Fifth-graders spend Constitution Day at UK

Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, September 17, 2008

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Fifth-graders from Cassidy Elementary got a chance to practice the national anthem once before the program started.

Fifth-graders from Cassidy Elementary got a chance to practice the national anthem once before the program started.

Fifth-graders from Cassidy Elementary got a chance to practice the national anthem once before the program started.The Cassidy kids brought blankets to spread out on the grass on a hill overlooking the Constitution Day events.UK associate professor Buck Ryan, who served as emcee, went over a few logistical details with the Cassidy students.Music teacher Erica Johnson said the students had only a few days' notice about performing at UK.Bright blue sky and the American flag flying high provided the perfect backdrop for the kids' performance.Nearly 40 Cassidy fifth-graders were selected for the honor of singing the national anthem at UK's fourth annual Constitution Day.These boys enjoyed an apple pie break during the midday program.Students from Rosa Parks Elementary toted baskets loaded with bagged lunches for their group.About 120 Rosa Parks students settled on a nearby grassy field for a picnic lunch before heading back to school.Rosa Parks fifth-graders thumb through the book presented to social studies teacher Kelly Telech by UK officials. "VOTE: Discover the Fascinating History of the Election Process -- from Roman Times to the Present Day" will be placed in the school library.

On a sun-drenched college green, kids from Cassidy Elementary stood proudly as they sang the national anthem during the fourth annual Constitution Day celebration at the University of Kentucky.

Nearly 40 fifth-graders – chosen based on their good and responsible behavior – made the short trip for Wednesday’s midday program. About 120 students from Rosa Parks Elementary also attended. It made for a good mix of youngsters, college kids, and UK and elected officials.

Since the U.S. Constitution doesn’t come up in the curriculum until later in the school year, teacher Tiffany Cook gave the Cassidy students a quick primer on the bus ride to UK. The children also picked up nuggets during the UK program, especially when the emcee handed off the microphone to the “quiz master” for quick-hit exchanges with the audience.

Kelly Telech, who teaches social studies at Rosa Parks, took the podium to give a 90-second recap of the major segments in U.S. history studied throughout the year – including the Bill of Rights, the Industrial Revolution and current events.

“We create knowledge for students when they’re 10 years old to guarantee they’ll vote when they’re 18,” she said.

The importance of voting was a recurring theme with the speakers, many of whom talked about the first time they cast a ballot and the issues of the day, ranging from lunch-counter sit-ins and the Kennedy assassination to Vietnam and Watergate. Three international college students also spoke, describing what life is like in countries without the protections provided by the U.S. Constitution.

The schoolchildren sat attentively – the Rosa Parks contingent in rows of folding chairs and the Cassidy kids on blankets under a nearby shade tree.

As a campus clock chimed noon, the singers filed down the hillside and took their places in front of the red, white and blue backdrop, focusing on music teacher Erica Johnson. Their young voices rang out clearly as the crowd stood, many with hands over hearts.

Fitting for the patriotic celebration, as UK students handed out colorful beads, pencils and pocket-sized copies of the Constitution, the catering staff served up lemonade and apple pie.