important dream is to someday get to heaven. I have always dreamed of what heaven looks like, but it’s probably more than I could think of. Heaven will always be my top priority, and I will always do my best to get there. When I’m older, I’m not really sure what job I want, but that’s okay. I have thought about many different jobs, but I have not thought of a good one. By living a good life, I mean being successful, and I hope to grow up to be a good person.” – Artwork and writing by Abby Thomas, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“My dreams for the future are humble. I don’t need to rule the world or be famous… I want to be an artist. I really love art, because it’s fun, fulfilling and it just makes me happy. I want to make collages, paintings and sculptures. Right now I am practicing painting by entering paintings in the county fair. I won first place one year, and the next year I won grand champion! It might not work out to be a famous artist, but it can still be a fun hobby…” – Artwork and writing by Gabrielle Chase, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher, because I love kids and because I am very nice, so I think I would be a very good teacher. Another reason is because I study a lot and have a good education… One more reason is because I would make sure every kid knows what we’re learning and how to do it. I would also make sure every kid is treated with kindness and treated fairly…” – Natalie Napier, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Little Flower School, Great Mills
“In the future, I would like to be a journalist. My writing would be dedicated to crime and world issues. I would use my writing to inform people about current crimes and encourage them to help in any way they can. I would also inform them of the truth behind the fighting between nations around the world. I intend to encourage people to be kind and stop participating in the hate spread throughout the world. I hope to help create a future where everyone believes in Christ’s love for us. God created all of us to share his love with others. Journalism is the way I can feel God calling me to (help) change the world.” – Artwork and writing by Taylor Lee, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland
“When I grow up, I want to be a nurse. I want to help everyone that needs it. Nurses have always inspired me because they put in so much time to help others. They inspire me because they chose to be a nurse out of all of the jobs, so it comes more from their hearts. Nurses are willing to help everyone no matter who they are. This occupation takes many years of schooling, but I am here for it. Jesus may or may not be calling me to be a nurse, but I will still listen for his voice. I want to be like Jesus, and he helped everyone. These are the reasons why I want to be a nurse.” – Dakota Hancock, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“My dream for this country is to switch to solar energy. This is so we have cleaner air and less pollution. This will also help the animals. Nothing will happen to them because with less pollution, there is less bad stuff for them to eat. People will be healthier with cleaner air. It would be a good example for other countries so they will do the same thing. Solar energy is also a cheaper energy source which will help people save money. This is why I think solar energy is important for our future.” -- Artwork and writing by Andres Quinone, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“Hi. My name is Elizabeth and I love to draw. My dream job is to be an artist. There are many ways to be an artist. I could be a graphic artist using a computer. I could work at Disney and work on animation. I could work with clay and create sculptures. Maybe I could be an art teacher teaching kids the love of drawing. I am trusting Jesus to open the door to a career in art.” – Elizabeth Wagner, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“My dream is world peace. I don’t like wars; nobody does. War brings sadness, death, and it destroys. World peace on the other hand brings peace, and you don’t have to worry about fighting one another…” – Artwork and writing by Kellen Holmes, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Miils
“There are so many things that you can be when you grow up. A doctor, a teacher, an athlete, all great things. Well, I want to own a coffee shop. Every time I walk into one, I feel so at home. In coffee shops, there is always cute furniture and adorable plants. Sometimes, they even have dogs and cats roaming around. Many people have many dreams but mine is my coffee shop.” – Hadley Day, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“I have a lot of dreams for the future. My dream job is to be some kind of doctor. I would have to go through a lot of extra schooling, but I think it is worth it. I appreciate all doctors and everything they do. They make a lot of sacrifices to help people in their community. For example, most doctors miss the holidays and miss spending time with their families. I would also like to travel the world in the future. By traveling you can learn so many new things like languages.” – Artwork and writing by Sammie Mullinix, eighth grade. Little Flower School, Great Mills
“In the future, I hope to become a veterinarian. My sister, who is 10 years older than me, is currently in vet school. She has inspired me to become a vet so that together we can have our own practice. I hope that after St. Mary’s Ryken High School, I will go to the University of Alabama, and then I will go to Mississippi State University Veterinary School. I know that I have high hopes for my life, but I believe they are achievable. Hopefully someday, my sister and I will be veterinarians together. I enjoy thinking about my future, and God will lead me on the right path. Until then, all I can do is dream.” – Samantha Bowes, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“One day, I want to be a part of the National Basketball Association, also known as the NBA. Every day, I have been practicing and dreaming about my future. I want to meet so many great people and put my faith first, on and off the court. I hope I get a generous paycheck that will go to people in need, because at the end of the day, I will still be doing the very thing I love. I thank God for my talent and hope to live with him one day.” – Artwork and writing by Parker Burgan, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
“I want to be a Mudder (taking part in mud running races and obstacle course competitions) and give my money to the poor. I want to do this sport because it is fun for me, and it helps others. Others are not as fortunate as we are, so helping them will make a big difference in both communities. I will also send a gift card to the homeless so they can get into a hotel. Everything should come from the heart, so just trust in God and work hard, and you will succeed.” – Logan Neely, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills
Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
Artwork by Rekik Berhanemeskel, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“My dreams for the future are to have a more peaceful world, for there to be less homelessness and hungry people, and for everyone to do their part to make the environment cleaner. I also dream that we, as a whole, can learn to accept each other. I would raise money for soup kitchens as well and volunteer as much as I could.” – Coraline Moon, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“When I grow up, I dream of helping end world hunger. I do not like how little kids and poor people do not get to eat. It does not seem fair. When I grow up, I want to volunteer at places to give people food. I want to create fundraisers where people can donate their food to those in need.” – Ryan Conley, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“The dream I have is trying to stop global warming. One of the reasons the California wildfires were so devastating is because of global warming and climate change. One way we can make a difference is by recycling and only buying what we need. We can also make an effort to pick up litter and ensure it is properly thrown away.” – William Burrier, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington
Artwork by Kaia Liu, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“My dreams for the future are to go to a great college and become a dermatologist and then a teacher. I want to get the sacrament of Confirmation and keep my faith with God. I want to have four kids and teach them about God and God’s teachings. Also, I want two German shorthaired pointers. I want to let my kids see my family a lot, because I think family is very important. Also, I want to spend a lot of time with my kids and God.” – Annie Lamade, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“I have always had a dream to be in the Olympics for swimming, and working hard is a big part of it. I am one swim meet away from qualifying for the Junior Olympics! I am very thankful I made it this far with God guiding me and all of my friends supporting me.” – Fina Winston, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
“My dreams are one day I will have a bright future and not have much trouble in my life. All I want is to have a good job, a good family and a successful life. If I become a soccer player or a singer, all I want is a successful future so that I can live a good life and one day be in heaven with God and his son, Jesus. That is my dream for the future.” – Julian Reisig, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.
St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Abigail Zarychta, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland
“I dream of being the president one day and changing the world.” – Roman Castillo, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“My dream is to cure cancer… and also to be an artist or art teacher. I hope my future is not that bad and nothing bad happens to my family…” – Artwork and writing by Evie Cusick, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Amelia Martin, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“When I grow up, I want to be an engineer, because I like to build things. Once I built a stick fort, and it survived all 14 inches of snow, and it is still standing today. I want to help people by building homes for people. I like helping people and building, so it is a great fit for me. I also like to be outside, and I like to draw, so I can build the homes and draw out the blueprints.” – Maci Goldsmith, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“When I grow up, I want to own my own zoo in Arizona. The reason why is because it has all the right conditions. My zoo is going to have sea cows (manatees). I’m also going to have a section devoted to apes. I’ve wanted to own a zoo since I was 5 years old. I grew up in a veterinary office since I was 3.” – Artwork and writing by Harrison Parkin, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“In the future, I see myself working as a pediatric anesthesiologist for Children’s National Hospital. I also see myself as a mom working to keep my kids safe. In the future, I dream of world peace. I want to be able to live in a world where my future kids will be safe and healthy. In 10-15 years from now, I dream to be working hard in the medical field, keeping my children safe, and to live in a world where I can feel safe.” – Ellie Moore, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Isabella Welcome, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“When I grow up, I want to work for my dad. I want to be with my dad forever and ever and carry on the business for him and make him proud.” – Artwork and writing by Aiden Alvarado, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“What I want to do when I grow up is be in the military, because I want to help the world. The world is changing every day…” – Raelyn Clinch, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Logan Kelly, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
“I have some dreams about my own future and some dreams about the future for our world. One of my dreams is to be as close as I can to God. As I get older, I want to grow stronger in my faith, no matter what it takes. Another dream I have for my future is to be in the 2028 Olympics, because they are adding softball that year! Now let’s talk about my dreams for our country and our world. I have one main one – world peace. I don’t want to wake up and fear a country. I want our world and our country to see that war is not our purpose on Earth. Our purpose is to know and love God. I want (the people in) our world to love anyone and everyone on this Earth and remove the word “war” from their vocabulary. All of us were given the privilege to have life on Earth, and it is surely not meant for war. That is my biggest dream.” – Annie Payne, seventh grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
Artwork by Jacob Potter, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown
St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Rockville
“In my family, I have two brothers, a mom, and a dad. I am 10 years old and go to St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Rockville. I am in the fifth grade, and my teacher is Mrs. Burgess. As a Catholic and part of the Church community, it is my duty to tell others about our good Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I go to the celebration of the Mass and receive the Body of Christ every Wednesday with my school and every Sunday with my family. Sometimes I participate in the Mass by singing in the choir or being a lector. I love my life and am not afraid to spread my faith!” – Artwork and writing by Emma Louise Rinaudot, fifth grade, St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Rockville, Maryland
Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville
“I want to go to nursing school and be a nurse.” – Artwork and writing by Alita Cormier, fifth grade, religious education class, Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville, Maryland
“My dream for my future is to get all A’s in my school year and be a good example. When I graduate and get my diploma, the career I want to be is to become a model or a nurse. The dream I want for the world is to allow everyone to have equal rights for any race and to allow people from different countries to stay where they are, and stopping global warming and make the world better.” – Artwork and writing by Zia Joven, seventh grade, religious education class, Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville, Maryland
“Hi, my name is Zoe, and I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I want my future for the world to be peaceful, a place where we can live how we please and live how we wish.” – Artwork and writing by Zoe Elysse Tin, seventh grade, religious education class, Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville
“For my future, I want to have world peace and stop these wars. Also, I would like my dream job being a video game designer. I would also like to have enough money to take care of my Momma.” – Artwork and writing by David Somian, eighth grade, religious education class, Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville
“I want to be a policeman.” – Artwork by Antonio Bullock, first grade, religious education class, Mount Calvary Parish, Forestville
St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg
“I dream of becoming a baker when I grow up because I like baking a lot. Baking makes me feel calm and happy.
“I want to start a little shop with homemade things such as decoupaged light switch covers.
“I dream of my books called The Spider Web, The Egg Sack, and The Spider getting published. I like reading a lot.
“I dream of getting a pet hamster or a pet guinea pig. I love animals as much as I love people.” – Artwork and writing by Lilija Currano, second grade, homeschool, St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg, Maryland
The next Junior Saints
For the March Junior Saints, students are invited to draw a picture and write about what they will do during the season of Lent to strengthen their faith and become closer to Jesus.
The drawings and writings should be emailed to ZimmermannM@adw.org by Wednesday March 19 , 2025 to Mark Zimmermann, the Catholic Standard’s editor, and they should include the name, grade and school or parish of the student printed clearly.
Due to time constraints involved with reviewing the volume of submitted work, it is requested that schools or parish religious education programs limit their entries to 10 drawings and 10 writings from their students. The best formats to send are jpegs for artwork and word documents or pdfs for writing, if possible. Please no long essays. Thank you!
