Today, more than 500 2nd and 3rd grade students from Pike County, Banks, and Goshen Elementary schools filled the Troy University Trojan Center Ballroom. 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 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 Troy Bank & Trust. With their help, we are teaching, inspiring and empowering our Next Great Americans.
Did you see today’s event? Were you as emotional as we were? Will you help us continue this amazing mission? 

Please consider making a gift of any amount today >.

Dr. Donnella Carter, Administrative Assistant for Pike County Schools was honored today for all she does in the community. Speaking about the students’ accomplishments in civic learning, Carter says she hopes they understand “the little things matter. And I hope that they look for those opportunities in their own communities.” She also credited the event sponsors for bringing this transformative Super Citizen Program to Pike county year after year. “A huge thank you to Troy Bank & Trust! They’re really good partners for the schools in Pike County and we’re really appreciative of this opportunity for our students.”

NFL & Crimson Tide football star Cornelius Griffin was honored by his nephew today. “It’s important to try to set an example,” says Griffin. “You never know what kid is watching whether it’s in the church or community or really wherever.” He also offered students a few words of success from his own playbook: “Be accountable for your own actions. Remember that failure is never an option … and don’t make excuses for failure”