Senator Steve Daines took a trip back in time while talking to the future.
Daines visited first graders at his old elementary school which he attended in the 60s.
“I remember when I was walking these halls, I wanted to be a fireman or a farmer, and you remember the impact your teachers have. I remember my first-grade teacher here at Longfellow was Mrs. Hahn,” Daines said.
He answered questions ranging from his job to his birthday and then the students presented him with a piece of handmade artwork.
“We just thought it would be fun for him to have something that reminded him of his years at Longfellow and that represented the kids here and the art legacy of this school,” said Chris Garton, a first-grade teacher at Longfellow Elementary.
“Longfellow is known for its emphasis on the arts, you see the beautiful artwork all over the hallways,” Daines said.
The visit wasn’t originally scheduled for December but a post-election visit from a senator was a perfect addition to Garton’s curriculum.
“The timing couldn’t have been better, we’ve spent a lot of time this fall talking about leadership, talking about government and what government does, we’ve been talking about leadership in our school and in Bozeman and in Montana,” Garton said.
As a reflection on Senator Daines visit today, the kiddos will be writing thank you notes explaining what things they think Montanans need.