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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A Hilltop Elementary School third-grader carried the United States Navy flag for the “Armed Forces Salute” during the school’s annual Famous Americans program on May 31.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A third-grade student portrayed Frederick Russell Burnham during the school’s annual Famous Americans program.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.A third-grade Hilltop Elementary School student portrayed Annie Oakley during the school’s annual Famous Americans program on May 31.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Under the direction of music specialist Stephanie Summers, Hilltop Elementary School third-grade students sang patriotic songs during the school’s annual Famous Americans program.
By ABBY SLANKER
Third-grade students at Hilltop Elementary School honored famous Americans, past and present, during the school’s 32nd annual Famous Americans program on May 31.
“Welcome parents, grandparents, friends, to our third-grade Famous Americans Program. This is probably one of my favorite programs. Every student has a part and they have all put a lot of hard work into their Famous Americans presentation. I would like to thank our third-grade staff and Ms. Summers and Mrs. Larson for all their hard work on the program, too. Thank you for coming and enjoy our Famous Americans program,” said Joe Maroni, Hilltop Elementary School principal.
Each third-grade student was dressed in a costume to portray a famous American figure of his or her choice. The students researched their choice, wrote a speech about him or her and created a costume to wear during the program.
The students chose a wide range of famous Americans, from artists to authors, from presidents to athletes, from stage and screen legends to astronauts, from military heroes to inventors and from historical figures to entertainers.
Some of the famous Americans chosen by the students included, Sally Ride, Benjamin Franklin, Maria Tallchief, Louis Armstrong, Annie Oakley, Nellie Bly, Lucille Ball, H.J. Heinz, Stan Lee, Elizabeth Blackwell, Harriet Tubman, Juliette Gordon Low, Barbara Bush, Charles Schulz, Amelia Earhart and Thomas Edison.
To start the show, the Parade of Flags was presented. As a carrier and a guard escorted the flag down the aisle, a narrator gave the history of each flag. Flags presented included Continental, Gadsden, Grand Union, Betsy Ross, St. George’s Cross, King’s Colors, British Red Ensign, Bennington, Star Spangled Banner, Perry’s Flag, Alamo 1824, Bunker Hill, Rhode Island Regiment, Fort Moultrie, Stars and Bars, “48 Star” and Old Glory.
A student welcomed the audience to the show and led them in the Pledge of Allegiance and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
By class, each student took his or her turn at the microphone to give their memorized speech, which included facts which identified his or her famous American, as if the famous American were speaking.
After each class had finished their speeches, the students joined together to sing, led by Musical Director Stephanie Summers and accompanied by Courtney Larson. Songs included “Fifty, Nifty United States,” “I Hear America Singing,” “Armed Forces Salute” and “God Bless America.”
During “Armed Forces Salute,” Summers asked members and veterans of the armed forces to stand when their branch of military anthem was sung.
Before the “Armed Forces Salute” commenced, Summers asked for a moment of silence as the POW/MIA flag was presented.
As each anthem was performed during the salute, students presented the Army flag, Coast Guard flag, Marines flag, Air Force flag and Navy flag.
A tribute to Hilltop Elementary School’s afternoon custodian Mr. Millison was given by a third-grade student.
The program ended with a rousing standing ovation from the audience for the ‘Famous Americans.’