The 5th Graders have been learning about Abraham Lincoln while participating in the Bicentennial Activities that are taking place in Springfield to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday. Many students wrote articles and/or drew political cartoons or ads for a contest sponsored by the State Journal-Register. Many of the entries will be published in a special supplement that the State Journal-Register will be printing in February.

All of this is leading up to the culminating event where all of the 5th grades in Sangamon County will participate in a reenactment of Lincoln's Farewell Address to Springfield. The event will take place at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center on Feb. 11, 2009, the 148th anniversary of when Lincoln gave the address as he left for Washington to become the 16th President.