FREEDOM — When Aaron Vanden Heuvel read the novel “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park along with his classmates in their sixth-grade literature class at St. Francis Xavier Middle School in Appleton, he was bothered by what he read. The 2010 book is based on the true story of Salva, one of some 3,800 Sudanese “Lost Boys” airlifted to the United States beginning in the mid-1990s. “Kids, mostly girls, have to walk …
This year, for the Compass’ annual Just for Kids Christmas contest, students in grades pre-K through 12 were asked the following question: “If you could travel back to Bethlehem, what special holiday food or treat would you bring to the stable and why?” Art was to be based on the Gospel readings for any of the Christmas Masses. In total, The Compass received 83 essays and 74 pieces of artwork from 28 classes and private …
What favorite Christmas treat would you want to share with the most important guests?
Each year, The Compass asks children, in fifth grade and under, to enter our Christmas essay project. Their perspectives add to our celebration of the Nativity. This year, our 24th annual “Just for Kids” contest asked children to tell us what treat they would bring to Bethlehem. Needless to say, cookies and candy are the most popular. But there are many other foods, including spaghetti, corned beef and tacos, as well as favorites from countries like England, Sweden, Mexico, Germany and the Sudan.
We heard from 298 children — both 14 individuals and students in 28 school classes or religious education programs.
(Listed first are individual letters, followed by classes. In most cases, original spelling and punctuation have been preserved.)
