Today, Carlisle Elementary School, Duck Springs Elementary School, Ivalee Elementary School, Gaston Elementary, Hokes Bluff Elementary School, Highland School, & West End Elementary second and fifth grade students filled the Southside High School Auditorium. After finishing 10 weeks in the Super Citizen Program, they are gathered to celebrate their accomplishments and honor local heroes from the stage.
These students have learned their important roles in America’s future thanks to an immersive experience in civics, character, financial literacy and social studies. And in the closing piece of the program, Torch Teams (or “Helping Hands” for the younger students), students are applying those crucial lessons in the real world. They chose heroes who embodied the traits of amazing citizens and read essays from stage before presenting them with an Authentic Liberty Replicas & Liberty Pins. They learned that “when you honor a hero, you become a hero!”
See the Torch Teams & Helping Hands Heroes honored today in the photo gallery below!
Today’s event and the donation of Super Citizen teaching kits was made possible by the Etowah County Community Alliance. With their help, we are teaching, inspiring and empowering our Next Great Americans.
Were you at the event? See the photo gallery below to find yourself, to revisit the magic or watch it unfold for the first time >
-
- Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby welcomes Etowah County students, teachers, and heroes to their Super Citizen Celebration!
-
- Ari, Ruthie, Liam, Jaynie, Jessica, Aiden, and Ellijah lead students, heroes, and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance!
-
- Gaston Elementary lunchroom manager Tanya Huffstutler received her Helping Hands Award from Easton!
-
- Hendrix shared why his grandfather, Ray Shygart, was honored by his class as a Helping Hands Hero!
-
- Parker proudly honored Officer Seth Bishop as his class’s Helping Hands Hero!
-
- Arabella’s class was all smiles as they honored their counselor, Jessica Ellis, as their Hero!
-
- Lane proudly honored his grandfather, Jerry David Forrest, as his Helping Hands Hero — with his son Josh Forrest accepting on his behalf.
-
- Silas took to the stage with excitement to share why his uncle, Gadsden Police Chief Lamar Jaggears, was honored as his class’s Helping Hands Hero! Ms. Hanes accepted the award on his behalf.
-
- Joanna took the stage beaming with pride as she honored her dad, Tyson Martin, as her class’s Hero!
-
- Shelby’s class was full of energy as they honored nurse Rebekah Sharpe as their Helping Hands Hero — celebrating her kindness, care, and constant dedication to students.
-
- Cheers erupted as Asher proudly honored his mom, Sergeant First Class Aqua Addison, as his class’s Helping Hands Hero!
-
- With a huge smile, Atarrah shared why her dad, Joel Kidd, was chosen as her class’s Helping Hands Hero!
-
- Gage proudly honored his dad, Firefighter Chase Coleman, as his class’s Helping Hands Hero — and the crowd couldn’t help but cheer!
-
- Energy was sky-high as Rylynn and her classmates honored Sheriff Jonathon Horton as their Helping Hands Hero!
-
- Braylee lit up the room as she proudly honored her mom, Cheyenne Wilson, as her class’s Helping Hands Hero!
-
- Everyone cheered as Rhett introduced his dad, Kyle Voss, as his class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- With a big smile, Asher announced that his dad, Michael Wynn — Hokes Bluff’s SRO — had been chosen as his class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Davien’s class erupted with excitement when he presented their custodian, Doug Robertson, as their Torch Team Hero!
-
- The room buzzed with energy as Ryder revealed that Mayor Scott Reeves was selected as his class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Bo proudly stepped forward to recognize his grandfather “Pop,” Claudie Hudson, as his class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Mallie’s face lit up as she announced that Officer Justin Plunket had been chosen as her class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Cheers filled the room when Rheed, Liam, and Naveah introduced Jamie Rowan as their class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- With pride and excitement, David, Noah, and Elijah shared that David’s mom, Bethany Kerr, had been selected as their class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Faith and Paislee proudly announced that their teacher, Rachel Pruitt, had been chosen as their class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Noah and Sara Jane were all smiles as they honored Dawn Jenne as their class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Ava and Emma joyfully revealed that Mandy Long, their school counselor, was selected as their class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Piper stepped forward with a big smile to recognize Mattie Jackson as her class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- Brenner proudly announced that his dad, Joe Isbell, had been chosen as his class’s Torch Team Hero!
-
- These students are excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
-
- Singing along to our tour anthem!
-
- Students, heroes, and teachers alike singing along to our tour anthem!
-
- The students filled the room with their voices as they sang “YOU in the USA.”
-
- U.S.A.!
-
- Super Citizens lead everyone in our tour anthem.
-
- Only YOU can keep the “U” in the U.S.A.!
-
- We love seeing the students excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
-
- “Freedom! Liberty! It starts with you and me!”
-
- These students are singing our tour anthem loud and proud!
-
- Singing along to our tour anthem!
-
- We are thankful for our heroes, our guests, and everyone who made our event possible, especially Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby, Kim Reed, and Julie Talton from the Etowah County Board of Education’s Central Office. We were also honored to welcome Representative Mark Gidley and his wife Kathy, Rainbow City Mayor Joe Taylor, Hokes Bluff Mayor Scott Reeves, and Sheriff Jonathon Horton to our celebration!
-
- We are thankful for Mark Gidley’s continued support and loved having him and his wife, Kathy, at our celebration!
