Mother And Daughter Share Spotlight In Poetry Calendar

When 40,000 people around the world flip their calendars to July, they’ll be greeted with a poem by Brittany Baynes of Liberty Lake.

“Happy Children Grow Up to Be Happy People” was written by the Greenacres Elementary fourth-grader last year and was published in the 1995 Calendar of Black Children.

The gift 9-year-old Brittany wants to give the world is happy children, who grow up to be happy people and don’t abuse, steal or kill.

“People should grow up being happy,” she said. “Then kids will know that you can be nice in life and not be mean.”

The young author follows in her mother’s footsteps. Jeanne Baynes also has a poem in the calendar, her fourth.

The elder Baynes’ poem decorates the page for December and is called “Look Up and Live the Life.” It advises children to take advantage of their lives and be proud of their heritage.

“I think I was more excited for (Brittany) than for me because it was her first one,” said Jeanne Baynes, who is principal of Pratt Elementary.

The first time Jeannie Baynes wrote a poem for the calendar, it was a message to Brittany, who was then 2 years old. In the 1987 poem, she told her daughter how privileged she felt to have her and that children are a miracle.

The calendars are distributed by the Black Child Development Institute in Washington, D.C. The goal of the non-profit institute is to improve the quality of life for AfricanAmerican children.

A committee chooses the poems that run in the calendar every year from the 75 to 100 submissions it receives. About 10 percent are written by children, said Vicky Pinkston, deputy director for program development at the Institute.

Brittany Baynes’ poem was chosen both because it was written by a child and because of what she had to say, Pinkston said.

“It’s about happy people and what happy people are,” she said. “We try to look for inspirational messages.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Inspirational poems “Happy Children Grow Up to Be Happy People” If I could give the world a gift, I would give them happy children. Happy children grow up to be happy people. Happy people do not abuse or hurt anyone, rob or kill anyone, lie or steal or abuse themselves with drugs or alcohol. Happy people love everyone and themselves. - Brittany Baynes

“Look Up and Live the Life” Look up into the stars and know you are loved. By your ancestors who shaped you and smile from above. They give you the determination and commitment to live To walk that rugged road to a beautiful life, as if They laid the ground work for you to enjoy the freedom Of laughter, tranquility, excitement and some times boredom. So look up, my child, towards your ancestors in the stars. Live the life to its fullest and be proud of who you are. - Jeanne Baynes