Riley Fourth Grader Wins Essay Contest

Kaylee Horne, a fourth grader at Riley School, entered and won for the district, the "What New Jersey Means to Me" essay contest.  Senator Barbara Buono presented Kaylee with her award at a ceremony held on March 24, 2010 in the Riley School gym.  The ceremony was attended by her classmates, teachers, Mr. Czech, Mr. Negron and several school board members.  Below is her essay:

To read Kaylee's essay, click "read more" below:

 What New Jersey Means To Me

         Want to know why New Jersey is very special to me?   I was born in Plainfield , at Muhlenberg Hospital , and have lived in South Plainfield all my life.   Most of my family lives in the state too.   New Jersey is the fourth smallest state and is about 150 miles long and 70 miles wide.   For a state that small, it sure has a lot to offer!

          There is a reason why New Jersey ’s nickname is “The Garden State”.   There are lots of gardens and farmlands in the state that grow crops such as vegetables, blueberries, and peaches.   Delicious!   Besides farms, we have beautiful beaches, lakes, rivers, mountains and hills, which allow us to do many fun things outside, like swim, boat, and hike.

          New Jersey is not all farms and landforms either.   There are urban and suburban areas, and Jerseyans are a short distance from New York City and Philadelphia .   The more industrialized areas are where the population finds most jobs.   It is easy to get to these places because most people have cars to drive on major and minor roads.  Watch out for traffic jams!   Public transportation helps to avoid these headaches.  

          The population of New Jersey is very diverse, with people from all over the world living in our state.   Through them, we learn about other cultures, by talking, tasting their food, and going to cultural events.   What great ways to learn about the world and its people!   There are lots of artistic performances too, such as movies, ballets, and concerts that happen in our great state year round.   Don’t forget about history, because even George Washington came to New Jersey and fought Revolutionary War battles in our state!

          Now you know why New Jersey , my home, is so special to me.   The amazing sights, beautiful scenery, fresh produce, tasty food, and entertaining shows all add to the state’s appeal.   Besides, we have four seasons, which give us snow in winter, warmth during the summer, and everything in between.   If anyone visits New Jersey , they will fall in love with our great state!