My American Creed

        I couldn’t have my American Creed without the impact from my community. I’ve been a part of Bay Village my entire life and the evidence of how we each serve the American Creed is shown throughout our day to day life. My American Creed is built upon the many activities and rituals that occur throughout my community, they helped build the qualities of equality, nationalism, and individual liberties, all of which make up my American Creed.

        Watching Hallmark growing up made me realize how much my home town is a stereotypical small town just as it’s portrayed in the movies. We have our cliques, the families who've always been here and an immense amount of school spirit. Not only that, we also have festivals, big ones. One particular event hosted every year is Bay Days during the week of Fourth of July. People from surrounding cities come and it’s a huge 4 day event that ends each year with a marvelous firework show. The entire existence of this fair is to show our love and support for our country and community. Growing up every single citizen attended this fair, every kid gathered around to go on every single ride possible before the fireworks. Then like clockwork we all found our families and topped the Fourth of July off with the best firework show around (trust me THE best). This shows my American Creed because of how much of a staple this event has become. How every year no matter what my plans are I still get together with my community so we can all show our love and support for our country. It is a huge factor in my American Creed and makes an impact on not only me, but my entire community.

        Every single Monday morning every student has one thing in common. Regardless of who you are, each person is mourning the end of the weekend. But what’s one thing that never changes every morning? The Pledge of Allegiance. It has been engraved in not only my high school, not only the middle school, not only Westerly, but every single school in our district. It’s a repetitive tradition that is so regular in my life I didn’t even realize how familiar I’ve become with it. It is our way, as citizens, to give back, to honor the flag, to honor the people who’ve fought for us, to honor every man and woman who has put their heart on the line for our country. It defines my American Creed because it shows what love and support for the US is really like. It shows that no matter what’s going on every Monday morning I know a few minutes will be given to the country. Not only is it a tradition, or a way to show support, it’s a part of my very own American Creed. It’s an event that not only I, but millions of people do on a daily basis, it makes up not only my American Creed but my entire communities.

        I can speak for most people in Bay Village when I say every day leaving my house I also leave the flag my parents have hung up since I was a kid. Throughout the community, schools, businesses, and parks USA flags are everywhere. Although it may just be a flag, to me it’s a part of my American Creed. Each morning my community as a whole puts up our American flags. An action very similar to the pledge of allegiance. An action to show our support, to show our freedoms, to show our love for the country. Not only do we put up flags every morning but we also use our flags to honor events and those who have fallen. The entire country will all put our flags at half mast to support others. It’s an event that my community does that has defined my American Creed.

        Not only has the flag, or an anthem, or even a fair in community been actions that have defined my American Creed but also the actions of support my community has for voting. Bay not only supports the citizens in a proper and orderly way for voting but it also reaches out and supports the community to vote. Bay exceeds the expectations when it comes to voting and is constantly supporting and reaching out to younger newer voters to ensure everyone exercises their right to vote. It’s an action that shows how my community lives up to the American dream, how we want the community to use their voice to make a change. Having the accessibility to voting, and having the community support and teach me how to vote is a huge action that makes up my American Creed.

        Actions are taken every day, every day each person makes thousands to millions of choices that have led to where we are. The actions that my community and myself take are a huge contribution to my American Creed. Bay Days, the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance and our actions for voting have all defined my very own American Creed. It has created a sense of nationalism, individualism, and equality that make up my American Creed. So when being asked… “What is your American Creed” I can not only look to my actions but to what my community has done to make up my American Creed.