The whole town turned out for this year’s kickoff of the Super Citizen Program and a live performance by Liberty Learning Foundation’s (LLF) Libby Liberty™. The 10-week civic, character, financial literacy and social studies program helps educators engage the iPod generation in these crucial lesssons that would otherwise have less time devoted to them in the classroom.
“These are subjects that are just as important as science, technology and math,” says Liberty Learning founder Patti Yancey. “Because without the context of our opportunities and responsibilities as citizens, it’s pretty difficult to see how any life or education path fits into the big picture.”
As the Next Great Americans Tour bus pulled up, students sang and chanted and clapped in anticipation of the lady in green who shortly appeared on stage. As she brought history to life, it was easy to see how this “rock star” treatment would engage and excite students for the lessons they will learn when the bus rools away.
While fifth graders learn from a rather serious curriculum taught on DVD by Lady Liberty, animation and other actors, 2nd graders will be taught by “Mr. Palmer” who heads up a video cast of hilarious hand-puppets that has t be seen to understand. (See it here >)
It’s an unconventional, dynamic approach to a complicated problem,” says LLF representative Steven Jackson.” After all the time teachers spend on mandated subjects and testing, there’s just not enough left over for these crucial subjects. What we’ve done, with the help of our sponsors, Alabama Power, is brought an exciting and streamlined way to fit the lessons in with incredible impact in the classroom and community.”
In fact, that’s one of the goals of this initiative: to turn community and businesses into stakeholders. “These students will become our leaders, our workforce … and with the right education they will be our Next Great Americans,” says Yancey. “So we are proud to have the support of amazing corporate sponsors like Alabama Power, and the community involvement of Tracy Rye from Pinnacle Bank, fire chief Phillip Weaver, Mayor Ken Sunseri, Mandy Little from Haleyville Chamber of Commerce, and Melinda Weaver and Sandra Benford from Alabama Power.”
For a glimpse of how the Super Citizen Program brings learning full-circle and beyond classroom walls, the final piece of the program, called “Torch Teams,” sees students nominating and honoring everyday heroes from their communities. At the graduation celebration which will be help near the end of the school year, these students will present their chosen Torch Teams heroes with awards for embodying the character they’ve been learning about in school.
It will be an emotional program for the audience – and the heroes being honored. Make plans to join us. Call (800) 239-0005 or check here to see if date has been confirmed yet.