My dream is to write a story that makes people think, dream, imagine, care, and feel. I want to change the world by making people care for each other. I want to show the world my thoughts through the words in my stories and maybe see how others like me feel. 
L. C., Student, Dakota Valley High School. Grade 11

My dream is that someday... kids will not have to live in poverty. It makes me see how fortunate I am to have what I have. My other dream is for all wars to stop, and to declare world peace. All of this fighting is putting a bad impression on people, some think life is all about war, and we could live in a better place and be better people if we could all get along.  
A. B., Student, Henderson Intermediate School, Grade 6

My American Dream is to make the world a happier and more joyful place. I can achieve it by helping other people conquer sickness, hardships, and sadness. The world is a troubled place now. I hope I can make a difference. People all over the world are having tough times. War is killing many people and causing great sadness. This is my American Dream because we are seeing death everywhere now. 
J. C., Student, Encinal Elementary, Grade 5

My American Dream has several parts. First, I want my family to be happy, healthy, and comfortable. Rich is not necessary, though it would be nice. Second, I want to be able to use my brains and skills to become a geneticist so that I can create cures to help people live better. If I can make the world better for even one person, I will have met that goal. I want chocolate to be declared a health food. I know, that's not reasonable, but it is a dream I have. "Are you ill? Take two Hershey bars and call me in the morning." I want to invent the self-cleaning bedroom. (No further explanation necessary). But more than any of these, I dream of peace. I want everyone here to understand and help each other, regardless of race, religion, color, creed, size, shape, sexual orientation, just because we are all members of the same species: Homo sapien. That is my American Dream.  
A. G., Student, Home Schooled, Grade 8

My American Dream is one in which all the children recognize their potential and work to understand they can be the best in whatever they choose to do as a life work. I wish for them to be gentle but honest with themselves, to love themselves and see the special persons they are becoming and that they work to live in harmony with all humankind. 
M. B., Teacher, Crawford AuSable, Grade 8

My dream is to help our nation realize greater freedom and opportunity for all its citizens. Racial, sexual, and economic dividers are still very much in place in our nation, and overcoming such forms of bias comes only with affirmative action as well as educating our people against prejudice and discrimination. And most importantly, it is our duty to remember our nation's involvement in slavery, our deliberate mistreatment of America's native peoples, and our apathetic complacency during the worst act of genocide in history--these must all be painfully remembered to prevent such blots to fall on our account again. I wish to be actively involved in history, a living history that will affect every person out there in our great land, who will remember our past, its glories, triumphs, and yes, its failures. To do this is our responsibility to future generations, to make our nation a more thoughtful nation and our people more thoughtful people. That is my American Dream.
A. I., Student, Homeschool, Grade 12

Everyone says that their American Dream is for every American to be equal. This is very unrealistic because everyone is different in some way. America has the most diverse population in the world. This trait sets us apart from other countries. So instead of being equal, my American Dream is for everyone to receive and give the utmost respect to all Americans despite differences we all have.  
A. M., Student, Cass Tech High School, Grade 11

My American Dream is to be able to live in my country as a free person - free to live, free to dream, free to change and free to live with others who are not the same as me. I don't want to accumulate 'stuff' and have more than the other guy. I want to make sure that we all have enough to live and care for our country. It is not about getting ahead or beating another person, but it is about working together to make and keep the United States a great place. We all can do this by working in the system and changing it when we see that change is needed. In this way we can all live our American Dream together.
J. M., Student, CPDLF, Grade 8

I dream that America will turn its goodwill and wealth to the rest of the world and help end poverty and war. We can do this by providing more help and education to the poorest nations, and by building a just system around the world where the children are fed, healthy and educated and perhaps they would not hate us so much. If we helped them develop their own resources instead of stealing their resources they could then support themselves and be proud of themselves and not hate us. 
P. W., Student, Florida Virtual School, Grade 8

My dream is that I wish people would not judge people because they are different from them. The only reason why people are racist is because they are scared of changes. I would hope that people would become mature enough and forget their differences between each other. 
T. S., Student, James A. Garfield Community Magnet School, Grade 8

My dream is for the children to grow up in a country, any country, feeling proud, free, and safe. I would hope that the politicians worldwide would put the interests of their citizens first, their military second, and themselves last.
K. M., Teacher, St. John's, postgraduate

My dream is peace in my lifetime between people of all religions: Peace so my father will not have to go to war again, Peace so my little brother can grow up unafraid. 
C. S., Student, ML King, Grade 5

My American Dream is to be a fair person and treat everybody equal. I want the people that come to America from different countries to feel like they have a place here in the United States. We can make them feel like this is their home. Also my American Dream is to give everybody the same rights. That even if you're homeless or rich you still have the same rights as everybody else. I think everybody should have the same equal rights.  
V. K., Student, Clara Barton, Grade 5

My dream is to have a crime free world. People should be able to feel safe in their neighborhoods. I also want the world to be free of homeless people. Everybody should have a place to live and food to eat. Everybody should have access to quality medical attention and quality education. I want worldwide peace and no more wars. I also want world hunger to come to an end.
M. Y., Student, MBTA. Grade 8

Similar to the many past dreamers such as Martin Luther King, who wanted equal rights, I want everyone to have equal rights. Based on the culture and values that I have been brought up with, I know that it is especially hard to stop a prejudice that has been traveling through every generation. But, by teaching our children and being a model of acceptance ourselves, we can avoid making those same mistakes from past generations. It has definitely gotten better, and I believe our generation can become the role models for the new millennium. 
K. L., Student, Allentown High School, Grade 11

My American Dream is a place where no one is discriminated against nor judged because of their race, where everyone is equal, where people are never deprived of their rights, and where the accused have the chance to explain. I dream of a place where justice is served righteously and schools have capable teachers who do everything to help the children they teach. I dream of a place where people can understand and accept new and different things. This is my dream and I hope it becomes a reality.
E. L., Student, FLVS, Grade 8

My American Dream is for people to be able to express themselves without catching ridicule from their peers. It hurts when your individuality crushes who you try to present yourself to be because you feel shameful of who you really are.  S. F., Student, Pell City High School, Grade 10

I dream that one day the world will be united in a world where all people can speak and understand one another. I dream of a world where nobody goes to bed hungry or abused. I dream of a world that is free from violence--a world in which all people could live peacefully with one another.  
L. B., Teacher, HSU, Grade K-3