Students in Jennifer Roth fifth grade classes at River Eves Elementary recently concluded a segment on the Civil War in social studies with a special presentation of President Abraham Lincoln’s carefully crafted speech, the Gettysburg Address.

After a creative recitation of the speech highlighting a new birth of freedom and the hope of true equality for all citizens, students went one step beyond to apply what they learned by “standing up” for their own beliefs. Each student proclaimed a belief important to them and ones that, in many cases, were very insightful and poignant for 10 year olds. Students stood up against bullying, racism, drugs, maintaining our Constitutional rights and child abuse, as well as protecting endangered species, poaching and animal abuse.

Inspired by learning the Gettysburg Address herself when she was in fifth grade - and by the popular song “Stand Up” by the band Sugarland - Roth said, “I am so proud of all of my students and honored to get to know each of them better as individuals through this project.”

Parents were invited to attend the event at the school.

“We’re really impressed by activities like this,” said one parent. “It’s gratifying to see how much our students have learned not only about our country and history, but about how to apply it to our world today.”

River Eves Elementary is located at 9000 Eves Road in Roswell.