Turley Publications photos by Ruth M. Lyon

Christopher Kendrick, who won second place in the selectmen’s essay contest, reads his essay to the board.

Ellaina Warren, first place winner in the North Brookfield selectmen’s essay contest, reads her essay to the board of selectmen.

‘If I Were in Charge of North Brookfield’

Fifth-grade contest winners read essays to selectmen

By Ruth M. Lyon

Turley Publications Reporter

NORTH BROOKFIELD – The board of selectmen recently sponsored an essay contest for fourth, fifth and sixth-graders who attend the North Brookfield Elementary School. The subject: “What would I do if I were in charge of North Brookfield? How could I make it a better place to live?” The prize: a pizza party for the winner’s class, to be held during school hours.

Though the original plan had been for only one winner to be chosen, when the essays had been read, then re-read, two essays had been scored so closely that the judges chose two winners.

Serendipitously, both winners were from the same home room. Ellaina Warren, 11, had won first place and Christopher Kendrick, 10 has placed a very close second. Last Monday, they read their winning essays, limited to five paragraphs or less, before the board of selectmen and town officials gathered for the meeting.

The fifth-graders were willing to share – not the pizza party, but their essays.

Christopher Kendrick, second place winner, wrote:

“My name is Christopher Kendrick, and I’m a student at North Brookfield Elementary School. I have three amazing ideas that will help our community in so many ways. This will help the community out very well business wise.

My first idea is to build a company that is like a transportation system, which help the elderly move to certain places they need to go. It would not just be a transportation business, but it should offer work to townspeople transporting the elderly around, then townspeople can get jobs. It should be called ELHB, which stands for Elderly Life Helping business. That I think will not just help the elderly, but our whole community.

My second idea is to build a recycling business, it cost money to recycle. That is why most people do not recycle, because they can’t afford it. So you can put low cost recycling to townspeople or free recycling to volunteers. So then it will help save the planet. Also, reduce trash that is just scattered everywhere. That is my second idea.

My third idea is to, twice a month, offer a farmer’s market. So all local farmers can sell their vegetables to the townspeople to eat at a low price. So farmers can keep farming, and have people eat healthy. I think this can help a ton.

Those are my three amazing ideas to help earth, and improve business. I enjoyed writing this essay, so I can try to help the community out. We all need to do our part and make life easier and better. Thank you for listening to my ideas.”

Ellaina Warren, first place winner, wrote:

“Our town North Brookfield has recently made many great improvements! I think we can fit in one more improvement though. Our town has made decisions of getting a new “fire truck”, changing “Arlows to “Stats”. The “new bank” down near Hannaford’s! Also, the police station! But I think we can fit in a recreational center!

The vacant factory on Summer Street would be an ideal location for this recreational center! There are 3 or 4 floors so we could have multiple uses for this recreational center!

For one floor, we could have a day care, for busy parents’. Another floor, could be an “arcade” for kids! On weekends or afterschool you would most likely expect kids to be their. One more floor could be for roller skating.

If you don’t find any of the solutions that I have mentioned suitable. How about a floor, for stopping just for a quick bite to eat? Or another floor for shopping! Or what about a floor for artistry? People could paint, draw, or even color!

Plus this idea will help the community, because we would be using up a vacant building! Instead of using the trees for wood! With all these ideas, I hopefully will persuade you that what we need in this town is excitement! Which we, people from North Brookfield Massachusetts, can put into a recreational center!”

Elementary school Principal Deborah Peterson reports that the pizza party was enjoyed immensely by Mrs. Dedeian’s fifth-grade class.