GARY BUDZAK firstname.lastname@example.org
January 19, 2014
Delaware’s mayor used M&M’s and sunglasses to teach toddlers the lessons of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Liberty Community Children’s Center Friday.
Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle showed children 6 weeks to 6 years old a common-sense lesson in equality Jan. 17 at the center at 207 London Road.
“Does anyone here like M&M’s?” Riggle asked, and dozens of youngsters squealed with delight. She put M&M’s of a single color into a bowl, then another color and another. She then mixed the M&M’s in the bowl, and handed out the candy.
The children were instructed to hold the candy in their hand, close their eyes, and eat it.
“It doesn’t matter what color you had, it all tastes the same,” Riggle said. “We’re the same way, different on the outside, but inside we’re all the same.”
Riggle, who grew up in Detroit, said, “If we were all colorblind, we would all look alike.” She then had everyone put on sunglasses, and she read a children’s book about how King’s message led to equality for all races in America.
The children then sang songs that referenced King, such as “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” A circle was formed, and everyone sang “We Shall Overcome.” Then, a birthday cake was brought in and lit, and the children sang “Happy Birthday Dr. King.”
In addition to the celebration, each class at Liberty worked on an art project and a Unity Collage Board that related to King.