Today more than 225 elementary students from Mt Carmel & Madison County Elementary Schools came together to kick off the Super Citizen Program for 2016. 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 walks 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.
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 great citizens are about to start their Super Citizen journey.
- These smiling faces are posing with the Statue of Liberty replica Torch Pin.
- These great citizens are about to start their Super Citizen journey.
- These smiling faces are posing with the Statue of Liberty replica Torch Pin.
- These students are excited to meet Libby Liberty™
- Aaliyah, Adelynn, Melanie, & Ian lead their classmates in the Pledge
- Madison County Elementary Assistant Principal, Chris Gunnels welcomes Libby to the stage
- The students join together to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Her official name is Liberty Enlightening the World.
- Nathan from Madison County Elementary and Jackson from Mt. Carmel Elementary helped Libby on stage
- Her finger is 8 feet long, the length of a car.
- The spikes on her crown are the length of a Great White Shark!
- Libby tells her audience that she has her own Island called Liberty Island.
- Her chains are broken and symbolize our freedom from oppression.
- The students close their eyes to picture coming to America for the first time.
- Libby shares the iconic poem “The New Colossus”.
- “We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now” MLK Jr.
- Libby & Mr. Palmer tell their audience about the Super Citizen Program they are about to start!
- Jessica Quillin from Liberty Learning Foundation shares with the students their very important title of Citizen
- Cody, Madelyne, Lola, Sarah, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Miranda, & Leilah help Libby lead the crowd in the anthem theme song “YOU in the USA”.
- The students filled the gym with their voices as they sang “YOU in the USA”.
- Libby leads the crowd in the anthem theme song “YOU in the USA
- Tricia Bobo with the Liberty Learning Foundation and her friends Becky and Nora pose with Libby™
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby takes a fun picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby takes a picture with this Super Citizen
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby takes a fun picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby takes a picture with this Super Citizen
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby takes a fun picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby takes a fun picture with these Super Citizens
- The Next Great Americans of Madison County
- Libby takes a fun picture with these Super Citizens
- Libby gets a post-kickoff picture with these Super Citizens
- The Official Libby Selfie