The Stars and Stripes America 250 Essay Contest Winner for the elementary category goes by J4; their family is stationed in Guam. (designed by Stripes Staff | photo by MRC, Adobe Stock)
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First place winner in the elementary category of the Stars and Stripes America 250 youth essay contest, J4 expresses how being in a military family shapes their thoughts about America. This youth writer is a fourth grade student at DoWEA’s McCool Elementary School on U.S. Naval Base Guam.
The essay prompt was: “How has being part of a military (or military-affiliated) family shaped how you think about America?”
Being a military child has shaped how I think about America in many ways. The explanation may be surprising, but I haven’t spent much time in America, even though I was born there.
I was born in America but left a few months later, so I am a U.S. citizen, yet I grew up in Asia. I’ve eaten a lot of sushi, other cultural foods, and, of course, pizza. But the main point is I haven’t been in America very much, only for about 2½ years.
Because of this, I think of America differently from many others. To me, it’s an awesome, mysterious place, almost like discovering aliens or a hoverboard for the first time. Visiting Oklahoma or Nebraska is exciting, but it also makes me a little sad to leave the countries I’ve lived in.
Over 7½ years in Asia, I learned to value each place I lived in differently. Moving back and forth made me excited, then homesick, then excited again. Through all this, I’ve realized that even if I don’t live in America all the time, I am still an American. My experiences have made America feel fun, mysterious, and special.
