When Chris Clay heard that a Huntsville-based non-profit needed help teaching area students about character, financial literacy and civics, he couldn’t get on board fast enough.
Today, Clay and the Marshall County Commissioners are sponsoring a theatrical performance and the donation of Super Citizen Resource kits for Kate Duncan DAR Elementary School.
“I think it’s a great program for the children,” Clay says. “It’s something that’s needed in our schools. It’s … going into an area that I don’t think children get in the classroom everyday. They get their fundamentals that they need, but as far as everyday use of financials and life-skills that this teaches – that’s what I’m very impressed with.”
Clay, who, along with his father and brother, started Clay Irrigation in 1994, says the success of his business owes a lot to the core values the Liberty Learning Super Citizen Program teaches. Now he and his wife, Wendy, make it a priority to instill those same values in their four children as well.
And he believes all children should be given that same opportunity.
During today’s rousing 45-minute Super Citizen kickoff performance, there’s energy in the air and 200 fifth graders are noticeably excited to begin the ten week program.
And Clay’s daughter, Josie, sits on the bleachers with her classmates hanging on every word that Lady Liberty is saying. She says she can’t wait to learn more about her American heritage and history, “I thought the program today was really great! I loved all the hats we got and the flags. And I thought Lady Liberty was really cool”.
And that’s just what Josie’s father, Chris Clay, hoped would happen. That she and her classmates, would pay attention and then go back and learn these fundamentals. Clay says he hopes that kids will take the lessons in finances, civics and ethics and be able to apply them in their futures.
“Some of these kids don’t get that at home unfortunately. And we know as a country we need it to keep this country going. And to go in the right direction. We need these kids to be educated and take us to the next level. They’re our future.”
Principal Keith Stanfield says the community’s support is very comforting. “As teachers, we just feel that it’s part of our responsibility. Students are with us about 8 hours a day so we feel like we have to help develop them patriotically, morally, as well as in their education. These are important things to us. We love our country and appreciate what it was founded on. Want our students to grow up and appreciate the values that we have.”