2017 Writing Contest Winning Essays
Sofia Linwick
1st Grade, Hearn Elementary
Grand Prize
If I found 1 billion dollars, I would look for the owner of the money first. But if I couldn’t find the owner, I would split the money in 100 bags with 10 million in each bag. I would donate 10 bags all over the world for food, clothes, shoes, and to keep families together. I would also spend 2 bags on clothes for my family. I would spend 1 bag on LEGO sets. I would save 87 bags for the future things like college and a garden. Now you know what I would do with 1 billion dollars.
Lucie McCaffrey
Kindergarten, Picadome Elementary
Honorable Mention
I could help the world with a billion dollars. I could help places that do not have money. I could by them houses and beds and warm blankets. I could buy them food and water. I could buy them toys and furniture and trees and they need trees to make paper. I could travel around the world trying to get money for people who need it. It doesn’t have to be in other places in the world it can be right here in Lexington. I could give lots of it to homeless people. Or it doesn’t have to be homeless people it can be friends or family too! I could buy them school supplies and clothes and books because they need those things to learn.
Audrey Slone
1st Grade, Conkwright Elementary
Honorable Mention
If I had a billion dollars I would save it to buy a castle. I would buy houses and sell them. I would have a job being a realtor.
Andrew Joo
1st Grade, Seton Catholic School
Grand Prize
One day I caught a Leprechaun then I got a pot of gold! Now I have a billion dollars. Above all, I want to buy F-22 to fly all around the world. I really want to go to Korea. I will meet my grandmother, grandfather, and my aunty. Then, I will kiss and hug them saying, “I miss and love you so much.” Then, I would go back to my house in Kentucky. I wish all my wishes come true.
Hayden Ward
Kindergarten, Sandersville Elementary
Honorable Mention
If I had a billion dollars I would give it to children’s hospitals to help them get their playrooms bigger. I had a big surgery. They took my pancreas and some other things out because my belly hurt every day. I got pancreatitis all the time. I was in the hospital for a long time, and I got to play in the playroom. That made me happy. I want other kids to be able to play in the playroom at the hospital too. It will help them not think about the bad stuff and make them happy.
Theo Mandzy
1st Grade, Dixie Magnet School
Honorable Mention
One sunny day, my dad and I went for a walk looking for Pokemons in our neighborhood. By our house on the side of the road we saw our friend Wormy the Worm. He nodded to me and showed me a gigantic pile of gold coins. We dug them up and saw that we had a billion dollars. We were rich!!!! With this money I would buy a big homework packet, a humongous book and a thousand million page writing journal. I need these things to help me learn. That will help me be the best student in my class.
Eleanor Henderson
2nd Grade, Southern Elementary
Grand Prize
One sunny afternoon I heard people talking about a prize of a billion dollars at a bingo game. I thought that I just had to go and learn more about it. When I got home from school that day I got on my iPad to learn more about the bingo game. I felt so excited I could scream! But I didn’t because I would have gotten in a little trouble so I screamed inside my head.
This week had been so long! But finally the day of the bingo game came. I could not wait for 2 in the afternoon! But it took so long just like the week. I complained to my mom and whined to my dad and said, “Why can’t the bingo game start at 8:30 a.m.?” They weren’t any help. All they did was say, “you need to be patient sweetheart.” When we finally got to the Lexington Art Center, I ran in there quickly and my parents did that too! I speedily sat down just in case anyone thought about stealing by place. The bingo game started when I saw down. The first number was 2B. Good, I thought, I had that one! The next one was 48G and I had that one too! I also had the next one! Very good, I thought, I only need one more to win! Then a boy next to me said, “wanna trade boards?” He could clearly see I was about to get a bingo. I looked at his and said, “no way Jose!” So then he just snatched mine right out of my hands! Then I snatched it back and I saw my free space and it was connected to 2B, 48G, and my other numbers. “BINGO!” I yelled and the lady who was saying the numbers rushed over to me and said “OMG!” The lady gave me a briefcase and said that there was a billion dollars in there! Since we lived in a city, I kept seeing poor people and giving them money. Then my mom took me to a toy store and I bought two Monster High dolls, one American Girl Doll, The Secret Life of Pets on DVD, and a sketch pad. When we got home I gave my mom enough money to buy a car with a movie player in it. The next day my dad bought a big rich house that looked like the White House! My family had gone from regular to Fancy Nancy!
Haasini Beeram
2nd Grade, Willington Elementary
Honorable Mention
One evening, on my way to dance class I saw posters around town that said, “You can win a billion dollars in a dance contest.” I entered the contest. Guess what? I won! When I got home, I jumped with glee and screamed, “Hooray! Yippee! I will get a puppy, iPhone, and a laptop.” “What else?” my mom asked. “ I will give dance performances around the world and publish comic stories I write,” I answered. “What else?” my mom said again. “I dunno. How much is a billion dollars?” I asked immediately. “It’s a lot, mom replied. “Hmm,” I said and pondered about it for awhile. “Here’s the plan. I will keep some for my needs and wants. Lend some like banks do, but only to hard working and wise people. Become a secret Santa and donate some to poor and old people who can’t work,” I said. Mom grinned.
Bella Aull
3rd Grade, Tates Creek Elementary
Honorable Mention
If I had a billion dollars what would I do? Guessed yet? Well, for starters, I would not want to live on Easy Street. I would open a Humble Hotel where people who could not afford it could stay somewhere safe. This hotel would have lots of rooms so everyone could be safe. We would have a special breakfast on Sunday’s, mostly because on Sundays lots of things are closed.
There would be a child day care so parents could relax. At the day care children could run around and play. Kids could also have fun during laser tag and at the movies. Parent would relax during a deep tissue massage and golfing. That would leave me with about $750,000,000 so, I would donate the rest to charity so everyone would be happy. Thank You… The End.
Judah Bevier
3rd Grade, Lexington Latin School
Grand Prize
If I had a billion dollars I would buy myself a rocket that could fly to Mars and be the very first one to land on Mars. Also I would make Mars a completely different planet where I would throw a huge party on Mars, leaving Earth plain and empty. I would do that because Mars is my favorite planet. I would excitedly live there for the rest of my life. And I would be President Judah BeVier of Planet Mars and make a force field around it, just like Earth’s Magnetic force field. And Mars would be a different than it is now. I would build a huge pool so people can swim on Mar. Mars will be the most magnificent planet in the whole universe. It would be so lovely to live there.
Riley Mollette
3rd Grade, Eastern Elementary
Honorable Mention
If I had a billion dollars I would buy a time machine and go back to the 1800’s to see what kinds of cars they had. Then I would wonder around. Then I’d go back to 2017 and buy an elephant and go to the circus. After we went to the circus I’d buy a jet and go to Antarctica and I’d rent a house there and I would bring a seal back and give it to an aquarium. Then I’d go back to school. Finish my homework. Then do it all again. So I’d be able to have fun. And also get cubby cash.
Zacharee Stacy
3rd Grade, Paint Lick Elementary
Honorable Mention
If I had a billion dollars the first thing I would do is help other people. I would help homeless people by giving them some money, food, and pay their rent for a year. I would want to help a many homeless people as I could. I want to help homeless people because I don’t want them to be poor, I want them to be safe, and not get sick. I would hire someone to help them all find jobs and I would buy them a cheap car so that they could get to work.
If I had a billion dollars the second thing I would do would buy a nice house. I want a nice house to help my family. It would have at least 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, an indoor and outdoor basketball court, an indoor and outdoor pool, an indoor and outdoor baseball field (because I love baseball), a nice big kitchen to cook all the meals in (I would cook all the meals for my family), movie theater so I can watch all the movies I want, and a video game room where I can play any video game I want. I would also like to cook all the meals for my family. The last thing I would buy for myself would be a Lambo. I really like those cars. I would give my family money too so they wouldn’t have to worry about anything again.
The last thing I would do is start my own business. My business would be a company that builds basketball courts. I would put my basketball courts in poor neighborhoods where the community will not pay for them. I would give money to all the teachers in the United States so they can buy them a nice house. That is all I would do if I had a billion dollars.
Carlyn Sharp
5th Grade. Veteran’s Park Elementary
Grand Prize
Surprise!!! I’m going to let you in on an out of this world secret. Have you heard of the new 7 planets that NASA just discovered 39 light years away?
Well, I’d like to think that I had a little to do with this discovery. I recently won 1 billion dollars from my school science fair project on space travel. After donating to all the hospitals and churches in our great state, I sent over $50 million to outer space! Specifically, NASA and the International Space Station.
This money went to fund rocket, telescope, and satellite engineering and construction. Portions of the money went to astronauts, scientists, and researchers who collaborated from all around the world.
In my contribution to this awesome directory, I was asked to name the new planets. I chose the names: Genesis, Brittania, Enquiria, Curisomous, Oloh Zelgo, and Garlo.
I was thrilled to be able to contribute to Kentucky and beyond for all of mankind.
Madeline Perkins
4th Grade, homeschooled
Honorable Mention
One day in London, England 1999. A girl at the age of 9 named Nicole Whitman was set on her way to become the world’s youngest British baker. When she got there she saw kids older and smarter than her. But she was determined in her heart that she would win! Nicole made her famous blueberry scones. She amazed the judges so much that she won! Nicole won a billion dollars! When she got home her family was so excited for her! But then she thought, “What should I do with the money?” Then she had an idea! First she gifted 10% to the church. Next she saved some money for her baking college. Then she gave some money to the Human Society. Finally with the rest of her money she bought a calico cat named Fudge. Nicole and her cat lived happily ever after!
Leslie Guevara-Ruiz
5th grade, Eastern Elementary
Honorable Mention
I can’t believe what happened today. When I saw a lady dressed in a Roman toga. I told the lady who are you? She said I am Fortuna goddess of fortune and good luck. I’m here to give you your billion dollar fortune. For a minute I thought I was dreaming. Then I realized I wasn’t.
The goddess explained how I got it. She said every year she picks a person to win a billion dollars. And after that she just kept talking about Juno still hating Demigods of Jupiter. Then I interrupted and said why are you telling me this? “Very well then,” she said. After she disappeared I was left with a billion dollars from Fortuna! I can go to D.C., the Holocaust Museum, and buy all the books by Rick Riordan. Getting money from a goddess is like going to Neptune!
In closing it was a miracle. I could by all this stuff with money from a goddess. Now I’m rich all thanks to Fortuna.
Trey McSpadden
5th Grade, Wellington Elementary
Grand Prize
Cha-ching! I just won a billion dollars! Everyone always imagines what it would be like to win a huge amount of money. I want to make a difference in the world by donating money to help people with asthma, donating money to help people with heart issues, and donating money to the Wounded Warrior Project… money… money can make a difference.
Specifically, donating money to help people with asthma is something very important because asthma is in a lot of people and they need money. I know because my two sisters have asthma. An asthma attack can happen anytime 24/7. Asthma attacks can be really bad because it is hard to breathe. That’s why people with asthma carry an inhaler. It helped people breathe if they have asthma.
Another way to make a difference in the world is donating money to help people with heart disease. As people age, their heart starts to get weaker and have health issues, or problems. A heart attack is common if you have a lot of health issues. Donating money can reduce the risk of being able to die during or after a heart attack. Also, it is easier to help people quicker. My grandpa died because of heart failure in 2016. Research can save lives. Dollars make a difference.
The most important way to make the world a better place in donating money to the Wounded Warrior Project. I know about it because my dad has been overseas TWICE. Have you seen the commercial for it? I have. My dad is in the National Guard and the Marine Corps. My dad is back and is feeling better. He likes being home with my family and me. He doesn’t feel like going overseas again.
As you can see, there are many useful ways I would spend my money. This shows that donating money to help people with asthma, donating money to help people with heart disease, and donating money to the Wounded Warrior Project, are all great things to do with a billion dollars. I want to help make a difference. I challenge you to spend your money as well to help make a difference in the world.
Peter Jefferson
4th Grade, Ashland Elementary
Honorable Mention
My goal with a billion dollars would be to bring happiness to the entire world. I would make the coolest playground ever and give one to every school in the world. The playground would have an awesome disc throwing arena with very soft discs and bouncy walls to fling the discs onto. I would add to it a climbing wall that spits dirt, wind, and water. The climbing wall would also wobble and rock. Finally, I would add a trampoline zone where you can do tricks and touch target points above you.
Grownups usually don’t play on playgrounds, but I can make that happen. For them, I would add some different things. I would include an obstacle course that had water spouts, ditches, and more. I would also add a zip line that went above the playground and around it. The final highlight would a set of monkey bars where the rungs move.
Playgrounds make people happy, and that is what I want to do with a billion dollars.
Kash White
5th Grade, Paint Lick Elementary
Honorable Mention
I had a dream when I was younger. I had an unlimited amount of money. Let’s see what would happen if we were to add a limit of one billion dollars. Read on to find out what I would do.
First of all, what I would do is put the money in my savings account to gain interest. Although it isn’t going to buy me anything, I will gain more money and possibly have over one billion dollars.
Second of all, I would buy a billion dollar business to gain more money and more business allowing me to buy more stuff such as a private jet, an island, and a mansion.
Third of all, I would hire a research team to build a suit that can give humans the ability of animals. The research team can study like in the show Wild Kratts from PBS kids.
In conclusion, I have given you ideas of what I would do it I had one billion dollars. I hope you enjoyed my essay on what I would with one billion dollars.