We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Meadowlark first-graders pose with their new American flags given by the Chinook Lions Club. Adults standing each side of the first grade class are: (l-r) Meadowlark Principal Shane Bartschi; Lion President Richard Cronk and to the right of the students Meadowlark first grade teacher Tammy Edwards; MSU Northern student teacher Brooke Elliot and Lion Ben Hall.
Chinook Lions Club member Ben Hall presents a brochure about flag etiquette to Meadowlark first grader Alex Anderson of Chinook. The Chinook Lions have been giving flags to first graders for 40+ years. Club President Richard Cronk estimates the club has given more than 1000 flags over the years of the program. The flags are generally presented on or around Presidents Day.
Chinook Lions Club President Richard Cronk and member Ben Hall recently visited the Meadowlark Elementary first-grade class of teacher Tammy Edwards to talk about the American flag and give each student a small flag. Cronk told the first graders, "The Chinook Lions Club has been giving flags to students your ages for 40 to 50 years, we're not really sure when the tradition of giving flags began." Typically the small, desk-top American flags are presented to first graders around Presidents Day each year. This year the ceremony was actually on Presidents Day.
Before passing out the flags, Cronk gave the children some background about the Lions Club and how it serves youth in the community. He asked, "How many of you have had a pronto pup when you went to the fair?" Smiles broke out and hands flew up. Cronk then explained how the sales of pronto pups at the fair supports many local youth programs including the swim team, the Missoula Children's Theater workshops and performances, scholarships to help high school students attend college and technical school and financial help for CHS students' annual trip to Washington, DC.
First, Lion Cronk led the students in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Interestingly, the first graders all seemed to know the pledge pretty well. He then asked, "Where around town would you see flags?" The students listed all sorts of places they had seen flags-from schools to the Post Office. Some said they had flags at their houses. One bright eyed little guy said, "My grandma has flags all around her house. She's a great American!" Asked what the stars on the flag represented there was a slight pause as the students looked at each other somewhat baffled. Then one little girl enthusiastically responded, "I know, the stars are the fifty states!"
Each student was then given a small flag and a table top holder for the flag. Richard Cronk told the students to display their flag in a place that was safe-especially from little brothers and sisters. Several students were buzzing amongst themselves about where they would be displaying their flag and how they could keep it safe. After the group photo was taken the students carefully put the flags into backpacks to take home.
Helping Mrs. Edwards with her class during this year's flag ceremony was Brooke Elliot. Brooke, who grew up in Chinook, went to Meadowlark and graduated from CHS is completing her senior year in elementary education at MSU Northern. She is doing her student teaching this entire year at Meadowlark. Tammy Edwards told me as we were leaving the classroom, "I taught Brooke when she was in first grade. Having one of my first, former first graders helping teach makes me feel my age." Later Brooke said she remembered getting one of the special flags from the Lions Club when she was a first grader.
Outside the classroom Cronk said, "I'm guessing the parents of many of these kids got flags from our club when they were in first grade. I often have adults tell me they still have the little flag they got from the Lions." Over the past 40+ years the Lions estimate they've distributed more than 1000 of the miniature American flags.
Presidents Day was an appropriate day for such a patriotic activity and another successful gifting of flags was completed by the Chinook Lions. Not one to miss a learning moment, teacher Tammy Edwards reminded her students, "Be looking around town for where you see the American flag and be prepared to talk about where you saw them." No rest for first graders, they are on a steep learning curve.
