Liam the Lucky Shoemaker is back in town!

Leprechauns are tiny, clever Irish fairies dressed in green who love fixing shoes and guarding pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Known for being mischievous tricksters, if caught, they must grant three wishes but will try to escape with their treasure if you look away for even a second. 

It's time to get your Leprechaun traps ready... someone told me that Liam the leprechaun is coming to town!! Make sure you read the story he left at our school...

The Story of Liam the Lucky Shoemaker

In the rolling green hills of Ireland, there lived a tiny leprechaun named Liam. Liam was no bigger than a teapot, wore a pointy green hat, and spent his days dancing and making shoes for fairies. Because fairies dance constantly, they paid Liam in shiny gold coins, which he hid in a big pot at the end of the nearest rainbow. 

One sunny afternoon, a young boy named Paddy spotted a glimmer of green behind a mushroom. "Aha!" cried Paddy, sneaking up and trapping Liam under his hat.

"Let me go!" squeaked Liam, wiggling around. "I’ll give you a pot of gold!"

"I want three wishes!" said Paddy.

Liam smiled a sneaky smile. "Granted!"

For his first wish, Paddy asked for a basket filled with chocolate coins. Poof! It appeared. For his second, he asked for a new bike. Poof! It appeared. But for his third wish, Paddy got too excited and looked away to see if his friends were watching.

In that split second, Liam wiggled out, grabbed his pot of gold, and vanished into thin air! Paddy didn't get the pot of gold, but he did get his chocolate and his bike, proving that even if you don't catch a leprechaun, you can still have a lucky day. 

Tips for Catching a Leprechaun

• Be Patient: They are fast, so you have to be faster.
• Use Shine: They love gold and shiny things.
• Don't Look Away: If you catch one, keep your eyes on him, or he will vanish!

 

All About Harriet Tubman

 

• African American Heroes

Harriet Tubman, Spy

You might know her as a conductor for the Underground Railroad. She was also a spy.

Harriet Tubman cautiously watched the shore from one of three gunboats on the Combahee River. She and several hundred Union soldiers were preparing a raid to free hundreds of enslaved people from plantations in South Carolina, part of the Confederate states that were fighting against the Union during the Civil War of 1861 to 1865. Enemy soldiers were hiding nearby—success was far from guaranteed.

Harriet Tubman is well known for risking her life as a “conductor” in the Underground Railroad, which led escaped enslaved people to freedom in the North. But the former enslaved woman also served as a spy for the Union during the Civil War. Tubman decided to help the Union Army because she wanted freedom for all of the people who were forced into slavery, not just the few she could help on the Underground Railroad. And she convinced many other brave African Americans to join her as spies—even at the risk of being hanged if they were caught.

A SECRET MISSION

The Civil War was a time when women were usually restricted to traditional roles like cooking and nursing. Tubman did jobs like that, but as a spy she worked side-by-side with men, says Tom Allen, author of the Nat Geo book Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent.

In one of her most dramatic and dangerous roles, Tubman helped Colonel James Montgomery plan a raid to free enslaved people from plantations along the Combahee (pronounced “KUM-bee”) River in South Carolina. Early on the morning of June 1, 1863, three gunboats carrying several hundred male soldiers along with Tubman set out on their mission.

Tubman had gathered key information from her scouts about the Confederate positions. She knew where they were hiding along the shore. She also found out where they had placed torpedoes, or barrels filled with gunpowder, in the water.

As the early morning fog lifted on some of the South’s most important rice plantations, the Union expedition hit hard. The raiders set fire to buildings and destroyed bridges so they couldn’t be used by the Confederate Army. They also freed about 750 enslaved people—men, women, children, and babies—and did not lose one soldier in the attack.

A WRITER'S QUEST

To gather the facts, Allen searched libraries and the internet, and even walked in Tubman’s footsteps. “I went on the river just south of the area where the raid took place,” he says. “You're in that kind of country she would have known, with plenty of mosquitoes and snakes, and dirt roads are still there today—so you get a feeling of what it was like.”

Allen says his most exciting moment came when a librarian led him to written accounts by people who actually saw Tubman and the raiders in action.

“She was five feet two inches (157 centimeters) tall, born a slave, had a debilitating illness, and was unable to read or write. Yet here was this tough woman who could take charge and lead men," Allen says. "I got to like her pretty quickly because of her strength and her spirit.”

Fun Mardi Gras Facts

 Here are 5 facts about Mardi Gras:

1. It's a Season, Not Just a Day: 

   The Carnival season officially starts on Twelfth Night (January 6) and lasts until Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday, leading into Lent. 
2. Colors Have Meaning: 

   The official colors are purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power, established by the Krewe of Rex in 1872 to honor a visiting Russian Grand Duke. 
3. Masks Break Social Barriers: 

   Wearing masks is required by law for float riders and was originally meant to allow people of all social classes to mingle freely, notes History.com. 
4. First Celebration in Mobile, AL: 

   While New Orleans is famous for it, the first American Mardi Gras was celebrated in Mobile, Alabama, in 1703, before parades began in New Orleans in the 1830s. 
5. "The Greatest Free Show on Earth": 

   Because parades are organized and funded by private social clubs (Krewes), New Orleans calls Mardi Gras the "Greatest Free Show on Earth," as spectators don't pay to watch the floats and throws, says Mardi Gras New Orleans. 

Groundhog Day-6 more weeks of Winter

Groundhog Day, in the United States and Canada, day (February 2) on which the emergence of the groundhog (woodchuck) from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks. Specifically, if the groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, an early spring is expected. Historical records, however, indicate that the predictions are accurate less than 40 percent of the time.

The beginning of February, which falls roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, has long been a significant time of the year in many cultures. Among the Celts, for example, it was the time of Imbolc, observed in anticipation of the birth of farm animals and the planting of crops, and February 2 is also the date of the Christian festival of Candlemas, also called the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin. During the Middle Ages there arose the belief that animals such as the badger and the bear interrupted their hibernation to appear on this day. If the day was sunny and the animal saw its shadow, six more weeks of winter weather remained. If, however, the day was cloudy, it was a sign that the weather during the following weeks would be mild, leading to an early spring. German immigrants to the United States carried the legend with them, and in Pennsylvania the groundhog came to be substituted for the badger.

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Cold or Flu

As Flu season is still upon us, it is best to know what to be aware of when it comes to sickness...

Key Flu Awareness Points:

 

• Vaccination is Key:
   An annual flu shot (or nasal spray) is the most effective way to prevent infection and reduce severity
  .
High-Risk Groups: Young children, older adults (65+), pregnant women, and those with underlying conditions (heart, lung, etc.) face higher risks.
Constant Threat: Viruses change, requiring yearly vaccination for updated protection. 

Prevention & Awareness Tips:

• Get Vaccinated: Talk to your doctor about getting your annual flu shot.
• Practice Good Hygiene: Wash hands often, cover coughs/sneezes.
• Stay Home When Sick: Avoid spreading germs.
• Know the Symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, etc..
• Bird Flu (H5N1): Avoid contact with sick birds/animals, don't drink raw milk, cook poultry properly. 

Resources:

• CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov/flu)
• WHO: World Health Organization (who.int)
• American Lung Association: lung.org (lung.org) 
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