Northside Elementary celebrates America

Makayla Hernandez (left) and Amiya Anguiano, two members of the Cherokee Choir, perform hymns and other traditional American songs in the Cherokee language, which is Southern Iroquoian, during Decatur Northside Elementary School’s “Traveling Through the U.S.A.” night April 23. The pair performed in front of a wall poster celebrating America.
Makayla Hernandez (left) and Amiya Anguiano, two members of the Cherokee Choir, perform hymns and other traditional American songs in the Cherokee language, which is Southern Iroquoian, during Decatur Northside Elementary School’s “Traveling Through the U.S.A.” night April 23. The pair performed in front of a wall poster celebrating America.

DECATUR -- The United States of America, while not the biggest country in the world, is a vast network of states with a land mass of 3,794,100 square miles. (Alaska is the largest state with 663,267 square miles. Number 2 is Texas with 268,580 square miles.) It would take a lifetime to cover that much territory. But for one area school, the trip took only two hours to complete.

Decatur Northside Elementary School celebrated "Traveling Through the U.S.A." night April 23 in the school cafeteria.

Each grade picked a specific state to highlight and built a display outside its classroom door. Alaska, Texas, California, Maine, Arkansas and Hawaii were among the states featured in this year's event. Students focused on one icon, whether a landmark or a piece of cultural history, that is unique to their chosen state. That icon became the centerpiece for each display. For example, an igloo made of milk jugs built by the pre-kindergarten class represented Alaska. A cardboard cutout of the lighthouse and rowboat constructed by third-graders represented Maine.

A walk down the hallways of Northside gave visitors a look into the history and culture that is an essential part of the USA.

More than 250 family-members and guests attended this year's event.

"I am very pleased with the turnout we had for this event," said Cary Stamps, Northside principal. "I would like to thank the people of Decatur for their continued support to our school."

Entertainment for this year's event was provided by the third-, fourth- and fifth-grade singers, kindergarten singers, Decatur High School choir, Martha and Emilio Smith violin and dance duo, ventriloquist Ken White and friends, Ger Vang on the flute, Makayla Hernandez and Amiya Anguiano with the Cherokee Choir and "The Howling Bulldogs" singing "Get Your Kicks on Route 66."

General News on 05/06/2015