It all started with a fantastic piece of art.
Lexi Neels, a fifth-grader at Providence Elementary, received second place in the annual Art of the Military Child contest. Thanks to her win, Neels was invited to an awards reception where she met Dorothy McAuliffe, the first lady of Virginia. There, the two spent some quality time together talking and McAuliffe invited Neels to come visit the governor’s mansion.
Neels has just one request: Could her whole class come too?
McAuliffe said yes.
Thanks to Neels, the students from Renee Pohlmann’s class got a private tour of the public areas of the Executive Mansion as well as the upstairs guest rooms. They were allowed to go into the back yard, and through the old kitchens which are being re-done for public tours.
The students also got to meet the family dog, Finnegan, and see the First Family’s chickens. They were also treated to chocolate chip cookies, fresh baked by the McAuliffe’s personal chef.
After the tour, the class walked the Capitol grounds and briefly visited the new visitor center, before lunching on the bus ride home.
cool