By Naomi Young, Saugus Community Contributor
I’m feeling very proud right now but a little uncomfortable too. It wasn’t my idea at all! I’m only seven and a half years old and I’m in first grade at school. Â This morning my teacher asked me to go and read in front of the third graders at my elementary school. Why, why do I need to do that? Just because I’m a good reader I need to show off for her so she’ll look good? Who does she think she is? What do I get out of it?
All these questions are going through my mind.  Before I know it she’s leading me to that classroom. I’m standing in front of all these staring faces. I’m petite, very shy and feeling insecure. What if I make a mistake reading a big word? What if they make fun of my skirt that’s a little too big on me?  To my surprise, I’m reading in front of them a paragraph from a book and I’m reading it very well. Everybody is very impressed by my reading. I feel so relieved! I am ready to get out of there as soon as I can, but my teacher is asking me to choose between a color pencil and a yellow crayon, as a reward.  I am so excited!
I chose the yellow crayon!
I have never had a crayon of my own! That meant so much to me. Yes, it meant a lot to that little girl who did not have a crayon to her name. Â Today when I look at all the varieties of pastel, acrylics and oil paints, canvases, paintbrushes, watercolors, color pencils and of course crayons I own in every color there is, I smile and think how that yellow crayon opened the door to my imagination and created the artistic creative child that I am today.
And it all started with that little yellow crayon…
