“It teaches them to be a productive citizen in life, and it teaches them that they do have hope, and they can be anything that they want to be,” says 5th grade teacher Roderick Collier about the Super Citizen Program.
Today, the Next Great Americans Bus Tour rolled into Atlanta to deliver free Super Citizen Program Kits and a rousing live performance for Finch and Connaly Elementary School students who are about to begin a 10-week intensive in civics, character, financial literacy, careers and history as part of the program.
With help from a caring corporate citizen, Cracker Barrel, the 175 students who are waiting in the gymnasium are about to get an unforgettable surprise. Pumping music and cheers announce the arrival of Lady Liberty Live, straight from New York City.
As the human-size, but larger-than-life, actress brings the Statue of Liberty to life, the kids are enthralled. Parents are emotional and educators know this kind of experience truly engages to improve learning and retention.
And today is only the tip of the iceberg. Once students are back in class they work through the groundbreaking Super Citizen Program; learning crucial lessons and learning their important roles in Americans future.
They’ll conclude with an equally rousing graduation event where they also bring their learning full-circle and out into the community. They’ll nominate, carefully select and, ultimately, honor local heroes from stage in front of hundreds. It’s a transformative experience for both the students and the honorees – and there’s not a dry eye in the room.
Reiterating the importance of these programs and the sponsors who make them possible, Finch Elementary principal Tiffany Burney-Foy says, ““We are so grateful and we are just very, very humbled by Cracker Barrel’s donation to support the program here at Finch. This is a program that not only does Finch need, but I think a lot of schools need – and we are excited that they were willing to support the program here at this school!”