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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students were selected to come up and help Abraham Lincoln during his presentation on Feb. 15 at Poland Union.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Actor Richard Waddingham put on a presentation as Abraham Lincoln for the students at Poland Union on Feb. 15.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students at Poland Union gathered in the gymnasium to listen to Abraham Lincoln give a presentation about his life on Feb. 15.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students at Poland Union had the opportunity to meet Abraham Lincoln during his presentation on Feb. 15.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Actor Richard Waddingham dressed up as Abraham Lincoln and put on a presentation for the students at Poland Union on Feb. 15.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
Students at Poland Union Elementary got a visit from the 16th president on Feb. 15.
Abraham Lincoln, played by Richard Waddingham, put on three presentations throughout the day to tell the students at Union about Lincoln’s life. Waddingham visited the classrooms between his presentations to visit with the students and teachers.
Waddingham is an actor who lives across the Hudson river in New York. He works with Mobile Ed Productions Inc. and has been traveling for five years to different schools to teach students about Abraham Lincoln. He visits several schools in a week, especially from January to February, for Lincoln’s birthday and President’s Day holidays.
“It’s great, I feel like a celebrity whenever I show up. The kids are great. From kindergartners to eight-graders, they all seem mesmerized,” said Waddingham.
Waddingham has two presentations he can choose from when he portrays himself as Lincoln. One is “Living Lincoln” where he talks more about Lincoln’s life and how he grew up. The other one is “Books Made the Man” and touches on how Lincoln loved books and is a self-made made through reading and self-education. Both presentations are tailored for the students depending on what grade they are in to make it easy for them to understand and follow along.
As the students watched Waddingham’s presentation they had the opportunity to answer questions, ask questions and participate in part of the presentation. When the presentation was over and the students made their way back to class, they shook Lincoln’s hand and were able to get a picture with him.
This is the second year that Poland Union has had Waddingham come to the school to put on his Lincoln presentation. He enjoys coming to the school and seeing how much the students know before his presentation and being able to teach them new things to walk away with.