Celebrating World Children's Day with the Third Graders at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School

World Children’s Day is celebrated each year on November 20th to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare. To celebrate World Children’s Day, Mayor Siddiqui visited Ms. Holm and Ms. Alekseyev’s third graders at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School and brainstormed ways to make Cambridge a better place. 

Mayor Siddiqui spoke about her work with children in Cambridge including creating a policy for no library late fees and planting a tree at the Baldwin School. Mayor Siddiqui asked the rest of the class how they would make Cambridge and their school a better place. Students dispersed to the four corners of the room where facilitators engaged in a conversation and jotted down their ideas on two large post-its.

Third graders gathered in groups and brainstormed ways to make Cambridge a better place and how they would make Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School a better place. Students enthusiastically raised their hands and shared their ideas for improving the environment and school lunches. They want to see cleaner parks in the city and more time to do hands-on activities. Students shared their ideas with the rest of the class to learn from each other. Afterwards, students sat back in their chairs and wrote one action they can do as an individual. 

After they wrote down their action, the students made their way to the courtyard where a banner hung for them to put their handprint on. Students chose different shades of blue paint to dip their hand in and leave their mark on the banner. The handprints represent their commitment to making a difference in their community. 

Below are several of the students’ ideas: 

How will you make Cambridge better?

• Plant more trees

• More electric vehicles and charging stations

• Free water for everyone

• Recycle more 

• Do not pollute the Charles River

• No racism 

• Nicer soccer fields

• Less taxes for some but more for the rich people 

• Holiday to give homeless people food and supplies 

• Public indoor places for children like parks but indoor

• More citywide events for kids

• More hospitals and schools 

• Food driver for people who are in need

• Rake up leave on sidewalks

• Parents should earn more money 

• Making sure everyone has access to hospital care 

• Pump station for bikes throughout the city

• Donate clothes every month to those in need 

• Donate to animals shelters 

• Help out homeless people 

• Get paid to go to school 

• Universal income 

• Streets without cars

How will you make Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School better?

• Longer recess

• Classroom pets 

• Food and dessert options for everyone 

• Celebrating all religious and cultural holidays

• Be kind to each other 

• Longer special times

• No bullying

• Time to meet the students at other schools 

• Ten hour school day with more recess 

• Bigger lunch servings or option to get more than one serving 

• Shorter days on Mondays 

• No juice or chocolate milk at lunch

• Remote school days on the weekends 

• A resting place for people who aren’t feeling well like a nap room 

• More quiet breaks 

• More creative time 

• More free/choice time 

• Time to clean up the playground 

Please see the banner outside of city hall from November 14th - November 20th. Contact Ammarah Rehman, Education Liason, with any questions at arehman@cambridgema.gov.