Presenting the Presidents

By Emily Boyes

All Saints Episcopal School hosted its 36th annual second grade Hall of Presidents program Friday morning.

Each second grader dressed up as a president, performed a one-minute speech in front of parents and students, and recited all 45 presidents as a group on stage.

Cindy Morris was the second-grade teacher in charge of the production, and has been for the last 20 years.

“It’s amazing to see these little people learn as much as they learn about their presidents,” Morris said. “It’s built some confidence in them. Some of them were not sure they were going to be able to do this, but they didn’t get nervous.”

An estimated 350 people, including parents, students, and staff were in attendance at All Saints for the event that came at the end of the week marking Presidents Day.

This event concluded a year-long study of the presidents for the students.

“They learn how important the office is and what you have to be to be the president,” Morris said. “It’s been incredible - they grow up a lot.”

Morris said the students are required to research facts about their assigned president in the library and online, write the speech, and perform the speech to showcase their knowledge.

“It’s a program for them to realize just how important the office of the presidency is and that we should respect it no matter what our feelings about it are,” she said.