The student describes what America means to them, including things like western culture, famous Americans who inspire them, popular music and musicians from the US, beloved movies and actors, American football, holidays that seem fun and bring people together, and the Statue of Liberty symbolizing freedom. America represents entertainment, innovation, and a spirit of unity to the student.

1. WHAT IS
YOUR IDEA?
TODD'S INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS PROJECT
2012 / 2013
WHAT IS
YOUR IDEA?
TODD'S INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS PROJECT
2012 / 2013

4. To Whom It May Concern
(by Omid Schwartz / Germany)
3 years ago, I started an e-pen-pal on the project of Mr. Kellaher-USA with
one of his students. Her name was Samar and she attended the 6th grade of a
middle school in the United States at that time.
Samar and I wrote each other very much. She told me a lot about her family,
her school, and her daily life in the United States. I found out that we had
much in common. We both shared many common hobbies, such as soccer, the
same kind of music, hanging out with friends, playing the same computer games,
and so on. Samar and I wrote about one and a half years. Then the contact
unfortunately stopped, because both of us were under a lot of stress and time
pressure at school at that time. Me in Germany and she in the U.S.
Except Samar, today I'm in contact with 4 different guys in the U.S. One in
Illinois, 2 more in Massachusetts, and one in Oregon. We chat a lot, and find
that we often watch the same TV shows and sitcoms, (I usually several months
later in Europe). We mostly hear the same songs, and we all love to eat at
McDonald's or the like. (Sorry mom, I know you don't like to hear.) Anyway,
there is one big difference: 3 of them play American football while I play

5. soccer (which is common for boys and men in Europe.) For American guys, this
is a girls sport. So, we sometimes tease each other about it.
What I generally think about the U.S.? Hey, it's a cool country with great
stuff and also some problems, just like you find in my country too - sometimes
similar, sometimes different.
If I want to live there? Why not, at least for a limited time, just as a lot of
Americans live in my country for some time. However - if I just think about – I
only would do under one condition: if I don't need to play American football
over there, but may continue to play soccer all the time, ha ha ha ha.
Au revoir from France at the moment (hey guys, also a very cool country!!!!)
Sincerely,
Omid
Samar /USA , as well as Omid/Germany in 2010

6. Student:
Madalina Florea
Class:
a VIII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

8. Student:
Nicoleta Nitu
Class:
VIII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

10. Student:
Madalina Antonescu
Class:
VIII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

12. Student:
Andreea Sandu
Class:
a VIII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

13. Why I’d like to see America
I’d like to see America because of all the
celebrities from there but this wouldn’t the single
reason, I would go to America,for another reason:
there are things that can’t be seen in Romania on
other countrues.Every country is important ,having
their own originality ,even if some countries have
borrowed some inventions from other countries
because they are successful and they are helping
the people in every country to live more
confortable.
If you go to visit America ,you will meet
extraordinary people and you will see
extraordinary things.People are working hard for
what they want and they are successful in
everything they do, almost everytime.
In conclusion, I’d like to go America because there
“dreams come true” and from there I would have
something to learn about.
Student: Sanu Andreea

14. LUYDMILA'S STUDENTS FROM
DNIPROPETROWSK / UKRAINE

15. ILLYA
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
19 years
As a person, who was born and raised in a post-Soviet country,
completed an 11-month long educational program in the U.S., and
currently lives in Canada, I may give you a slightly different from what
you’ve heard before response.
Unsurprisingly, the first thing that springs into my mind is fast-food.
Unfortunately, the following way of thinking can hardly be called
groundless. The territory of USA as a whole is packed with all kinds of
fast-food starting with a good-old McDonalds and ending with newly
established Wendy’s. However, on the other hand that doesn’t imply
obesity, which one would believe to be an inevitable consequence. Well
I meant not among all the age and social groups.
And now we slowly reached another thing that I personally associate
with USA. It is sports. A country created and raised by power is
genuinely reliable upon that power in peacetime as well as wartime. And
I can hardly think of any better warfare replacement other than sports.
The assertion that American high-school athletes are among top-3 in the
World might be a safe guess. Sport is everywhere. It is even
broadcasted in the fast-food restaurants we mentioned earlier. What an
irony, ha?
Although realizing I might get blamed for not mentioning dozens and
dozens of matters that may characterize USA in a better way, there is
one thing I totally can’t miss. It is a concept of a road. An endless road
going to where the sun sits down and where dreams begin. The entire
American nation is a car on a highway. The route shall not be changed
and the stop shall never be an option. Nobody knows where the car is
going, nobody knows what is waiting for it at the end. All we know is
that this way has a special name. It is the American Way.

16. Alexey
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
15 years
When I am thinking about United States I imagine how huge America`s
contribution to politics, economy, science and information technologies
is. The nation had brought a personal computer to the whole world what
caused incredible IT revolution in the mid-1980s. United States dollar is
an international currency being used in almost every financial
transaction for over fifty years now. For me, as well as for other people
in other countries, it is very hard to imagine today`s world without the
US. Americans are the nation I truly admire.

17. Dimitry
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
16 years
When I think about the United States I image its symbols: its stars and
stripes of the country’s flag, the American eagle on the coat of arms and
the national anthem. In addition I associate America with a famous
"Uncle Sam", the Statue of Liberty in New York and the White House.
And of course America is in such national sports as American football
and baseball; fast-food - burgers and hot dogs and apple pies. The USA
for me is also New York's Broadway, the Philadelphia Liberty Bell,
Washington museums, Harvard University, Boston, Miami, sunny
resorts, a fabulous Disneyland, a bright Las Vegas and the capital of
the world film industry and show business Los Angeles
The United States is considered as the “land of great opportunities”.
Any of the fifty American states can be compared to European countries
in terms of population and the size. The territory of the US includes
everything: snow, desert, wild prairies and forests, agricultural areas,
and cultural and economic center. And, of course, it is the home country
for different nationalities.
I like history very much, and the history of the US is unordinary. It is full
of exciting events, different important dates, which are connected with
the development of the whole big country. Since the founding of the
young state (1776), the most advanced in all bright, motivated and
desperate global minds, who dreamed to break the stereotypes set in
their centuries-old powers, to try to realize the most daring ideas and
concepts in a new young country came here. Thanks to such a desire,
the modern U.S. stands out from the rest of their economic, political,
educational and industrial systems, proclaiming the motto «In God we
trust! »

19. Robert
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
14 years
When I am thinking of the USA, I remembered about wars and
revolutions.The USA’s people initiated many wars. These wars killed
many good people and their families.
And also I think about the USA’s scientific achievements. They gave the
world different kinds of cars, much kinds of food (for example, cacao,
tomatoes, corn, potatoes). Their scientists made news machines, found
drugs against diseases.
Besides Americans are very busy people. They don’t have much time
and they buy semi-finished food. So fast food aooeared in the USA for
busy Americans. Billions of people every day eat in these restaurants.
Because of this people are very fat
Vadim
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
14 years
Americans are good people. They are clever, because they built
skyscrapers. These people did a lot of things such as computers,
programs. When I think of the United States, I think about the computer
game Diablo 3. The game is interesting and exciting. I remember the
Statue of Liberty, the Pentagon, Hollywood, the company Ford and
General motors, McDonalds, Fanta and Coca-Cola.
They have a special holiday such as Thanksgiving Day, Halloween and
Independence Day.

20. On Thanksgiving Day, they eat a turkey and all give thanks for
everything good they have. Americans celebrate Halloween in October,
31. Many people make jack-o-lanterns and children wear costumes and
go trick-or-treating. On Independence Day in 4 July Americans’ people
have a rest. They play baseball. They have picnics.
Kirill
(Dnipropetrowsk)
UKRAINE
17 years
First of all, the US for me is the country of freedom and opportunity for
prosperity and success. Every citizen wants the American Dream, which
contains these values, to come true. The names of Founding Fathers
are inseparably linked with the United States Declaration of
Independence. Other distinctive feature of the US is Mount Rushmore
National Memorial . One more idea which appears in my head is about
New York – the world financial centre – and, of course, Wall Street with
the New York Stock Exchange. Last but not least, the US has a great
number of high-tech companies, which produce computers and
components for them,such as Apple Inc., Google and Intel.

22. RUSSIA ---> USA
_____________________________________________
A very interesting and cute
puzzle-piece on this project
______________________________________________

23. From: Светлана Ровенских <svetlana.rovensk@mail.ru>
To: schwartzilse <schwartzilse@yahoo.de>
Sent: 3:46 Moday, 5 November 2012
Sub: What do we know about the USA?
Hello, dear Ilse (Germany),
The students participating the activities of the project are 10-11 years old.
When I asked them "What do you know about the USA?" they were a bit
puzzled, but when I asked " What do you know about Walt Disney?", they
couldn't stop ennumerating their favourite cartoons and charachters.
All in all, our youngest students( 6-7 years old) agreed to draw pictures of
their favourite Disney cartoons and name them.
The elder students( 10-11 years old) were happy to help them in drawing.
They also made a list of their favourite Disney cartoons and we agreed to see
Disney cartoons in English after the holidays.
Our project about the USA is still on.
Svetlana (Russia)
________________________________________________________________________
Dear Svetlana (Russia),
Thank you so much for the beautiful photos and drawings of your students from Russia!
Of course I can not speak for Todd in the United States. But when I read your email
this morning, my first thought was:
This definitely must be answered and commented by Todd in the United States, as
well.
Dear Todd (USA),
what are the most important criteria (3, 5, or so) for 10-11 year U.S. American children, if
they had to explain their home land, the United States of America, to 6-11 year old Russian
children in South Siberia today?
Believe it or not, I myself am really looking forward to your reply, too. Another question is:
What do your 10-11 year old kids in the U.S. classroom know about Russia in general? (Oh
yes sir, I love the present day, which allows a free exchange of ideas also between very young
U.S. and Russian kids, without the Cold War and insuperable ideological barriers, as in the
time when I was a 10-11 year old child in divided Germany at that days ;-)
Happy to get your answer,
Ilse (Germany)

26. Student:
Miruna Dumitrache
Class:
VIII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

27. The funny thing about America is that I already visit it…. In my dreams.Seriosuly,
America is an amazing place I would really like to visit because when I hear
„America” I think about a lot great and interesting things.
America makes me think about:
• Western style- I think America is distinguished by western style. I’d love
to spend a “western day” .I’d wear a plain shirt ,short jeans and long
rubber boots and I would run of after cows to catch’em with a lasso. I
would spend all my day in the garden taking care rmy harvest and my
animals but I’d also ride my beautiful horse.In the evening I would cook
ham and fired eggs ,even if I do not think that I would eat them…but of
course I would cook and I’d eat a cherry pie… and in the night I would
sleep in the barn on bales of hay:D.
Inspiration sources-
I think that in America great persons lived and are
still living,persons that remain in history for their works, Oprah
Winfrey,Steve Jobs,Walt Disney ,Bill Gates are only some of them.T
hese people are an example for me and I admire them because they
make me work harder to reach my dreams.
MUSIC-Now all the artists from everywhere sing in English and that’s why
all the music makes me think at America.But that’s not the only
reason.America makes me think about music because a lot of good music
is sung by Americans.My favorite singers are Christina
Aguilera,Beyonce,Fergie ,Nicole Scherzinger,Bruno Mars and many
others but I am a great fan of Christina.I think that she teaches us
different lessons like trusting our own instincts,to love ourselves by her
music. Even if I often listen younger singers I love the old and legendary
ones like James Brown,Whitney Huston, Michael Jackson,Elvis
Presley,Prince,Michael Bolton and many others, too because they are a
are kind of parents of music.
•
Thoughts
about
America…

28. Great movies and great actors-There are some movies that are a part of my life
because they marked me somehow.”Titanic”,”A walk to remember”,”Love
story”,”Home alone” ,”Pride and prejudice”,”Dirty Dancing”,”Ghost”,”Chocholat”
and many others.I really love these movies and I want to thank the movie directors
and the actors for making golden movies.I also love the new series of movies and
serials “Pirates of the Caribbean”,”Twilight Saga”,”The Lord of the rings”,”The
vampire diares”,”Pretty little liars”,”Grey’s Anatomy” etc.In America there are
some actors that I really really love for their work and I really really would like
to meet:Johnny Deep,Brad Pitt,Angelina Joilie,Kate Hudson,Leonardo
DiCaprio,Eddie Murphy and others .Thank you .Americans did some
excellent animation movies too.Disney movies are part of my childhood and
I think that every child in the world love legendary animations like Cinderella
The little mermaid,Snow white and the seven dwarfs,Aladdin,Bambi etc.:)
• Football-everybody loves american football
• Happiness,unity and craziness-In America there are some funny holidays
like Chocholate day ,Pancakes Day or some serious days like
Independence Day and others and that makes me think that in America
there are happy and crazy people:D [but not in a bad meaning] I also think
they are united because they all celebrate these days with a lot of joy and
involvement.
• Statue of libety-this statue is one thing that makes me belive that America
is a powerfull place and people from there are very united and they fight
for their country and for their freedom and I think that I would be a little
bit crazy when I visit America because I think that I would feel too free.
• Hamburgers-I think America is a kind of mother for hamburgers and
Coca-cola.:))
• Niagara Falls-i think that American Niagara falls is a little bit of heaven
and I’d like to visit it.
•
• “ Old McDonald had a farm, hiahiaho…” –this song is something that
absolutely reminds me of America
• Big Cities-Hollywood-the capital of the movies.
-New York-I would die for a week in New York . I really love it and
I wish I will visit it until I am 30 years old.(I have a list with things to do
until 30
-L.A baby-The city of the angels. It is a
wonderful place
-Texas-Ihaaa –western style:>
-Florida and Hawai

29. These are only some of the great cities that remind me of America
and I hope I will visit some of them…. It is one of my dreams:d
America is a wonderful place and I would really like to visit it.I wish it would be
closer but I am sure that one day I will arrive on an American airport and I will say
to myself”Finally America” and I will spend some great time there and I do not
know how but I will take a little pice of America at my home in Romania ,my
country that I really love.

30. GREECE -----> USA
Melahrini Papardeli's
Elementary School Students
H A L K I D I K I / G R E E C E :

31. Imaginations of yery young
Greek students about
the USA
Map of the USA

34. Student:
Simona Zazuleac
Class:
A VII B
School:
Scoala Nicolae Iorga
Town/Country:
Ploiesti - ROMANIA
Teacher:
Mrs. Cerassela Anghel

36. SPAIN -----> USA
Montse Valdés' students
I.E.S. Bernaldo de Quirós
Mieres / Spain

37. Todd's students in Massachusetts / USA were thrilled by the
beautiful images of their Spanish friends in Mieres / Spain.

46. YOU'VE DONE A GREAT
JOB !!