Open Letter For Hopes And Dreams… Carta Abierta De Esperanzas y Sueños…

We asked Eastern Middle School Students and Staff about their hopes and dreams for the next four years after the presidential inauguration and here is a compilation of their submissions.

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris, my hopes and dreams for the next for years are…

that we stop racism and sexism, and heal the wounds made in the last four years — 7th Grader

that we have a good school year — 7th Grader

I want free masks and please unblock Spotify — 7th Grader

I hope that you make basketball camps affordable for the unfortunate. — 7th Grader

To our Eastern Eagles: our days aren’t the same without you, and we miss you more than you know. We hope you and your families are safe and healthy.
G O E A G L E S

A nuestras Águilas de Eastern: nuestros días no son lo mismo sin
ti, y te extrañamos más de lo que sabes. Esperamos que ustedes
y sus familias estén seguras y saludables.
V A M O S Á G U I L A S

that we don’t start a war — 7th Grader

For the following issues to be addressed: Climate change, women’s rights, rights for people of color, and LGBTQ+ rights. — 8th Grader

for students in our nation to realize the value of their education and their literacy skills in light of what has happened in our country these past four years. In order for that to happen, our culture needs to openly VALUE education, literacy and the teachers who work so hard to pass on these skills to the younger generation. That respect can come in many forms — salary, investments in school buildings, press, etc. — Teacher

People of color do not get legally discriminated against, meaning things like Uyghur muslims in China can’t happen or terrorist groups targeting POC. I also hope the LGBTQ+ community aren’t legally discriminated against and are allowed basic human rights like medical care and service/job option — 7th Grader

that everyone will be treated equally and for us to go back to school — 8th Grader

Dear President Biden and Vice President Harris, my hopes and dreams for the next four years are too many to count, but they are each incredibly important. I would like justice for Breonna Taylor. For George Floyd. For Elijah McClain. For Ahmaud Arbery. For Brayla Stone. For Dominique “Rem’mie’’ Fells. For every person murdered for being black, trans, gay, or different. I would like that being LGBTQ+, or a person of color, is supported and accepted everywhere in the U.S. I would like to take some money out of the police department and give it to departments that can actually help. I would like to have students educated about what actually goes on in the world, to have LGBTQ+ history taught to them, to have real matters recognized in classrooms. I would like to have more black, Latino, Asian-American, young, and LGBTQ+ people in positions of power. I would like to have men respect women and people of other genders as their equals. I would like for immigrants to be welcomed with open arms into the U.S. I would like children to be taken out of cages. I would like to stop child trafficking. I would like to have climate change acknowledged, and to attempt to stop it. I would like to have disabilities be accepted. And I would most of all like you to try. To try and solve these problems, no matter how big, hard, and seemingly impossible they might be. To try and spread awareness. We’ve come so far, but we still have so much farther to go. Your inaugurations made people realize the change they could make if they find their voice. Now, I want you to find your voice, and help us lift this country out of the dark and help it become what it could be. — 7th Grader

filled with happiness and success, get things done in the office; with all these things going on. I hope that great changes get done and I know you’ll serve us well. — 8th Grader

That America is less divided under your leadership, and that there is less hate from political parties. — 8th Grader

The Corona Virus Diaries — We miss our school!

to end police brutality. — 8th Grader

For you guys to change the world to a better place. — 8th Grader

That there will be no more violent protests because somebody was mistreated. All schools that need a renovation or more supplies get them. — 8th Grader

that “school” becomes a word that brings about feelings of curiosity, enthusiasm, safety, and pride for every student, teacher, and parent in our country. I hope that together we foster the flexibility, freedom, respect, support, and compassion needed for individuals to flourish and be inspired, to embrace purpose and to walk into the world with confidence as the gifts and service of each one combine to create an all-encompassing sense of community. — Teacher

That we make the vaccines for Covid more accessible to the public. — 6th Grader

That you will do a good job, and good things for the U.S as a whole. — 7th Grader

to find a way to get rid of covid 19 — 7th Grader

Dear President and Vice president, my hopes and dreams for the next four years are for me to keep being me and hopefully I can accomplish my dreams in these four years which are to help the homeless, help people in our community. — 7th Grader

less wars — 7th Grader

That we finally get the funding to rebuild our 60+ year old school building.

— Teacher

My hopes and dreams for the next four years are for white people to stop being so rude to us Hispanics and people of color and to Asians who want to come visit America. — 7th Grader

for you to Not to be like Donald Trump and don’t do anything crazy. — 7th Grader

to have more peace — 7th Grader

that it is better than the last four years. — 7th Grader

you make America great unlike the other one. — 7th Grader

to take down the wall .— 7th Grader

the coronavirus will be gone. — 7th Grader

To have a safe but *not rushed* return to in-person teaching so that we can keep our students, teachers and community healthy physically and mentally while we continue to support ALL our students. — Teacher

To keep the peace and allow the American Citizens to continue the right to bear arms, I also wish you and your family or extended family a good life and wish for the times to go back the way it was when Obama was in office. — 7th Grader

I hope that you can fix what the former president has done. I hope you can find a secure way to cure and end Covid-19. — 7th Grade

To graduate and go to college and study to be a Doctor. — 7th Grader

Dear President and Vice President, I hope that we can all get ourselves together and that we won’t ever get involved in any wars. I dream that we can all be equal and that we will be mostly carbon neutral as soon as we can. I pray that the number of coronavirus cases will go down a lot, and that more and more people can get the vaccine everyday. — 7th Grader

To give people scholarships so college can be more affordable. — 7th Grader

To have peace in our society and for people to interact better with one another. — 7th Grader

That We Come back to our Class in school .— 7th Grader

To make America great. — 7th Grader

for my students to feel optimistic about their futures. — Teacher

to not get the coronavirus. — 7th Grader

to get good grades. — 7th Grader

I start working and earn money. — 7th Grader

you can be the difference and make people feel better about the pandemic.and don’t make people feel like they’re alone. — 7th Grader

To go to college and find a job I like. — 7th Grader

Equal rights for all. Please stop the police brutality. — 7th Grader

seeing Climate Crisis be acknowledged by all and big changes to solve it .— 8th Grader

for my family to get papers. — 7th Grader

to make my parents and my family happy. — 7th Grader

no gun and no violence. — 7th Grader

to get a computer and get good grades. — 7th Grader

there is world peace. — 7th Grader

A New Normal — Dueling Perspectives . Challenging the American Narrative” faced its own challenges due to the pandemic but Eagles never give up! Eastern’s Award Winning Humanities and Communications Program & 8th Grade Final Conference 2020 contributors shared their documentaries and celebrated their success online.

Dear President and Vice President, my hopes and dreams for the next four years are to get the Pandemic under control and to unite the country. — 7th Grader

that everything will be ok .— 7th Grader

my dream is the we can be more united. — 7th Grader

StudentCam Competition — Eastern Students competed against 5,300 students nationwide and they were recognized as the first and the third prize winners and received multiple honorary mentions.

StudentCam Competition - 2020 Winners

Although 2020 marks the first time in 16 years of the C-SPAN Student Cam Competition that “the organization has been unable to physically present awards to the prize winning students,” Eastern Students competed against 5,300 students nationwide and they were recognized as the first and the third prize winners and received multiple honorary mentions. #SoarLikeAnEagle

Dear President and Vice president , my hopes and dreams for the next four years are for you guys to help immigrants here in the US and help to create a safe place for LGBTQ+ people. — 7th Grader

my hopes is that we go back to school and we have a new building. — 7th Grader

that people from LGBTQ+ and other races have freedom and get treated better/equally. — 7th Grader

get even better at basketball.— 7th Grader

that true equality will happen. — 7th Grader

I hope there won’t be discrimination in the world anymore. — 7th Grader

Our staff and students have been advocating for a new building for so long. It is time! Eagles need a new nest. Eastern Jr. High School, as it was originally named, was built in 1951! Westland Jr. High School was built that same year. Together, they were the third and fourth middle schools in Montgomery County with only the Takoma-Silver Spring School and the Takoma Park Jr. High predating them.

That everyone including Homeless people get a maximum 1000$ during this pandemic. — 7th Grader

no more immigration. — 7th Grader

papers to visit countries. — 7th Grader

to be alive.— 7th Grader

That a make US safe and kill covid-19.— 7th Grader

that our country is able to transform into a place that not only welcomes but celebrates a diversity of backgrounds, nationalities, and ideas. I also hope that my newsfeed will be full of more uplifting headlines than it has for the last four years. — Teacher

Less hate, more equality. — 6th Grader

work to create a more equitable public school system that serves all of our students. — Teacher

Built in 1951, our school is 70 years strong. Staff and students represented our school at 2020 MCPS CIP budget hearings. Almost hearing our Eagles chanting “Rebuild Eastern!”, “ Equity For Eastern!” Time is long over due for a new nest.

I am dreaming of an America that strives to be the beacon of hope for all Americans and the world. I am dreaming of a strong public health infrastructure so that public needs are met, and of solution oriented civic engagement, so strong that actions are taken. Most importantly, I am dreaming of an America where literacy, science, and teaching are considered cool, where students can receive support regardless of their zip code and have access to walking distance libraries serving as centers for vibrant communities. I am dreaming of an America where teachers do not worry about a second job to supplement a low teaching wage, students do not feel unsafe in schools. I dream of recruiting the best for our diverse student body and building a bright future for all. — Teacher

Stop racism and sexism, and heal the wounds made in the last four years — 6th Grader

That America isn’t divided based on race, religion, or political parties. — 7th Grader

Go to school. And stop the COVID 19. — 7th Grader

unify the country. — 7th Grader

I hope you keep your word to help immigrants. — 7th Grader

Stop racism. — 7th Grader

make sure policies are created and supported that make it possible for everyone to have equal access to jobs, healthcare, FAIR public safety, and education K — College. — Teacher

Educator Strong!

Dear president, my hopes are can you help the people that need it. — 7th Grader

my dream is the we can be more united. — 7th Grader

that everything will be ok. — 7th Grader

We will be a safe accepting place for all people in general, people of color, people in the LGBTQIA+ community, People with Differing abilities, the elderly, etc. It is my hope that the atmosphere will be safe to agree to disagree but respectfully Coexist without violence. — Teacher

my hopes and dreams for the next four years is that people get work and open the stores. — 7th Grader

help people who are coming to the United States.— 6th Grader

Dear President and Vice President, my hopes and dreams for the next four years is that this country gets overall better with your help. — 7th Grader

Dear President and Vice President, I truly hope that you will give more opportunities to immigrant people to have better jobs. — 7th Grader

have the support of the American people and use your time constructing the next best generation possible! — Teacher

to put immigrant children with their parents. — 7th Grader

Improve the lives of people across the country and the world. I fully believe that President Biden and Vice President Harris will follow through and do so much more. — 7th Grader

be better then that last president I know you you will be .— 7th Grader

Have an amazing year. — 7th Grader

Thank you for sharing your dreams and staying hopeful.

Soar High Eagles!

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Silver Spring, MD 20901