For our Oregon Woman issue, we asked some young women at Portland's Vestal Elementary School what they wanted to be when they grow up. You can read their answers here. They're as inspiring and adorable as you'd expect.

Later, those same third graders invited that story's editor (me) and our associate art director Amy Martin to speak to their class. We agreed, naturally, and the class welcomed us with cookies and Capri Sun. (Those things have way less juice in them than I remember.)

Some of their questions were funny: Do you watch football? What's your favorite animal? . (Amy: squirrel. Me: sea otter.) What Xbox games do you play? My response that I had a Playstation and not an Xbox divided the class in screams of fury and delight.

But they also asked us about our jobs. These questions were serious and pointed: How do you become a reporter? How many people do you have to interview for an article? What did you study in school? 

Third grade is a time to dream, and to dream big. The kids at Vestal are certainly dreamers. But their questions also showed a mature appreciation for patience and work. Going into that classroom, I expected to be charmed. I didn't expect to be deeply impressed. 

Thank you, Vestal Elementary, for letting us stop in. Keep dreaming.

(Playstation rules!)