Junior Saints: Students’ artwork of Jesus during Holy Week and Easter, and writings about what Easter means

For this Junior Saints, students were invited to draw a picture of Jesus during Holy Week or Easter, and write about what Easter means to them.

Little Flower School, Great Mills

“To me, Easter is a reminder to live every day with hope and assurance that God will never leave our side no matter what. Jesus put himself through unimaginable pain so we, who sin every day, don’t have to go through that pain. Personally, I also see this time to practice selflessness just like Jesus did on his agonizing walk to death. This is also a time not to take people or things for granted. A lot of people take Jesus for granted, and this is a time to practice praying to him and building our relationship with him every day. Overall, Easter is a time to learn how to be a disciple and carry that on all year.” – Artwork and writing by Gracie Cervantes, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland

“To me, Easter means going to Church early in the morning then going to spend time with family. We usually have lunch at my grandparents before a lot of people come. We play games, hunt for Easter eggs, and do normal traditions too. At dinner, we pray and eat together with everyone. But we know that Easter is not just about eggs and bunnies. It’s really about Jesus and what he went through and died for our sins because he loves us. I’ve always loved Palm Sunday. It interested me that they use the palms at Sunday’s Mass for the ashes on Ash Wednesday the next year.” – Artwork and writing by Madelynn Beall, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills, Maryland

“Easter is about Jesus and what he did for us and how we should be Christ-like to everyone just like he was. On Easter, a lot of people go to Church because Easter is about Jesus. So people celebrate his life at church. Easter takes place in spring, so it’s joyful and bright. That’s why I drew a rainbow and flowers.” – Artwork and writing by Isla Finbow, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Easter to me is a time to reflect on everything God has done for us. It’s a time to get closer to him and follow his example. The days leading to Easter are a time to reflect on how we can meet the final goal of getting to see God in Heaven. During Holy Week, Jesus really showed us how much he cares for us, and he wants us to live for him. He gave us the instructions, and now we have to follow them. Jesus showed us that he loves those who have persecuted him or don’t believe in him. He showed us that he will always come back for us, save us, and be there for us. Easter and Holy Week are really a time to strengthen your relationship with Christ and redirect your mind to reaching the end goal.” – Artwork and writing by Dakota Hancock, eighth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

“Easter means Jesus’s resurrection and death. We celebrate all Jesus has done for us on the cross. We go through his life during Holy Week. Easter does not mean all the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny; it means Jesus’s resurrection. We go to Mass on Easter to honor Jesus and to celebrate his death and resurrection. So, for Easter, I don’t really look forward to all the sweet treats, but I am looking forward to Jesus. God sent down His only Son to come and save us, so we should not think it is another event in Jesus’s life. Jesus did not have to give his own life for us, but he did it out of love for us. So that is what Easter means to me.” – Max Phan, sixth grade, Little Flower School, Great Mills

Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington

Artwork by Sophia Jackson, eighth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington, Maryland

Artwork and writing by Dixie Walsh, seventh grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington

Artwork by Drew Meringolo, seventh grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington

“Easter means honoring God, spending time with God, more prayer, and spending time with family and friends.” – Artwork and writing by Taylor Elphick, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington

Artwork and writing by Peter Argeris, sixth grade, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, Kensington

St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Bethesda

“To me, Easter means a new beginning, a chance to start over. Lent gives us all a chance to reflect on our actions. The 40 days are spring cleaning, to let go of bad habits and create good ones. Easter is a new hope for me.” – Artwork and writing by Sarah Juzbasic, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda, Maryland

“In April, we celebrate Easter. Easter means a lot to me since Jesus resurrected on Easter. Another reason Easter means a lot to me is because my birthday is on Easter. In my artwork I drew Jesus holding a lily as it represents life. Jesus has a dove and butterfly near him showing how holy he is and that animals do not mind staying next to him.” – Artwork and writing by Emmeline Work, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“My drawing is a picture of Jesus when he resurrected on Easter Sunday! In my opinion Easter Sunday is the happiest day of Holy Week because it is when Jesus is risen and is with us again. He is happy to be with us, which is why we should be with him by going to Mass or praying to Jesus and thanking him for dying on the cross to save us. After this week of suffering and sorrow for Jesus, he wants to share all his joy. Easter reminds us that there is always hope, just like how we hoped for Jesus’s resurrection. It is important to remember how lucky we are that Jesus took all our sins on the cross and died for us!” – Artwork and writing by Reagan Perraut, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“Jesus was tired, hurting, and scared as he carried the heavy cross through the streets. He got mocked, spat on, feeling more pain in every step, but he didn’t stop. Even though he could have turned away, he chose to keep going because he loved people that much. When he died on the cross, it wasn’t just about the pain, it was about redeeming everyone’s chance to be forgiven and to know they are loved, no matter what.” – Artwork and writing by Feyi Lawal, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“What does Easter mean to me? Easter is a time of joy. It is a time to celebrate the glorious rise of Jesus Christ our Savior. During Easter it is a period to let go of chaos and celebrate the real reason we are here. We must rejoice that the Lord has risen, and we must do good things which Jesus would do. Service and charity to others, being loving, and helping out is what Jesus did for people. It is also a symbol showing us to never lose hope. With God on your side anything is possible. Easter symbolizes victory over death. It is truly a beautiful time.” – Artwork and writing by Panav Gambhir, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

Artwork by Elena Millan Obregon, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“Easter means to me spending time with my family. I do not celebrate Easter the way Catholics do. However, I do like helping others and giving back to the community, I believe this is what Easter is about, since Jesus gave his life so we could live.” – Artwork and writing by Nyali Karunaratne, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

Artwork by Oliver O’Connor, fifth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

Artwork by Francesca Mezzera, sixth grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

“To me, Easter means going to Mass with my family and friends. During Easter break, I enjoy going to Florida and visiting my grandmother. But the most important thing about the Easter season is that Jesus died on the cross for us. We should make sacrifices, just like Jesus did for us.” – Artwork and writing by Caroline Dubinsky, seventh grade, St. Bartholomew School, Bethesda

St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork by James Brewer, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown, Maryland

Artwork and writing by Andrew Tomasko, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. On Easter, we should go to church to thank Jesus for dying on the cross. It is also a very important day because when he died, he opened the gates of Heaven for us. It should be a day of reflection and praise. We should thank Jesus for dying on the cross and all the blessings he gives us. Overall, Easter is a day to celebrate and thank Jesus for everything he did for us.” – Aubree Lydon, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork by William Lyon, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork and writing by Derek Baden, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter means salvation to me. Jesus loves me so much that He was willing to die for me. He was willing to save me from my sins. Jesus loves me so much, and the least that I can do is show my love for Him. I go to church six days a week, and I feel really close to Him…” – Camille White, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork by Aiden Alvarado, fifth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork by Allie Marson, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is a great time of year to celebrate the life of our Savior, Jesus. When I think of Jesus, I imagine someone who will stand by me through all of the hard times. This is because He was willing to die for our sins. He can be there for me… I love Easter and Jesus!” – Lina McGhee, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork and writing by Reagan Watts, third grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

Artwork by Gabby Payne, eighth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter to most people is about things like candy, bunny rabbits, and Easter egg hunts. Those things are great, but the true meaning of Easter is Jesus! Many forget that Jesus is the most important part of Easter. Jesus was crucified and then rose again on the third day. Now every year we celebrate Easter as a reminder of what Jesus did for us. So now when you celebrate Easter with your family or friends, don’t forget what Jesus did for us.” – Victoria Nguyen, sixth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

“Easter is a special time to me, because I can thank Jesus for dying for our sins. I also love Easter because it is a time to gather with my family. During Easter I can pray to God. I can also thank God for the gift of our Savior.” – Audrey Moore, fourth grade, St. Mary’s School, Bryantown

St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“Easter means a lot to me because it reminds me that Jesus sacrificed his life for us and came back to life. It shows how much he loves and cares about everyone in the world. Easter is a time to remember hope, forgiveness, and faith in God. It teaches me to be kind to others and to believe even in hard times. I also think Easter is special because families come together and celebrate Jesus. To me, Easter is about love and joy. – Artwork and writing by Karla Osorio, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill, Maryland

“Easter is the special day of Jesus’s resurrection. Easter makes me think of the sacrifice of Jesus’s life for our sins. Easter is the season of hope and love in Jesus Christ. It also shows us the love and forgiveness of God for sending his only son to die for our sins.” – Rocco Rodriguez, seventh grade, St. Columba Church, Oxon Hill

“Easter is a special day for me because it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every time Easter comes, I am reminded of His love, sacrifice, and new life. At the same time, Easter is also a joyful and fun occasion where I get to enjoy activities like searching for Easter eggs and sharing treats with family and friends. To me, Easter is both a celebration of Christ and a happy time to have fun and spend time with loved ones. – Artwork and writing by Lorris Pangilinan, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“I enjoy Easter because it reminds me that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. It really shows that he loves us.” – Artwork and writing by Macey Pleta, eighth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“Easter means hope and new beginnings. It gives hope just how Jesus gave us hope that he would come back on the third day. Easter allows us to forgive and be thankful for friends and family.” – Lauren Thweatt, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“To me, Easter means celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It also shows how God’s love is stronger than everything. It also helps me remember how strong Mary’s trust was in God, even though it was hard.” – Artwork and writing by Maggie Estorinos, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“To me Easter is a time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with my family. My sister and I specifically love the story of Mary finding the empty tomb. It was proof that Jesus is victorious over death.” – Julianna Contreras, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“What Easter means for me is the journey of Lent, giving something up and arriving to Holy Week and going through the passion of Christ, and that we aren’t alone in the journey.” – Artwork and writing by Marvin Flores, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“What Easter means to me is celebrating the day Jesus rose from the dead.” – Carson Salazar, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“Easter is the time of Jesus and his resurrection. What Easter means to me is that we get to spend time with family, celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, and remember the sacrifice he made for us.” – Leena Gonzales, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“Easter means a lot to me because it reminds me that Jesus is always with us. When we celebrate that he rose again, it makes me feel hopeful and thankful. Being with my family on Easter is a calm and special time.” – Artwork and writing by Mahayla Humphrey, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“To me Easter is a special time because it reminds us of Jesus’s sacrifice for us. He died on the cross so that we could go to heaven, which makes me very grateful.” – Gemma Soriano, seventh grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

“When I think about Easter, I think about Jesus and how much he loves me, because he died on the cross to forgive my sins. I feel grateful because God gave his son to us.”
– Ngozi Goins, sixth grade, St. Columba School, Oxon Hill

St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington

Artwork and writing by Solome Demissie, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter means hope and freedom to me. Jesus freed me from sin by giving up his own life. His love and presence show me I am not alone. Easter shows me that no matter the sins I’ve committed, I can always have a new beginning with God, because he’ll always be there.” – Artwork and writing by Nathanya Kidane, eighth grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins so we can have eternal life in heaven.” – Zora Scott, second grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Hendeke Kasa, second grade, St Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Yeamanuel Ashenafi, third grade, St Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“About Holy Thursday, the Last Supper, what does it mean to me? What it means to me is thanking Jesus Christ for freeing me from my sins and giving me a new self and life… I will say ‘thank you Jesus Christ’ in any possible way.” – Artwork and writing by Efrata Teketel, third grade, St Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Serenity McClain, seventh grade, St Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork and writing by Kalkidan Engidaw, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter is important because it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.” – Artwork and writing by London Mattox-Roach, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Tsion Denbu, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Batel Reday, seventh grade, St. Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Artwork by Dolly Fejes, kindergarten, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“Easter is for everyone, not just one person. It’s about Jesus’s resurrection, and spending time with him. Easter is a time to spend with family, friends, and Jesus. We remember in one of the Stations of the Cross. Jesus died on the cross for us. On the third day, on a Sunday, he rose from the dead. And he did all of that for us.” – Kyleigh Weems., third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“What Easter means to me is that I get to be grateful to Jesus for his sacrifice for all of us, knowing that by Jesus being resurrected, all those that follow Jesus can go to heaven. I show that I am thankful by fasting from meat on Fridays. Easter allows me to grow in my faith. And that is why Easter is one of my favorite holidays.” – Nathan Gerst, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“Easter doesn’t just mean chocolate bunnies or Easter egg hunts. It tells a greater story to me. It means Jesus rose from the dead. On Easter day, I pray about his resurrection from the dead. Easter reminds us Jesus died for our sins to open the gates of heaven, but Easter also reminds us that Jesus is a person we can look up to and pray to. Easter is a time when we have families get together and pray… It is really the day of the miracle of Jesus’s resurrection. We could just imagine Jesus walking out of the tomb.” – Artwork and writing by Emily Groat, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Artwork by Penelope Oster, kindergarten, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“What Easter means to me is celebrating Jesus rising from the dead with my family. We wake up and go to church in our Easter outfits and pray to the Lord. After that we come home and have our own Easter activities like baskets full of goodies and an Easter egg hunt.” – Mia Olekson, fifth grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

“What Easter means to me is that Jesus rose from the dead, and Jesus gave us freedom to go into Heaven. Also, we spend time with our family and friends on Easter Sunday and give Easter gifts to people, and we can say prayers and give them as a gift to God and Jesus. Easter is a time when we can see and play with our family and friends. We can do things like go to Easter Mass, have Easter egg hunts, and give your love to Jesus. Easter is not about the Easter bunny or eating a lot of candy, it’s about Jesus rising from the dead, and us spending time with family and friends!” – Scarlett Dailey, third grade, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Solomons

Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Artwork by Caroline Koch, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter is a time of year for love, forgiveness, and acceptance. And thanks to Jesus we get to do this! Easter is also a time when we get to celebrate with our family and thank God for the time he gave us. Jesus means so much to all the people here. I love how we get to celebrate his sacrifice.” – Ellie Parks, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Julian Misztal, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter is a time of love and remembrance of Jesus’s sacrifice. Easter is important, because you remember that what you gave up is something to show Jesus you care for him and you are thankful for his sacrifice. Also you get to spend time with your family knowing that Jesus has risen.” – Emma Hopkins, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington

Artwork by Finn Crawford, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“What does Easter mean to me? When I was four, I would hunt eggs and I didn’t think about the religious part about Easter. But now I know that it is the death and the resurrection of Jesus. He was the person who opened the gates to heaven again. That is what Easter means to me.” – Jake Wurster, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Alice Burns, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter means happy thoughts to me. Even though it does mean the death of Jesus, it also means the resurrection. His resurrection showed the people that Jesus was really a king. It is very special to me, and it’s not just the chocolate bunnies or the egg hunts, even though those are quite fun, but really this should be meaningful to every Christian, because it is a very good time to celebrate the end of Lent and we can say ‘Alleluia’ again in church.” – Katherine Kearns, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Bryce Raso, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“To me, Easter means happiness. It means happiness because Easter is Jesus’s resurrection. It makes me happy to remember how much Jesus loves us. He loves us so much that he even died for us. To me Easter also means love. I get to spend time with the people I love most on Easter. I also think that Easter means springtime, the weather is nice and the sun is out. Easter also means new beginnings to me. In spring plants are blooming and baby animals are born. That reminds me of new beginnings.” – Nora Schlegel, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Maeve Walsh, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter is a special time because Christ rose from the dead and forgave our sins. Easter means that we go to Mass to receive Christ. We celebrate because without Jesus dying for us, we won’t have heaven. We have a new life because we have heaven, and we get our sins forgiven.” – Sunny Holian, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Artwork by Moore Avery, fifth grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“The week starts off on Palm Sunday when Jesus comes to town and people treat him like a king and can’t wait to see him. Towards the end of the week they turn on him and hang him. Even while they hang Jesus on the cross, he stays patient with them and even prays for them. That is how I want to be. I think of Easter as a time to remind me to work in the shadow of Jesus.” – Theodora Streatfeild, fifth Grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

“Easter means a happy time. It is a time to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection from the dead. It is when Jesus made his ultimate sacrifice for Christianity. You get to gather with your family and do your family traditions. You can paint eggs with beautiful pastel colors. Or you can have a party celebrating Easter. All of these are ways you can have a fun Easter while honoring Christianity.” – Vivi Mojica, fifth Grade, Blessed Sacrament School, Washington, D.C.

Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“To me Easter is a celebration! The Son of God has been resurrected. That is why Easter is not a normal holiday, although the other traditions are fun, praising the Lord is the most important.” – Logan Dolina, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“Easter is a holiday to celebrate the day Jesus rose again from the dead. To me, Easter is not about collecting eggs and getting candy. It is about saying prayers, celebrating the day Jesus rose again, and much more.” – Brixley Kohut, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“Easter reminds us of the day Jesus rose from the dead, and we celebrate it. We also praise the Lord and go to Mass.” – Grace Bassett, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“Easter means love, family, hope, joy, and God. Every year during Easter, I see family and friends and joy. We have an amazing celebration because Jesus has risen!” –Penelope Schiavone, third grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“Easter means a lot to me. But the best part is going to Mass and celebrating the Resurrection.” – Stewart Heller, sixth grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

“Easter to me means a time of joy and rejoicing, because Jesus rose from the dead.” –Nathan Thompson, sixth grade, Cardinal Hickey Academy, Owings

St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg

“Easter means to me the day that you should have a lot of fun.” – Artwork and writing by Lucy Currano, kindergarten, homeschool, St. John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg, Maryland

“To me, Easter means having a fun time with family and friends… It also means growing my friendship with God, and enjoying the nature that God has created for us.” – Artwork and writing by Lilija Currano, third grade, homeschooled, Saint John Neumann Parish, Gaithersburg

The next Junior Saints

In April, we celebrate Earth Day.

For the next Junior Saints, students are invited to draw pictures and write about caring for the environment, with drawings showing God’s creation or drawings showing how people can care for or protect the environment.

The drawings and writings should be emailed to ZimmermannM@adw.org by Wednesday April 22, 2026 to Mark Zimmermann, the Catholic Standard’s editor, and they should include the name, grade and school or parish of the student printed clearly.

Due to time constraints involved with reviewing the volume of submitted work, it is requested that schools or parish religious education programs limit their entries to 10 drawings and 10 writings from their students. The best formats to send are jpegs for artwork and word documents or pdfs for writing, if possible. Thank you!