Patriotic event is victim of success

Proud to Be an American, an annual celebration of Veterans Day conducted by Columbia County schools, has become a victim of its own success.

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School officials announced Tuesday that they no longer intend to participate.

Held at First Baptist Church of Augusta, church officials said this year that Proud to Be an American had grown too large for them to accommodate.

It also had grown too big for the event's organizers, American Pride Through Education Inc., to coordinate without assistance from school officials, some officials said during last week's school board meeting.

During a board meeting last school year, Title 1 Director Lisa Soloff said she spent two weeks helping to organize the event.

Board members said it was inappropriate for school officials to use their work time to plan events for outside organizations, even if the event involved performances by pupils.

During last year's event, 500 pupils from eight schools performed.

"It was just a lot to handle," said Jane Armstrong, founder of American Pride Through Education. "It got to where the church was too packed."

Instead of Proud to Be an American, Nagle said each school will plan its own event to celebrate Veterans Day.

Though the event is canceled for this year, Armstrong said her organization still will continue to work with schools to promote patriotism and Proud to Be an American Month, which is celebrated each November.