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 her.
St. Pius X Regional Catholic School, Bowie
“A woman that I admire is Mae C. Jemison. She achieved becoming the first ever African American woman to go to space. I admire her for her great resilience and courage through all of her many difficulties. Even though she faced racism and sexism, she never stopped fighting to achieve her goal. Jemison worked so hard, and it all paid off in the end when she flew in the Endeavor space shuttle into outer space. I believe she is a role model to me and so many other young girls to show us that when we put our minds to it, we can achieve anything.” – Artwork and writing by Madison Bridges, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie, Maryland
“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg presented a strong voice in favor of gender equality…She always voiced out her opinions on things that didn’t sit right with her…” – Kelly Dougherty, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“I admire my mother and Maya Angelou. My mother works hard for me and makes sure I have an education and a home. And thanks to her, I have found a love for science and poetry. That is why I admire Maya Angelou, who faced many difficulties to get to where she got. They both have the sword of wisdom around the armor of endurance. My mother encourages me with her sacrifices to make sure I am loved, and Maya Angelou motivated my passion for poetry.” – Artwork and writing by Krystal Nkoronye, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional Catholic School, Bowie
“Maya Angelou was a poet, civil rights activist and memoirist. She has published essays, poetry and autobiographies and has even been on TV shows spanning 50 years. She received many awards and honorary degrees… She lived a long and not always happy life, but it was worth it.” – Aurora Stoute, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional Catholic School, Bowie
“Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to go into space. I admire her because she was brave to go all the way to space. Tereshkova orbited Earth 48 times in her time in space. Her space mission was called Vostok 6. I admire her because she is a leader to many young people that love space.” – Artwork and writing by Kyla Hill, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional Catholic School, Bowie
“I admire Mother Teresa for her philanthropic work with the poor. With her kind compassion, she was able to succeed in caring for them. I also love her because she clearly loved each and every one of us in Christ and loved till it hurts. Mother Teresa is a gift from God, she is a true angel of mercy and a saint.” – Joel Beal, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She was a physicist and discovered the two elements polonium and radium while working with her husband Pierre Curie. She promoted the use of radium to lessen suffering during World War I. Curie won the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics and the only winner for the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.” – Artwork and writing by Allison Bogley, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Condoleezza Rice was the first Black Secretary of State. She is an inspiration to me, because she made a path for young Black girls to be able to go into office and actually make a change. Rice knew being in a room full of men was hard, but being in a room with white men would be harder. Even as being seen as less than them because of gender and race, she pushed through.” – Chloe Vaughn, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
“Brandy Norwood is a Black woman who has set examples for Black girls in the early 2000s. She is an example for leading Black women on TV and singing. She sets a place for younger girls to lead on TV, no matter their age or color. She shows confident women can lead and shows their ability to stand up to act, sing or do anything you desire.” – Artwork and writing by Danielle Nunyi, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie
St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I admire Michelle Obama because she was a big public figure for so many people… She didn’t need anyone to get to the place she is now, she did it all by herself. I admire her bravery, because she had to go through a lot of hardships to reach her goals. She never gave up and kept trying, even though it would get hard sometimes. She is a big inspiration for me and encourages me to never give up and to keep trying as hard as I can to make my dreams come true, no matter what anyone says or how hard it gets.” – Artwork and writing by Maria Benitez, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“For Women’s History Month, I chose Kamala Harris. I admire Kamala because she was the first Black woman of color to hold the nation’s second-highest office. It must have been very hard for someone like her to hold this rank. She is a very strong woman whom I look up to in the future.” – Iyana Ricks, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I consider Vigdís Finnbogadóttir to be an important figure in women’s history. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is the world’s first female to be elected as president (and led Iceland from 1980 to 1996). Considering the majority of our presidents are male, I find her role as president inspiring because she empowers other women to accomplish their goals.” – Artwork and writing by Nyah Carter, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“Maya Angelou was a civil rights activist, dancer, actress and poet. Angelou was primarily known for her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This memoir made history by being the first nonfiction best-seller by an African American woman. Maya Angelou inspires me because even after everything she had been through, she was never defeated. She conveyed all her emotions into the poems and the books that she wrote. Maya Angelou made a mark in history with her many meaningful words. There was one quote she said that inspired me the most. She said, ‘We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.’” – Artwork and writing by Ogonna Azih, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“Alma Thomas began a 35-year career teaching art at a D.C. junior high school. She was devoted to her students and organized many art clubs and student exhibitions for them. Teaching allowed her to make a living while creating her own paintings on the side. Thomas became an important role model not only for women, but for African Americans as well. She was the first African American woman to have a solo exhibition at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, and she exhibited her paintings at the White House three times. I chose to highlight Alma Thomas because she inspires me when I am creating art to paint what I love, and that one day it may get recognized.” – Artwork and writing by Kyra Lamptey, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I admire Michelle Obama because she is a big example of an independent woman. She has a big influence on people. She tells everyone that they should never give up, and they can accomplish anything. Also, I admire Michelle because she was the first Black First Lady.” – McKenzie Jones, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“Rita Moreno was born on Dec. 11th, 1931. Rita is a Puerto Rican-born American actress, dancer and singer. She is most known for winning four major North American entertainment awards (EGOT), she won an Emmy (1977,1978), a Grammy (1972), an Oscar (1962), and a Tony (1975). Rita was also the first Hispanic woman to be given an Oscar (an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for West Side Story in 1961). Rita Moreno has inspired me because she is a great example of how women can achieve success through hard work and determination. She has also shown me that through adversity you can make changes for yourself and others by taking charge and creating your own path through hard work, determination and the right mindset.” – Artwork and writing by Destinee Bengangacha, sixth grade, Saint Mary's School, Landover Hills
“Mae Jemison is admired by many because of her hard work and dedication in becoming the world’s first Black woman in space. She spent many hours working hard and training in order to travel to space. I chose Mae Jemison because she is an inspiration and an example as a Black woman to never give up on your dreams. I look up to her and hope to be a strong independent woman just like her.” – Artwork and writing by Imanie Mayi, sixth grade, Saint Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I like Diana Princess of Wales because she loved her neighbor just like Jesus tells us to.” — Artwork and writing by Olivia Ramirez-Alfaro, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills
“I like (Supreme Court Justice) Sonia Sotomayor because she works to make things fair. She never gives up.” – Artwork and writing by Sophia Bennett, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I like Marie Curie because she was a scientist. I like science.”– Josael Argueta, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I like Coretta Scott King because she worked for peace.” – Bryce Clarke, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
“I like Betsy Ross because she made the flag for the United States.” –Artwork and writing by Chetanna Ibe, first grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills
Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle
Lanham, Maryland
“Oprah Winfrey is one of the greatest women we should talk about. She was born into poverty in Mississippi to a single, teen-aged mom. She believed God would change her life, and now she is a TV host. I think that if everyone believes they can do something, they will! ...I think Women’s History Month is a time we thank God for all these amazing people.” – Artwork and writing by Sydney Esene, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
“I admire Amanda Gorman because she was the youngest poet to read her poem at a president’s inauguration. She read her poem, ‘The Hill We Climb,’ in 2021 for President Joe Biden’s inauguration… P.S.: Our mothers make a big difference in our lives. They make history.” – Artwork and writing by Enuma Offiah, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
“I admire Ruth Bader Ginsburg for a lot of things. I admire her because she is known for becoming the Supreme Court’s second female justice as well as the first Jewish female justice. She went to Columbia Law School, Cornell University, James Madison High School and Harvard. In 1980, she became a judge when President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Then in 1993, she was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton. She was known for being a great associate justice on the Supreme Court from 1993 until she died in 2020. She said, ‘You can disagree without being disagreeable,’ and she also said, ‘Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.’ I admire her for having a strong voice and never giving up.” – Artwork and writing by Bezankeng Khumbah, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
“Anne Frank was a Jew and was sent into a concentration camp (during World War II). No matter how hard things got, she always kept a positive outlook on life. For such a kind person, horrible things happened to her. She wrote all those things in her diary. She hid in a bunker hidden behind her father’s bookcase in his shop. Sadly, she didn’t make it through (the camp) and died (in 1945) because of the bad conditions and being starved. Her father survived and published Anne Frank’s diary. This is a girl who showed us that in hard times, you should have a smile on her face. She once wrote, ‘I don’t think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains.’” – Artwork and writing by Meso Olivia Udebuala, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
“My mom’s name is Andra. She is always there for me. It was hard for my mom because she was young when she had me. I feel like she made history for me, because she did things (when she was) so young. I love her, because she is caring, loving and smart. That is why I picked my mom for Women’s History Month.” – Isabella Penado, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham
Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Drawing of Vice President Kamala Harris by Kaleb Smith, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Drawing of Anne Frank by Addison McGaffin, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Matilde Montoya was the first female doctor in Mexico. She became a doctor in 1887. The journey to becoming a doctor was extremely difficult for Montoya. She was discriminated against when she started medical school because she was the only female. Many tried to prevent her from graduating. One time they got her expelled, but Montoya did not settle for this. So she went to the president who re-enrolled her. Montoya has always been a role model for me.” – Lucie Olekson, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“A woman I admire is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. I admire Mary because of how devoted she is to God. During the Annunciation, she said ‘yes’ to the angel because of her strong love for God. She didn’t question or doubt what the angel said because she had faith in God. I hope to also grow in my faith in God so I can be more like Mary.” – Drawing and writing by Elana Dioguardi, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Sky Brown inspires me because she was the youngest woman in the Olympics. She was the person who inspired me to start skateboarding again. She reminds me you can do anything you put your mind to. She is an amazing person.” – Ava Hall, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Vera Rubin was an astronomer who was born in 1928. I admire how she was discouraged by others but she continued… I also admire how curious she was. She was determined and didn’t give up. I also like to learn about the universe and maybe one day even go to space!” – Drawing and writing by Carissa Dioguardi, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Amelia Earhart is known for being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. However, I admire her as a woman who never gave up on her dreams. She worked hard as a teacher and social worker to save her own money for flying. I also admire Amelia for her heart, as she served as a nurse to soldiers during World War I.” – Artwork and writing by Tyler Wingenter, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“I want the world to know about Stephanie Kwolek. She invented Kevlar (used for bulletproof vests and body armor), and that has saved so many lives. Police officers and soldiers are my heroes. I am thankful for her invention that keeps them safe.” – Jack Bowen, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Mother Teresa is my idol. In 1979, Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize. She was born on Aug. 26, 1910 in the Ottoman Empire. She died on Sept. 5, 1997 in Calcutta, India. She led the Missionaries of Charity. She worked hard to help suffering humanity.” – Brooklyn Cunningham, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“One woman I admire in history is Anne Frank. Many know her by the diary she wrote, but there’s more. With the German occupation in World War II, Anne’s family went into hiding. Being Jews, this was a bad time for them. They were in hiding for 761 days. Even through all this, she held onto hope and cheerfulness and most importantly to her faith. She may not have been Catholic, but her attachment to her faith resembles many of the saints.” – Haley Hermann, sixth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
Drawing of Amelia Earhart by Sammi Perrin, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons
“Amelia Earhart was an aviator with a yellow plane called “The Canary.” Amelia went on a dangerous flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Her plane was tossed around by the strong winds and the icy storms. Amelia survived, but she went on another trip in her plane across the Pacific Ocean, and she was never found. I admire Amelia Earhart because she loved to do things no one had ever done before.” – Nicolas Olekson, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Solomons
St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Amanda Gorman is someone to admire because she had a speech impediment and couldn’t pronounce certain letters. She worked at it and practiced overcoming this obstacle. Gorman made history as the youngest inaugural poet when she delivered her poem ‘The Hill We Climb’ at President Biden’s inauguration.” – Artwork and writing by Brooklyn Chisam, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring, Maryland
“Rosa Parks is someone to admire because she stands up for what she believes in and never backs down. Rosa Parks has inspired so many young and older people today to speak what is on their minds. She didn't give up her spot to a white man even though she knew she would get into serious trouble. She also has started many movements today and made it easier for younger people to speak their mind. In conclusion, Rosa Parks inspired and will continue to inspire many people to not give up what they believe in.” –Sofia Vinson, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Josephine Baker is a person to admire because of her endless strength to overcome all adversity. Few people keep going when the trials get too hard or when society is set against you. Josephine Baker is one of those few people. She knew she was fighting not just for herself, but for little Black girls everywhere. So she persevered and broke records, opening doors for many Black female performers to advance in their fields. She had already suffered adversity so they wouldn’t have to. She defied every single obstacle and setback to become the absolutely legendary woman she was. I think we can all learn a lesson or two from her larger-than-life soul. May she rest in peace.” – Bemnet Yiesak, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“For Women's History Month, I chose Mother Teresa as someone to admire. Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun who dedicated her life to care for needy and dying people in the slums of Calcutta. Mother Teresa founded the order of the Missionaries of Charity which was dedicated to helping the poor, serving the blind, elderly and disabled mostly in India. After her passing, a woman suffering from a stomach tumor had it disappear, and a man with major brain problems awoke from a coma. These were miracles from Mother Teresa after prayers were sent to her. Mother Teresa was then canonized on Sept. 4, 2016. Mother Teresa is a very inspirational person, and we can learn from her to always help people no matter the situation.” –Branden Barberena, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an innovative woman who fought for what she cared about. She broke down the barrier of sex discrimination by becoming the first Jewish female Supreme Court justice. She overcame the obstacles in her way and is known for her grit and perseverance.” – Artwork and writing by Paul Dang, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Vera Čáslavská was an amazing gymnast who used her Olympic status to raise awareness about problems in her country. She was a Czech Olympic gymnast who was one of the best of her time. Not only was she a phenomenal gymnast, but also a brave woman. Her protest against the Soviets at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics ruined her life, but she eventually rose to victory.” – Artwork and writing by Isabel Nebesky, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Women's History Month is a time to recognize all women. One woman who inspires me is my grandma, Mary. Losing her husband, she was the only woman farmer in the city. During this time, she raised two kids. On weekends, she drove two hours to school and earned her master’s degree. My grandma dealt with many hardships throughout the years, but never gave up and kept providing for her family. That is what a strong woman is to me. I look up to her as a role model in my life.” – Sofia Castillo, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“One extremely successful woman I admire is Oprah Winfrey. She became the first African American billionaire of the 20th century. She is one of the strongest and smartest women I’ve ever heard of, and I aspire to be like her someday.” – Artwork and writing by Adaobi Obikwelu, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Amelia Earhart is a woman many female pilots look up to because of her bravery. Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas. Growing up, Earhart and her sisters spent a lot of time with each other and played various games and sports. At first, Earhart had no interest in flying even when the Wright brothers first invented the plane. Earhart dropped out of college to become a nurse in World War I. When the war was over, she studied to become a mechanic before finding her love for planes.
“In 1928 after a lot of preparation Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart was not satisfied with this victory and planned to make the same trip by herself. After completing this flight, she received many awards, and many young girls looked up to her.
“Again, Earhart was not satisfied with this victory, and she wanted to become the first woman to fly around the world. At first things were going smoothly, then things took a turn for the worst. On July 2, 1937, she and her navigator took off from New Guinea to fly to Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean, but they were never seen again. No one knows what happened to her, but many theories have surfaced. Despite this, people still looked up to her and admired her for her bravery and her ambitious personality.” – Jesse Wright, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
“Katie Ledecky, born on March 17, 1997, grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and learned to swim at Palisades Swim and Tennis Club. When she got older, Katie started swimming year-round with Nation’s Capital Swim Club. Katie has an impressive medal collection. She has won 10 Olympic medals, seven gold and three silver and 15 world championship gold medals. Her main events that she swims are the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, and 1500 freestyle.
“Ledecky is someone to admire because of her hard work ethic and amazing accomplishments. She said, ‘I don’t really compare myself to others. For me, it’s about not being afraid to set scary goals – goals that most people never even dream of – and then going out and chasing them.’” – Patrick Fry, seventh grade, St. John the Baptist School, Silver Spring
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Easter and Holy Week are themes for April Junior Saints
In April, we celebrate Easter. For the April Junior Saints, students are invited to draw a picture of Jesus during Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday or Good Friday) or of Jesus at Easter, and write about what that Holy Week event or what Easter means to them. The drawings and writings should be emailed to mark@cathstan.org by Wednesday April 6, 2022 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!
