Lt. Gov. revisits fourth grade

For many elementary school students, the closest contact they have with their state leaders is through a textbook.

But for the fourth-grade classes of Rashkis Elementary School, that gap was closed when they met face-to-face Tuesday with North Carolina Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue.

The three fourth-grade classes at Rashkis Elementary School gathered in the school’s media center to talk with Perdue about state governments, a component of the state social studies curriculum for the fourth grade.

And the students did not just listen to a speech; they engaged in an interactive conversation, showing Perdue their knowledge about the state government.

One student asked Perdue to talk about the hardest law she ever had to pass.

Another wanted to know what made Perdue decide to run for lieutenant governor.

Their conversation ranged from child car seat laws to improved water quality in the state.

Perdue also spoke with the children about their futures and the opportunities they had before them.

“You might wake up one day and decide ‘I want to be president,’” she said. “Every one of you can be somebody.”

In closing, Perdue asked the students to keep in touch via e-mail, and the students promised her they would.

“You keep up with me, I want to know what you are in 10 years,” she said.

Perdue said working with education issues has been a major focal point of her political career.

Before her start in state government, Perdue worked as a teacher in the public school system.

“Education is actually one of the things I care most about,” she said, adding that she tries to visit schools once a month.

“In 2005, you can do anything with an education,” Perdue told the students.

Media specialist Majory Moe said she was pleased with the presentation Perdue gave.

“I think it was very informative for the kids,” Moe said.

While Moe said that government might still be an abstract concept for the students, she said Perdue’s presentation helped.

“I felt like it gave the students a good opportunity to meet a political figure who is directly from the community,” said Assistant Principal Shelia Burnette.

This allowed the students to connect community with government, she said.

Christina Royster, a fourth-grade teacher at Rashkis, shared similar sentiments.

“A lot of times, they think of government as being removed from them,” Royster said.

She added that the school wanted to have a speaker from the state, and Perdue was more than willing to come and speak.

Burnette said she liked how interactive Perdue was in her discussion.

“She was very complimentary of the students,” she said.

Perdue was elected in 2000 as lieutenant governor and was re-elected in November.

She has also served seven terms — two in the N.C. House of Representatives and five in the N.C. Senate — in the General Assembly.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.