Today, 2nd graders from Gardendale Elementary School filled their gymasium. After finishing 10 weeks in the Hands on Liberty Program, they are gathered to celebrate their accomplishments and honor local heroes from the stage.
Thanks to Mr. Palmer and his very hands-on teaching, these students have begun learning about their important roles in America’s future. The “Hands on Liberty” series and accompanying activities and lesson plans teach crucial lessons in civics, character, financial literacy and social studies to a tech-centric generation. And in the closing piece of the program, Helping Hands, students are applying those crucial lessons in the real world.
Students chose heroes who embodied the traits of amazing citizens and read essays from stage before presenting them with Liberty Pins. They learned that “when you honor a hero, you become a hero!”
See heroes honored and a glimpse of the exciting event in the gallery below!
Today’s event and the donation of Super Citizen teaching kits was made possible by the Jefferson County Community Alliance. With their help, we are teaching, inspiring and empowering our Next Great Americans.
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 >
- Showing off their Helping Hands Graduation Certificate!
- These Gardendale 2nd grade students are excited to honor their heroes and get their Hands on Liberty graduation certificates!
- Gardendale students & teachers are excited to celebrate!
- Eleanor & Kaisley lead everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
- SRO Reginald Howard has shown Gardendale students what a true hero looks like, and Landon & Carter tells us why they chose him as a Helping Hands Hero!
- Gardendale second graders chose bus driver Billy Acton as their Helping Hands Hero for the care he shows in safely transporting students each day and for the joy he brings on every field trip. Joshua and Jalen proudly shared about him from the stage.
- Hallie and her friend Anaya proudly honor Hallie’s dad, firefighter Steven Sanders, as a Gardendale Helping Hands Hero for his dedication to protecting and serving the community every day.
- With pride, Roman and his friend Ally honor his dad, FBI Agent Diego DeArmon as a Helping Hands Hero for the difference he makes through his service and commitment to keeping communities safe.
- Brayleigh Jo honors her dad, Gardendale Officer Zach Osborne as a Helping Hands Hero for the way he protects and serves the community.
- These students placed their hands on their heart and promised to be a Super Citizen.
- Super Citizens lead everyone in our tour anthem.
- These students are excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
- We love seeing the students excited to sing along to our tour anthem!
- Singing along to our tour anthem!
- U.S.A.!
- Only YOU can keep the “U” in the U.S.A.!
- “Freedom! Liberty! It starts with you and me!”
- The students filled the room with their voices as they sang “YOU in the USA.”
- These students are singing our tour anthem loud and proud!
- We were honored to spend the afternoon celebrating with our heroes, students, donors, administrators, and special guests. Thank you to our friend, John Vines with Specification Rubber for celebrating with us!



















