Editor’s note: Members of the Journal-World’s Teen Advisory Board wanted to find out what Lawrence students were thinking about as the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks approaches. We posed two questions. The responses to one question appear here; the others are located here.

Question: What are your dreams for the United States?

Dylan Guthrie and Sam Walter, classmates at Hillcrest School, teamed up to create drawings that expressed the before

Dylan Guthrie and Sam Walter, classmates at Hillcrest School, teamed up to create drawings that expressed the before

Amber Steimle, age 10, Hillcrest School

I am scared and worried, but I will not let my fear overpower me. I love my country. I believe in my country, and I still have hope for my country. I hope we will end this war wisely in a way where many innocent people will not get hurt.

Micaela Mendez, age 10, Hillcrest School

My dreams for the United States are probably like everybody else’s. My dreams for the United States are for peace and happiness. And that in the future this will not repeat itself and that if this kind of thing happens again, that no people are killed.

Hugh Naughtin, age 17, Free State High School

My dream for the United States is to not fall into blind patriotism but actually try to look back to see some of the things it does on a world scale. There is no excuse for the terrorist acts, but hopefully we can look at ourselves, see how we can make ourselves better and promote justice around the world instead of retaliate with more violence.

Henry Raak, age 10, Pinckney School

Peace in the world.

Faith Darnell, age 14, Central Junior High School

That instead of going and attacking those countries, (we) understand that it happened and that (there’s) no point in reaching revenge.

Sam Pedraza, age 13, South Junior High School

That we will find who has done this to us and bring justice, and to over come this obstacle.

Amanda Gage, age 12, South Junior High School

I hope that we will make peace with the rest of the world and the U.S. will become stronger because of Sept. 11. Forever, people should remember that day. There should also be a memorial in New York where the towers stood.

Peter Monshizadeh, age 13, South Junior High School

Peace, no more wars. I hope everyone becomes stronger because of 9/11 and we make sure something like this never happens again. A 9/11 memorial should be built.

Anne Laue-Minden, age 16, Free State High School

That’s a tough one. I think it would be wonderful if as a country, but also as individuals, we would take more credit or blame for both the positive and negative consequences of our actions. Also, to be more understanding and compassionate toward other countries, whether third-world or developed.

Jessica Foulke, age 17, Free State High School

I hope that for a while, we can be in peace. We can avoid discrimination and retaliation. We can stop fighting an enemy that we can’t see and stop killing innocent people in the process. I hope that we can learn a new appreciation for the freedoms that we so often take for granted. I hope we can look at the whole world and begin to understand them, rather than shutting our eyes to the conflicts in nations around us. I dream of a day when I can sleep through the night because I feel safe and I wish that for my four brothers and sisters and for me. I dream that we can grow up in a peaceful nation a peaceful world.

Dylan Guthrie, age 11, Hillcrest School

My dream is that 9/11 had never taken place. While it is a terrible thing that all those people died, people are now aware that there are bad people in this world, and they are more willing to speak out and express themselves. I feel all terrorists and people who support them should be thrown into jail, with the really bad ones possibly sentenced to the death penalty. Words can’t express how I truly feel in my heart about the Sept. 11 attacks.

Sam Walter, age 10, Hillcrest School

I hope they make 9/11 into a holiday. I hope they rebuild the trade towers or at least something like them. I read in Time magazine about people getting major depression from 9/11. I hope we can help them. Overall, I feel very sad about 9/11, and I hope nothing like it ever happens again.

Lawrence students Dylan Guthrie, Alek Joyce, Kristina Krones, Yoshika Crider and Jessica Foulke are members of the Journal-World’s Teen Advisory Board.