Essay Contest

“Golden Courage”

Gold is strong, gold is bright, 

Gold shines through the darkest night. 

Even when the days feel long, 

Gold reminds you to stay strong. 

When you’re tired, when you’re sad, 

When the sickness makes you mad, 

Gold is love that holds you tight, 

Gold is hope, a shining light. 

You are brave, you stand so tall, 

You keep shining through it all, 

Like the sun up in the sky, 

Gold will never say goodbye. 

So, keep going, don’t give in, 

Let your golden heart win! 

~Sienna Hope Ackerman, 4th Grade

“Beacon of Hope”

As the light from the sun shines down in beaming rays, 

Your beacon of hope goes off

To ignite your compassion, empathy, and love in a burning pile of embers. 

Your beacon of hope goes off

To every little girl and boy you help, 

Your beacon of hope goes off 

For every kid bound by gold ribbon you help, 

Your beacon of hope goes off

For every minute you spend fighting for others, 

Your beacon of hope goes off. 

So keep fighting for kids bound by gold, 

Every kind thing you do, 

Your beacon of hope goes off! 

~Grace Zaborney, 5th Grade

Go Gold Day

One day there was a girl named Leah going to school, and she found out her friend had cancer, They told her childhood cancer research is consistently underfunded by the federal government. So Leah set off to do something. She needed to support her friend and cancer. Leah spent all day thinking about it. “Oh, I forgot tomorrow is Go Gold Day! I need to do as much as I can to help support cancer!”

Leah went home and made  flyers to donate money to help cancer. She also gathered supplies to make a lemonade stand. Leah said, “All the money I make is going to go to cancer.” So Leah set up her lemonade stand and got straight to work. Leah worked all afternoon and raised lots of money. She asked her mom to donate the money to cancer. She also asked her if she could have another lemonade stand tomorrow. Her mom says of course.

It’s the next day, and Leah told her friend she donated to cancer. Her friend said thank you, and Leah asked her if she would like to sell lemonade with her. Her friend said of course, and they enjoyed a happy Go Gold Day together. After school once again they donated to cancer. So be the light for people with cancer.

~Eloise Chau, 3rd Grade

Based on a True Story 

It’s January 1, 2015. Everybody’s day is going well, but Taylor Shank who is not feeling well, but tells no one. So she goes to school. The only one who knew was her best friend / little sister (two years younger), McKenna. McKenna urgerd her to tell Mom and Dad. Taylor insisted she only tell Dad, a doctor. He takes her to the hospital to see if she’s diagnosed with cancer. A few days later she finds out she’s diagnosed with cancer. Her cancer was called polythemia vera. This cancer made her produce too many blood cells. By now some kids whose parents are also doctors know. Some of them wanted to help by making lemonade stands. But the one who did the most was McKenna. She talked to neighbors, made lemonade stands, and most of all was a very helpful person, always being kind and telling Taylor it will be alright. And she was right. 

~Mirabella Shank, 3rd Grade 

Be the Light

Be the Light.

I can be the light for kids because I am super nice. 

I can bring them a lot of toys. 

I can bring them some balloons. 

I can send them cards with a lot of nice messages.

~Eli Harshman, 1st Grade