Katharine the Almost Great: The Red, White, and Blue Crew
I understand you’re learning about democracy said Lady Liberty as she bowed May I ask what’s a democracy Vanessa Garfinkle stuck her hand up so high she looked like a Statue of Liberty copycat A democracy is a government of the people by the people and for the people Everyone works together to run the country and has the right to vote to help make decisions Impressive Vanessa said Lady Liberty beaming Her smile glowed as bright as the orange tissue paper stuffed inside her torch I glanced at my cousin Crockett and rolled my eyes Leave it to Vanessa aka Miss Priss-A-Poo to memorize the Abraham Lincoln video we watched yesterday Lady Liberty straightened her crown Did you know the fourth and 6
fifth graders hold elections every year to help make decisions in our school Don’t you I corrected myself I mean I thought Mrs Ammer made all the decisions I waited for her to call me impressive since everyone knew that Ammer the Hammer was the head honcho at Liberty Corner School Nope said Lady Liberty If she did I doubt she’d sit in the dunk tank on Fun Day each year Fun Day was revenge day Kids waited all year for a chance to dunk Mrs Ammer I think it’s time third graders helped with some decisions So we’re going to hold an election said Lady Liberty Is anyone interested in running for president Hands shot into the air like geysers at Yellowstone National Park 7
Mrs Bingsley tapped her fingers on a poster of George Washington Your president must be an outstanding citizen I raised my hand Don’t you think I’d make a super-duper president Since my mom works here I Lady Liberty frowned It doesn’t matter what I think Your classmates vote My stomach did a flip-flop belly drop Did you know that the Baby Ruth candy bar was named after President Cleveland’s daughter It wasn’t named after the baseball player My calendar with 365 useless facts never lets me down Lady Liberty nodded Then she wrote responsible honest and fair on the board She circled responsible Being president is hard work and a huge responsibility Your meetings are during recess 8
Responsible was practically my middle name Didn’t I make my bed every morning Well except for today And yesterday And maybe a few days last week Lady Liberty traced over the words honest and fair These are important character traits that a president must have Before I declared myself a fair and square kind of girl Vanessa leaned over and growled Remember kindergarten How could I forget Her mother wrote notes to her each day on her lunch napkins But since Vanessa couldn’t read she’d ask me to read them to her Before I did I presto changed them a teensy-weensy bit Once her napkin said Have fun at your Halloween party But I told her it said Give Katharine your chocolate candy She did 9
