May 2008
Cameron P. Busby
Congratulations to Cameron P. Busby of Whitmore Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona, first place winner of the 2008 Creative Writing Contest. Congratulations are also in order for 2nd place winner, Ananda Boyd-Ewing of Elsie Whitlow Stokes Public Charter School in Washington D.C., 3rd place winner Kasey Bruce of Sheridan Elementary School in San Francisco, CA and honorable mention winner Noah Dearth of Our Lady of the Ridge School in St. Worth, Illinois. And a special thank you to all the participating coordinators, students and teachers who made this contest possible. View the finalists' winning entries.
Cameron P. Busby's Winning Entry
America is a Refuge
By Cameron Busby
Whitmore Elementary School
Tucson, Arizona
A small child holds out a hoping hand,
a crumb of bread,
or even a penny just to be fed
Hoping America is a refuge.
A child weeps over her mother's lifeless body,
the tears streaming down her face
Praying America is a refuge.
A child's torn sock blows in the wind,
as a bomb explodes the tiny sock catches a flame and begins to burn to ash
Can America be a refuge?
A thirsty father and son seeking shade from the blazing sun,
all they want is a job
and for America to be a refuge.
America can be a refuge for you.
It can be a refuge for me.
I am glad that America is a refuge for all.
Q&A with Fifth Grader Cameron P. Busby
What was your inspiration for this poem?
I started thinking of all the reasons people come to this country. I thought of my friends who came here and my ancestors as inspiration for this poem.
Do you have any friends who are immigrants?
I have one friend who is an immigrant and another friend whose parents are immigrants.
Do you have a favorite writer?
Stephen King. I love scary books.
You use a lot of heavy imagery in your poem. Why?
My teacher always says, "Show, don't tell." I could have just said 'war is war,' but I wanted to show it, like when I mentioned the torn sock.
You wrote about America being a refuge? How is America a "refuge" and how do you feel about immigration?
I think a lot of immigrants are coming to this country. Some are not being treated as well as people who are citizens, but I think that for the most part it's a safe place for them. Our country is a little safer than other countries and lots of people come here for a better life. And I think that they do find it.
The American Immigration Law Foundation is proud to sponsor the Annual "Celebrate America" Creative Writing Contest in an ongoing effort to educate the public about the benefits of immigration to our society. Open to fifth grade students across the nation, this contest encourages our youth, families and surrounding communities to evaluate and appreciate the effects of immigration in our own lives. This, in turn, allows them to see that America is truly a nation of immigrants.
This year, we had an overwhelming response of more than 4000 entries from thousands of schools across the nation. Traditionally, students write entries on the theme "Why I'm Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants," but entry styles are not limited to essays. Winning entries in the past have included poems, diary entries, personal narratives and letters.
Former Contest Coordinator, Elise A. Fialkowski of Philadelphia's Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP, commented on the impact this contest had on students.
"The students came away with a much greater appreciation for the value of immigrants in the United States," Fialkowski said. "They learned that immigrants are the basis of this country; that we really are a nation made up of immigrants-immigrants who have made wonderful contributions."
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