Since March is Women’s History Month, for the March Junior Saints, students were invited to draw a picture of a woman who made history, and write about what they admire about her.

Little Flower School, Great Mills

“I admire many things about Katherine Johnson. She strived to be the best person she could be. She was always pushing herself to overcome obstacles and stand up for her rights. She was the person that made it possible to safely launch and retrieve Freedom 7, Friendship 7, and the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. She always pushed for what was right and fair for all.” – Artwork and writing by Aidan Beyer, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland

“Sara Christian inspires me to not give up on my dreams or listen to those who don’t believe in me.   She also teaches me that winning feels nice, but everyone needs to learn how to lose.” – Artwork and writing by Daniel Sebring, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Melania Trump started a program called ‘Be Best,’ which advocated against cyberbullying. To promote her platform, she traveled to other countries. I admire her and think she should be recognized for all she has done and continues to do today.” –Artwork and writing by Christina Derisavi, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Princes Diana did a great deal of work for many different charities during her life.  Her love of children is inspiring to me.” – Artwork and writing by Shelby Sohl, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Lady Diana was once the Princess of Wales.  She cared for all people and personally visited hospitals and homeless shelters. I admire how she took part in helping people, even when she was no longer a princess.” – Mya Hartzer, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills  

“St. Veronica did small things with great love. She is known for wiping Jesus’ face with a cloth. This small action shows how much she cared about him. She risked her own safety in the crowd to care for Jesus in one of his hardest moments.” – Artwork and writing by Jenna Rowand, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“I admire St. Joan of Arc because of her determination and heroism during the Hundred Years’ War.   Her life was not easy; she grew up in poverty and risked her life many times while trying to follow God’s will.   I believe she was one of the greatest warriors ever.” –Artwork and writing by Colt Keen, seventh grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Queen Elizabeth was the longest reigning monarch in British history. She had four children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. I admire her because it took strength and courage to become a queen at such a young age. I remember hearing that she had her personal band play the American National Anthem after the 9/11 attacks, an example of her kindness and generosity.” – Artwork and writing by Kaeli Beyer, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

St. Michael’s School, Ridge

“Marguerite Higgins Hall was an American reporter and war correspondent.  She covered World War II, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War. She advanced the cause of equal access for female war correspondents.” – Artwork and writing by Caden Cannon, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge, Maryland 

“Amelia Earhart was the most famous person in the world when her plane disappeared.  What really happened to her? – Britton Elwell, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“The Church honors Blessed Mother Mary because she is the mother of Jesus.  At the end of her life, she was taken body and soul into heavenly glory.” – Artwork and writing by Andrea Escobar-Romo, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“Mary is the mother of Jesus.   She is not just the mother of Jesus but of the whole world… She was chosen to be the mother of Jesus by God.” – Artwork and writing by Chase Langley, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“Mae Carol Jemison, U.S. astronaut, doctor and engineer became the first Black woman to go into space in 1992.” – Artwork and writing by Emily Martinez-Sanchez, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge.  

“St. Catherine of Siena followed God’s direction.  She worked for unity and peace in the Church.” –Dani Mullinix, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico and the continental Americas, is the mother of Jesus. She is called blessed and full of grace because God chose her to be the mother of the Son of God.” – Artwork and writing by Karelly Ponce-Moreno, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“Saint Mother Teresa was born in 1910… She was kind, never complained, and returned unkindness with kindness.” – Artwork and writing by Ashley Quinonez, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“My Mom is my hero because she works as a nurse at a jail.  She helps people by passing out medicine.” – Artwork and writing by Max Ryan, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“Susan Butcher was a four-time winner of the Iditarod Sled Dog race in Alaska.  She was nice and was very proud of her dog team.” – Luke Sohn, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

“My mom Yadira is nice to me and is a great cook.  She is my favorite person, and I love her.” – Artwork and writing by Evoleth Hernandez, third grade, St. Michael’s School in Ridge

Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I adore Princess Diana because she loved school kids. Mostly she was very sweet! Diana was very beautiful and would always dress stylish and very cool. I feel like she was an amazing person…” – Artwork and writing by Sadie Grey, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“The person I admire is Lucille Ball, who at a young age wanted to be a movie star. Lucy is best known for her popular show, ‘I Love Lucy,’ which was at the time a very popular comedy which starred Lucy and her husband. As a kid, Lucille would always try out for plays, even if they did not let her in, which shows that she never gave up. That’s why I admire Lucille Ball.” – Artwork and writing by Valentina Cruceta, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I admire Mae Jemison because she was very smart. She loved to read about science and astronomy. By the time she was in kindergarten, she knew what she wanted to be, a scientist! But Mae also wanted to be a dancer, and throughout her youth, she studied every type of dance. In college in the 1970s, Mae double-majored in chemical engineering and African American studies (before becoming an astronaut).” – Monroe Bailey, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I love Beverly Cleary’s books. Beverly as a kid struggled with reading and writing, but by the third grade, she learned how to read and write. I love her books about Ramona…” – Artwork and writing by Hannah McHone, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I admire Amelia Earhart for many reasons. Amelia proved to the world that women could also fly planes, maybe better than the men! Amelia didn’t let inequality stop her dreams either. Amelia knew she wanted to fly as soon as she rode in a plane the first time, and she fought for her dreams. I wish I had as much determination as her to reach my dreams.” – Artwork and writing by Camryn Stark, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“Serena Williams is a famous tennis player. Her hard work in that sport gained her more than $94 million in prize money. Serena has a very competitive spirit and does not show mercy. I play sports too, and she inspired me to go all out on the court. The amount of power she has mentally is unmatched. This did take practice of course. Serena is an inspiration to me to never stop practicing and take your time accomplishing your goals.” – Artwork and writing by Za’Hanna Walker, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“A woman who made history that I admire is Katherine Johnson. I admire her because of the intellect which she showed at a very young age by solving difficult number problems. She showed determination when faced with diversity (issues) with men telling her she can’t work for NASA. She then joined NASA and was one of the first women working there. I admire her for the awards she received like the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” – Artwork and writing by Kaleb Wingenter, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My favorite female saint is St. Teresa of Calcutta, commonly known as Mother Teresa. I like her for her compassion towards all. Just like me, she loves babies and caring for them. Not only that, but she cares for the poorest of the poor… I think that she had such a big impact on our life.” – Addisyn Smith, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“Who hates washing dishes? We can thank Josephine Cochrane for the dishwasher. She had nice dishes, but she kept scraping the dishes when washing them, so she invented the dishwasher. She made life easier. Thank you Josephine for one less chore.” – Pacey Klasko, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“I chose Oprah Winfrey, because Oprah has been a strong leader by social media, using her influence to raise awareness of critical issues and the voices of underserved communities. Many like me have been motivated by her to use their own leadership abilities to make the world a better place.” – Artwork and writing by Lukas Berhe, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills, Maryland

“A woman that I admire is Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman made history because she freed the slaves including herself. The reason why I chose Harriet is because she inspires me to never give up. She has taught me that no matter what people think of you, you can’t listen to them. She taught me to strive for what I want in life. She is an inspiration to me as well as to many others. Harriet taught me to be brave just like she was.” – Ailey Williams, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“For Women’s History Month, I chose Zendaya Coleman. I chose her because I’ve known about her since childhood. She is also one of my favorite actors and has multiple talents.” – Daisy Tanyiadah, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“Rihanna is a singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman from Barbados and rose to fame in the mid-2000s with her hit singles. She is famous worldwide as a singer and with her fashion and beauty empire… During Super Bowl LVII in 2023, Rihanna and her backup dancers wore her makeup and apparel.” – Artwork and writing by Maya Pefok, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“I admire Katya Echazarreta because she was the first Mexican female to go to outer space. I learned about her a couple of weeks ago, and I’m glad I did. When I first learned about her, I knew that the people of Mexico were thrilled to learn about her amazing accomplishments, because it’s tough to get a degree and actually become what you set out to be. Katya pushed harder and harder each day to bring history to her people.” – Artwork and writing by Lupita Torres Alcantara, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“Selena Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer born on April 16, 1971. She is most known as the iconic queen of Tejano music and has helped popularize the genre in the United States and beyond. She was the first Tejano artist to win a Grammy Award and has one of the best-selling Latin albums of all time. Selena also made significant impacts in the fashion industry with her own signature style and clothing line. Even after her tragic death, she remains a beloved icon for the Latino community and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of Latin artists and Latina girls like myself around the world.” – Artwork and writing by Lindsey Rivadeneira, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“Edmonia Lewis was an American sculptor who had Native American and African American heritage.” – Artwork and writing by Katie Morrison, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda, Maryland

“I chose to draw Malala Yousafzai because she set a good example for fighting for what was right. Malala was shot in the head when she was 15 years old and survived. She then started many women’s rights movements so young girls could go to school. She also wrote blogs for people and helped young girls in Pakistan to go to school.” – Artwork and writing by Claire Schreiber, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda 

“I chose Mother Teresa  for Women’s History Month because she is very inspirational and an impactful figure in women’s history. I think she is very inspirational because she cared for and showed God’s love to the poor. I chose her because she is such an important figure in the Church for doing God’s will…” – Artwork and writing by Coco Chiu, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“On Jan. 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was the first female and the first Black woman to ever become vice president of the United States. She really made a significant impact in the world by being the first female vice president. She has inspired a lot of people…” – Artwork and writing by Ashley Sosa, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“I chose to draw St. Apollonia because she stood in her faith even when she was persecuted and tortured. She never denied Christ, even when she got her teeth knocked out. Then when people threatened her with death, she threw herself in a raging fire rather than betray Jesus. She sacrificed herself for Jesus and her faith… I aspire to be like her in so many ways, to stand up for the faith and for Christ. I pray that God will give me the strength to be like her and Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by Kate Schreiber, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

Unfinished artwork of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians and singers, by Brooke Hughes, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“I chose Mother Mary as someone I look up to. Mary has an uplifting sense of faith and an honest point of view. She is someone I’d like to grow up to be. Mary is an incredible role model for young people who cherish their faith. She is someone I look up to all my life. And she reminds me of my Mom.” – Artwork and writing by Brynn Ligon, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“I chose to draw Rosa Parks, because she stood up for what was right and showed us to never give up, like when she did not give up her seat on the bus. Rosa Parks was a strong, beautiful, hardworking and persistent woman. One of Rosa Parks’ quotes was, ‘One person can change the world.’” – Artwork and writing by Sarah Juzbasic, fourth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I admire Alma Thomas because she was an art teacher and a famous artist.” – Artwork and writing by Bridget Sappington, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland

Rosa Parks, artwork and writing by Charles Waters, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“I admire Aretha Franklin because she wasn’t afraid of what people said, and she was very determined about her music. She even wrote some songs that knocked other songs off the charts. Aretha Franklin was a very brave woman.” – Brittnye Reynolds, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Jane Austen, artwork by Carter Lewis, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Jane Goodall, artwork and writing by Cesare Flaim, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Bethany Hamilton is a surfer, and she lost her arm in a shark attack. I admire her because she is still surfing today.” – Artwork and writing by Jacob Potter, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Sally Ride was the first American woman to go in space on June 18, 1983. It took courage to ride in the space shuttle. She was very brave to orbit the moon.” – Artwork and writing by Harry Young, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Queen Elizabeth II, artwork and writing by Bella Welcome, second grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

April Junior Saints topics

In April, we will celebrate Easter. For the April Junior Saints, students are invited to draw a picture of something that happened to Jesus during Holy Week and Easter, and write about what Easter means to them.  The drawings and writings should be emailed to mark@cathstan.org by Tuesday April 4, 2023 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.  Thank you!