Before we begin we would like to send our congratulations from West Bradford Elementary School in Downingtown, PA. We are excited to see this historical day can be celebrated in such a way that everyone will remember it for generations to come!

Along with being president comes the responsibility of America and most importantly, fulfilling the American Dream. The students at West Bradford have many interesting dreams as well.

Everyone loves animals; so do the children at West Bradford. Almost 100 children want to help animals as a career. Others want to save the environment. Also a great career!

That being said some want more of an educational job such as a teacher, professor, counselor, or librarian.
Our favorite category is the twenty-five students who want to help people by ways of charities or community work or service. We think this is a very kind way to spend time.

Some students prefer politics. Nine students would like to be a president of some sort, and one student's dream is to meet you personally. A very interesting goal, in our opinion.

Many students want more daring jobs like race car drivers, snow board patrols, and even storm watchers! Not many of us have that much guts; do you?

Many also want to be a hero. Not with super powers (though one wants to be Spiderman, and most importantly, some want to be the ninjas who fight samurai - *Wink wink*), but we dream of being the heroes that risk their lives to help save America everyday. So we give our thanks to and aspire to become: policemen, firefighters, nurses, doctors, and, of course, the armed forces.

This may not be everyone's American dream, but it's ours. Though we don't know the way things might work out in these rough times, there is always the hope for all the kids at West Bradford – thanks to you.


S. Bryan Jennings Elementary School, 4th Grade –
Orange Park, FL
28 Dream Stars (9-11 years old)

Hello! We, the fourth-grade students at S. Bryan Jennings Elementary School in Orange Park, FL, have come up with a total of 28 dream stars that represent our wishes and hopes for our community and for ourselves. Some of these dreams include:

1. We wish that gas prices and food prices could be lower. This is important because we need to save our parents' money to pay bills, and so that we can go to college someday.

2. We dream that our community can help to keep our Earth clean. Animals could suffocate, and the air we breathe becomes polluted and unhealthy when people litter. Using energy-efficient light bulbs can help to save energy.

3. We wish that everyone in America had health insurance so that they could be protected in car accidents and when they get sick.

4. We miss our moms and dads in the military and we are excited to have them come home from the Middle East soon.

5. We wish that everyone could have a safe community, and a safe place to call home.

These are our wishes for your presidency, and for our country. Thank you for being our President. We hope you have a great first term in office and we look forward to witnessing our dreams come true.

Yours truly,
Mrs. Zocchi's 4th grade students


Albert Farine Elementary School – Irving, TX
340 Dream Stars (8-11 years old)

We, the students of Albert Farine Elementary School, challenge you to do the following as you lead this great nation.

We challenge you to:

Dream, believe and imagine.
Accomplish your goals.
Imagine a better America.
Follow your dreams to a new adventure.
Remember your promises.
Encourage Americans to go green.
Try peace instead of war.
Remember to take risks.
Capture the spirit of America.


Roosevelt Elementary School – Mcdonald, OH
155 Dream Stars (9-11 years old)

Dear President Obama:

We would like to share our wishes for the future with you. We would like to be able to go to college to pursue careers, serve our country in the military, political offices, and other ways, and to help others.

We would like to have the economy improved, bring our soldiers home, deal with conflicts diplomatically and end wars, and to cure diseases.

We would like to have world peace, reduce pollution produced around the world, have universal recycling programs, and end global warming.

Congratulations and best wishes on your Presidency. We wish for you great success in all your endeavors.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Daigle and the 4th and 5th Graders of Roosevelt


Glen Head Elementary School – Glen Head, NY
248 Dream Stars (8-11 years old)

Dear President Obama:

During your term as President of the United States of America, we, the students of Glen Head Elementary School, want you to stay strong and remember your promises. We ask that you bravely and boldly face the challenges before you and that you take risks and try new things. We encourage you to respect the ideas and opinions of others, especially when they disagree with you. Please hear our voices before you make choices! We expect you to be honest, and we thank you for being a great role model for kids. You have taught us to follow our dreams, stay hopeful, and never quit. We know that the dream of becoming President has brought new responsibilities, and we thank you for taking the job.

Here are some of the "dreams" we have for you and our country. We hope that together you and the people of our country will:

- see with our hearts, not our eyes
- fight for what is right, even if we are fighting alone
- dream, dream, dream!
- give someone a hand, so that we all might climb higher
- take a small idea and make it big and bright
- stop the war in Iraq and bring home our troops
- help spread peace, protect freedom, and banish all forms of slavery throughout the world
- learn to solve problems and protect our nation without using violence
- promote civility, common kindness, patience, and tolerance between our citizens
- encourage people to be more aware of their actions and communicate with one another
- do what's best for kids, including lowering college costs so everyone can afford to further their education and get a good job in the future
- help families affected by the economic crisis find jobs, stay healthy, and get through these hard times
- volunteer to help those who are less fortunate find food, housing, medical care, and make a better life for themselves
- protect the health of our citizens by making healthcare more affordable and by sponsoring more people to develop cures for illnesses like cancer, asthma, and Type I diabetes
- find new ways to stop global warming, save our environment, and protect all living things

Thank you for going this far for our country and for proving that anyone can do anything as long as you follow your dreams. You have taught us that you have to lead along the path of your dream to get there. The dream itself is not enough – you have to do something to achieve it.

And please remember that your dream affects all of us. New dreams come every day. Always believe in yourself and hold onto your dreams. Stay positive, because if you do good, good will come to you.


Chenango Forks Kenyon Intermediate School – Binghamton, NY
23 Dream Stars (11 years old)

We, the people of Room 31 in Chenango Forks Intermediate School, along with you, all of our government leaders, world leaders, and the rest of the world, can work together to achieve the following dreams:

In our community…
Job growth rather than losing jobs
Better biking paths along our highways
Helping homeless animals find homes

In our state/country…
Exporting healthier products to the world
Making more recycling programs available
Lower the cost of goods and inflation
Write a peace treaty with Iraq
Boost feelings among us of being united

In our world…
Help endangered animals to survive
Look for alternative energy
Strengthen laws against pollution
Have cars that get better gas mileage

Sincerely,
Liz, Casey, Cordell, Lisey, Jason G., Keenan, Ava, Tommy, Mariah, Tyler, Elliot, Cheyanna, TJ, Mercedes, Taylor, Cassidy, Kalie, Makaela, Roger, Vince, Jason T.,
Mary-Ann, and Mrs. Miller


A.J. Lindeman Elementary School – Erlanger, KY
22 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are a group of 5th graders who are concerned about our great country. We hope that you can try to improve the following things: the economy, education, taxes, world peace, healthcare, and our environment.

We are concerned about the problems with our country's economy. People are having trouble having enough money to meet their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. Businesses such as Ford and General Motors are going down and that's why many of the jobs are being lost.

We need more money for education because we need newer textbooks, working computers, up-to-date resources, and building repairs. Just in our classroom for example, our heater/air-conditioner, our carpet, and our roof all are in desperate need of repair, but our district does not have the funds to make the needed repairs. We need more money for our teachers because more of them are quitting due to low salaries. No Child Left Behind has not worked for us so far.

Our parents need lower taxes in order to have money to pay the bills and take care of us kids.

World peace would make each of us feel safer in our homes and in our country, and we wouldn't have to worry about terrorists.

We think everyone in our country should have healthcare so that everyone has the chance to stay healthy and live a long life and perhaps grow up to be President like you.

We need to have more conservation and conservation education so that our future generations can grow up in a 'green world.'

We wish you good luck in your first term as President. We hope that you are able to do everything that we ask you to do. This is what we wish our country and the world to be like.

Sincerely,
Ms. Feldmann's 5th Grade – Kae, Dylan, Michael, Chandler, Ernesto, Chris, Bhrett, Jenna, Stephanie, Rey, Jasmine, Noah, Daniel, Cheyenne, Mahfoudh, Joany, Paul, Marcus, Shelby, Sabrina, Sonia, Amadou


The Hilldale School – Daly City, CA
35 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear Mr. Obama,

We are a small class of five students. As a class we each wrote seven of our dreams for a total of thirty-five dreams. Our dreams are displayed in our classroom. There were three dreams that we had in common. One of our dreams is to have peace in the world and that all the wars will stop. Another dream we share is to have good health. We want to stay healthy. Our last dream we have in common is to have a clean environment to help us and the Earth. We hope that you can help make our dreams come true.

Thank You,
The Third and Fourth Graders at the Hilldale School,
Krystal, Gabbie, Sebastian, Jordyn, Kabir, and Ms. Forsiak


St. Margaret of Scotland School – St. Louis, MO
21 Dream Stars (13-14 years old)

The Class of 2009 at SMOS School dreams big!

Patrick, Kieran, Mackenzie, Jeremy, Katie, Claudia, Anna and Chris dream of peace around the world, equality for all, for us to work as a nation in harmony, and that you as leader will be patient and responsible.

Madeline, John, Brandis, Chris and Mariah wish that soldiers would be brought home safely, that the homeless find refuge, and Americans can get the financial support they need.

Courtney, Catie, Mya, Tiara, Maddie, Nola, Susan and Alina wish for a better economy, more jobs and a safer, cleaner environment.

We all wish President-Elect Obama a safe and successful term in office.


Rose City Elementary School – Rose City, MI
210 Dream Stars (4-60 years old)

Hello! We are so excited about being part of the change America needs. This project has been a wonderful experience for all of us at our little PreK-4 school. Each student and many staff created a dream/wish star with 4th graders doing the Believe, Think, Do process. We then created a list of things that we felt were most important for the incoming administration to work on for the American people.

Please focus your attention on global warming, recycling, pollution, and providing internet services to everyone. We also want you to help with job loss, high gas prices, and providing money to poor people who have lost their jobs or who have no jobs. Please stop the fighting in Iraq and other countries. Somehow we want you to do this without raising taxes.

Also, because we are from the great state of Michigan, we would appreciate your awareness of the importance of the Great Lakes as the largest bodies of fresh water in the United States and to please keep them free from pollution and safe. We would like you to encourage recycling, take care of our forests and land, help families get more money, protect our rights and freedom, and provide more police, military, and fire fighters.

We send our good wishes and support for all you do during your administration. It must be hard to be a president. We hope you have a great time in the office and make the duties right. Be the best you can be. Many of us think you are right for our country. Have a happy inauguration party!


Cottage Lake Elementary School – Woodinville, WA
27 Dream Stars (11 years old)

Congratulations on being elected to serve as our 44th President! We here in Room 203 at Cottage Lake Elementary are excited that you're our new President. We realize that you won't be able to fulfill all of our dreams, but we are asking for your help in working towards finding solutions to provide for our Common Defense, to promote our General Welfare and Secure Our Right to the Blessings of Liberty!

One dream for us is to not have "Depression II." The first one was a horrible time and we think having a lot of people losing their jobs is really bad. You should do what Franklin Roosevelt did and make jobs easily available so that people can work, get food for their families, and get back on their feet for more stable jobs.

Another dream we have is that we can get our economy back on track. We want this because we hate seeing our parents and other people having to always talk about how much money they have and how to cut back to get more money for more important things like food.

Our next dream is that you would try to make gas prices go down because right now they are extremely high. We are looking forward to driving our own cars, but that means more cars in our family driveways and with more cars that means we are losing money to gas and we don't want that to happen.

We hope that big car companies like General Motors, Chrysler and Ford get bailout money. They are supplying a lot of jobs and if you give them money then the jobs will fill again and people will have jobs and money.

Jobs are important, but our ecosystem is incredibly important. We need to keep the Earth clean and healthy and we are not doing such a good job. Littering is making Earth polluted so we need to stop!

Many people in America cannot afford to keep themselves healthy. A lot of these people are nomadic and their homes are on the streets of cities and towns like Seattle. However, the streets should not be considered homes for those people because they don't have food, water, and warm clothes for the winter, and they can't bathe. We need to help these people. There are also many people in America that are suffering and dying from cancer. We need to help hospitals and scientists research and find a cure by raising money.

Not only do we need to keep our citizens healthy, we also need to stop racism. There is racism everywhere in America toward almost every one. Racism is a nasty thing. Everyone should be treated equally!

Another thing hurting our nation is we do not have the feeling of security as our parents had before 9-11. We dream of having tighter security and of being safe. Sometimes we feel unsafe in small shops, outdoor malls, markets, banks, small apartments, hotels, our homes, and just on the streets. We need good systems of detection that will prevent robberies and keep out people with guns in the areas we live.

We are concerned not only about our personal safety, but also about our soldiers who are dying in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that we don't need to be in. Young adults are going into war and dying without any chance to say good-bye. Our government is spending countless dollars on the wars while we need to be doing things such as improving shelters for homeless people and getting food to the hungry. We are already in a terrible economic crisis and the war expenses are just adding on to the stress. We know that sending our troops in and making these bad decisions is not your fault, but we are begging you to end this war and get our troops back.

Along with being worried about people we are also disturbed that the population of many animals is getting smaller and smaller.

Our final dream is for a first-class education. The funding at schools is going down and schools do not have enough money to supply things for kids! Schools are closing because they do not have enough money. Therefore, fewer kids are getting a good education. If kids don't get an excellent education then when they are older they will not get decent jobs.

President Obama, we know that you can't fix everything; no one person can. Everyone needs to work together. So we are hoping that you can unite the people of the United States. We feel that everyone deserves a good life and working on fixing these issues will provide that for all.


West Ridge Elementary School – Rochester, NY
75 Dream Stars (8-11 years old)

President Obama,

We would like you to know that the issues that are most important to us are improving the economy, lowering gas prices, keeping our environment as clean as possible and helping the homeless. We would appreciate it if you could work on these issues once you take office. We also wrote you a poem, using your name, in honor of your inauguration:

P - Peace on Earth
R - Recycle when you can
E - End Poverty
S - Stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
I - Inauguration not too costly
D - Defend against terrorists
E - End Obesity
N - No high gas prices
T - Take care of the elderly

O - Ozone layer improved
B - Buy school supplies for poor schools
A - All people have health insurance
M - Make the world a better place
A - All people should have a home

Congratulations on your inauguration. We believe you will be a great leader!

West Ridge Elementary Students (All Star Family)


Grove Elementary School – Wisconsin Rapids, WI
27 Dream Stars (11-12 years old)

A sampling of dreams from Miss Kronholm's and Mrs. Diesburg's students:

We should find new cleaner fuel sources for our cars and trucks.

We should take the troops out of Iraq.

We should live in peace.

We should have affordable health care for everyone.

Richer people should have to pay higher taxes than less fortunate people.

We should have to recycle and not litter.

My dreams for our country are to have peace so we can bring our troops home. Another dream I have is to stop all the pollution in the world! I also would like to have gas prices go down. I want car makers to make cars more affordable and to have the cars not to pollute so much. We should not drill in Alaska. People should think about getting solar panels to help out our environment. These are just some of my dreams for our country.

I dream of a world where immigrants are accepted
no matter what the color of their skin is.

I dream of a world with alternative energy that
is clean and environment-friendly.

I dream of a world where Arctic animals are safe
from pollution and oil drilling in Alaska.

I dream of a world where taxes are low for people
who cannot afford them, and where they are low for
the Middle Class.

I dream of a world where everyone feels safe and is
treated equally.

I dream of freedom and where no one person is
favored more than another.

I dream of peace in the world and no war between
any two countries.


H.H. Richardson School – North Easton, MA
121 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

We are looking forward to you being our new President. These are our challenges to you…

Follow your dreams for a better America and world.
Continue to be a dreamer and make your dreams for our country come true.
Try to keep your promises.
Stop the wars and help make the world a more peaceful place.
Help all Americans have what they need.
Encourage Americans to become more "green" and care for the environment and all of its creatures.


Split Rock Elementary School – Camillus, NY
65 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Congratulations! Our fifth grade classes have expressed many of their dreams for our country and the world. Our biggest hope is that President Obama will find a way to end the Iraq War and bring peace to the world. We dream for a better economy where everyone has a job that needs one. We also hope you take care of cities and help all people live in good neighborhoods. At the same time, we have another big dream that the environment and the creatures within will be protected and restored to global health and well-being. We have big concerns about pollution and hope you can find clean renewable energy resources. Some of us hope that steps will be taken to end cigarette and drug use. We all would like peace to be in every corner of the world, and we know President Obama will take a big role in this effort. Finally, we wish for you to remember our children and their dreams as you get down to the business of being President of the United States. Please continue to dream big!


Leyton Public School – Gurley, NE
15 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

We are excited to see history being made on January 20. We share your dream and hopes for our country to become stronger and a better place for all citizens. Congratulations and Best Wishes!


Shawnee High School, Marian Salwierak's 9th grade English – Shawnee, OK
57 Dream Stars (14-15 years old)

The ninth graders in my English classes are excited about the future. They want to be successful. They want to be "the best" they can be. And they want that same success for you, our new President. One student's dream, for example, is that you become the greatest President ever!

These students hope to be successful in their goals, which include serving our world as a teacher, a business man, a pediatrician, a pro athlete, a casino dealer, a veterinarian, a bomber pilot, a military officer, a logo designer, a police officer, and a dentist.

Students also wrote about their dreams for our world. Some recognized a desire for lower gas prices, and two would really like to meet Journey, but most wrote about a clean environment, and a peaceful world in which people get along rather than fight. They wrote about an "end to war" and a "friendly" world. They want our soldiers back home. They want to care for the animals without homes in our surroundings.

We wish you the best as you lead our country.


Lake Olympia Middle School – Missouri City, TX
141 Dream Stars (11 years old)

Our Collective Dreams:

*For students to be successful with their life.
*To go to college, get a good education, and reach our dreams.
*To get all A's on our report card.
*To become a professional athlete.
*To study the animals at the bottom of the ocean.
*To be a better person, and quit judging people on how they live and how they look.
*To help poor people that live in Mexico.
*To give money to medical care.
*A house for me and my family so we can be back together as a family.
*That every person has a home and even pets.
*To let kids be president!
*For the world to be a peaceful place, and for President Barack Obama to be the best president, and no more wars.
*To stop global warming.
*To lower gas prices and for taxes to go down.
*To stop the war because many people die each day.
*For all Americans to unite to build a better country and a better world.


Delmar Middle School – Delmar, DE
73 Dream Stars (11-12 years old)

President-Elect Obama:

My seventh-grade students became wrapped up in the election this year. Students discussed seven key issues and wrote about what was and is important to them.

Before the holidays, each student created a Dream Star. As a middle school teacher, the words from these students serve as inspiration and as reminders for adults. Their generation receives a negative wrap. I want to share some of their dreams with you…

"I have a dream to go to college in the medical field, and to become a surgeon. I love to help people!"
"I wish that the world will have complete peace and there will be no more war."
"My dream is for all foster and homeless families to have a home to be sheltered in and food and water."
"World Peace."
"I wish my uncle will come home from Iraq."
"My dream is to finish high school."

Mr. President-Elect: We leave our dreams in your capable hands. God Bless!

Ms. Rodenbaugh and her class


H.B. Rhame, Jr. Elementary School – Columbia, SC
425 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

Dear President Barack Obama,

We the students of H.B. Rhame, Jr. Elementary School want to thank you for pursuing your DREAM. Congratulations!

We had a mock election at our school and you won by a landslide!

We are glad that you are interested in helping our communities. Thank you for wanting to change health care in our country.

Our mascot is the Saint. We want you to know that we are praying for you and your family. Stay healthy, strong, and faithful. You have a tough battle ahead of you. The Saints of H.B. Rhame, Jr. Elementary School are cheering for you. You should hear us in D.C.!

You represent change to us. You Rock, President Obama! We know dreams do come true now because of YOU.

Take care of your family and take care of our country. May God continue to BLESS the USA.

Sincerely,
The Saints of H.B. Rhame, Jr. Elementary School


Westside Elementary School – Powell, WY
4 Dream Stars (10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are excited about our future but we have some concerns as well.

We want the war to stop. Because we have a fear that our baby brothers will have to go to war someday. Our hearts will be broken if this happens.

We like the message "Go Green" and dream of having school kids promoting this to their community. As our president please focus on taking care of the earth so when we grow up we can live a healthy life on this planet. And we can also enjoy the resources and animals that live here with us.

We want to encourage people not to be so selfish and help people in need. We also want to designate a national holiday to give to those in need such as a "National Giving Day"

We at Westside Elementary will appreciate your help making our world a better place!

Sincerely,
Taryn, Keegan, Kianna, and Leslie


Castlehill Country Day School – Tucson, AZ
30 Dream Stars (10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Our fourth grade students have many dreams for our country. What concerns them the most is war and pollution. Their dream is for everyone to live in a peaceful and clean world.

Their next concern is our economy. They don't want taxes raised on anybody, poor or rich. Their dream is for everyone to have jobs and live in a land where there is opportunity in a growing economy.

Their last major concern is with animals. Their dream is for all animals to be protected and safe from endangerment.


Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., School #9 – Rochester, NY
18 Dream Stars (4-5 years old)

Dear President Obama,
We would like you to…
*help the people without a home
*help the people without food
*help the people without warm clothes
*help get our neighborhood clean and safe


Southern Delaware School of the Arts – Selbyville, DE
55 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

We are so excited to share in your dream and to watch change in our nation unfold before our eyes. More importantly, we are excited to share our own dreams and create this beautiful tapestry of hope, peace and inspiration.


Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program – Yachats, OR
12 Dream Stars (13-70 years old)

We have many dreams and messages we want to share…

*I hope we learn to mind our own business and not interfere with issues in another country. I don't want another country to get mad at us and bomb our homes.
*I am just one of millions who believe you are a man "called by your times." God bless, protect, & support you.
We are all and each Lights of Love.
*My wish is for a government that is based upon honesty.
*Please be honest, peaceful, kind,calm, wise, trusting, compassionate, accepting and humble. Please protect the environment.
*Allow civil rights for everyone.
*Eliminate hunger, debt, negativity. Blast off with love, community, and unity.
*Close Guantanamo Bay.
*My wish is for Obama to be a president who will be open and listen to the voices of his people. I believe you will bring change.
*I am so excited about you being elected. I don't want to give you advice because I don't want to add to the pressure you are under. So I will just say this: may all of us in the next 8 years and forever after, have a sense of humor, mindfulness, and compassion. Thank you for your courage.


J. Stanley Sullivan School – North Adams, MA
14 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on being elected president! We are very excited about your becoming our 44th president. Many of our parents voted for you. On November 11th, we held an election in our classroom and most of us voted for you too! We spoke with our families and want to let you know what we think is important for our country.

Our names are Chris, Megan, Tyrese, Brianna, Robert, Aliyha, Christian, T.J., Serena, Joseph, Jocelynn, Nina, Logan and Elizabeth. We are age 8 or 9 and from
J. Stanley Sullivan Elementary School in North Adams, Massachusetts. You have made good campaign promises to get people out of war and to help get more jobs so people can take care of themselves and not be poor.

You have a lot of work ahead of you because our country is in a sad state of affairs. Could you stop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because more and more soldiers are dying every day and every night? We want to know when you will bring home the troops. We hope we don't have another war, so would you work toward world peace and end all wars.

Please have a plan to stimulate the economy. Please develop a plan to help all families with paying for college. Please change the world like having no war and have jobs for people too. Could you lower the price of gas? We as a country need to think of alternative fuel sources. We should do more to stop pollution for future generations. We should all work to strengthen our planet.

What will change in our schools now that you are president? Can you visit our school so we can talk to you about our hopes and dreams for America? Hopefully you can get everything back to normal so people can then have good lives.

Don't quit or give up on your promises. Good luck with all your endeavors. We wish you the best and stay safe. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Ms. Saldo-Burke's 3rd Grade Class


St. Thomas Aquinas High School – Overland Park, KS
15 Dream Stars (17 years old)

We, the class of Mrs. Bauman's second hour Honors English IV dream…
Anisha dreams that everyone will be able to accomplish their dreams.
Vern dreams of starting his own business.
Grant dreams of a day where people are not discriminated by what they believe in.
Patrick James dreams of a day where it will be easier to more openly express your religious views.
Megan dreams that everyone has the opportunity to learn.
Jake dreams that one day there will be a world with no strife.
Maddi dreams that everybody will have equal opportunities.
James dreams of a world where individuals do not feel afraid to express themselves.
Julie dreams that everyone will learn to accept everyone else.
Mike dreams that all children will be given the opportunity to dream.
Marissa dreams that no one will be judged by age, color, or gender.
Minh-Anh dreams of a world where every voice will be heard.
Caroline dreams that everyone has a chance to reach their goals.
Kelly dreams that everyone will be generally happy with themselves.
Mrs. Bauman dreams of a world full of peaceful, loving harmony.

We dream that someday everyone will reach for the stars and SOAR!


Cornell Junior Public School – Toronto, ON, Canada
37 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on becoming the first African-American President to be elected! We are very proud of you.

In our class we have been learning all about Martin Luther King, Jr. He had a dream. You are that dream come true. We know that he would be honored and proud to see you inaugurated on January 20, 2009.

We would like to share some of our dreams for the future with you.

Our dreams for the future are to see everyone experiencing a relaxing life without fighting and war. Our hope is that peace can be found all over the world. Poverty will vanish. Everyone will have a cozy place to call home. We have a dream that the power of our words will be recognized. These are our dreams…

President Obama, you hold the power to help our dreams come true. We will continue to dream our dreams with you leading the way.

Wishing you luck,
Miss Robinson's Grade 3's

Dear President Obama,

We are students who live in the city of Toronto, which is in Canada. We are writing you this letter to congratulate you on becoming the new president of the United States!

In our class, we have been learning about Martin Luther King Jr. We read about his "I Have a Dream" speech. His hope for the world was that people would be judged by character instead of skin color. This makes us think about you, because you are the first African-American president in history!

We have learned that change can happen, and that we must all work together to make peace and have freedom in the world.

We wish you all the best, and hope you enjoy your time as president!

Sincerely,
Ms. Lombardo's Fabulous Grade 3 Class


Pocahontas Elementary School – Powhatan, VA
6 Dream Stars (10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

My class would like to give you some well wishes and advice.

Cole: "Sweet I wish you good luck. Do good work. Please help people keep their jobs."

Emmalie: "I love you Barack Obama. Please like us forever. Please help make our earth clean, by making it smell good!"

Aaron: "Congratulations Barack Obama. Please keep the dogs out of the pound and put them in a nicer place. And no more cutting down our trees."

Matthias: "Good luck on being President. Keep the power running so we don't lose electricity. Make our roads bigger. I love you!"

Cameron: "Good Luck! More computers at school please."

Trevor: "Keep Smiling!"

Good Luck! Our whole class loves you!

Sincerely,
Miss Walsh's Class


Ravinia School – Deerfield, IL
41 Dream Stars (8-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for this opportunity to present our dreams.
And even more, thank you for your devotion and guidance to our country now and in the challenging days ahead.

We have three major messages. We think that kids need to know more about how to respect and help the environment. For example, school staff could save electricity by using a white board instead of an overhead projector. Also, by having a green day(s), we would not use any lights at all – just rely on daylight or perhaps dim lights in the hall for safety. Staff might consider using recycled paper, or even less paper. Please know that we are trying to do that at our school. In fact, our school newsletter is sent by email.

We are very proud of the eco-friendly efforts our school has made. We have recycling bins in each classroom. Now only paper is collected, but the District will soon be implementing policies to collect more. For several years, students at our school have worked and grown hydroponic vegetables in our Greenhouse. Flowers, some given to our mothers on Mother's Day, have also been grown there.

We are very proud of some of our teachers and their environmental efforts. One teacher has sponsored a "Green Team," involved in collecting plastic water bottles (we are working to move away from those served at lunch) and has a compost bin, in which he composts fruit (orange rinds and banana peels) and vegetables that kids don't eat at lunch. We are hoping to introduce reusable plastic trays to minimize paper and other garbage.

We are also proud of the fact that our building is collaborating with another school to build a basketball court for that school. We want to build the basketball bases and the bleachers out of plastic milk jugs which we have been collecting. We have so many ideas for reusable items while building this basketball court, strings for nets, a court made of clay or recycled Nike sneakers, and a score board powered by solar energy. We are so excited that our suburban school will be working with a city school on this project. We admire our principal who thought of this project and spearheads so many environmental issues.

Like our efforts on the basketball project, we are proud to say that our entire building has collaborated with key community members to pass along conservation steps, plus publicize the threats from climate change. Some of us participated in Chicago's Cool Globe Project, with one of the globes sitting in front of our Greenhouse. One of the parents at our school founded that project and is a role model, like so many parents at our school, for all of us.

As you can see, we have thought a lot about the topic of recycling and also learned about this topic from outside resources. We learned from a TV show that laptops, computers, MP3 players and other materials have been recycled in this country and reused as construction materials for buildings. This is such a good idea – for conservation and safety – because these materials pose hazardous risks, like mercury and lead in our soils, lakes, and oceans. Some of us just learned while watching "60 minutes," that in China, workers put these computers and electronics in landfills and in the process expose those workers to severe safety hazards like burns on their bodies. We know that the EPA bans this in the U.S., but since the EPA does not affect other countries, people will have to take worldwide action to end these practices.

On another topic, we think that kids need healthier lunch choices, like grilled chicken breasts, instead of chicken fingers or corn dogs. We believe that these bad habits relate to the problem of obesity affecting children and others in our nation. At our age, if so many kids are eating junk foods now, how unhealthy are we all going to be when we grow up?

At times, we worry that some kids are eating because they are unhappy and depressed. One of our classmates read a book about a girl who was seriously unhappy in her life and ate and ate. We know that obesity is linked to cancer and heart disease, but that can be changed with diet and exercise. Exercise is a vital part of staying healthy and the most natural way to lose weight.

When we learn to eat well, we can be the healthiest country. Our goal is to make healthy choices ourselves; we should not have to have our parents tell us what to eat. We should know to avoid drinking soft drinks, some of which have dangerous chemicals, and to avoid food with preservatives.

We hope that restaurants will put better labels on products and that in particular, fast food places will try to be more up front about calorie content. People need to add five to six servings of fruit and vegetables to their daily diet. And out of respect to some of us who deal with weight issues, we think that T.V. should eliminate programs insulting to people, like the "Biggest Loser," and "Supersize Me." Though they send a good message about exercise, they are embarrassing and not necessary.

Our final hope is that more teachers will be inspired and encouraged to ask their students to make more connections to more things in the real world, to be more creative, and to teach school subjects in ways that will allow students to extend their thinking. Things come easier to us once we are taught to think and to problem solve and are allowed to do more creative projects like dioramas, designing websites, or giving speeches. So many of us made dioramas in a recent enrichment class held at our school, and we loved these projects. We got to search around our houses for resources for the dioramas and had to decide what to put in the dioramas (some of the boxes were really small) and our parents saw these projects and discussed them with us. Some also helped us put them together.

We wish that teachers would expose us to more outside resources, like programs at museums. One student told our enrichment class about a Sunday science channel called, "Sir Q Sunday," moderated by Dr. Michio Kakau. Dr. Kakau gets people thinking about topics that expand our knowledge, such as "what is a parallel universe." Now many of us are going to watch this program.

In terms of the Internet, one of our classmates introduced us to some of the coolest websites called "Questionaut." That program asks more and more difficult questions, going up to eight levels. His mom sent information to us on even more challenging websites. We like checking out lots of problem solving websites.

In our enrichment class and of course, at home, we followed the election process and learned many things about that process. We learned about mistakes in past elections and about the varied perspectives of different people. We were disappointed – and no offense to you – that the networks did not spend more time covering smaller parties, like the Libertarian and the Green Party. Whether adult or child, the best choices are made when people are fully informed.

On top of the election, we had so many things to think about this year, especially following the Olympics. Not only did we enjoy watching the competitions, we were happy to see athletes from every country come together. We hope that these athletes gained greater understanding about different people as they competed and got to know each other. This is so important now, especially in our modern world, with people raging war against each other. Our world can do so much if we work under one banner of cooperation. Thanks to all for giving us a "voice." As you say, "Yes we can!"

We wish you and the rest of the Obama family the best on this Inauguration day and beyond (your letter to your children was so loving and inspiring and we thank you for the dignity and respect you give all of us).

Sincerely,
Kids Who Care in Highland Park


Rutland High School – Macon, GA
22 Dream Stars (15-17 years old)

Congratulations on your presidency! We look forward to the next four years, and believe that you will do your best as our President.


Greenbriar School – Indianapolis, IN
32 Dream Stars (5-12 years old)

We are a diverse school. We love and respect each other in our class, and that is our hope for our country.


Monte Vista School – Lancaster, CA
20 Dream Stars (7-8 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Hi! How are you? Congratulations on becoming the president. We are happy you are our new president. We hope you take care of the United States. We hope your family is safe. How does it feel to be the first black president? What is it like to live in the White House? We hope you can protect us. We hope you can make our dreams come true. Good luck!

Your Friends,
Mrs. Ellis' Class


Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary School – Bear, DE
523 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on being elected President! We would like to share our dreams for our country with you.

First, we want terrorism to end. We don't like when people get hurt, and we want you to do everything you can to stop terrorists.

Second, we want the war to end. We miss our family and friends and we want them to be safe.

Lastly, we dream that you will build more hospitals. When someone is sick, they should get to see a doctor. We need more hospitals so that everyone can get better and fight diseases.

Thank you for listening to our dreams. We hope that you do the best that you can as President. We promise that we will do our best in school.


Franz Elementary School – Katy, TX
60 Dream Stars (10-13 years old)

Our advice to Mr. Obama is:

- to be very cautious about war and conflict with other countries.
- to not provide foreign aid or money to countries at war and concentrate on our country
- to improve the economic situation in our country
- to end the war fast because we sometimes get scared that Iraq is going to win, and it worries us.
- to treat everyone equally
- to allow immigrants to have jobs and to decrease money problems.


Ancilla Assumpta Academy – Wyncote, PA
19 Dream Stars (12-13 years old)

Dear President-Elect Obama,

Congratulations on being elected the 44th President of the United States of America! We have a lot of ideas for you on what you can do to help us.

First and foremost, we think that you should keep your composure. Think very carefully about your choices. There are pros and cons to every decision. We need both Democrats and Republicans to solve the world's problems. We need you to stimulate and revive our economy with more jobs for citizens, correct the Stock Markets, and help people who have lost a lot of retirement money in their 401(k) plans. Abortion and euthanasia should not be allowed or only as a last resort. The new law that is currently in Congress should not be passed. We should help people by lowering taxes and make sure that everyone is being taxed and paid equally. Global warming is very bad right now. We think that you should make sure that the troops are safe where ever they are. There are good reasons to take the troops in Iraq out, but we also we also need to protect our country and really resolve the war. Education is an area that needs consideration. Kindness is golden: try to ease poverty in America, create charities for people that are homeless and poor, help developing countries, and reward community service We think that you should keep your campaign promises. Always acknowledge those that help you and make allies with foreign leaders of other countries in the world to keep peace. Lastly, please keep yourself and your family safe.

This is about looking towards the future and thinking about the problems we face and fixing them. Good luck! Thank you for reading this and considering our opinions.


Morrow Elementary School – North Lauderdale, FL
35 Dream Stars (5-10 years old)

Dear President Obama,
This is what we hope you can do for our country.
1. Help us have good firefighters to rescue
people.
2. Be the best President ever and keep people
safe.
3. We want to be nice to other people in the
world.
4. Teach people to be good to each other.
5. When strangers are bad to children, put them
in jail.
We will help you by being good citizens. Good luck, Mr. President!
MS. CAMPBELL'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS

Dear President Obama,
Congratulations on becoming our 44th president! We were very happy to hear that you were elected. We would like to ask you some questions and share a few thoughts about what we would like from you. We wish you luck as president to do well. We hope you can help the economy, and help our school get money. Can you make it easier to find a job, and help doctors find a cure for cancer? We hope you enjoy living in the White House and that being a president is everything you expect it to be.
MS. SERVAN'S FOURTH GRADE CLASS


Sag Harbor Elementary School – Sag Harbor, NY
18 Dream Stars (7 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are very excited that you are our new President! We have many ideas to share with you. Some of our ideas:

Max and Elizabeth – "Outlaw guns to everyone except police."
Tommy – "Stop the wars by making everyone meet and talk."
Lily, Natalie, Leyla, Emma and Andrew – "Get lots of nails and hammers and have people volunteer to build homes for the homeless. Maybe big companies can donate materials." "Everyone should have shelter!"
Cooper, Adam, Phoebe and Katie – "Save endangered animals and make poaching and hunting illegal." "Save our polar bears and whales."
Harlan – "Stop global warming, use more electric cars and stop pollution."
Sarah – "Give everyone a good education, give schools more money especially in Africa, and give everyone in the world a chance to have a good life."
Caroline, Mark – "Prices need to go lower!" "Lower gas prices."
Carl – "Make it a law to recycle"
Ava – "We need peace any way you can get it."

Mrs. Collum's Second Grade


Stanhope Elmore High School – Millbrook, AL
55 Dream Stars (17-18 years old)

The students in Ms. Rushton's English classes have the following wishes for Mr. Obama's presidency:

We wish peace in this country and the world.
Leave the troops where they are because the people of Iraq need us.
Stop the violence so that our children and their children can walk down the street without losing their lives.
Give us a chance to have a dream.


Henry E.S. Reeves Elementary School – Miami, FL
19 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

We as Ms. Berges' homeroom class dream that all around the world, no child goes to bed hungry. There are many wealthy people in the world and it's unfair that some kids go to bed with an empty stomach.


Webb Elementary School – Arlington, TX
57 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Barack Obama:

Our dreams and wishes from our class are that you can…

Make more jobs…
Take care of the homeless people…
Take care of our animals…
Take care of the environment…
Help us recycle paper to make new things…
Make houses cheaper…
Create more money…
Build more houses…
Ask people to pick up the trash so the environment could get better…
Lower the gas prices…
Make things cheaper like electronics…
Give more toys to the children who don't have them…
Help make people better readers…
Make a law for "No Smoking"…
Catch all the bad guys…

Also, we want to know, was it always your dream to be the President?

Thank you Mr. President for everything that you are going to do for our country. WE LOVE YOU!!!


Vetal Elementary School – Detroit, MI
500 Dream Stars (5-14 years old)

Good luck Mr. President, in all the challenges ahead!


Greater Plains Elementary School – Oneonta, NY
60 Dream Stars (7-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are Mrs. Downie's Second Grade Superstars from upstate New York. Our dream is to make our country's environment a cleaner place to live. We can reduce the amount of garbage by making a compost pile in our backyard. We can reuse toys, clothing, books, and household items. We can make sure we recycle bottles, cans, plastics, and paper. We hope to make the environment a better place for everyone!


Merion School – Merion, PA
22 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are so happy you are our President. Our big hopes and dreams are for peace, a healthy environment for all, and that our economy is once again better. We hope for peace in the Middle East. We hope there will be less pollution in the world and we hope that more people will be able to afford the basics in life – food, clothing and shelter. Thank you so much!

From Mrs. Glackman's Stellar 3rd Grade


Northaven Elementary School – Memphis, TN
203 Dream Stars (7-11 years old)

Northaven is a Title 1 school in Memphis, TN. The excitement of the students here has been high with the win of Barack Obama. So too are the expectations for change.

Like other children, students at Northaven may dream of making it to the NBA, becoming a teacher or doctor. Some of those dreams seem very far away for them. But their hope has been rekindled with your election, Mr. Obama. Our students dream that you will help "blacks and whites of America come together and be friends," that you will "help people be safe and reduce crime," "help homeless and poor people," and that you will "help schools so kids can learn."


Shawnee Trail Elementary School – Frisco, TX
289 Dream Stars (8-12 years old)

Congratulations, Barack Obama, on becoming the 44th President of the United States.

With excitement and anticipation we have many dreams for the future of our great country. Listed below are a collection of dreams written by the students at Shawnee Trail:

My dream is to make the world a better place and for people to stop littering.

My dream is to help the homeless, recycle, and to stop illegal drugs.

My dream is to give food, water, medicine, and homes to the homeless.

My dream is to make the world cleaner and stop pollution.

My dream is to stop wars and all people live in peace.

President Barack Obama, we know that you will work hard to help us accomplish our dreams.


New Franklin Elementary School – Chambersburg, PA
59 Dream Stars (5-8 years old)

Our kindergarten to grade 2 classes read Dream by Susan Bosak. We made Dream Stars and they are all displayed in the hallway for everyone to see and read! Our dream is that you, President Obama, help all the dreams of people in America come true.


Chaparral Middle School – Tucson, AZ
65 Dream Stars (11-14 years old)

We know there are many different priorities. But we hope you remember about the importance of Special Education Services. We are kids who can do SO much and our dreams are big!


Rockland Middle School – Valley Cottage, NY
32 Dream Stars (10-14 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations!

We have many dreams. For example, Sierra's goals for herself are to graduate high school and go to college to become a lawyer. "At times I struggle with my goals, because growing up I have been put down. To me you are a blessing, because a lot of people tried to put you down, but you kept pushing yourself so that you can achieve your goal. I have a lot of respect for you.

We have goals for ourselves and for our community. For example, Abdul's community goal is to help the people that need food, clothes, money, or help them find a home. "I support your goal to stop the war in Iraq. Good luck getting our soldiers home safely and getting the U.S. a better economy and government."

And Kaileigh speaks for all of us when she says she wants to "stop racism and encourage everyone to get along."

Good luck, Mr. President!


Sea Cliff Elementary School – Sea Cliff, NY
130 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

Congratulations, President Obama!

We are honored to participate in this historic event by sharing our cherished dreams with you.

We dream…
Of world peace, no war, no hatred, no bombing, no terrorism,
The fighting stops and people will not make fun of other people,
All cultures are treated equal and respect each other,
The world becomes a better place for those who live after us.

We dream…
Of a world with a clean environment, no polluting, no littering, no global warming,
People share their minds and open their hearts to save endangered animals,
Clean, renewable energy sources are discovered,
Our grandchildren will see the rainbow we once saw.

We dream…
Of a world where all people can afford food, clothing, and their own homes,
The economic crisis ends, so future generations will not be harmed,
Jobs are created for thousands of people,
The poor are cared for.

We dream…
Of a world without suffering,
Cures for illnesses are found,
To explore our solar system and beyond,
That we can work together as one country, one nation, one world!

With these dreams we send you our best wishes for success. We will be cheering for you!


Stroudsburg Intermediate Elementary School –
Pocono Pines, PA
20 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

Dear President-Elect Obama,

We have some concerns about our taxes. Please lower our taxes like you promised. Our families need the money for food, water, and shelter. If you lower our taxes, you will help the economy by helping people keep their jobs. We hope you will lower our taxes.

Our troops have been in the Iraq war for a long time. Many people have been hurt or even killed. We think you should change this and have our troops come back.
Too many people have lost their lives because of this war. Some of the troops out there have families worrying about them. That is another reason why they should come home. We also need their protection here too! We hope you change this and thanks for everything.

We need more security for banks and other stuff. We need to stop alcohol and other bad drugs. We need to stop gangs. We need to teach people about not doing drugs and how to stop violence. They can say "No" to drugs and learn to solve their problems with words not actions. This is a big issue we all need to solve.

We are concerned about the environment. We worry about people cutting down rain forests and building resorts. We also worry about oil spills in oceans because it kills the animals. Penguins and birds are dying because of oil spills. The oil spills are also killing the fish and if the penguins ate a fish with oil in its gills, the penguin would die.

We are mostly concerned about global warming. Polar bears are becoming extinct because the ice is melting and they can't find food and are drowning. A way to prevent global warming is to recycle. That will help our planet a lot.

Thank you for listening to our issues and ideas. We hope that with your help we will be able to make our country and our planet a better place.

Best Wishes for the Future,
Mrs. Gottardi's Fourth Grade Class


Camillus Middle School – Camillus, NY
126 Dream Stars (12-13 years old)

Dear Mr. President,

We believe in the glory of our American history, yet we feel the frustrations caused by scientists who can't find a cure; parents who can't raise kids; law enforcement that can't enforce; educators who can't teach; citizens who can't pay their bills; homeless and runaways who can't be joyful; soldiers who can't be home and we know you feel it too. Our dream is to solve these problems.

We'd also like to trust you with a few more dreams that we know can come true if you help. We need more motivation in school. After all, we are working; how about rewarding us with money if we stay on the high honor roll all year? Can you also grant 1 wish to every unfortunate kid in this country? Please make the changes necessary so our parents don't have to sweat when they go out to the mailbox. Can we please be a smoke-free country? Animals, like people, should not be endangered. Can you help? We want to go to college. Can our government pay for that?

One thing can be said about kids: we love to dream. Just ask us. We will also tell you that many of our dreams come true. We aren't going to give up dreaming and we know that you are not going to "give up." Together, we make the greatest country in the world.


PS 4 Maurice Wollin Elementary School –
Staten Island, NY
435 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

There are many beautiful wishes, hopes, and dreams from the students at PS 4.

Members of our 5th Grade Tolerance Team decorated the walls of our Hallway of Dreams with all 435 stars.

Notable comments are: Class 313A – Please help us reach our dreams by fixing the economy. Class 313B – Please bring us peace, and cure pollution.

We all wish you congratulations!

All the Students and Staff at PS 4


Valley Day School – Morrisville, PA
7 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

Dear President Barack Obama,

We, the kids in Room 5 at Valley Day School have some questions that we would like to ask you.
Can you try to stop global warming?
Can you stop crime and violence? We have a dream of a peaceful world!
Could you work on prevention programs that would encourage children to not smoke, do drugs, and drink alcohol? Maybe a website that provides information on the harmful effects of substance abuse.
Could you try to hire more police officers? People are carrying guns and killing people.
Could you please stop cities from shutting down fire departments? If a person's house is on fire, it takes too long for the fire department to come.
Could you also build about a few more schools in Philadelphia? The schools are over-crowded and children are not getting a proper education.
Could you upgrade the law enforcement in schools? Schools are getting outrageous and kids are ending up in behavior schools.
Congratulations and good luck!
Best wishes in the White House,
Kameryn, Kyle, Selena, Dylan, Damian, Adris, and Brandon


Howard C. Reiche Community School – Portland, ME
80 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

Our Hopes For Our World…

* The world to be cleaner.
* People to recycle and use what we have.
* Global warming to stop.
* War to stop.
* Peace, no fights, kindness, no yelling and no hitting each other.
* Everyone would be able to live in a home.
* Everyone in the world has food to eat.
* Help scientists make medicines so that people will live longer.
* All kids to have good doctors and the medicine they need.
* More teachers for the world's children.
* More funding for education.
* All black and white people love each other.

Say hi to the First Lady from us and congratulations on being the first African-American President!


Houston Heights Learning Academy – Houston, TX
12 Dream Stars (7-9 years old)

Congratulations President Obama! We all made Dream Stars to celebrate your inauguration and that Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream came true in you. Good luck!


Columbia Elementary School – Mukilteo, WA
150 Dream Stars (6-9 years old)

Here are some of our dreams:
My dream is to be a good person. Kara
My wish is the state will be healthy and clean and grow plants so we can breathe and stop smoking because it gives people shorter life. Natalie and Margaret
I am glad you are my president. Devon
I want the country to be happy. Janani
I wish that homeless people had homes. Aidan
I will save the world. Ryan
I would give money to the poor. Ethan
I wish I was president. Ashlyn
I wish that wars would stop. Kristen
I dream that I could help people. Leo
When I grow up I want to be a president just like you. I will try to be the best like you. Hailey
I want to be part of the wildlife shelter. Mitch
I have a dream that all people will be nice and kind. Angela
I have a dream that all of America will be safe. Jeremy
I hope the war in Iraq will end. Elsa
I have a dream that I will be the president just like you Mr. Obama. Kate
I wish you good luck to be our president. Nathan
My dream is to become the world's first girl president. Maddie
If I had a dream I would help the poor. Faith
I wish bullies would stop bullying us. Ellie
I had a dream that the world would care about all that happened. Brittny
Save the polar bears. Nathan
Make the world a better place. Sabrina
I wish that everybody will be nice to each other and people stop breaking into places. Connor
I wish that people would stop hurting other people. Zachary
I dream for kindness and I am glad that you are president. Alayzia
I wish the world would be in peace and harmony. Sophie
I wish to make people stop killing animals. Anna
I wish people could not litter and use cars all the time. Sophie Anne
I have dream that no one will be harmed but everybody will be safe and warm. You are so cool! Catie
I have a dream that everything in the world was much better. Alena
I have a dream that there will be no more war in the world. Iseong
I dream that there will be peace on the earth. Joey
I have a dream that we can end the Iraq war. Hunter
My wish for the world is to have peace with all of the countries. Dillon
I wish the world would stay green and healthy. Sloane
My wish for the world is that there will be no more wars. I also wish for world peace. Samantha
My wish for the world is people would not use that much oil. Kyle
Please Barack Obama make the war stop. Houda
My dream is that everybody will get along and stop fighting. Sydnee
I have a dream that the world would have no wars. Andrey
I have a dream that there would be no poverty and no wars. Tyler
Every dog and pet would find a home. Hailey
No smoking. Mehar


Manito Elementary School – Fairfield, NJ
18 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Obama:

Here is the compilation of all the hopes and dreams that my third grade class has for your presidency. We wish you the best of luck in your endeavors and pray for a successful and historical presidency.

I wish that the economy will get stronger. I wish that President Obama will help protect our environment. I dream that President Obama can help change the environment. I dream that President Obama can fix our problems without anyone getting hurt. I dream that President Obama can stop global warming. I wish that President Obama can make more animal vets for the animals. I wish that President Obama's hope that he can stop pollution will really happen. I dream that all of President Barack Obama's wishes for the country will come true. I wish that all of President Obama's ideas can become realities. I wish that President Obama does everything he needs to do to change the country. I wish President Obama could stop pollution. I wish that President Obama protects our country. I wish that President Barack Obama protects our country. I know that President Barack Obama will keep his word and will do the best he can. I wish that you President Obama can help the poor with food and shelter. I wish that you President Barack Obama will help change the economy and the environment. I wish that President Obama becomes one of the best presidents ever! I dream that President Barack Obama will be the best president in the world. I wish that President Obama will stop pollution.

Ms. Markey's 3rd Grade Class


MS 45/Stars Prep Academy – New York, NY
250 Dream Stars (11-14 years old)

The students and staff at MS 45 in East Harlem are so excited about the hope and inspiration that your election means. We realize your election is a dream come true for the millions of African-American slaves who came to our shores starting 500 years ago and their ancestors and other Americans who have fought against racism in our history.

Our country, neighborhood, and school have many challenges today and is made up of Hispanics and African Americans who dream of many things. We hope you, President Obama, will address the problems in our economy, end the war in Iraq, bring real peace and an end to violence, gangs, drugs, diseases, poverty, cigarettes, child abuse, racism, environmental problems, homelessness, hunger, and help get more money for our schools. Some students want gay people to have the right to marry.

We realize there are many challenges facing our country at this time, but we know if we work together we can create a world without these problems. Our school has a very successful environmental club that has won city wide competitions and $9500 on two occasions. We also have a 15 year tradition of donating canned food to those who are hungry in our community and also collecting pennies for charity. We know we can all do more and with you as our leader we will be even more inspired to believe dreams can come true.


Ashworth Elementary School – Arlington, TX
83 Dream Stars (11-12 years old)

Peace is what we dream about
every night and day.
Peace is what we ask for
when we kneel down to pray.
Peace can lift hearts
and tear down walls.
Peace, President Obama, Peace
for one and all.
Peace.


George J. Ryan Middle School 216 –
Fresh Meadows, NY
50 Dream Stars (11-14 years old)

Dear Mr. Obama:

We are middle school students in Queens, New York, who have come to the United States from many different countries. These are the dreams we have for the future that we would like you to think about and work to achieve as our president:

- Create jobs and help the economy
- Provide more money for education
- Protect human rights all around the world
- Provide money to help the poor and homeless
- Work to end world hunger
- Help students pay for college
- Provide money for research on finding cures for children's diseases
- Work to reduce pollution
- Work to reduce global warming
- Stop the fighting in Iraq, the Gaza Strip and in India and Pakistan

We have learned that you became president because of the dreams of those who came before you, like Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We hope that our dreams will come true because you will lead us into a better future.


Holy Guardian Angels Regional School – Reading, PA
70 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Our dream is for our families to be well, safe and healthy. Help our parents be part of the changes we need to make the world better for when we grow up and have our families. We will pray for you and your family. Good luck and God Bless You!


May Moore Primary School – Deer Park, NY
21 Dream Stars (7-8 years old)

Dear President-Elect Obama,

It is a new year and you are our new president. We wanted to say some things to you. For this new year we want to start you off with our dreams for you. They are to…

*keep people safe
*keep the world clean, help the environment all the time
*help the Arctic stay cold
*make new cars that don't use gas
*leave open spaces for parks and lakes
*make more hospitals
*lower gas prices
*make more jobs for people that don't have any
*keep jobs for people
*make sure we get along with one another
*not make any guns because they are weapons that hurt people
*protect animals, help them when they get stuck in trees

That will be it! Thank you very much. Have a great four years. We wish you the best of luck!

Mrs. Steinman's 2nd Grade Class


T.F. Birmingham Elementary School – Wylie, TX
21 Dream Stars (6-7 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We have a great school and country; please help keep it safe and good. Our school set up special voting lessons so that we could learn about voting. They let us have our own voting day. Cay's mom is helping you protect our country, take care of her and the other soldiers that work for you. Our mom's and dad's are sad that things cost so much, and some have lost their jobs. Help all of America not to be so sad. We hope that you will like taking care of America, and that you will help the U.S.A. be real good. Please, don't forget that the plants and animals need your help too.

America's future voters,
Miss James' 1st grade class


Panama Central Elementary School – Lakewood, NY
280 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

The children of Panama Central School have some ideas to help you be an astounding President.

First, we would like to talk about our environment. Go green! We would like to have clean air and water for everyone. Please help our animals, plant more trees, and stop global warming.

Next, please focus on all children. Make sure that all children are loved and taken care of. They all need a good education. Please put money into our schools.

Third we need a better economy. There are too many poor people. Because of high taxes and gas prices, people cannot pay their bills on time. Please make sure that everyone has enough of what they need like money, food, and love. All people need a nice warm place to live.

Fourth, medical care is important to everyone. Please keep our babies healthy; if they don't start out strong, they can get weaker in life. All people need better medical insurance so they can afford to go to great doctors. All people deserve to get good care.

Last, and most important, we want peace! We need peace in our families and in our communities. Help keep families together. Get people to respect each other and use their manners. Please bring our soldiers home safely.
Stop this war. Keep everyone safe.

Mr. President, please hear our message. Good luck!


Mary Austin Holley Elementary School –
Sugar Land, TX
451 Dream Stars (5-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on becoming the first black president of the United States of America. It's great that you have seen your dreams come true in a way that will change our country for the better.

We at Mary Austin Holley Elementary School have dreams, too. We dream of becoming astronauts, lawyers, doctors, police officers, monster truck drivers, models, teachers, soldiers, and, yes, President.

Our dreams are unlimited, and we are looking to you to help us achieve them.

We also dream of world peace, food for everyone, shelters for the homeless, jobs for all, and help for the economy.

You have a big job ahead of you, and we are behind you one hundred percent.

Thank you for taking on this tremendously difficult job and thank you for helping us reach our dreams.


Martin Family – Wilmington, DE
3 Dream Stars (14 years old)

Dear Mr. Obama,

My name is Turquoise. First and foremost I wanted to let you know that I'm so glad that you are my president. During the election I felt so touched and inspired to keep doing well in school, and to try to make a positive change in my life!

My goals in life are to become a fashion designer, and an entrepreneur by the age of 25. I've been involved in fashion club at school, for experience. I also model, and I'm interested in doing commercial and catalog prints. I have also been acting since the age of 12, and just earned the role in a short film called "She's Worth Waiting For".

I am looking forward to maybe meeting you someday. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU BELIEVE!


AuSable Primary School – Grayling, MI
375 Dream Stars (5-9 years old)

Dear Mr. President,

We are so excited about your election! We are happy that you want to hear from us. Our dreams for our future are all different. Some of us dream of jobs we wish we could have when we grow up. Others of us dream about ways we can help the planet. We all wish America will be a safe place to live. We dream of a country where everyone is kind to one another and helps each other. We believe if we set goals we can achieve our dreams. Please work to keep America a place where all people are respected and everyone's wish can come true.


St. Mary's School – Canton, NY
13 Dream Stars (9-11 years old)

Dear President-Elect Barack Obama,

We are glad to have you as our new President, and it is an honor to be writing to you this day. Would you consider trying to solve some of the problems that are harmful to our American citizens? Some of the problems that we have been discussing include: poverty, pollution, crime, racism, drug abuse, and education. There are people who can't even read or write; it is so sad. Many people need help and we have faith in you.

Here at St. Mary's School we are trying to solve some of these problems in our own community by donating food to the local food pantry, recycling, and educating students and neighbors to help us in these efforts. As a class, we are helping to teach younger students about the importance of having dreams. These dreams can come alive through community service, acting with kindness, and treating people with respect and fairness.

We would be overjoyed if you would take time to look into all these concerns and dreams. Congratulations on the election and your inauguration! We hope you like your new job and we understand as citizens that we have problems that we need to face. This small American school in Northern New York would like you to know that we are willing to work hard with you to make this country a better place.

Ms. Trainor's Fourth Grade Class


Olney Elementary School – Philadelphia, PA
14 Dream Stars (11-14 years old)

Our message to you, dear President Obama, is that we have a new faith and hope in you, our country and ourselves today. The goals my students have for your presidency include: making education great (Eric, Ivory, Gerardo), making a car that uses fuel other than oil (Ryan), remove soldiers from Iraq (Gerardo), protect the environment (Nikita), a solution to global warming (Tikya), keep drugs off the streets and stop the shooting (Christopher), end homelessness and poverty (Tynella), help poor people (Gabriel), and an end to environmental pollution (Henry).


Park Hall Elementary School – Park Hall, MD
127 Dream Stars (5-8 years old)

Dear President Barack Obama,

First, we would like to congratulate you as you become our 44th president of the United States of America. How proud you and your family must be. How brave and patriotic you are to take on such an enormous responsibility as the President of the United States of America.

We the kindergarten students at Park Hall Elementary School are excited to be able to write to you as we learn about this historical day, January 20, 2009. We would also like to share some of our hopes and dreams with you. Our kindergarten classes made 110 stars to display on our walls at school. Below are a few of our many hopes and dreams for the future...

-"I wish all people can have money so they're not poor!"
-"I wish all people could read!"
-"I wish the earth was clean!"
-"I wish people could be nice, respectful and peaceful!"
-"I wish to have peace."
-"I wish there were no more bad guys."
-"I wish for less poor."
-"I want the U.S. to have more hope for animals."
-"I want everyone to be safe."
-"When I grow up I want to try to give blankets and tents to all of the homeless people in the world."
-"I wish you would make the world healthy."
-"I wish to save the world from getting hurt."
-"I wish no one would die in wars."
-"I wish everyone would be friends forever."
-"I dream that when I get older I will be a firefighter so I can save people."
-"I hope when I get bigger I can plant food so no one will be hungry."
-"I hope President Obama will be nice and keep us safe."
-"I dream that President Obama will be like Martin Luther King, Jr. and tell the citizens of this country to be nice to each other and make the world a better place."

And finally...
"I wish you to have a good day."

Thank you for letting us share some our hopes and dreams with you!

Sincerely,
Park Hall Elementary School Kindergarten Students and Teachers

Dear President Obama,

We have a dream that you will bring the soldiers back from Iraq. Also, can you please end the war? We would also like everyone in the world to be peaceful and not use weapons. We think that this would happen if everyone uses kind words and not violence. If you could help us to clean up the Earth, we would be so thankful! At Park Hall we have character traits. We think that everyone should show all of these, all of the time. Also, we would like to save endangered animals. Maybe you can have Sasha and Malia adopt a panda as a pet!

Thank you,
Ms. Burns Second Grade Class


St. Coleman School – Pompano Beach, FL
62 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,
We are writing to you because we want to let you know how we think about our world. We also want to give some advice to help you.

There are some things that we 5th graders will do to help support our nation and be better citizens. First, we want people to stop using drugs and encourage people not to smoke. We definitely won't do drugs because they are bad for many reasons.

We also think it is important to recycle. For example, when our clothes are too small, we can recycle or donate them to people in need. We can also pick up trash or items that should be recycled and dispose of them properly. Trees that have been cut down should also be recycled by planting new ones in their place. Trees are an important part of our environment.

We hope that you will keep your promise about lowering taxes so that we can buy things we need… and sometimes goodies for being good students. The economy is also in a bad state and therefore lowering taxes will help those in need.

Pollution from factories is causing global warming and we are asking you to cut down on the building of factories. It is important to us because we want to live in an environment free of pollution.

As for advice, please look out for terrorists and keep us safe. We will be good citizens by being nice and considerate to everyone. Hopefully countries will learn from their citizens being good and treating one another fairly.

Finally, you should feel proud of yourself for being the 44th president of the U.S. and the first African-American President. We are definitely proud of you!


Center/Sylvester School – Hanover, MA
200 Dream Stars (5-10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We were pleased to participate in the DREAM Star project! Students in grades K-4 created Dream Stars of their own and over 200 stars adorned our walls while we watched your Inauguration celebration.

At Center/Sylvester, we know that dreams are worth working towards, and we were happy to hear that you have dreams to keep this country a great place to live.

Along with dreaming to become policemen, teachers, nurses, and the President when we grow up, here are some of the dreams we have for our country and for our world:

"My dream for the country is to become President and lower prices and the economy."

"I wish that all the countries in the world would get along. There would be no wars and people would be happy and live in peace."

"My dream is for people to give more to the poor. I think people should also be generous with their money."

As you can see, our students are full of dreams and with them, anything is possible.

Congratulations on your big day! We look forward to helping you make all of our country's dreams come true.


Clara Barton Open School – Minneapolis, MN
30 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

We hope to have peace in the world.

Please stop the wars.

We hope that poor and homeless people have food, clean water, and shelter.

Please create more jobs.

We hope to save wildlife.

Please stop illegal hunting.

We hope for a clean world, green grass, healthy water, and a frozen Arctic Circle.

Please help stop pollution by encouraging recycling and finding new ways to make cars.

We hope that every child will be able to read and learn.

Please send more money to public schools.

We hope that people will not exclude others because of their color.

Please help stop racism.

We hope everyone treats boys and girls, men and women the same.

Please help all people be fair.


Knight Elementary School – Lilburn, GA
22 Dream Stars (9-26 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are very excited to have a new president today! We can't wait to see what happens in the future. Today we studied Dreamers, and decided that you were among the best of them! You started with a dream, and now it came true. You must be so proud! We have a few things that we'd like to say to you as you start your new job. First of all, Good Luck!

Reanna, Tristan, and Isaiah say: Our dream is for you to help the hungry.
Samantha says: I am shocked that you are the first African-American president!
Owen says: Make every single drug dealer go under.
Kirsten says: Every newspaper should have a lottery ticket.
Sidney says: Build a Disneyland in Georgia and help all the homeless people get all the "stuff" they need.
Emily says: You will be the best president we have had so far!
Amelia says: It should be required to donate to charities.
Isaac says: Could you make homeless shelters for the homeless?
Collins says: We should make less expensive cars that don't pollute as much.
Daniela says: Can you help my community get jobs and stay safe?
Kevin says: Please give money to children's hospitals.
Helina says: I'm sorry about what happened to your grandma.
Efrain says: Please lower taxes.
Hans says: Please don't make laws to ban foreign people!
Felina says: You should help us get out of war.
Elena says: Could you visit every school in the United States??
Savannah says: You can help animal shelters.
Steven says: Please make more jobs in case we run out.
Andrea says: I'm happy you are president!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Pegues' 3rd Grade Class


Treutlen Elementary School – Soperton, GA
23 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are 5th grade students and would like to share our dreams for the future with you. One of our main concerns for our future is the economy. We dream of a time when everyone could have job security. We would like to see a time when our country does not have to spend so much money on war. Also it would be better for our families, if everyday goods were not so expensive. We would like for schools to have more money to help fund our education.

A dream that we have for our country is to lead the way in saving our environment. We would like to decrease pollution, use alternative fuel and energy, and help educate others about global warming.

Our dream for the world would be to have peace. We would like to see all countries work together peacefully. We believe everyone should feel safe in their homes.

We are looking to you for help and encouragement. Our prayers are with you!!!


Valley Cottage School – Valley Cottage, NY
19 Dream Stars (7-8 years old)

Congratulations President Obama,

We dream…
that all people get along,
the oceans are clean,
that people will stop fighting,
that you end wars,
that no one litters,
you can make America a better place,
for a clean environment,
you help the world,
people will give kids who need them safe places to live,
that endangered animals get the help they need,
that wars can stop,
that scientists find a cure for cancer,
you help the less fortunate,
you help the environment,
that boys and girls get along and stop fighting.

Fondly,
Mrs. Murray's Second Grade Class


Mexico Elementary School – Mexico, NY
19 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

Emily- My dream is to live in peace.
Alex-My hope is that the war will and that the troops can come home.
Lynnsey- My dream is for the military to come home.
Becca- My hope for this country is for all the people to not just have shelter, but to have a comfortable house.
Patrick- My hope is to stop the war so we can rest in peace.
Ashton- I hope that you can give us wisdom for our states. My dream is about having a bigger orphanage for orphans to live in.
Dakota- My dream is to save the rainforest.
Mark- My hope is for the wars to stop because a lot of people are dying.
Jade- My dream for this country is that the gas prices go down.
Renee- I hope that the war in Iraq will end so the soldiers can come home to their families.
Brendon- My dream is that the troops in Iraq will be brought back home. :-)
Michael- I hope that the war in Iraq will end and all the soldiers will come home.
Abbye- My dream for this country is the soldiers from Iraq come back from the war because I'd like to see happy families in America.
Olivia- My dream is to give people good hospitality if they are broke or need help.
David- I hope that the power would stop in the city so they can see the stars.
Tyler- My dream is for Barack Obama to be elected again in 4 years.

Miss Fischer's Class


Pendergast Elementary School – Phoenix, AZ
589 Dream Stars (5-14 years old)

Dear Mr. President,

As we celebrate our country's accomplishments with the world, we share with you our school's daily pledge:

I am a kid of hope,
I am talented, smart, and capable of success,
I have dreams for the future,
and I will climb to reach those goals and
dreams everyday!

NO EXCEPTIONS!


Lisbon Community School – Lisbon, ME
90 Dream Stars (6-7 years old)

Dear Mr. President,

We hope you do a good job as President. Are you happy to be the President? Will you help take care of our world? Please could you help lower the gas and store prices? We hope you have a fun time being a president.

From,
The First Graders at Lisbon Community School


Ramsdell Elementary School – Jordan, NY
19 Dream Stars (10 years old)

Our students have many dreams they wish to share:

I dream of a future with cleaner water and less contaminated food.
I dream that we can stop global warming.
I dream of a world without the danger of extinction for all living things.
I dream that the world will be in peace instead of constant conflict.
I dream of the world to be a better place. Also for global warming to stop because I want people to live a healthy live like I do.
I dream of a world full of friendly, caring, forgiving people.
I dream of a world with less wars and more peace, because it is destroying our countries.
I dream of a peaceful world and it could start with me in the classroom!
I dream of a world without pollution, so children would live in a more healthier, and cleaner world.
I dream of people being nicer to others at school, work and in the government.
I dream of a world without violence and without fighting.
I dream of a world where people use their resources wisely and safely so that global warming is curtailed.
I dream of a world without pollution or global warming.
I dream of a world without war.
I dream of a world with more education and food in Africa. Please help Africa in any way you can.
I dream of a world where people try to get along and solve their problems peacefully.
I dream that the environment can be healthy and people can stop being violent.
I dream of a world with no violence.
I dream of a world with more animal rights so that no more animal testing occurs.


Riverton Elementary School – Portland, ME
160 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on winning the election and becoming the 44th President of the United States. It was an exciting race these past two years. We are happy for you because of what you are going to do for America. You will really help the people.

The economy, violence, drugs, poverty, and war are all horrible things and we hope you will do your best to help. We feel confident that you can keep our country safe and stop wars. Our school wants you to know that you are not alone. Everyone has to start helping. We can help the environment by recycling more, saving gas, and walking. Everyone has to be part of helping the earth.

We hope you will help our parents with taxes. The extra money will go to buying groceries, not toys or silly things we do not need. We are hopeful that the economy will get better and we will have more money for things everyone needs.

It seems that America has really come together and listened to Martin Luther King, Jr. by believing that every person has equal rights. He felt that someday we would have an African-American President. You have made history by being that person. All of the past presidents and people around the world who watched probably said, "I can't believe he did it!"

One of our classmates made a chant about you. It goes like this:

Obama all the way!
Every year and every day!
From the White House to Iraq
Bring the army back!

We are sure you'll make a great president.

Sincerely,
Ms. Mercier's Fifth Grade Class


Smithville After School Program – Smithville, TX
18 Dream Stars (5-9 years old)

The children in our after school program enjoyed discovering and exploring issues important to them and also enjoyed crafting their Dream Stars. Many of the children wanted lower taxes. Helping the homeless as well as homeless animals was another common theme. One student wanted President Obama to name strawberry dog treats after her and provide them for free to help feed homeless animals. Two particularly ambitious students wanted him to "switch spots" with them! Here is a sample of our childrens' requests to President Obama:

*More books and math projects!
*Lower taxes because some people may lose their homes.
*Stop war
*Do whatever it takes to make sure other countries don't take over power and bring segregation back
*Make the rules fair and give me a zero gravity car

One student remarked on how she felt President Obama would listen to their ideas and was excited she could help to make our nation and our world a better place. It was an empowering project to say the least!


Audubon School – Rock Island, IL
22 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

                 P ride in our nation
              g R eat beginnings
                 E nd the war
           YE S , WE CAN!
                 I s the 44th President
    helpful D ad
                E xcellent qualities
extraordi N ary ideas
             s T ands for change.


Sunrise School – Sturgeon Bay, WI
159 Dream Stars (8-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

This has been an exciting week at Sunrise Elementary School. We're guessing that it's been an amazing week for you, too. This week we talked a lot about how your dream is connected to the dreams of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. Every student and teacher in our school watched your dream come true as you took the oath of office and became the 44th President of the United States of America.

We know that our dreams are tied to the job you will do as our President during the next four years. We feel honored to tell you about our dreams and know you'll do your best to consider them as you make decisions for our country and the world. (Many of us were surprised that we could write a letter to you!)

The most common dream among students at Sunrise School is that our world will become a peaceful place with no wars and that our soldiers come home safely. Many students have a dream that the world will be a better place for all. We dream there will be a cure for cancer. Some dream that there will be an end to racism and bullying and that all individuals will be treated fairly and according to the Golden Rule.

Many students dream that more people will care for the environment and stop global warming. We dream that all people will have opportunities to work and earn a fair wage and be able to pay fair taxes. We dream of a world without poverty and without hunger. Many think it would be a good idea for you to be President of the United States for eight years.

Sunrise students dream that they will become professional athletes, musicians and artists. Becoming a teacher, medical professional, scientist and public servant such as a fireman, policeman or secret service agent are among our dreams as well. Some of us dream of being inventors and business owners. We look forward to serving the world in the best way we can – just like you are doing. We even have one boy and one girl in our school that would like to become president some day – and now we know all our dreams can come true.

Thank you President Obama for considering our dreams as you make decisions for our country and the world. Congratulations on becoming our 44th President and helping us make our dreams come true.


Chesterbrook Academy – Marlton, NJ
100 Dream Stars (2-6 years old)

Mr. President,

Our students are full of dreams and wishes for the future. Their hopes range from being a princess to peace in the world. We wish you success in pursuing your dreams and wishes for our country, for they will open the way for the dreams and wishes of all our children.


Maria Weston Chapman Middle School –
Weymouth, MA
80 Dream Stars (10-13 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Our dreams are like our wonderful country, diverse yet similar in many ways. Our dreams are all colorful patches in a beautiful quilt.

After reading Dream by Susan Bosak, many of us started our Dream Stars with the word "imagine" inspired by John Lennon, some with the immortal "I have a dream" words of Martin Luther King, and some of us began our Dream Stars with "Yes we can!" Where do you think we got that idea?

In all of our dreams we envisioned a more peaceful world inhabited by tolerant, respectful, and trustworthy people. A world without war, violence, fear, hunger, homelessness, disease,and unhappiness. A dream world of peace and harmony. We are all Dreamers, yes we are, and although we understand we cannot erase these problems immediately, we BELIEVE we can make a difference by believing in our dreams, convincing others and taking the first baby steps to achieve them. Someone has to start somewhere. We can be those somebodies here and now. We can start by believing and respecting ourselves and those around us.

We are students of the 21st century and we have many different ideas for the career paths we will follow and how we will reach our personal dreams. We believe the future holds the promise of jobs that have not even been invented yet. We will be the inventors! We will be ready! We dream of a planet that will be stable enough to support life in the year 3000. We dream that people will respect the natural resources of our Earth, stop global warming, and work towards finding alternative energy sources. We dream of a world where people have hope for themselves and goals they believe they can achieve. Imagine a world where individuals could feel free to just be themselves, be accepted, and not fear bullying from their peers.

Yes, our dreams are many and immense, but they are full of hope and belief. The beautiful patches that create our Dream Quilt could comfort and protect our world. We ARE Dreamers, yes we are! Can we make our dreams come true? YES WE CAN!

Wishing you much success,
Mrs. Romanowski's Grades 5-7 Reading and Writing Class


Scuola Vita Nuova Public Charter School –
Kansas City, MO
45 Dream Stars (12-14 years old)

The 7th and 8th Grade Classes at Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School watched the inauguration online and were asked to listen carefully to President Obama's address and jot down a word or phrase that was of particular importance to them. After the address we gathered in a circle and read our words. We are sending them to President Obama with our message of congratulations and in the words of President Lincoln, "a higher hope for the future."

Hope - Freedom - All – Our - Future – Together Generations – The People – Change – We – Spirit –
Unity – Liberty – Hope – Peace – Sacrifice – Freedom – We Choose Hope Over Fear – Grateful – United – Equal – One – Gratitude – Peace – We – Keeper of this Legacy – Mindful – Putting Away Childish Things – Together – Dreams – Liberty – Fear – Equal – Peace – Timeless – Hard Work – Faithful – Passion – Willing – Believe – Dignity – All This We Can Do, All This We Will Do – Hardship – Example – Justice – Focus – Legacy – Awesome


Westside Elementary School – Reedsburg, WI
45 Dream Stars (9-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

The fourth and fifth grades at Westside Elementary would like to congratulate you on becoming President! We know that you will be very busy helping our country to be the best country in the world. We have a list of ideas for you to work on.

Please help our economy to become stronger, help people get jobs and help them stay in their houses. We would like education to improve with less tests and more technology. Kids going to college need help paying for their education. Global warming and taking care of our planet are very important. If possible, please stop the tobacco companies from making cigarettes. We would like to see the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan come home, as soon as possible. The last thing is our parents would really like it if you could lower taxes.

We hope that you are able to make the United States the best it can be!


Oakland Terrace Elementary School –
Silver Spring, MD
38 Dream Stars (5-11 years old)

Congratulations, President Obama!

We wish you luck in your new job as President, and we thank you for all the hard work you will do to make our country a better place. We also hope you will have fun being President.

Many of us are inspired by your example and share a dream that we, too, might be elected President someday. Most of all, we share a dream that the world might become a more peaceful place, and we hope that you will be able to help make that happen.


Roosevelt Elementary – Park Ridge , IL
27 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We are a 5th grade class from Park Ridge, IL. Don't let the address fool you; we had a student election the day of the country's election, and you won here too! We would like to share our dreams with you, now that you're in office:

I dream for a future without people's homes being taken away because they didn't pay their mortgage so many people wouldn't be homeless. I have a dream that one day we will invent a flying car that runs on corn because that way we will have less pollution. My dream is that we would lower taxes so that people won't not be able to pay the money they need to pay for doctor bills or food and clothing. My dream is that we stop global warming because living things will die because of pollution. My dream is to become an NFL player because I played football when I was in 3rd grade. Football is my life. My dream for the country is that gas and tax prices will be lower and people will stop cutting down so many trees because first we could save up on other things and second we would not create endangered animals. I wish the White Sox could win every year. I wish this because the White Sox rock. I wish that we could have a cleaner environment because I don't want animals to get sick !
when they eat garbage. I wish no one would burn the American flag because it's not respectful for America and it's mean and rude. My dream for the future is that children don't have to street perform for food. For example, children or even 3-year-olds might have to perform snake charming with venom-infested snakes just to earn three meals. My dream for the world is to make the economy go up so people don't lose their jobs and businesses will do better too. My dream for the future is to live in a world without a war. I did that because 1000's of millions of soldiers die. My dream is for war to stop because I want world peace. I wish that there were no more poor people so no one starves. My dream is to lower taxes, gas prices, and to stop the war so we save money from high prices and people don't get hurt from fighting.

Please help our dreams become a reality. We're listening to you, President Obama and we know we have to help. We're all willing to work hard for our dreams.


Frontier Elementary School – Colorado Springs, CO
82 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on becoming the 44th President of the United States. We enjoyed seeing your inauguration speech on television. You have a very beautiful family. We came up with these dreams for a better United States. Our dreams are important to us because we want to help the United States.

Our first dream is to Go Green! One way is to end car pollution by having environmentally healthy cars or riding bikes. Another dream is to have more recycle bins all over in every building so that we don't litter anywhere. We should put more trash cans and recycling bins outside so we don't trash our sidewalks and parks. We need more solutions for pollution to end. Please also try to stop global warming to help save the environment for polar bears and penguins. Perhaps you could have more commercials on TV about helping the environment and create video games about recycling.

The second dream of ours is to help our economy. We need more jobs because some people don't have jobs and they don't have enough money. You should lower taxes because some people don't have enough money to pay them because they got laid off from their jobs and taxes make our parents stressed. We need prices to go down so we can actually pay for things that are too expensive right now. Please also take consideration for helping people pay for their health insurance.

The wars are a big problem for the United States. Try to stop starting wars and try to have the other countries come to an agreement so we can have peace. We should pay the soldiers more for their jobs because they take care of us and protect us. We should give the soldiers a longer break because when they fight, they might be tired. Our solders need better weapons and better protection from ambushes and other dangers.

Thank you for listening to our dreams and hopes for America. We hope that you can help us make them come true. We hope you have a fun time being the President and living in the White House with your family.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Van de Casteele's 5th Grade Class

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations to you for winning the presidential election! We were all very excited to watch your inauguration ceremony on television. Some of us even had parents and relatives attend this historic event.

The purpose of this letter is to thank you for serving as our president and to share some of our hopes and dreams with you. We just finished reading Dream by Susan Bosak and our teacher told us you have read it, too. It has really inspired us. We also have some pieces of advice to share. Here are our dreams for America:

We are very concerned about the economic crisis. Although we don't understand all of it, we do know that some of our parents have lost their jobs and need to earn more money. Please help them find work. It would also be good to keep gas prices lower. Besides the economy, we have another major concern for our nation – the environment. We should take better care of it, considering it's the only one we have! As the president, please hire people to open more recycling plants. We think there should be more recycling plants than dumps and landfills. At our school, we already recycle all kinds of materials. Others should do it too. Recycling would cut down on the amount of garbage that goes into lakes and oceans, where it can harm animals and plants. America also needs to do its part to cut down on global warming. We don't want too much ice to melt, which could cause arctic animals to lose their homes. Finally, we think that kids should be able to vote. We have learned about the Constitution, our government, and think that our voices should count too.

Our major goal for the world is to have peace. Most of us have family and friends serving in the military. We want to end the wars. When everyone stops fighting, then all children should be able to go to school and earn an education. We are doing our part to help boys and girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan go to school. For the second year in a row, Frontier is participating in the program Pennies for Peace. We were inspired by Greg Mortensen and his daughter Amira as they spoke on the Today Show about how important it is to help others. America should do its part to lend a hand to people around the world.

Here is some advice. It is a huge responsibility to be the president. Please try your best. We also want you to get the country out of debt. Owing money is bad. We don't want to be the ones who have to pay back the money when we grow up. Be aware of what is really going on in Iraq. Talk to the people over there. Also, stay confident and keep your hopes up when things are going bad.

Thank you President Obama, and we hope you do a good job to protect our nation.

Sincerely,
Miss McDivitt's Fifth Graders

Dear Mr. President,

Congratulations on being elected President of the United States. We were excited to watch your inauguration, as you made history on January 20, 2009. We are looking forward to the changes you promised, and we are willing to help.

We wanted to share with you our hopes and dreams for the future of our community and our world.

First of all, in our communities we would like to improve our environment. We will not litter and we will recycle more at home and at school. Maybe more recycling centers should be opened so they can be more fully utilized. Also, in our communities we would like to improve our schools. We think all students should participate in 21st century learning through technology. We believe all students should be issued computers to use at school and home. Education should be a top priority for our community and nation because through education our dreams come true. Additionally, using computers will help us save trees by using less paper.

In our world, our top priorities include world peace, improving the environment and the economy. First, please help end the wars so that people can live peacefully. Secondly, our environment needs to be improved. Our oceans need to be kept clean so that the marine life can flourish. Also, the food sources from our ocean need to be clean so people don't get sick. We should be careful with all wildlife, so that animals don't become extinct. Pollution hurts both people and animals and we need to be sure that we are acting responsibly. Finally, this year, our economy is a very large concern for us. Please help the economy by creating jobs for so many people who are out of work. People in our world are going hungry. Our country should help to feed them. We should donate more to those less fortunate than us. Our class uses the Free Rice web site to donate rice to other countries and learn vocabulary. We also have participated in the Pennies for Peace drive to help build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Locally, we participate in the Harvest of Love food drive.

Thank you for allowing us to share our hopes and dreams with you. Once again, we want to congratulate you on your achievement. You have inspired us to believe in our dreams. We wish you luck in your job as you undertake many responsibilities. We know that you will execute your duties in the best way that you can.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Evans' 5th Grade Class


Fisher Hill School – Orange, MA
38 Dream Stars (6-8 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We hope you have a great four years in the White House. We saw you make the promise to take care of our country. We liked your speech. We promise to build things, not destroy them.

Please protect our country from bad people who want to hurt us and keep the people in jail safe too. We hope we can make new friends with everyone in the world.

We promise to keep our country clean. We will pick up the litter that people leave behind. We will pick up our messes, also. We will take care of our country, just like you!

We hope you have a great time as President. We think you are a nice man.

Love
Mrs. Jillson's First Graders –
Kobe, Eric, Megan, Megan, Todd, Elizabeth, Emily, Eryn, Karlie, Courtney, Isabella, Jacob, Brandon, Tori, Storm, Briana, Starr, Justin, Maryanne

Dear President Obama,

The students and staff at our school watched your inauguration on TV today. We discussed the many issues facing our country and each student made a Dream Star about their dream for our country.

Students' dreams included the following.
– We need to stop all the wars that are going on.
– We need to rid the country of robbers.
– There should be no more violence because people are getting hurt.
– Hospitals should have a lot of equipment so all the sick would get well.
– Everyone should stop smoking because it's polluting our air.
– People need to stop cutting trees down so we can save the animals.
– People need to start recycling and stop littering.

We hope these are issues you will be addressing during your presidency so our country will continue to improve.

Sincerely,
Miss Hawley's Second Grade Class


Glenmont Elementary School – Glenmont, NY
25 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We've been talking in class about what our dreams for America are. We'd like to tell you a few of them and we've got some examples.

In the future we dream of peace and for America to be healthy. We want people and big business and factories to stop polluting. We want them to recycle more and go green. We want to help the less fortunate people and protect our endangered animals. We want to stop useless wars that don't mean anything. We want to bring soldiers home as quickly as possible.

Please help us so that our dreams of a better future for America will come true.

Ms. Jozwiak's & Mrs. McCurdy's 4th Grade Class


H.D. Fayette School – North Merrick, NY
22 Dream Stars (7-8 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations 44! Our school held an election in November and you won. We think it's cool that you are the first black president.

We watched your inauguration in the gym and our classroom. It was exciting to witness history that we can share with our own children one day. The First Family looked fantastic! We think the view from the podium must have taken your breath away – so many people!

In recent days we have made our own New Year's resolutions, personal "Future Famous American" statements and a Dream Star for our country.
Here are the topics we believe you should address as president:

- more money for P-16 education
- lower taxes
- support new energy research
- increase recycling opportunities
- encourage organic farming
- make affordable healthcare a reality to all citizens
- bring manufacturing back to the USA
- create more jobs
- keep us safe from terrorists
- protect the environment
- increase the penalty for littering

Finally, it is our hope that together we make our country the BEST it can be!

Happily,
Mrs. Sokol's Second Grade Class

P.S. We think Malia and Sasha should get a labradoodle.


Lord Baltimore Elementary School – Ocean View, DE
19 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

President Obama,

We have many concerns about our country that we would like to see you address during your presidency. Six of our main issues are:

1. War – please do what you can to make people to get along and stop fighting.
2. Pollution – We would like to have people pick up trash and make less pollution.
3. Drugs and alcohol – These are bad for you and people should not use them.
4. Gas – prices of gas are too high. Many people cannot drive their cars.
5. The economy – prices are too high. Some people cannot afford to pay their bills. Some children go to bed hungry. Stores should not be greedy.
6. Jobs – people need jobs. They must make money to pay their bills.

We would appreciate anything you can do to help. It is our dream that the world will be a better place when we become adults. Don't let us down.

Mrs. Downing's Fourth Grade Class


Hawthorne Elementary School – Helena, MT
20 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Our dreams are high! Here they are:

1. Please help businesses stay up and running. One way to do this is to lower taxes.
2. We also want you to help people who have babies who can't afford needs.
3. Please help more children get adopted.
4. We wish you could stop the war.
5. Continue to help men and women, black and white be treated equally.
6. Please help people get an education, rich or poor, so they can have the job they want.
7. We also want you to help the rainforests from being destroyed so the animals have a safe place to live.
8. We want no pollution/trash in America.
9. Please give the hungry food.
10. Last but not least, recycle more!

All of us will help.

Thanks for your time,
Mrs. Moore's Third Grade Class


Wells Branch Elementary School – Austin, TX
20 Dream Stars (5-6 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Today in class, we talked about our dreams for our country. We want to help people buy cars and homes. We also want everyone to be able to go to school. We really want people to be nice, too.

Sincerely,
The Flamingos, Ms. Bolton's Kindergarten Class


Maryvale Intermediate School – Cheektowaga, NY
20 Dream Stars (8-9 years old)

These are our dreams as President Barack Obama takes office:

We have dreams that someday…
-the war will be stopped
-that there will be no more killing
-the homeless will have a home, food and water
-guns will not be sold
-taxes will be lower
-people will not be judged by the color of their skin
-people will stop smoking cigarettes
-all endangered animals will be helped
-gas bills will stop rising
-animals will stop becoming extinct
-no one will smoke around kids
-cigarettes won't be sold
-all people will have homes
-all families will leave in peace
-that pollution of Earth will stop
-robbing will stop
-that world hunger will end
-global warming will stop
-people will stop mistreating animals
-people will stop littering


Audubon Elementary School – Rock Island, IL
22 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We the young students of Audubon Elementary School have created our Dream Stars and now want to take the next step into action.

Congratulations to you and your family. We believe that you will be the best President the United States of America will ever have!

You are a role model for many to look up to. When we have had class discussions throughout the election process you have been compared to Abraham Lincoln and even Martin Luther King Jr. We know you are going to make this world a better place along with your wife, Michelle.

The many causes you are fighting for are ones that we will be fighting for. Even at our young ages we worry about war, the homeless, pollution, drugs, and yes jobs. These are all things we heard you talk about. We are behind you even at our age and we hear everything our parents worry about. So with confidence and our dreams we are willing to do our part.

Proud opening a new door,
Role model Barack is
Elected to be Amazing
Serve Man starting a new legacy
In the White House, AMERICA!
Dedicated
Energetic Audubon Elementary
New President of the Ms. Entsminger's Class
Twenty-first century Rock Island, IL


Lindero Canyon Middle School – Agoura Hills, CA
21 Dream Stars (13 years old)

Dear President Obama,

All of the students, faculty and staff watched the inauguration all day long with awe, fascination and excitement. The energy was infectious and it quickly wrapped us all up at school with warmth and sincerity, a hope for a new, promising future.

My students and their parents wrote shared dreams and advice to you. Jennifer wrote, "I would like it if you could help people keep their jobs". Justin wrote, "My dream is to see free health care for all Americans." Becky wrote "My parents and I wish that we could have an affordable college education." Brooke wrote, "President Obama, I would like for you to always do your best and always think of the children so we can have a good future." Larissa wrote, "Don't let others make you change the way you think and what you believe in. Run your Presidency the same way that you ran your election campaign." Nick wrote, "My advice to you is to please tell us the truth, and we will trust you." Adam wrote, "I would like to see a world where everyone took our environment seriously, cut down less trees, and recycled." Brittney wrote, "My first dream is for the economy to improve." Aaron wrote, "My advice is not to raise taxes." Jessica wrote, "Bring out troops home safely." Franky wrote, "I would like to see the fear of terrorism gone and forgotten." Claire wrote, "My dream is for you to bring peace to the world." Jacob wrote, "I want people to get along and take care of the world." Jackson wrote, "I feel that our country is now coming together as one." Kanan wrote, "My dream is to eliminate litter and pollution." Alex wrote, "I'm glad you're our President." Erin wrote, "I dream of a world where every child has a home, food, and a warm bed." Haley wrote, "I dream of peace and no war." Lauren wrote, "Stay hopeful and keep up the positive energy! Continue to play basketball and to be a great family man." Sam wrote, "My dream is for all children to be given the same opportunities no matter what their circumstances, economic background or race is." Jordynn wrote, "Give people in Africa free medicine so that less people will die." Emma wrote, "I wish for peace in the world." Faouzi wrote, "If I could speak to President Obama, I would tell him to stop the war in Iraq."

Thank you, President Obama. You have inspired us to reach for the stars and look to the future for great things to come.


Renaissance School – Lewiston, ME
17 Dream Stars (7-14 years old)

Joshua dreams of being a police man and would like to end the war.
Curtis dreams of owning a wrestling arena and would like to have a safe world with no criminals.
Jarek wants to serve in the military and dreams of being able to stop global warming.
Jake dreams of a safe world that kids rule and would like to be an adventurer in Indiana.
Isaac would like to have no wars and dreams of making movies.
Ian dreams of being a scientist and a good person.
Destiny dreams of being able to take care of the sick and her dream for the country is that everyone can have a house.
Ms. A's dream for the country is that everyone has access to a doctor and her dream for herself is to travel the world.
John dreams that everyone in the world can have a blanket and his dream for himself is to be a chef.
Jacob dreams of being a goalie in the NFL and his hope for the country is that everyone has a job.
Brad dreams that everyone has a bed to sleep in and he hopes to be an inventor.
Patrick dreams of having a family and hopes everyone in the country is that everyone has a bike.
Rick's dream is to be a rock star.
Amanda dreams of working with animals and wants everyone in the world to be happy.
Arthur wishes he were wealthy and hopes McCain continues to make a difference in the world.
Tyler hopes to make the world a cleaner place and
Alexus dreams of being president and wishes we had a better economy.
Teacher Mrs. Winslow dreams of writing a children's book and hopes that everyone in the world feels loved.


Summit Academy – Boylston, MA
11 Dream Stars (10-12 years old)

We the students of the intermediate class wish to express to you our hopes for your term in office. Here are some of our dreams:

"I would like you to work on defending the country."

"When you are president I hope you will use your humor to help people."

"I want the environmental and the economic crises resolved, special education funded, and the troops brought home; the terrorist issue to end; and peace and prosperity to thrive."

"One thing I think you should do to help the world is to teach some kids to be respectful."

"I hope that the Internet is free from unfair regulation and profiteering. I also hope that the Internet is fairer and more complete."

"I hope you can lower gas prices."

"One thing I would like you to change is lower prices for items in stores. I think that they are a little too high. Also, our country is using a lot of energy."

President Obama, we wish you success in fulfilling your promises to improve our country.


Girl Scouts at River Valley Detention Center –
Joliet, IL
4 Dream Stars (12-15 years old)

President Obama,

We are pleased that you became our 44th President. We watched your inauguration. You inspire us to keep our heads up!

Our dreams for this world are to end the Iraq War and to help the economy. And to improve the education for those who are in and out of jail, people who can't afford an education.

We also want you to know that we believe in you and encourage you to fulfill your dreams. Like you quoted "I'm here because somebody marched. I'm here because you all sacrificed for me. I stand on the shoulders of giants." You are our inspiration.

Congratulations,
Nieisha, Breann, Emilee and Shanquilla


Garfield Montessori Magnet School – Decatur, IL
25 Dream Stars (9-12 years old)

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on being sworn in as America's 44th President. Before watching your historical inauguration, we each created our Dream Stars that expressed our dreams for the future. We were so excited when we found that many of our dreams matched the key elements of your speech. Here is our collective message:

Peace in the world
Tolerance
Equal treatment of all individuals
Respect for our planet by recycling, keeping our environment clean, and reducing our waste
Respect among one another regardless of wealth, color, or religion
End to wars
End to poverty
Increased disease research
Better schools
Trust of one another

Wouldn't it be a great world if we could fulfill these dreams?

Thank you for this opportunity to share our vision.

Mrs. Hubbard's Class


Prichard Elementary School – Grayson, KY
28 Dream Stars (11 years old)

We would like you to fix the economy, end the war, and bring peace to the world. We think you are great and are excited about this historic moment. We know you have already made history, but we want you to make history again by the great changes you're going to make!


Parkwood Elementary School – Pasadena, TX
34 Dream Stars (7-8 years old)

Many of our children are low income, but they wish for peace and the welfare of others.


The Martinez Clan – Houston , TX
3 Dream Stars (7-42 years old)

President Obama,

Thank you for your message of hope. I feel as an American and a mother that we need to focus on the future of this country and our families. I hope that as a nation you will receive the support to accomplish the difficult tasks you will be facing over the next 4 years. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.

Shine ON!
Christy, Hunter and Holden


Archer Street School – Freeport, NY
101 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

The fourth graders wish President Barack Obama all good things as he begins his term, and they share their hopes for a better world for children and adults everywhere.


Schoolcraft Upper Elementary School –
Schoolcraft, MI
50 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

We have many hopes and dreams…

* that all kids love to read and write
* that all Americans have health care
* that we take care of our trees so we have oxygen
* that the war settles in peace
* that we go green
* that people who have lost a job can get a new one

We are so happy that your BIG dream came true!


Champlin Park High School – Champlin, MN
52 Dream Stars (14-16 years old)

President Obama, here are some of our thoughts…

"As the youth and future of this nation, I myself am expecting a lot of changes. Schooling is very important to me and in a few years I will be graduating and heading off to college. As you must already know, college is becoming more expensive every year. With the economy in its current state and the rapid loss of jobs throughout the country, my parents are finding it very hard to come up with money for college. I would like to see more government grants. This would be a wise choice as a use of money because as this country's future, how are we to continue being a strong country if few of us have proper education?"

"I was very happy to realize that your presidency will be historical by itself. But I hope that you make a difference in this country, and are a very successful President. I also hope that when you are written about in history books, they will talk about your achievements. Our economy is in desperate need of relief. Everyday I hear of companies letting their workers go, and it's upsetting when I realize that it could be my parents. As President, it's your job to provide economic opportunities for everyone in the country. I respect you for taking on this role, because it will be difficult at times. My dreams for America is that someday I will wake up and I won't have to worry about my family being in a war. I understand that the United States is very connected to other countries, and that we feel responsible for their well being, but sometimes we take that too far. You should take the advice of Washington: Be wary of ties to other countries and keep yourself neutral, and stay away from political parties and keep our country joined as one. I understand that every party has different views, but we must realize that they are still one of us and they also want the best for the United States. So listen to both sides and decide as one. Like peanut butter and jelly, they must work together to make a good sandwich. Keep true to yourself and do what you think is best."

"My advice for you is this: be honest. None of the American people want a president that lies to them, even if it is in their best interest. Don't sugarcoat any issues just so that the citizens' feelings will be spared. I personally would want to hear exactly what is wrong with America and what we can do to improve our country. Above all, I want to be assured that my future will be bright, and that I will be able to lead a safe and healthy life. I have faith in you, and believe that you will do your best to make the people of America happy."

"I have a few words of advice. Please remember the younger generations when you are making decisions. Many children look up to you with admiration, and if anything disastrous happened, their dreams would be crushed. I also hope that you will take family life to heart as well, there are many families suffering at this time with the bad economy and I hope you will do everything in your power to turn it back around."

"I have a dream that we can pull ourselves out of this recession and become a stronger nation than ever before. I have a dream that we can change the way other countries see us. I know that we can make some changes in the way that we do things to become more efficient and respectable. I dream of our country becoming a role model for the world once again.
Even more than dreaming big, there are little changes that I dream of. I dream of college becoming more affordable. Healthcare is also important, and I hope that everyone will be able to afford it one day. Education is becoming increasingly important in this competitive world."

"I believe you will do everything in your power to improve this country. I do have some suggestions for you regarding education. I think the No Child Left Behind Act should be revised to measure each school's ability according to the average grade of the school as opposed to standardized testing. As a student, standardized testing does not seem an appropriate way to measure the effectiveness of a school because some students do not learn as quickly as others. Also, some students are better at test taking than others. I think that along with this revision, you should raise the standards of education, allowing students to take more rigorous courses at an earlier grade level, including languages."

"By the time I graduate, the rapidly changing world will be very different than it is today. When I go to college, what advancements in science and math will have been made? How will my education be defined? What rights will I have as I enter into my first job? What energy will I use to heat my home? What state will the economy be in? Will my country be in war? How clean will be the air I breathe? All of these things will be up to you. You will shape the world in which the future leaders of the America will be raised. My dream for is that I will emerge into a world which will protect my rights and give me opportunities to succeed to my full potential."

"I sincerely hope your time as president is a successful experience. Please be careful though in all that you do, as the public eye is watching you more than any other president and you are setting the stage for the future of the country. Hopefully, luck will be on your side while you are facing so many challenging problems. I ask that you consider the generations who will inherit this country after you and make some major movements to stop global warming and other critical environmental issues while there is still time."

Good luck and good wishes, Mr. President.


Rosebank Elementary School – Nashville, TN
52 Dream Stars (9-10 years old)

Our dreams for ourselves are:
To run for President
To have President Obama visit our class
To play in the NFL
To be a teacher
To be like Barack Obama
To be the King of Dancing

Our dreams for our world and for Barack Obama are:
World peace
Good jobs
No drugs
No school uniforms
Cheaper food and gas
Save baby whales, polar bears, deer and all cute animals
Make the world a better place
A cleaner world with less pollution
Stop the robbing
A good, long life


Stone Mountain Elementary School – Decatur, GA
21 Dream Stars (8-10 years old)

We wish you health and safety. Please don't forget the poor, the sick and the disadvantaged. Create a clean world for all.

Mrs. Pearson's Gifted Class


Lake Ridge Middle School – Woodbridge, VA
13 Dream Stars (12-13 years old)

Dear President Barack Obama,

Congratulations on being 44th President of the United States and also the first African-American President.

We are sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students from all around the world. We wish you could come visit us. We would have a big party for you.

We would like to see you help immigrants from other countries. We want to have a fair government. Take care of our country and have fun as President.

Ms. Kubinec's Social Studies Students


Kohrville Elementary School – Tomball, TX
47 Dream Stars (10-11 years old)

Dear President Obama,

We think you've been doing a great job so far and we want you to keep it up. But we want to add a few things.

We would like to have litter cameras on every street to make people Go Green. We think there should be sirens in every town and city to alert you that a natural disaster is about to happen or is happening. We would also like a safe house in every city and town for protection during and after a natural disaster. Please lower gas and tax prices in every state. Make every school safer.

Now we will tell you our hopes and dreams. My dream is to be a good man and change the world like MLK (Jordon). My dream is to save people's lives as a doctor (Marisol). My dream is to become the first woman president (Montevia). I have a dream to become a therapist (Kayli). My dream is to become a famous vet and save many pets (Ashlee). My dream is to dance in the glorious star covered sky with my family (Kyndall).

Now you have heard some of our hopes and dreams, we want you to try to make them come true. We think you will do a great job as president considering how many people voted for you with your spirit and brain power. We know you will make history as the first and most awesome African-American President of the United States of America.

Our favorite part about your speech is when you said, "Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken." Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Sincerely,
Ms. Mauritzson's Class


Midlakes Education Center – Clifton Springs, NY
8 Dream Stars (11-13 years old)

Hello President Obama,

We are a small class of 6 students. We have a golden star in our room right above our door. It reminds us to try our best to follow the Golden Rule. Our teachers are helping us to learn to make good choices and keep a "treasure focus." We have been learning about you, your life and your dreams. We learned that you lived in different parts of the world, learned from your parents, liked to read books, worked hard and wanted to make the world a more wonderful place. We read that you had dreams for a better life for yourself and others. It seems like you also have followed the Golden Rule and that as president you will be a good role model for people of all ages.

We read Susan Bosak's Dream book, found the stars on each page and wished upon them for a better world. Here are some of our wishes…

* to become an inventor, a police officer, a restaurant worker, a bus driver
* for people to have jobs
* to help the poor and make sure all children have food and houses
* to love one another, that families will get along, be nicer to their kids and be happy
* parents will love their children, teach them kindness, protect them, show them good examples, teach them to help others, be generous
* to have safe places to play and clean water to swim in
* to save the rainforest
* have litter patrols
* stop hunting of endangered species
* have a cleaner planet, clean water, and clean soil for planting
* that all schools around the world will have crayons, paint, pens, pencils, books, maps, paper, computers and lunches for the students
* stop fighting, no more bombs, bullets or fires
* treat each other nicer without violence
* to have a healthy life
* have more playgrounds, parks
* someday find a cure for cancer and other diseases

President Obama, we are happy you are our new president. We watched your inauguration ceremony and we want to have faith in you. We know you have a really hard job and will try your very best to help the people of America and other countries live peacefully and work together to make the world a better place.

Sincerely,
Joel, Darrius, Mason, Adam, John, Justin, Mrs. Wadsworth, Mrs. Bell, Mrs. K, Miss Dawn, Miss Karen, and Miss Jody


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