For the May 2022 Junior Saints online children’s section of the Catholic Standard, students are invited to draw a picture and write about Mary or their mother.

St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda, Maryland

“Mary is Jesus’ and our mother in faith and because of that, she is also the Mother of the Catholic Church. She accepted God’s every wish, and she wants all of us to listen to Jesus. Mary sets a great example for us with her unwavering faith and her trust in God. She wants all of us to love God and dedicate our will to him. Mary recognized the importance of a relationship with Jesus so she is willing to take our hand and lead us to His throne.” – Drawing and writing by Ellie Cheng, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda 

Drawing of Mary by Karl Schreiber, eighth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“I drew my mom because she takes care of me and works hard for me every day! Every morning she wakes up before everyone and gets ready so she can wake me up. Then she makes me breakfast and makes sure my siblings and I are ready for school. After that she goes to work from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., then comes home to drive me and siblings to our sports. Then she cooks dinner which always tastes so good. That is why I drew my mom!” – Drawing and writing by Claire Schreiber, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills

“I chose to paint my mom because she does everything she can for me. She goes out of her way to make sure my sister and I have all our needs and wants. My mom sacrifices a lot every day and works very hard. I painted my mom because I am grateful for all the things she has put herself through so we wouldn’t have to do the same.” – Artwork and writing by Kyra Lamptey, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Landover Hills, Maryland

“I love my mom because she is nice.” – Drawing and writing by Jenaya Sesay, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“I love my mom so much because she takes care of me. She makes me feel better.” –Daniel Silva, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“My mom helps me and teaches me new things.” – Drawing and writing by Jawannanma Ojimba, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“My mum protects me.” – Drawing and writing by Uchechi Nwugo, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“I like Mother’s Day because all the mothers in the world are good.” – Declan Fonkimbi Akumbu, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“I love my mom and grandma because they give me kisses.” – Drawing and writing by Jayce Johnson, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

“I love my mom because she helps me with my homework.’ – Ariane Mayi, first grade, St. Mary's School, Landover Hills

Sacred Heart School, Washington, D.C.

“My mom is special to me because she’s been through a lot this year, and I am so happy to see her smile. It puts joy on my face to see her happy, because she has given so much to me and to make sure that I am happy and healthy and going to get a good education. I think my mom is the person that cares for me the most in my life.” – Artwork and writing by Dainelyn Canales, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My mom is special to me because she has picked me up when I was down. She has also stood by me in every situation I’ve been in. She has protected me from harm and she has helped me grow. I drew her with a shield because she is like my Captain America. I say this because I have been in tough situations before, but she never let me go or let me feel alone.” – Drawing and writing by Wada Chibessa, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My mom is special to me because she is the only person that can ever, ever do everything she does for me. She has helped me be happy, get good grades, and is the reason I’m even alive right now. My mom is stronger than anyone I know. Through tough times she is there for me always. She is also hard working, kind, compassionate, has patience, all while having two kids and a full time job. She inspires me every day.” – Artwork and writing by Darlin Henriquez, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My mom is special to me because she is always looking out for me and taking care of me. If I’m upset or if I’m not feeling well, she always does everything she can to make me feel better. It's really special having someone that genuinely cares about you in your life and will help you when you’re at your lowest. This is why I appreciate her so much.” – Artwork and writing by Natalia Wills, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

“My mom is special to me because she gave me life and because she loves me so, so much. I admire her and look up to her because she is smart, kind, loving, and caring. I am so lucky to have her as my mom.” – Bryan Zacarias Mazariegos, seventh grade, Sacred Heart School, Washington

St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“My mother is a loving and caring woman. She has protected and supported me throughout my whole life. Her constant hope, an abundance of encouragement, and belief in me have allowed me to achieve my dreams and chase after my passions. She understood my struggles and pains even when they were hard to understand, teaching me valuable lessons and guiding me toward the right path in life. She fills each of my days with joy, laughter, positivity, and love. I am so lucky to be raised by a strong and inspirational woman like my mother. I love her so much!” – Artwork and writing by Hayden Estrella, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill 

“Mother Mary is a very humble and kind person. My mom reminds me of her because she is the same way. She also prays the rosary every day, just like Mother Mary.” – Artwork and writing by Gavin Smit, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“I drew my mom and Mary.  Mary took care of her son, Jesus Christ, when He was younger. She taught Him how to read, write and she protected Him. Just like my mom, she taught me everything I needed to know, she’s always protected me and always been there for me. My mom has done a lot that made me the person I am. Mary has also done the same for her Son. And I love my mom and Mary.” – Artwork and writing by Josette Amado, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Dominick Sherouse, second grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf, Maryland

Drawing by Abigail Frantom, sixth grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Brayden Tucker, seventh grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Ania Bhamra, sixth grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Nylah Melton, second grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Sophia McGrath, fourth grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

Drawing by Karington Ben, seventh grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

“Moms are amazing.

Moms are kind.

Moms are caring.

Moms speak their minds.

My mom is beautiful.

My mom is smart.

My mom is loving.

She’s a work of art.

I LOVE MY MOM.” – Jaala Dean, seventh grade, St. Peter’s School, Waldorf

The Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“I drew Our Lady of Fatima. She appeared in front of three children and told them to save souls from going to hell by spreading God’s word. Mary could have told the priest or rich (people), but she trusted little children. Mary sets the needed example of a good mother.” – Artwork and writing by Mesomachi Udebuala, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham, Maryland

“We celebrate Mary this month of May to remember spring at its height of beauty… Mary taught us not to be afraid, like she wasn’t (afraid) when Gabriel the angel appeared. She was a great mother to Jesus and supported him as she (has) supported us.” – Drawing and writing by Bezankeng Khumbah, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“I love my mom so much because she is always by my side.” – Drawing and writing by Isabella Penado, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“Mothers and Mary have very important roles to us. For me, I think mothers are the people Mary who Mary has sent to help us. My mother, for instance, always helps me and always corrects me when I’m wrong…” – Stephanie Oben, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“My mother faced so many hardships and yet still succeeded. I am thankful for her and all the many times she is taking care of us and the house 24-7 and still has to go to work. Thank you so much, God, for the blessings you put in mine and everyone’s life for giving us these hardworking, caring mothers in our lives, because these mothers symbolize our Mother Mary in Christ.” – Sydney Essene, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“This drawing is me and my mom together always. This message is for all the moms. You guys are nice, kind, smart and great at taking care of us, and I am so proud of you guys for being so great and being life-changers. Thank you so much!” – Artwork and writing by Korrine Wiseman, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“Mother Mary said ‘yes’ to Jesus and is the best mother for Him. She made sure to put His priorities over her own. She know she had to keep him safe. She knew she had to do this for the world. She knew she had to help conquer sin. There couldn’t have been a better choice than the beautiful Virgin Mary.” – Michael Morfaw, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

“My mother is always helping me to do my best in school. She is kind, nice, helpful and smart and loving. And I think that is something her and Mary have in common. Mary is kind, smart, helpful, nice and loving. I know my mom is a good mom just like Mary was.” – Artwork and writing by Enuma Offiah, fifth grade, the Academy of St. Matthias the Apostle, Lanham

St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“When I think about my mom, I think about Mary. They both care for their children, and they both also believe in God. Mary is so kind and generous, just like my mom. I love and I care for my mom, just as she does for me. She is so smart and loving, and I hope that when she gets into heaven, that she will see Mary and live happily and peacefully.” – Artwork and writing by Amarachi Oleru, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“I look up to Mary because she was willing to say ‘yes’ to bringing Jesus into this world. Not to mention, she went her whole entire life without committing a single sin. I want to be like her and go through my whole entire life committing as few sins as possible. I would also like to be chosen by God to do something somewhat big and important to the world and my family.” – Artwork and writing by Antonio Cabellon, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“My mom works for hours on end just to be able to provide for  our family. She is determined, hardworking, intelligent and always there for me. She inspires and encourages me to not be like her, but to be even better. She will forever be proud of me and motivate me to do better. I have more gratitude for her and the things she does for me than she will ever realize.” – Maegan Adamu, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“I love my mom. She has always been there for me when I was sad, mad and happy. She works so hard to make sure my siblings and I are happy and healthy. My mom is a dentist. She and my dad own their own dental office. She’s good at what she does. She has worked hard her whole life and has been rewarded for it. She is nice, kind and considerate She deserves the world and I love her.” – Drawing and writing by Aurora Stoute, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“My mother is my inspiration. She is always there for my siblings and me. She is kind and is one of my role models, and I want to be just like my mom. I want to be a teacher just like my mom. My mother always knows how to cheer me when I am down, and she is my number-one fan.” – Sophia Gaskins, eighth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“I believe that mothers have a special place in this world. They are the makers of the future scientists, artists, activists, poets, teachers, presidents and more. They encourage bravery, kindness and strength. They radiate grace and empathy. My mom is my role model and taught me growing up that you must work for what you want in life and always treat people with compassion and dignity. Let us celebrate our mothers this May, especially our blessed Mary, mother of God.” – Artwork and writing by Krystal Nkoronye, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“The Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated during the month of May. Her ‘fiat’ or ‘let it be done’ when asked to carry Christ and to bring the Son of God into the world is a remarkable example of faith. She always trusted her Son and continues to watch over us, her children on Earth. In May, we also celebrate Mother’s Day, a time to thank our mothers for all they do for us.” – Artwork and writing by Lucy Allman, seventh grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“Our mother Mary is the best mother we could ever have. She is sweet, nice, caring and loving. She is Jesus’s mother from above. She looks down on us all the time. She supports us through stuff. We pray through Mary to Jesus so we can say our sorrow or emotion or stuff we need to get out, so we pray through Mary when we need it the most.” – Hailey Reaves, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

“Mary is very special, because she is the mother of Jesus Christ, the one who suffered and died for us on the cross. Mary also sends our prayers to Jesus and God. In a way, she is everyone’s mother. Mary cares and loves us just like our moms. And for those moms that have passed, they are being cared for by Mary, God and Jesus. Thank you Mary, for all the things you do.” – Madison Davis, sixth grade, St. Pius X Regional School, Bowie

Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Drawing by Frances Islinger, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“My mom is awesome. She is super helpful and hardworking. She is super smart and kind. My mom is loving in every way. My mom is adventurous but careful. My mom is also super understanding. She also helps me whenever I ask. I love my mom!” – Rowan Seaman, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“My mom is an amazing person. She has always been there for me. She always wants to hear about my day, or how I’m feeling. She is always there to help me if needed. She does my laundry and cooks for my family. I love her.” – Cordelia McCahan, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Drawing by Abigail Hailemariam, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“She’s nice. She makes dinner. She helps me with my homework. She cares about me. She takes me to soccer practice. She makes breakfast for me. She gets groceries. She’s my biggest fan. She comes to my soccer games even when it’s raining. She loves me.” – Emma Donovan, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“My mom is always trying to do what is right for all of us, and boy, is she succeeding! She makes the most delicious dinners. Every Sunday, Mom serves a traditional meal from a different country! She knows exactly what we need in every situation. She makes the most boring things interesting. My mom does so much for us, she is definitely the best mother ever. All I want to do this Mother’s Day is make her proud.” – Kay McIntyre, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Drawing by Adele Kirkpatrick, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“I appreciate Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a role model and said ‘yes’ to God because she loved him. She trusted him. She was a good woman and a good person that we should always pray for and follow her way of life.” – Ione Seaman, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“My mom is the best. She never yells. She is caring. She loves my family, and she is beautiful. She has very good cooking skills and bakes the best cookies ever. My mom loves sports such as lacrosse, football and hockey. She played lacrosse in high school and went to the University of Maryland. My mom is the best person I have ever met, and it will stay that way. I love my mom.” – Jack Grossfeld,  fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“My mom is my biggest fan. She always helps me when I am in need of it. She always drives me to my practices and is always very patient when I mess up (which is very often). She is very loving to me and my brothers and always very helpful! I love her so much!” – Mary Dugan, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Drawing by Charles Cleghorn, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“There will never be enough thank yous in the world to express how grateful I am for my mom. She has given me life, comforts me when I am down, and is always there… I am just so grateful for my mom, she knows what I need or want, what I like and understands me. The stories she has from her childhood are really fun. I love that I can share the same childhood experiences. I can talk to her about almost anything… My mom has done so much for us during Covid… During lockdown, she created a whole schedule for my sister and me, and made it so much fun. So thank you, Mom, for all that you do for my sister and me, thank you.” – Annie Worden, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

“My mom is the best! She is one of the nicest people I know, and she makes a lot of sacrifices to make me and my siblings happy. Every morning she wakes up early to make our lunches for school. She drives our carpools to lacrosse practice on Mondays and Wednesdays, and probably a million other things I don’t even know about. She gets us treats and makes us snacks. I love my mom, and I think she is the best!” – Paige Sowanick, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Drawing by Valentina Cruceta, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My mom is probably one of my biggest supporters, and I love her with all my heart. She’s done so much for me, and I’m greatly thankful. One thing that is very important to me is when my dad passed away, she was there for me and helped me get through that tough time of my life. I am blessed with a great mom, and I thank God every day for that.” – Madison Hughes, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My mom is a very important part of our family. She does a lot for us and our school community. She never gives up in anything she does. My mom is my hero. Best of all, she gives great hugs. I think she is the best mom in the world, and no one could ever replace her. I want to thank my mom for all she does for me, my family and my community.” – Tyler Wingenter, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My mom is the best mom in the world! She plays with me and calls me ‘my love.’ She tucks me in at night and makes the best meals in the world, like pepperoni pasta and grilled chicken. She even lets me have friends over at the last minute because she believes socializing is good. And for all of my homework, she asks if I need help. I love my mom.” – Drawing and writing by Lily Frazier, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My mom is the best mom for me. She may not be perfect, but I love her a lot. I do everything with her. She tries her best to make me happy. She has an amazing heart. I would be nothing without her. I love seeing her smile in the morning. I love her silliness, and she is perfect for me.” – Sadie Grey, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“What I admire about Mary is she gave up Jesus to die on the cross. She said ‘yes’ to God to have Jesus. I know she was very sad when Jesus died. She’s the saint of mothers. Any time you have trouble with your mom, pray to Mary.” – Mia Sanchez, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Drawing by Sammi Perrin, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I admire my mother because she is very hardworking and responsible, and she takes care of my sister and my brother as she’s working, and I appreciate her very much.” – Ryleigh Buck, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“I admire Mary because she said ‘yes’ to God when He asked her to be the mother of Jesus. Mary believed in Jesus, she was Jesus’s first disciple. At the wedding at Cana, she encouraged Jesus to perform his first miracle. Her faith in God was strong. Mary was brave enough to stand at the foot of the cross while Jesus was dying.” – Isla Ihnacik, fourth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Drawing by Addison McGaffin, eighth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“Mary is the greatest human (besides Jesus) to ever exist. She was conceived without sin and said ‘yes’ to God, giving birth to Jesus. She is our Blessed Mother, given to us at the foot of the cross. She intercedes for us to God, and whenever we are in need, she protects us and gives us what we need. Though we can never be like her, she is the perfect example of how to say ‘yes’ to God, not sin and follow Jesus.” – Luke Annulis, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Drawing by Caroline Haynes, first grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“My mom does a lot for me. She fixes me food, pays for everything I need, takes me places, has fun with me and does many other things for me. She works very hard for us. I love her very much. This is why I appreciate my mom.” – Drawing and writing by Graci King, seventh grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“There are so many reasons why I’m thankful for my mom. Any time when I’m sad, she’ll comfort me, and if I need help, she’ll try to help me. But most of all, I’m thankful for all she’s done for me in every way.” – Charlotte Adams, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons