Colt Elementary students learn importance of Constitution
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
MARBLE FALLS — When Colt Elementary School principal Keith Powell watched his students head back to class after a special Constitution Day ceremony Sept. 17, he didn’t hold any illusions that the youth would immediately become Constitution scholars or even really grasp the significance of the document.
“It’s about planting seeds,” Powell said. “It’s just a chance for the students and the rest of us to take a little time to remember what the Constitution is and why it’s so important. Hopefully, when it comes up in class or in the future, this will be something that helped get them interested in it.”
Colt Elementary School students and staff gathered around the flag pole on the campus grounds at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 17. A group of students read the preamble of the Constitution before all stood and watched as members of the local Scouting communities raised the American flag and then the Texas flag.
Before raising the colors, Powell addressed the students.
“This is Constitution Day, but every day is really Constitution Day. We’re honoring it today, but we should honor it every day,” he told the students. “Our Constitution protects our rights. It protects everybody’s rights. It doesn’t matter if your a boy or a girl.”
Teachers and staff handed out small American flags to the students. As they sat waiting for the ceremony to begin, some of the children waved the flags. But during the National Anthem, all the kids stood and enthusiastically waved the Stars and Stripes.
Powell said the ceremony would also serve as jumping-off point for more classroom discussion during the day.
But he reiterated that it’s not just this one day Colt Elementary students, and others, should remember the Constitution and other important documents.
“I think sometimes we can get wrapped up in our lives and forget about some of these very important documents such as the Constitution that have such an impact on our lives,” Powell said. “It’s important we take this day and remember and celebrate the Constitution. But we should do that every day.”
Go to www.archives.gov to learn more about the Constitution and other important historical documents.
daniel@thepicayune.com
Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”