Spirit & spark

Freedom and independence are words we hear often around the birth of our nation. These are the foundations of our nation and threads that hold our country together. On this Fourth of July weekend, the Southeast Missourian wanted to know what the youngest citizens love about America. The essays that follow are from students at Franklin Elementary School and Central Middle School.

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I love America because it's "the land of the free and home of the brave." I love America because there is no king or ruler; only a president. I love America because of the flag. I love America because of the states. I love America because of the founding fathers that made this all possible. I love America because of all the men who fought for us to live freely on this land, from Washington's army to Bush's army. I love America because of the schools and churches. I love America because of my ancestors from the Cherokee tribe. I love America because of the firemen and the police officers.

-- Payne Pruitt

The most thing I love about America is it is a free country and we all get to drive a motorcycle when we are 18 years old.

-- Mitchell

I love America because we have freedom, we can do what we want. We can drive a car when we want. I get to be what I want to be. We also get to watch TV when we want. We have the best malls. We also have the best go-cart tracks.

--Jacob

I love America for NASCAR, TV and our freedom. You can have the job you want if you study for that job. You can drive when you are 16. The stores are good places to find good stuff that you are looking for, and a lot of other stuff that is cool. And the firefighters are in good shape.

-- Kaleb

I love America because you can go swimming. Sometimes you can go go-cart riding. Sometimes we go to the mall. You have a right to play sports. You have a right to go shopping every day. The girls go to get their hair done. We do a lot of things in America.

-- Lanija

I love America because I have a right to bear arms and I have a right to wear the type of clothes worn in the type of weather. America has national and city parks that have rules to obey. America has places and buildings from the 1880s that we can take tours to and learn about land and become a citizen.

--Alendria

Why I love America is because I get to choose if I want to be Baptist or Jewish or Pentecostal. I get to choose if I want to be a hair stylist or a policeman or woman, or a lawyer. I get to choose if I want to rent or own a house. I get to choose if I want to drive at age 16.

-- Courtney

I love America because we have fun places. We have malls we can go to. We have rights and freedoms. We can be anything we want to be when we grow up. I am glad we have the 50 states.

-- Randy

Why I love America is because it is a free country. We have parks, rivers, mountains, a great hospital and great doctors. When I grow up I'm going to be a policeman. I think that would be cool. I'm going to finish school. And at 16 you can have your permit license, that's cool.

-- Kennett

America is fun because there are cool parks and swimming pools. I love going swimming at the Central High School. I love going to the public library. I like reading. Stores have supplies for school. You can go to school for free. You get to get your permit at age of 15. You get to drive at the age of 16. You can go to church and learn about Jesus. You get nice houses. You can move out of your parents' house at the age of 18. I love America.

--Jeremy

I love living in America because kids can go to the park and play and have fun. We have lots of store where we can get food, drinks, clothes, shoes, and where you can get your hair done. And go swimming for $1.50 per person. Go to school for free to get an education. You have a right to bear arms. You can cook your own food. You have a right to play sports, and have a barbecue in the park.

--Alexia

I love America because I have my own religion. I have my own choice what I want to be when I grow up. I get to go to college. I get new clothes. I get to go camping and go to church. The USA has good cities.

-- Britteny

I love America a lot, just because. Do you love America?

--Zack

I love America because of the brave people and that we have stores to go to. Thank God we have police and firefighters because if we didn't then all the houses would burn down. God bless America to all.

--Jamal

I love America because you get to drive and you get to go to the store and buy things. And I love, love, love America because we love freedom and you get to go to Florida, and have parties and go skating.

-- Jameka

Why I love America is because we are free and you have the right to play sports and other things. You can get a job and have the right to own a gun, and the right to buy a gun, and the right to buy stuff from the store.

-- Brandon

I like the parks in America. I like the swimming pools and the schools. I like everything in Cape Girardeau. The parks should be clean.

--Blake

I love America and the Great Lakes. We have cars in America and we can go on trips. My family lives in America, and I like to go out to eat. I can play sports.

-- Levi

I love America because they make cool clothes. You are free and you can vote when you are 18 years of age. We have amusement parks and resorts. We have a lot of restaurants. We get computers in America. We get paper and lead from the USA. We also get wood and plastics and glass.

-- Travis

America is a free country. In America we can go to school and make friends. We can be anything we choose. I want to be a nurse.

-- Michelle

I love America because we have freedom to pick our school and our church and power to vote. Also because we can have our own home. You can be anything you want to be. We have plenty of food and our leaders listen to us. We are the greatest country in the world.

-- Christian

I love America because people don't shoot us. I can go to any church. I can become what I want to become. This is a free state. We get to vote for the president.

-- Lesley

I love the Unites States of America. We are free! We can get whatever job we want if we are willing to work hard.

--Cheyenne

America has freedom. Our leaders don't boss us. People don't shoot us. We can be anything. We can own a home. We can do anything.

-- Jeremy

I love America because I like the colors on the flag. I can go to any school I want to go to and any church. I can be free. I will have power to vote when I grow up.

-- Sierra

I love America because you have the freedom of speech. We have the right of voting. There are so many rights in America, and that is why I love America. We have the right to speak.

-- Kenton

I love America because we are a free country and we have the right to vote.

--Trevor

Why I love America is that we have the right to go to school and that we have the right to vote and go to work. It is important to vote for our leaders, and to have friends, and they can be different colored friends.

-- Jazzmine

I love America because it's very fun, important and free. I love America when I'm happy.

-- Alec

America is cool because you can do some things for free. America is great because you can celebrate things like the Fourth of July. The best is that you get to do things.

-- Dominique

We have a right to vote for our country, obey the laws and to respect others. We have the right to praise the Lord and say the Pledge of Allegiance. And may God bless you.

-- Brittany

I love America simply because it is the land of the free. It is a beautiful place where almost all my friends are. You can get an education here and make some friends of your own. But I can't say it's always perfect, but it's good enough. I love the fresh air when you go outside and all the amazing things you could see, and it's all here in America and so are people from different countries. We even have food from different countries. But the thing I like about America is that everyone may live here, not a certain person or race, but everyone.

-- Diron Lintz