Some Jefferson County Public School students got a unique chance to speak their minds.Fourth grade students at Johnsontown Road Elementary worked with The New York Times on a writing project.The students learned the difference between reported and opinion writing. Then, with some help from the newspaper's editors, they wrote their own opinion pieces -- and they got published in the paper."I think writing something that a lot of students struggle with, but giving them this platform, giving them this opportunity has really helped them to see the value in what they have to say and sharing what they have to say," said fourth grade teacher Molly Hall.An editor with The New York Times emailed JCPS in August about including them in the project. Editors spent two days working virtually with the students on their opinions, and they were then published in the Sunday edition.Each student also had their headshots taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jon Cherry, which were featured alongside their writing. Here's what some of the students had to say:"I think that people should stay friends even when they get older. My friends are one of the best things in my life, and I want to be friends with them forever. My cousin who is grown up told me that when he got older, he lost his childhood friends. I’m worried that I’m going to lose the friends I have now." – Darnell Scott, 9"Get off your phone at the dinner table. It distracts you. What if a person told something important, but you're on your phone? If we're all on our phones at dinner, we're not talking to each other. My family has that rule, but one time my dad did it anyway. I told him, 'No phones at the dinner table!'" – Rae Lynn Edwards, 9"I feel like parents should appreciate kids' ideas more, because they should be heard. Maybe kids have better ideas than yours. One time I had the idea to have my brother's birthday party at the skating rink. Everyone had fun. My parents even thanked me." – Cash McQuillen, 9See all of the student opinions in the photo below: