Today elementary students from Kinston, New Brockton, & Zion Chapel Elementary School came together to kick off the Super Citizen Program for 2025. 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 pulling up to the school 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 tour 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” series).
Upper elementary grades learn from the original Super Citizen Program kit that features 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 >
- Braelyn and Judson lead everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Libby Liberty™ makes her entrance to reveal her true name: “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
- Everly, Trey, and Payton help Libby show off her real measurements.
- Libby’s nose is about the height of the average 5th grader, or Harry Potter?!
- Libby’s finger is 8 feet long, the length of a car.
- From the ground to the top of her torch she is about the length of a football field!
- Libby’s outer layer is only about as thick as 2 pennies!
- When Libby was originally built, she was a shiny copper color just like a brand-new penny!
- Libby’s skeleton is made of iron and steel!
- In the workshop, the artists worked on all the different parts of Libby! They put her together piece by piece, like the most gigantic Lego structure EVER!
- Libby exclaims that on October 28, 1886, America had a huge celebration to welcome her home!
- Libby invites the students to imagine what it would be like to be an immigrant traveling to Ellis Island.
- We all have different American stories.
- Libby shares the iconic poem “The New Colossus.”
- Libby and Mr. Palmer are excited to share with the students about the Hands on Liberty program!
- Libby tells the students about their powerful title: CITIZEN!
- You ARE The Next Great Americans!
- These students are excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
- “Freedom! Liberty! It starts with you and me!”
- Libby’s helpers do a great job showing everyone the moves to “YOU in the USA!”
- Only YOU can keep the “U” in the U.S.A.!
- Libby loves seeing students excited to sing along to her tour anthem!
- We love seeing the students excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
- Singing along to our tour anthem!
- Libby and her leaders sing together for freedom!
- These students are singing our tour anthem loud and proud!
- Waving their flags in song and celebration!
- We can’t thank these amazing teachers enough for their role in shaping the Next Great Americans!
- These students are excited to meet Libby Liberty!
- Libby loved getting to visit the Coffee County students!
- These Coffee County students are destined for greatness as they start their Super Citizen journey!
- Libby gets a picture with these amazing students after the kickoff.
- Coffee county students are excited to pose with Libby Liberty™!
- Libby had a blast today with these students from Coffee County!!
- The Next Great Americans of Coffee County!
- These students are excited to meet Libby Liberty!
- We had a blast today with these Coffee County students!
- Libby loved getting to visit the Coffee County students!
- These Coffee County students are destined for greatness as they start their Super Citizen journey!
- Libby gets a picture with these amazing students after the kickoff.
- Coffee county students are excited to pose with Libby Liberty™!
- Libby had a blast today with these students from Coffee County!!
- The Next Great Americans of Coffee County!
- These students are excited to meet Libby Liberty!
- Libby loved getting to pose with the Kinston ambassadors!












































