Libby Liberty™ Jumps Off Her Pedestal And Into the Hearts of Brewton Elementary 2nd and 4th graders

Today more than 180 2nd and 4th grade elementary students from Brewton Elementary School 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!

“It’s very easy to teach and you know you’re doing such a good thing. This program is so special. We need it. The kids need it. Its definitely having an impact on their lives. And we hope they’ll continue to bring it back to us every year.” – Tracey Lowery, 2nd grade teacher at Brewton Elementary

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 >

: The students will honor their community heroes with a Torch Pin and Authentic Statue of Liberty Replica.

: The students posed for a picture before the kickoff begins.

: ShiaLynn, Jakaila, Sebastian, & Sarah Paige help their Principal, Mrs. Lambert lead their classmates in the Pledge of Allegiance

: Libby Liberty™ makes her entrance to reveal her true name “Liberty Enlightening the World”

: Blakelynn and Adeline help Libby show off her real measurements.

: Her finger is 8 feet long which is the size of a car.

: She isn’t green like Shrek, she turned patina through a process called oxidation.

: The chains around her feet are broken to symbolize our freedom from oppression.

: The students close their eyes to imagine they are on a long hard journey.

: This student imagines what it would be like to see the Statue of Liberty for the first time.

: Imagine coming to America by boat and seeing the lady in green for the first time.

: “We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now” MLK Jr.

: Libby shares the iconic poem “The New Colossus”.

: Reeivice Girtman with the Liberty Learning Foundation gets these students excited about showing their appreciation!

: Hatlee, William, Addison, Willie, Brianna, Taylor, Chase, Ashlyn help Libby leads the crowd in the anthem theme song “YOU in the USA”.

: These Super Ctiizens raise their flags in song!

: Libby proudly poses with Superintendent Dr. Varner, Mike Engish with English Reality, Principal Dr. Lambert, FEB President Ginger Simmons, & Reeivice Girtman