Hope of America rings in children’s voices
For 16 years, elementary school children throughout Utah County have been gathering at the BYU Marriott Center each May to celebrate the Hope of America. The celebration is an event of America’s Freedom Festival at Provo.
About 2,500 elementary school students, mostly fifth-graders, presented the program Tuesday, and 3,500 more will present it again tonight. The students come from 72 schools including charter, private and home schools, presenting songs of hope, service and patriotism. The evening also provides some special dance and musical numbers.
Freedom Festival Executive Director Paul Warner has been attending these about as long as they have been going. “This is the most wonderful patriotic constitution program in the nation, with the finest kids around,” he said.
The traditional American flag that covers the majority of the west-side bleachers in the arena is made up of the children wearing red, white, blue and gold Hope of American T-shirts. It is the focal point of the evening’s entertainment and is a monument to the teachers and directors from the Freedom Festival that bring these children together.
Fifth-grader Riley Vaughan was proud to say, “I’m a white stripe.” His sister Mikayla wore a blue T-shirt and will be part of the blue field of the flag. This is the first time for the Vaughan family to see or participate in the show. Jason Vaughan said his daughter has been so excited she has been practicing at all hours of the night.
“A couple of nights ago, I heard Mikayla in her bedroom. She was doing the hand gestures in her sleep. I sure wished I’d had a camera,” Jason Vaughan said.
The program isn’t just for those who have family in the production. Clair and Sally Faux are grandparents and live in Provo. “We’ve had eight grandkids over the years in it. Every year it’s wonderful,” Sally Faux said.
It is so wonderful that they convinced 13 of their closest friends, all grandparents too, to come every year to see the show. One of their friends, Blaine Poulsen, comes from Spanish Fork.
“If you come once,” Poulsen said, “you’ve got to see it again.”
Hope of America has become so popular, according to Sherry Peterson, Freedom Festival Vice Chairman, that it will be televised.
“For the first time, KBYU-TV will be taping and televising the show. We are so excited to be with the children and celebrate our freedom,” Peterson said.
For additional information, visit http://www.freedomfestival.org/events/hope-of-america.
If you go
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Program is 1 hour and 15 minutes. Pre-show begins at 6:15 p.m.
Where: BYU Marriott Center
Admission: free
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