By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Students at Columbiana Middle School celebrated Alabama’s 200^th birthday with a Bicentennial Birthday Bash on Oct. 29.

Students sang the state’s song, “Alabama,” before listening to a presentation from Dr. Susan DuBose, Alabama Bicentennial Education Coordinator for the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.

“Thank you very much for the kind invitation to be here today,” DuBose said. “You’re an important part of the future of our state.”

DuBose shared background information on the state’s bicentennial activities, including the themes for each year of the three-year celebration: 2017 – Exploring Our Places, 2018 – Honoring Our People and 2019 – Sharing Our Stories.

DuBose read the poem “Daybreak in Alabama” by Langston Hughes.

Student Bishop Taylor was awarded a commemorative coin for having the same birthday, Dec. 14, as the state.

Every student received a copy of the Alabama Bicentennial PastPort book, along with a cupcake made by teachers Samantha Pursley and Stephanie Boyd and Family and Consumer Sciences students.

Prior to the birthday bash, students had participated in other Alabama-related activities in their art, history and social studies classes.

“Our state has been richly blessed with students like you,” DuBose said. “Everybody in this room has something to offer for our future.”