SAFE BASE goes presidential

SAFE BASE children had the opportunity to give their friends and family the “presidential” treatment at Jefferson Elementary Monday night.
As a part of the program’s weekly blue plate dinners, the children spent weeks preparing a meal to serve to visitors in the gym. Due to today’s election, this week’s meal had an electoral spin to it. Meals normally have a theme, however, this week the students went all-out to provide an extensive meal, with multiple ingredients.
The kindergarten students cooked single-serving apple pies. Loretta Ellis, a kindergarten teacher from McKinley, and Linda Johnson, a kindergarten teacher from Jefferson, said the kids worked hard to make sure their part of the meal was ready for Monday’s program.
“It took four weeks to cook 190 pies,” Ellis said, “But the pies ended up being really yummy, they (the students) loved it.”
The first-grade students took on the challenge of making a Mexican dip for their contribution. SAFE BASE teacher Jen Tarter said they were a bit apprehensive in their decision, but it ended up being the right one.
“They weren’t sure, but then they tried it,” Tarter said. “Then they decided that’s what they were going to make.”
Second- and third-graders made a fresh salad and fourth- and fifth-graders put together the healthy potato bar for the meal. SAFE BASE director Angela Henry said fresh produce from the garden at Lincoln Elementary was used whenever possible.

OVERALL, Henry said the idea of the program was to encourage the voting process to both students and their parents.
The Bowlus Fine Arts Center contributed to the evening by providing a children’s comedy act from the Coterie Theatre out of Kansas City. The act, called “The Presidents,” performed a short profile of each U.S. president in a minute or less — with singing and dancing involved, of course.
Henry said the focus of the evening was to get the children involved in making the meal and to shed light on the presidential office.
“We really want to see the kids being a part of the voting process,” Henry said. “It’s something we always did in my family.”
She said she encourages parents to bring their children with them when they vote because it will encourage them to vote when they are legally able to.
“Take your children to the polls,” Harris said to the parents, “Give them the little sticker that says ‘I Voted.’”