As the short month of February passes by, the month’s vacation quickly approaches; a highly anticipated five day weekend in which many students take the opportunity to travel, catch up on work, or just relax. Due to the excitement surrounding this time off from school, students often forget the important meaning behind this holiday break. Presidents Day celebrates the births of presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, some of the most influential presidents in the country’s history. Washington was the first President of the United States, who led the nation to independence during the American Revolution in 1783. Lincoln was the sixteenth President, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, declaring all slaves free as the Civil War raged on from 1861 to 1865. Both of these men, and the 45 other men who have served as President throughout the history of the United States, have had profound impacts and allowed America to rise to, and remain as, the global powerhouse it is today.
Old Saybrook High School students were asked to reflect this Presidents Day on who they feel their favorite President is, and who they will be giving a little extra thought to this year.
Senior Matthew Makris explained how he will be taking the time to remember president Ronald Reagan this year, as he was “a man of the people and genuinely believed what he was doing was for the good of the country and not just for himself”. Ronald Reagan was first elected in 1980, and again in 1984, and is widely regarded as one of the more popular presidents of the United State’s history. Most notably, he promoted conservative ideals and worked to build up the United States military.
Other students found themselves commemorating presidents who served through significant historical events. Senior Lauren Kapp will be spending Presidents Day remembering John F. Kennedy because of his commendable accomplishments such as “the moon landing, and civil rights, and the peace corps, and he got us through the Cold War”. Kennedy’s term began in January of 1961, but was cut short in 1963 after his assassination. He was also the country’s youngest president.
While some students are looking to the past for their presidential admiration, some have an appreciation for more current Presidents, like Senior Cole Lawson who will be celebrating our sitting President Donald Trump. When asked what he admired most about President Trump, Cole elaborated on his appreciation for Trump’s quest for American justice, “he wants to expose the Epstein files, and the 9/11 files, and the USAID corruption.” This patriotic sentiment is one shared by other students as well, and is a way many look forward to celebrating Presidents Day this year.
