Students at St. John the Beloved Academy in McLean took part in the first annual Constitution Week celebration last month. To kick off the celebratory week, teachers sent students home with bells ahead of Constitution Day so they and their families could participate in the tradition to ring bells at 4 p.m. on the document’s birthday.
Throughout Constitution Week, students engaged in special lesson plans and crafts. The first graders constructed patriotic crafts using the words of the preamble. Students in all grades learned about the importance of the Bill of Rights and had discussions on how many of the original amendments play a pivotal role in their lives today. Rory, a second grader, said that he loved the celebratory cupcakes at the end of the week and was proud to report that he is working to memorize the preamble to the Constitution.
For the upper grades, Constitution Week was more academic. For the weeks leading up to the celebration, students learned about the ratification of the Constitution, had debates on the different aspects, and constructed projects. Midweek, Cathy Gillespie from Constituting America came to present on the Constitution and the students were engaged in the discussion. They answered questions having to do with the First Amendment, the branches of government and how to petition the government.
“The Constitution is all about validating the dignity of the human person,” Headmaster Jeff Presberg said. “Our students know that their God-given rights are upheld with this founding document.”
Brittany Higdon, who organized the celebration, hopes that other schools in the area will be inspired to celebrate the week in the future.
“I sincerely hope that other Catholic schools throughout the area will start their own Constitution Week celebrations at their schools,” she said. “Knowing and loving our founding documents may not be in fashion, and I would like nothing more than to change that fact.”
