Flag Day 2022
Jane was watching ESPN highlights on the TV when MJ came in from playing out in the backyard. "Hey, MJ how did your Flag Day presentation go?" Jane asked her eight-year-old son. MJ had been asked by his teacher to give a short 3-5 minute presentation on the history of the Flag of the United States of America. MJ gladly replied that he would make a PowerPoint presentation to be given on Flag Day.
"It was okay, Mama. I messed up a few lines but I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that noticed." MJ replied as he held up the peer review sheet from his class that gave him outstanding marks. He handed the review sheet to Jane.
"This is a great review MJ. You wouldn't do the presentation for your family earlier, can you do your presentation for us now that you have presented it to your class?" Jane really wanted to see his presentation. She just didn't want to look at it on the computer she wanted to hear the presentation as well. "You know, you wouldn't even let me come to your classroom buddy, I just wanted to show you my support."
"Mama, I would have been embarrassed if you came to my classroom to watch me do the presentation in front of the class."
"Why? Mommy and I could have been quiet and just sat in the back of the classroom and watched." Jane explained.
"Mama, everywhere you two go people pay attention. Everybody knows who you are and I just wanted to be a normal kid in the class, like everybody else. None of the other students ever have their parents come and watch when they do a presentation." The teacher had a different student present a presentation for the class throughout the year. Flag Day just happened to be MJ's turn.
"Jane, if he doesn't want to show us that is fine. He might change his mind down the road." Maura tried convincing her wife.
MJ thought about it for a few seconds and asked, "Mommy, can I do it after dinner? I don't want to do it right now."
"Sure sweetheart. I would love to see it. After dinner would be great." Maura stated as MJ ran up to his room.
Maura was almost finished cooking dinner. Half an hour later, she said, "Jane, love can you call the children for dinner?"
"Sure babe." Jane went upstairs and rounded all the children up. Well, all the children she could find, she was missing Kate. "MJ, where is Kate?"
"She is downstairs in her butterfly garden Mama. She said she would stay out there until dinner. You know how much she loves her garden."
"Oh yes, I do. That is the best thing we have done for her so far. I'm glad we all help put that garden together for her. Who knew she was going to be a little flower loving girl." Jane said as she picked up Lilly and put her up on her shoulders to take her downstairs. MJ and AJ had gone ahead of her, so she was having a special moment with Lilly. Jane put Lilly down when they reached the dining room table and she then went outside to get her little flower child, Kate.
"Kate, sweetie, it is time to come in for dinner." Jane announced.
"Okay, Mama." Kate said as she stepped out of her garden. "My flowers look nice, Mama!" Kate said as she swung her arm around and pointed it to all the flowers that surrounded her butterfly garden.
"That they do little one." Jane said as she picked up Kate and placed her on her shoulders for the journey to the bathroom so she could wash her hands for dinner.
They all sat down for dinner. Maura had cooked a chicken parmigiana with vegetables. The children all ate their dinner and then MJ said, "In a few minutes I am going to show you my presentation about Flag Day that I gave at school today."
Everybody helped clean up the dinner mess and once the dishwasher was loaded everybody sat down in the living room to hear MJ's presentation.
"Today is Flag Day." MJ started as a picture of an American Flag appeared on the television. "Flag Day is celebrated on June 14th because that was the day in 1777 that the flag of the United States was adopted by the Second Continental Congress." A painting of the flag being presented at the Second Continental Congress appear on the TV.
"School teacher Bernard J. Cigrand of Wisconsin is credited as founding the celebration of Flag Day. He began observing the 'Flag Birthday' with his class in 1885." A picture of the teacher with the Flag and his students appeared on the TV.
"A presidential proclamation was issued by President Woodrow Wilson establishing June 14th as national Flag Day in May of 1916." A picture of President Woodrow Wilson was displayed. MJ switched to the next picture, a picture of a collection of different U.S. Flags and said, "There have been 27 versions of the United States Flag. July 4, 1960 was the last change of the American Flag when Hawaii was added as the 50th state."
"There are 13 horizontal stripes representing the 13 original colonies. These stripes alternate in red and white. In the upper left-hand corner of the flag is a dark blue rectangle with 50 white five-pointed stars representing the 50 United States of America." Various pictures of the 27 flags appeared as MJ continued, "The Second Continental Congress did not state how they came up with the colors. Later documentation discovered that the colors selected for the Great Seal of the United States stated that white is for purity and innocence; red is for valor and hardiness; and blue is for vigilance, perseverance and justice." A picture of the Great Seal of the United States was displayed.
MJ then stated, "This concludes my presentation of Flag Day." Everybody clapped. Jane and Maura were proud of him. AJ, Lilly and Kate all gave him high fives. MJ was a little embarrassed but he loved his family and he knew they were just proud of him.
MJ was in the 7th grade and since the 5th grade he has been asked by his teacher to present a presentation. Every student in the class had do present one presentation each year. The school wanted to ensure that the students learned how to research and speak in front of people. They figured the more the students did it the more comfortable they would be with doing a presentation. This was one of the reasons they had selected this particular school for their children.