One Nation and Our Dreams

Rosa sat so that
Martin could walk so that

Obama could run so that

Our children could fly

Today is a day that my students will be able to remember forever. As they sat in the school auditorium with their peers, kids from all racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds, witnessed the first African American person being sworn into office. Some students bowed their heads in prayer while the pastors came to the podium, others cried out of joy that they too can one day become president if they wanted, some smiled when their new president took the stand, some stared at the TV in confusion about what was happening, most clapped, some were just plain bored. The beauty of the moment was seeing 80 7 and 8 year olds watching history being made together in one room, kids of all colors, languages, sizes and beliefs. No matter who you voted for in the election the fact that the crowd that I saw on the TV spread from the Capital Building clear across to the Washington Memorial should be enough to send chills through your body. We are now one nation under God, indivisible.

After the Inauguration festivities my class gave a Martin Luther King Jr. presentation to the whole school. The principal had asked us on Friday to lead the morning assembly. Without my consent the class agreed to it (surprisingly enough it doesn't matter what 2nd graders say they are just too cute to say no to). 10 of my students stood bravely in front of the school and delivered a beautiful exert about MLK. They also passed the mic along and told the school what dreams they had for the future. Some of their dreams read, I have a dream that the poor will have money, I have a dream to stop global warming, I have a dream that there was no violence, I have a dream that everyone will love one another. How can 7 and 8 year old children be so selfless? It is so inspiring to me that these young children are our future.

I'll leave you with a final note which is from one of my students speeches today.

Our class talked about our dreams for the future of America just like Martin Luther King Jr. did. Do you think that you are up to the challenge of making dreams come true?