The first graders turned their classrooms into a temporary “Hero Museum,” sitting behind tables that displayed the books they had created about those who had inspired them. As fellow Lower School students visited on April 21, the first graders were happy to explain the character traits and accomplishments of the famous people they had studied.
“We were thrilled to share this with the Lower School community,” said Teacher Susan Arteaga.
The first graders wore white T-shirts with the words “Live Like a Hero” emblazoned on the front. They each wrote on their shirt a personal trait that they could be proud of, and their classmates signed their T-shirts to show they agreed with the assessment.
Teacher Kathy Lopez said the students had been studying about their heroes since returning from winter break. Among those the students had chosen were Michelle Obama, Leonardo da Vinci, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Georgia O’Keefe, Jackie Robinson, Mahatma Gandhi and Sally Ride.
One first grader, Anthony, had written to his hero, President Barack Obama, and the student had on display the president’s return letter, dated January 6, 2017, on White House stationery. “In the years ahead,” the 44th president wrote, “always remember that nothing is beyond your reach as long as you are willing to dream big and work hard.”
The “Hero Museum” is new this year to the first grade curriculum. One of the students, Joah, said he thought the museum was “one of the best things of the year.”