Kilby Hosts Birthday Bash for Alabama’s Bicentennial

FLORENCE-Kilby Laboratory School and Collier Library Archives and Special Collections hosted a “Happy Birthday, Alabama” event Friday, April 26, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Collier Library. This official Alabama Bicentennial event was free and open to the public.

Rep. Andrew Sorrell and Rep. Jamie Kiel attended, speaking with Kilby’s fourth grade students about the importance of Alabama history and visiting their living history exhibit. Each Kilby fourth grader represented a famous Alabamian in the living museum. The students were dressed in period clothing and brought props representing the personas they portrayed. Famous Alabamians spanning 200 years were represented in the living history exhibit, including Helen Keller, Paul “Bear” Bryant, George “Goober” Lindsey, Gees Bend quilters and Creek Indians.

Argie Campbell, Kilby’s fourth grade teacher, organized the event along with Derek Malone from UNA’s Collier Library.“We have been planning this event since January,” Campbell said. “Each student chose the Alabamian they wanted to research. Not only did we go on our Montgomery field trip looking for what is meaningful about Alabama, but each student gained extensive content knowledge fueled by their own passion about the Alabamian they were becoming. It’s been neat to see them come alive for history and light up for learning in this way. They are Alabama experts now, I can tell you that.”

Dr. Katie Kinney, Interim Dean of the UNA College of Education and Human Sciences, said “As a native Alabamian, I was excited to stand among these Alabama giants represented by our Kilby students. We are most impressed with not only the knowledge of the Kilby students, but their willingness to share it with our University and Shoals communities.”

 

Media Release/University of North Alabama