Big dreams for little Hope

“Hope should be given to all those who fight for peace and freedom, to the soldiers, Marines and Navy men who rightfully deserve support from the community.”

These are the words of 9-year-old Hope Leilani Reyes Gomez, the reigning Little Miss CNMI, who said she supports the soldiers in Iraq “because it is important for people to maintain peace, unity and freedom.”

The precocious Gomez said her dad used to be a Marine who has made a huge impact on her young mind.

A fourth grader at the San Vicente Elementary School, Gomez said her favorite subject is History. “I like to learn more about people,” she said, adding that her favorite person in history is former President Ronald Reagan. Gomez said she believes that Reagan was a great leader in the history of America.

Gomez said she likes to draw often but that does not mean she wants to pursue the talent as her future career. Right now, she said she still has no idea what she really wants to become when she grows up. All she knows at the moment is to enjoy being a good child to her family.

She is also fond of reading books during her spare time. She said she is into mystery books right now and she has begun to love the Nancy Drew series. The little girl shared that the book she really loves is Ramona Quimby by Beverly Cleary.

Gomez said she could relate to Ramona, also a nine-year old girl who has brown hair, brown eyes, and no cavities. Ramona has a mother, a father, a big sister named Beatrice who is called Beezus by the family, and a baby sister, Roberta, who is named after her father, Robert Quimby.

One of Gomez’s favorite movies is the Star Wars saga. She said she recently saw the last installment of the prequel trilogy and was thunderstruck by the character of Yoda. She said the Jedi master has been her favorite character in the film due to his power and wisdom.

She said she plays basketball with her 12-year-old brother Tony, who is understandably proud of his younger sibling, describing her as a worthy basketball opponent. She also likes to listen to music, a favorite of which is multi-awarded Christian artist Nicole C. Mullen. “She has a good voice,” said Gomez.

Her parents love to take them out, said Gomez. Her father loves to take them down to her favorite beach, the Micro Beach.

Gomez said she is also fond of her mother who also takes her shopping, which is probably why she is beginning to be fond of the same hobby, she quipped. She said her mother never fails to take them to the parks every week.

One thing she really loves about her mom is her cooking, especially her favorite, spaghetti. She said she and her brother and two other sisters, Sommer and Peyton, would scramble just to get a taste of her mom’s homemade spaghetti.

She said she really appreciates her parents for providing them such great lessons in life: To always to believe in oneself, to reach their dreams when they all grow up, and to become excellent contributors to society.