East Hartford Public Schools

EHMS Students Make Wishes for Change

Meaningful change can come from a simple wish. That’s what 7^th grade students at East Hartford Middle School (EHMS) are learning.

In their Language Arts classes, they read the book Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. The book is narrated by a Northern Red Oak tree named Red. Red is a Wishtree and every year on “Wishing Day” people in the neighborhood tie their wishes to Red’s branches, hoping they will come true.

“It’s a story about a community coming together,” said Laura Guerrera, 7^th grade teacher at EHMS.

The EHMS community held its own Wishing Day on May 20. Each 7^th grader made three wishes and tied them to three trees outside the school.

The first wish was a personal wish. One student wished for a new cell phone. Another wished to be better at writing.

The second wish was a wish for their school. One 7^th grader wished students wouldn’t stop in the hallways.

“I would wish that 95% of all students get A’s in every class no matter what they do,” wrote another student.

Finally, the third wish was a wish for the community. These wishes identified issues such as food insecurity, poverty and racism.

“I wish that homeless people at least get an opportunity to work at a place,” wrote one student.

Another simply wrote, “Peace!”

Teachers say this is an opportunity for students to identify the challenges they see within themselves, their school and their community and to work toward solutions.