In 2nd Grade at Ogden Avenue School the students spend a month learning about the history of the immigrant experience in the United States by studying Ellis Island. They have to choose a country that is part of their heritage, study it's history and learn about why someone might immigrate from that country to the United States around this time.
Seamus interviewed Pap and chose to study Ireland. He had to give a speech in front of parents, grandparents and his classmates about his ride over on the boat (he threw up twice) and share a special artifact from his country of origin (he brought a hurling stick that Papa acquired while in Ireland.) He made a poster with many interesting facts then got to lead us through Ellis Island, traveling from a medical clinic, to a money exchange, to a passport station to a train station. He made it (phew) and was "sworn in" as a citizen at the end of the morning.
I am thankful that a.) Grandma and Pap were able to make it in for this special day and b.) that I got a picture of Seamus before he and his friend, Andrew, drew mustaches on their faces.
Job well done, Seamus! One of my favorite of school memories.
