Former PresidentBarack Obamabrought holiday spirit to a classroom of young children this week, surprising them with Christmas gifts and leading a playful storytime.
At Chicago’s Parkside Community Academy on Tuesday, pre-K teacher Debra Gardner gathered her students on a reading carpet in the front of the classroom and held up a photo of the 44th president, asking the kids to tell her his name and the important title he held. As Gardner’s students shouted out the answers, President Obama appeared in the doorway wearing a Santa hat and carrying a sack full of toys.
Parkside Academy students tug at President Barack Obama’s arms during his surprise visit.The Obama Foundation
The Obama Foundation
During the storytime, President Obama —an Emmy Award-winning narrator— offered lively commentary, engaging the kids with questions along the way, like whether they would let Santa crash at their house if they had the choice.
“This story is about being nice to people when they need some help, right?” Obama said after finishing the book. “I want everybody during Christmas to be nice to their teachers and I want them to be nice to their parents, because you know, let me tell you, Christmas isn’t here yet so Santa’s still keeping his list.”
President Barack Obama leads an animated reading of “Santa’s Gotta Go!” with some commentary interspersed.The Obama Foundation
Before finishing his visit, the former president gifted the classroom a new set of toys and handed out winter accessories for each child to take home, also taking a moment to pose with the group.
Barack Obama poses with the pre-K class at Parkside Community Academy in Chicago on Dec. 12, 2023.The Obama Foundation
The center’sambitious campuswill include Obama’s official presidential museum, anathletic facility, a branch of the city’s library, a park, a playground, and fruit and vegetable gardens.
source: people.com
