Second Place
JULIA GUERRA, Charter School Morgan Hill
5th Grade, Mr. Tubach
T
his is a statue. It guides ships to light. Liberty and justice for all.
If I could take a trip to any of American’s National Monuments,
I would choose to visit the Statue of Liberty. In 1886, the
Statue of Liberty was a gift from France. The French wanted to
celebrate the friendship that began between the two countries after the American Revolution.
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island in New York. This amazing statue is 305 feet
tall! Lady Liberty’s sandals are also a very important part of the Statue of Liberty because she is
free to walk the earth as she pleases. If those sandals were real, she would be wearing a woman’s
size 879!
Not far from the Statue of Liberty is Ellis Island. People can easily travel to both locations
because they are very close together. This is where immigrants arrived from all over the world
between 1892 and 1954. This is another important historic site in American.
It took many people to build and create this famous lady. Frenchman Alexandre Gustave Eiffel
built the inside of the Statue. The Statue took a very long time to build. The French had wanted to
give the Statue of Liberty to all of the American citizens for our 100th Birthday. It took so long to
build that the birthday present arrived ten years late!
In May of 1885, the Statue of Liberty was shipped to the United States of America in 350 pieces.
It took 214 crates to be able to ship everything. Once it arrived in the United States, it took four
months to reassemble the Statue on the pedestal.
A newspaper owner named Joseph Pulitzer decided to put an advertisement in his newspaper
asking people to donate money so they could finish the incomplete pedestal. Money poured in and
he collected over $100,000. Finally, they finished the Statue’s “chair” in 1886!
An American architect named Richard Morris Hunt designed the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal
out of concrete and granite. Engineer Charles P. Stone was in charge of re-building the Statue of
Liberty. The construction of the Statue began in August 1884. This was a month after the Statue of
Liberty was completed in Paris, France.
Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty has witnessed her share of tragic events over the years,
this wonderful Lady Liberty has enabled millions of people to have hope. To me, the Statue of
Liberty is a true symbol of America’s spirit.
Today, the Statue of Liberty still believes that America is a place for everyone. This is a statue.
Liberty and justice for all. Forever and always.
Third Place
Lauren Herlich, Paradise Valley Elementary
5th Grda, Mrs. Grant
W
hile researching this topic, I found that there are 59 National Parks in America. As I was looking
through them, I realized how amazing America is and how nice it would be to visit all 59 National Parks.
The National Parks Service was started by President Woodrow Wilson on August 25, 1916, and has managed
to protect the parks for us to enjoy. Here are some reasons why I would like to go to all 59 National Parks.
America’s parks are each unique in their own way, beautiful and interesting, just like its people. Some parks may be cold and snowy, while
others may be warm and sunny. Some have many organisms and plants, while others have beautiful landscapes and views. Every time I learn
about a new park, it makes me want to visit it too.
Going to a National Park and seeing it with your own eyes is a great experience and there is histor y in each one. There is just so much to
see and learn from each park. From that mountain that can’t be missed, to that one sycamore tree that is hardly noticed, every tree, stone,
lake, or hill has its own story to tell and each is more brilliant than the last.
If you have been to a National Park, think how lucky and fortunate you were, standing over the 6,000 foot cliff of the Grand Canyon,
carved by just water, or looking up at Yosemite’s majestic Half Dome! The more I think about it, the more places I want to go see and
learn about.
I think each one of America’s wonderful National Parks has its own reason for me to visit, just like each person has a reason to stand out
and be special. That is why I want to visit all 59 of America’s amazing National Parks.
America’s NATIONAL PARKS H Morgan Hill Freedom Fest 2017
11