Dear Sara,
Your explanation is absolutely right. People stare when they're not used to seeing someone in a particular situation. You can try to educate people who stare by helping them understand that you are more than a person in a wheelchair. Being in the chair is just one aspect of who you are. You are also a nine-year-old girl with thoughts, feelings, and talents. If you feel comfortable doing so, you might ask the people who stare whether they'd like to learn more about how a wheelchair works. But the fact is, you shouldn't have to teach others how to act when they see someone who is different from themselves—they should just know because accepting others is the right thing to do.