JJEG educates local students on American history

Members of Team Buckley’s Joint Junior Enlisted Group spoke with elementary students Sept. 17 at Murphy Creek P-8 School in Aurora, Colo. The group spoke with the school’s entire fifth-grade class on topics such as the Revolutionary War, the three branches of government and the 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. (Courtesy photo by Dena Blair)

Published Sept. 29, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Samantha Saulsbury
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

AURORA, Colo.- -- Team Buckley's Joint Junior Enlisted Group taught the importance of the U.S. Constitution to elementary students Sept. 17 while visiting Murphy Creek P-8 School in Aurora.

The group spoke with the school's entire fifth-grade class on topics such as the Revolutionary War, the three branches of government and the 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

"The children were enthusiastic and extremely excited to see us in uniform," said Airman 1st Class Jose Maldonado, 460th Space Wing Command Post emergency controller.

Dena Blair, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at the school, was impressed with the impact the service members had on the children.

"We loved having them here. Our students were very engaged," Blair said. "We had students sharing who don't usually participate. All were grateful to spend time with representatives of our military.

"They had fun with our impromptu push-up competition, too," she added.

According to history.com, Constitution Day is celebrated annually Sept. 17 to honor the beginning of a structured U.S. government. On that day in 1787, delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia completed and signed the U.S. Constitution, defining the responsibilities of the three branches of federal government: executive, legislative and judicial. It also established a system of checks and balances to ensure no single branch would have too much power.

The JJEG team plans to continue speaking at schools every year on Constitution Day.

"I'm confident to say that we've succeeded in our mission of granting the children the proper knowledge, a focused understanding and a patriotic appreciation of our American Constitution and Constitution Week," Maldonado said.

(Information from the U.S. Constitution website was used in this article.)