Kirkwood. In my opinion, it’s the most remarkable town in America. Why? My area has so many unique traditions that all of its citizens, myself included, can’t help but enjoy.
I love the Turkey Day football game on Thanksgiving at Kirkwood High School. It’s so touching to see everyone supporting the team with their red and white merchandise. One of my favorite parts of this experience is watching as the band plays jauntily on the field, the trilling of brass trumpets and banging of snare drums in sync with the twists and twirls of the cheerleaders and dancers. It makes me proud to be a part of this stunning town. All this happens as the football players work tirelessly to make their progress in scoring field goals and touchdowns. When I go to high school next year, I wish to experience that feeling of accomplishment and courage when I join the aquatics team and participate in swim meets.
I love seeing multicolored floats and decorated cars slowly cruise through the closed-off road during the Greentree Parade in summer, while the people on the float throw out sweet and sour candy for youngsters to grab with their minuscule hands. I feel thrilled when I see all the dazzling decorated vehicles in every color of the rainbow. It reminds me of the time when my mom, who is a teacher, was on a grey, shopping-cart-shaped float reserved for the Kirkwood teachers of the year. I felt so thrilled and appreciative of her hard work.
I love the Greentree fair after the parade, where you get to play games like Ball & Bucket Toss and Mini Basketball outdoors. If you were lucky enough, you could win a prize like a stuffed animal or one of those miniature dispensable sticky hands. I remember how every year local bands would play their peppy acoustic songs as me and my family danced with our friends despite the hot and humid weather.
I love reminiscing about my days at elementary school where we would learn about respect for people in and out of school, responsibility for your actions, and integrity, doing the right thing even when no one is present. I loved eating lunch packed by my parents with my friends and talking about our classes and families.
I love going to the School of Rock for voice lessons and walking into the narrow hallway with differently colored rooms until I found the one with blue walls with decorative CDs glued to one of them. In that room, my voice teacher, Grace, is always waiting for me. We sing songs together that I discovered when I was at home, like Birds by Imagine Dragons and More Than A Feeling by Boston.
Most of my family and friends live in Kirkwood. Regardless of their location, I know I can always count on them to cheer me up if I’m upset. Everyone in my town is very sweet and supportive, and they always smile and greet me in places like grocery stores and nearby restaurants.
Kirkwood has humid summers that can be spent swimming at the local pool, and frigid winters with light snow that are perfect for lighting a flame in the fireplace and watching a movie. Kirkwood has always held a unique place in my heart that will never shatter or fade. This is why I love my tiny, sweet, special town.
