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That was the gist of the invitation that reached Mark Reneer, director of Lincoln Middle School's Silver City Singers, about an opportunity to honor Abraham Lincoln, the nation's 16th president.
It's been 200 years since he was born and the federal government wants students who come from schools named after him to mark the occasion by singing a few songs at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
A number of concerts are scheduled throughout the year, but Reneer's singers will participate in one on May 21 at 1 p.m. It will be part of the school's already planned trip to the capital May 20-22.
The students will spend much of their trip touring the capital's sites, but the Silver City Singers will take a break to perform some patriotic and spiritual tunes, as well as a few songs from "Seussical," a musical based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000.
The students ran through some of the songs from "Seussical" last Friday, stomping about the stage, singing and doffing giant striped top hats.
Some of the songs, based on the book "Horton Hears A Who," tell the story of Horton, an elephant attempting to protect a speck of dust that's actually a small planet with small beings on it.
Emily Flynn, a seventh-grader, plays The Cat in the Hat, which character acts as a sort of narrator for the musical.
Flynn looks forward to the performances and practices, she said.
"It's a lot of fun," she said.
Gertrude, a character who tries to help Horton, is played by eighth-grader Abbey Rudnick.
She said she's excited for the trip.
"I really like to sing," she said.
Most of the students said they weren't too nervous about performing in the capital, and Reneer said it will offer great exposure.
"It's an experience that's very, very valuable," he said.
His students will be performing outdoors, and the vagaries of the weather concern him, but Reneer said he's not nervous.
"The students have been working pretty hard," he said. ... "Overall, I think the kids will do very well with it."
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