When the Inkandescent PR team approached music teacher Bonnie Anderson to help us craft “Grateful American Kids Rock: The Music Video,” this Truly Amazing Woman jumped at the opportunity.
We couldn’t have been more appreciative, for with her guidance, 30 students from The Steward School in Richmond, VA, learned the lyrics, the tune that Bonnie and fellow music teacher John McAlister created for us, and also helped us choreograph the video.
The video stars: (Kindergarteners) Ava, Ozzie, Gabe, and Grady (First Graders) Kadan, Lucky, Jennifer, Tison, Virginia, Dylan, Scarlett, Hanna, and Nora (Second Graders) Colby as Thomas Jefferson, Kamran, Nadine, Jack, Karina, and James (Third Graders) Lillie Grace as Dolley Madison, Luke as Alexander Hamilton, Kamillah, Luna, Jadyn, Spencer as George Washington, Nels, Marc, Sadie, Jordyn, and Anne. Special thanks to Cary Jamieson, Director of the Bryan Innovation Lab at the Steward School.
Then Bonnie and I sat down to talk about her career, passion for music and teaching children to perform, and her dreams for the future for TrulyAmazingWomenTV.com. Be sure to watch our interview! And click here to watch the music video we collaborated on.
Scroll down to sing along to the lyrics by Hope Katz Gibbs
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
We are the kids who are grateful to
Hundreds of heroes who just knew
They had to fight for what was right
Freedom from the king … the Bill of Rights!
They risked their homes,
They risked their lives,
They didn’t know if they would win or die.
But they had to try, they had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
George Washington was a founding pop
He was brave and strong and refused to stop
‘Cross the Delaware he took his men
Through freezing months they lived in tents
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Yorktown was their final battle
Blood was spilled, but George was never rattled
Lives were lost, spirits tossed
He knew Revolution came at really high costs.
But they had to try, they had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
Ben Franklin was a clever man
He gave us electricity and the “fireman”
In Philadelphia he made his mark
In London and in France he was an international spark!
Called the man on the moon, he never waned
His brilliant mind is revered today
For war, he knew came at a terrible cost
But he knew that liberty was worth the loss!
He knew they had to try, they had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
Thomas Jefferson, a science geek
Many rewards did his experiments reap
For the Declaration he is renowned
In Paris, France, mac-n-cheese he found!
The Louisiana Purchase was a crowning jewel
And, owning slaves — that was a complicated rule.
But, none of this would have come to fruition
Had he not supported the “Revolution.”
He knew they had to try, they had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
Dolley Madison, a founding mom
Had skills that went so far beyond.
She changed her role, it was no mystery
Became the first lady — and changed our history!
The first, first lady — we thank you Dolley
For seeing that America was more than just folly
You gave us heart, you made politics fun,
And you showed us that patriots weren’t just sons!
She knew we had to try, we had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
Without Alexander Hamilton, where would we be
If he had not figured out what to do with our money!
The duel that you fought turned out to be your doom
Why couldn’t you just have said Aaron Burr was such a loon?
Still we give you props,
for standing up for your honor
You were a great role model,
a humble Founding Father!
He knew we had to try, we had to try
Freedom was the prize
Freedom was the prize!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
And here is why …
There are dozens of heroes, if not hundreds
Who made America stand for somethin’
The Revolutionary War was just the beginning
What the founders fought for was much more than winning!
They dreamed of a nation for the brave and the free
People who’d forever strive for liberty!
The outcome we know turned out to be fateful
For generations to come we are ever so grateful!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Grateful American Kids … rock!
Now you know why!