Family, friends, and freedom top the list of things some local third graders are thankful for this year.

Yulanda O’Neal’s students at Iola Roberts Elementary School took part in a class discussion Monday about what they’re giving thanks for this holiday season.  Many of their comments, listed below, reflect commonly-held thoughts for the time of year, while a few are uniquely their own.

Corey Higgins, 8:  “I am thankful for my family and friends and God and Jesus and my dad and mom and my sisters and life and a roof over my head and clothes.” 

Taro Shelton, 8:  “I am thankful for my mom and dad, trees, home, Jesus, God, Mrs. O’Neal, family, church, friends, life, Christmas, health, earth, school, and hospitals.”

Jakob D. Bolden, 8:  “I am thankful for mom and dad and Christmas and God and aunts.” 

Lillith Perry, 9:  “I am thankful for my parents, my teacher, food, my brother, my friends, cars, church, God, Jesus, home, toys, clothes, bed, America, books, my dog and cat, grass, and water.” 

Josh Polk, 9:  “I am thankful for Jesus, God, my church, my family, my friends, Mrs. O’Neal, my school, my life, my clothes, my mom and dad, and my freedom.” 

Gwendolyn Hogan, 9:  “I am thankful for God and my family and mom and dad and friends, uncles, aunts, Mrs. O’Neal, plants, outside stuff, schools, people, class, clothes, books, food, stores, shoes, church, and freedom.” 

Emma Green, 9:  “I am thankful for Jesus, God, parents, teacher, friends, animals, school, math, grammar, spelling vocabulary, clothes, house, Pell City, Walmart, food, drinks, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holidays, hair, ears, mouth, nose, and eyes.”

Payton Williams, 9:  “I am thankful for my parents, teachers, church, Jesus, grandparents, my uncle and aunt, all friends and family, Mrs. O’Neal, people who don’t have any home (which I’m not thankful for that), Christmas, my clothes, freedom, trees, and all the things we got in Alabama.” 

Kaya Hall, 9:  “I am thankful for family and Jesus, friends, life, health, God, church, Mrs. O’Neal, Christmas, homes, trees, and freedom.”

Brianna Farris, 8:  “I am thankful for God because he died for us.  I am thankful for Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday.  I am thankful for family and friends.  I am thankful for church because it teaches us about God.  I am thankful for class because it teaches you.” 

Daniella Blancas-Martinez, 8:  “I am thankful for Mrs. O’Neal, God, God’s son, Mom, Dad, Sister, my friends, family, Mr. Bliss, food, life, learning, clothes, everything in life, Army.”

Mattie Brown, 8:  “I am thankful for Jesus and Mrs. O’Neal and Christmas and stores and food and water and being different and school and teachers and parents and clothes and TV and toys and siblings and family and animals and drawing stuff and shoes and trees and friends and life and the world and the sun and rain and plants and outside stuff and everything and people.”

Ahman Harmon, 8:  “I am thankful for my friends, my family, my mom and my dad, Jesus because he did on the cross for us, and I am thankful for the roof that is over my head.”

Ashlee Southern, 9:  “I am thankful for Mrs. O’Neal, Mom, Dad, sister, brother, God, family, friends, Jesus’ birthday, clothes, life, class, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Army, soldiers, me, and Mr. Bliss.”

Dalton Hampton, 8:  “I am thankful for Jesus, freedom, hospitals and churches, houses, food, clothes, Mom and Dad, dogs, games, this class, school, family, life, health, shoes, trees, and grass.”

Hunter Evan Welch, 8:  “I am thankful for church, God, Jesus, Christmas, friends, homes, clothes, Mrs. O’Neal, family, cars, life, trees, Mom and Dad, and hospitals.”

Aaliyah Golden, 10:  “I am thankful for Jesus, moms, dads, brothers, homes, family, friends, Mrs. O’Neal, life, clothes, trees, jobs, my friends, schools, houses, and churches.”

Alanna Hutton, 9:  “I am thankful for God, my mom, family, Jesus, churches, home, friends, life, teachers, Mrs. O’Neal, my aunt, my maw maw, food, trees, my animals, and Christmas.”

Samuel Wayne Skillman, 8:  “I am thankful for God, Jesus, friends, family, moms, dads, grandparents, TV, beds, video games, cars, buses, shoes, entertainment, trees, rabbits, grass, flowers, brothers and sisters, holidays, and churches.  I am thankful for everything.”