Can you define yourself in three words? That's what Beverly Manor School language arts teacher Mandi Perko asks her seventh-grade students to do each year as part of her "My 3 Words Project" that concludes with a red carpet-style video presentation.
"My main goal with the project is to help my students see the potential in each other and themselves and encourage them to dream big and believe in themselves," Perko said.
Here are samples of students' "My 3 Words" this year, the fifth year of the program. The narratives have been edited for conciseness. Keep in mind as you read these pieces that they were written by seventh graders!
RYAN SCHROFF: My three words are "Power of prayer." I didn't choose the words because they sounded cool. I chose them because they mean so much. Last year, my pastor Juan had pretty bad medical problems. He received bad news one after another. One Wednesday in youth group, he let us know what was going on in his personal life and asked us to pray for him. I did. At first, I'd pray maybe once a week. Soon, I caught myself praying for others anytime I could. I saw that the people in my prayers were being healed. At the time, I was struggling with life in my own ways as well. I thought, "If it worked for them, Jesus will fix me too." I prayed. Over and over. One night, I was lying in bed after having a really bad day. A piece of Scripture came into my mind: "Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" John 14:14. I asked for a dream that I could fly and ignore the world under me. That night in my dream, I asked again if I could fly and my feet gently lifted off the ground. There … my proof. I asked, and he did it. After that night, I asked for him to be there and fix me. And to this day he still is. No one really knows how much power there is in prayer, but I think I might have an idea.
JESSICA NORRIS: I chose "Together we stand" as my three words because every day I look at the three girls who are in my video and hope they realize we're more than friends or even best friends, we're sisters. I can't understand why people do not see the resemblance. I've been friends with two of them since I was about 5 years old. One of them came into my life two years ago. We help each other attempt the impossible and make it possible. If I ever had the chance to replace any of them, I wouldn't. Yes, we fight, but we stand strong and not alone, but together. I love them and hopefully, I'll never lose them because together we stand.
JOSH ROBBINS: I had trouble choosing my three words. I even had to ask my parents. We eventually came up with "I operate tractors." In 2009, my parents bought an excavating business. Them buying the business has given me many new opportunities. Operating tractors is how my dad makes money. I've been able to watch my dad operate tractors, and I've operated tractors myself. From the first time I operated a tractor, I enjoyed it. I plowed snow, then I started digging and moving dirt like I did in my video. My dad gave me great opportunities and I took them. I enjoy operating tractors so much that I talk about it a lot at school, and some of my fellow students have given me the nickname, "Tractor Boy." I chose these words because they mean a lot to me and my family. No other words could fit me better.