The Future Super Citizens Of Russellville Meet Libby Liberty™

Today more than 450 elementary students from Russellville Elementary and West Elementary came together to kick off the Super Citizen Program for 2017. They waved flags, wore Statue of Liberty crowns and counted down for Libby Liberty™ to take the stage. On three huge screens “live video” shows her Next Great Americans tour bus pulling up to the school, her exiting the bus and then, the real-life Libby walked out from behind the screens!

The lady in green brought history to life and introduced students to the 10-week civic, character, financial literacy and social studies program they will begin when her bus rolls away. She told them that they already have the most important title in the world: “CITIZEN.”

Students in multiple grades are participating in the Super Citizen Program. The younger grades are taught by an innovative civic education program starring Mr. Palmer (the hand-puppet host of the “Hands on Liberty” DVD series). Upper elementary grades learn from the original Super Citizen Program kit that features DVD-based lessons, class activities and the emotional, unforgettable “Torch Teams” project-based learning experience. In Torch Teams, students team up, nominate, vote for and, ultimately, honor local heroes from stage at their graduation later this year. They learn that “When you honor a hero, you become a hero.”

Today’s event and the injection of civic learning is free to schools because of generous community sponsors who understand that these crucial lessons must be taught despite school time and budget constraints.

Become a sponsor. Power the movement.

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 >

: These are the smiling faces of the students of Russellville.

: The students are excited to meet Libby Liberty™.

: The students pose with the Statue of Liberty replica that they will award to their community heroes.

: Lauranne James of Northwest Alabama R C & D gets a backstage photo with Libby.

: Superintendent Heath Grimes welcomes everyone to the 2017 Super Citizen Kickoff.

: Russellville Elementary students Ella and Kalei, Bri and Brayden of West Elementary led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

: These future Super Citizens recite the Pledge of Allegiance together.

: Libby makes her grand appearance and tells the students her official name “Liberty Enlightening the World”.

: Jada, Karson, Erin and Arianna help show off Libby’s real measurements.

: Libby shows off her selfie stick to get a picture with the students.

: She is 305 feet tall, which is the size of a football field.

: She turned patina through a process called Oxidation.

: The workers loaded Libby in over 300 different pieces and they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to put her back together in America.

: Ellis Island is right next to Liberty Island, which is where Libby lives.

: Libby asked the students to close their eyes and imagine.

: The students close their eyes to imagine what it would be like to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time.

: The pretend they have been on a long, hard journey to America to find freedom.

: Libby recites the iconic poem, “The New Colossus”.

: Jessica Quillin of the Liberty Learning Foundation shares with the students about being a citizen, a part of a community and how to show appreciation.

: Khloe, Mary, Juan, Brianna, Hudsen, Dakota, Jemma, Avery, Mya, Minaj’h, Braxton, Karson, Adaleigh and Solace lead the crowd in the tour anthem “YOU in the USA”.