Guest reader brings Theodore Roosevelt's legacy to life at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary
Students at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School had a special visitor on Tuesday – one who shares a deep connection to their school's namesake.
Chris Cosentino, Executive Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, visited the school library to serve as a guest reader, sharing the picture book “The Camping Trip that Changed America” by Barb Rosenstock. The book chronicles the historic relationship between President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir – a friendship that, despite the two men meeting only once in Yosemite, sparked a correspondence that lasted the rest of their lives and ultimately led to the establishment of the National Park System.
Roosevelt students proved to be an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience. When Mr. Cosentino quizzed them on Teddy Roosevelt trivia, they rose to the occasion – and why wouldn't they? Many have already visited Sagamore Hill, Roosevelt's beloved summer home in nearby Oyster Bay, and his gravesite just steps away. The conversation took some delightful turns, including the discovery that Roosevelt kept an extraordinary number of pets in the White House, and that it was Roosevelt himself who gave the Executive Mansion its now-iconic name.
The Theodore Roosevelt Association is a historical and public service organization founded in 1919, dedicated to preserving the memory and ideals of the 26th president. The organization maintains ties to landmarks including Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace in New York City, Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C., the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo and Pine Knot, the Roosevelts' presidential retreat in Virginia.
It was a morning that brought history off the page and into the room – fitting, for a school that carries one of America's most spirited legacies.
