Former First Lady of the United States, Melanie Trump, has congratulated and thanked the principal, students and teachers of Lupelele Elementary School who created Christmas ornaments for the National Tree display at the White House lawn this past Christmas.
The letter with Mrs Trump’s signature arrived last week and a copy has been framed and proudly displayed at the school.
And each of the 12 students whose creations hung on one of the trees that lined the Ellipse have a copy of Mrs Trump’s letter for keeps.
Teacher Tautinei Galoaia who coordinated the school’s ornaments project said they felt humbled and honored to receive a letter on White House stationary and signed by the then First Lady herself.
She thanked the 12 students who used their God-given talents to create the ornaments which depicted arts and scenes of American Samoa.
The ornaments showed a taupou preparing the ava, a man fishing on a paopao, the tanoa, staff and whisk, fale Samoa and hibiscus and pua flowers .
Lupelele was one of 56 schools across America selected to make ornaments for the America Celebrates ornament display, a collaboration between the National Park Service, the US Dept of Education and the National Park Foundation.
Principal of Lupelele Elementary, Julie Faauliuli Meleisea said their students worked very hard on the ornaments and she is very proud that their work will be viewed by thousands of people who will visit the Christmas tree display.
The student artists are:
- Andrew Alingacion
- Faafetai Sapakuka
- Anjini Chand
- Esperanza Talataina
- Dante Lausen
- Jeremiah Falute
- Samuela Sorby
- Siaumau Fiu
- Jasmine Lafaele
- Nuufoulotopa Leuta
- Sopoilagi Te’i
- Tasjsha Ames
