The culminating musical production of our second graders' study of our country is called The Fifty Nifty United States. Each child chooses to be a singer, a speaker, a dancer, or an artist, depending on his or her interest. In addition there are plenty of group songs and dances, and much information about the history and geography of the United States is shared by the young researchers. The songs selected by the music teacher are tuneful and lively -- some traditional and others brand new to us, but every one sung with such enthusiasm, I found myself blinking away tears. On that stage we were watching the future of our country, and we couldn't help but be moved and optimistic..
