By Staff
AMERICA'S QUEST FOR FREEDOM These students are some of the 75 Clarkdale Attendance Center fifth- and sixth-graders who will participate in "America's Quest for Freedom" on Friday. Front row: Mac Hamberg, left, and Eliot Smith. Second row: Stephanie Felton, left, Brittany Spears and Tori Fant. Back row: Cayla Coleman, left, Jett Miller, Lauren Rogers and Katie Sanders. Photo by Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
Nov. 15, 2001
Clarkdale Attendance Center students will show what they have learned about the price of freedom in a patriotic program this week.
For the past month, fifth- and sixth-graders have done research on American wars and heard from area residents and veterans who gave them insight into the conflicts.
At 9:30 a.m. Friday, the students will present, "America's Quest for Freedom," filled with patriotic songs and dramatic skits that illustrate the United States' involvement in many of its wars. The program will be in the Bulldog Deli on the school campus and is open to the public.
Area veterans who attend the assembly will be honored and given books the students made from their research, titled "Freedom Is."
Adcock said students were responsible for their own research, based on what war interested them most and what role in that war interested them.
Some of the students will portray people associated with each of the wars. The students also worked on backdrops for the program and many parents made costumes.
Sixth-grader Brittany Spears researched Desert Storm and the Persian Gulf War for the program.
Mac Hamberg, also a sixth-grader, will play the part of a World War I fighter pilot Friday.
He also learned that talking about war is not a pleasant thing.
Some of the local people who spoke to the fifth- and sixth-grade classes at Clarkdale over the past few weeks included: Cecil Blackwell, a fighter pilot in World War II; Shorty Anderson, who informed students of what things were like on the home front during World War II; and James Sanders, who served on an aircraft carrier during the Korean War.
Also speaking to the classes were T.J. Pippin, who served during the Korean War; Brenda Galyean, who lost a brother in Vietnam; Dan Talley, Harvey Ray Troutman and Nick Cline, who talked about their experiences during the Gulf War; and Jeff Elbatnigi, who told students what it was like to grow up in the Middle East.
Steve Gillespie is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3233, or e-mail him at sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.