The imagination and creativity of young children were showcased Wednesday when Episcopal Day School presented "Presidential Pumpkintown."

"Pumpkintown is put together near or on Halloween day by EDS students in the second grade, and each year brings a new and exciting theme," said PTA President Vivian Vega Bolanos. "Since we are in an election year, this year's theme is presidents. Each student painted a pumpkin to represent an important president, and gave a report on that president during the Pumpkintown event."

Second-grade teachers Laura Ridzon and Kara Broughton organized the showing.

"We assigned each child a president and had them research their subjects for interesting, little-known facts," Ridzon said. "They seemed to have a good time and learned a lot in the process. Adults also learned a lot they -didn't know about the various presidents as well."

One such fact involved the -origin of the term "big cheese."

"Someone gave Thomas Jefferson a 1,235-pound block of cheese, thus giving us that term," Ridzon said. "Another child reported that Woodrow Wilson liked to play golf better than he enjoyed being president. They came up with all kinds of unusual 'hooks' that were both interesting and informative."

The presentation was made in two parts, with a parents-only showing that preceded one for the entire school. More than 180 students, -parents and teachers -attended the events, held in the school's parish hall.

Second-grade class -members related some of the facts they learned about the presidents they researched.

"Theodore Roosevelt had 36 pets, including a badger, coyote, zebra and a -kangaroo rat," said Roosevelt pumpkin creator Brooke LaFrenz, who added that she "liked learning about Theodore Roosevelt's family and what he did before he was president."

Kyleigh Woodrick, who said she was worried when she chose Harry S. Truman because she "didn't think there would be interesting things about him," found that the 33rd president "liked fried chicken, dumplings, and chocolate cake for a meal."

The children related -several humorous presidential anecdotes as well.

"George H. Bush told the White House chef that he didn't like broccoli and (since he became) president he doesn't have to eat it anymore," said Ella Pate.

Regarding the current -president, Elizabeth Kaczorowski said that Barack Obama "doesn't like ice cream because he worked at Baskin-Robbins."

Lilly Petsolt said she liked decorating the pumpkins "because everybody was so creative," and Nicholas Overton said that steel wool was "particularly odd but perfect" for making the hair for his Calvin Coolidge pumpkin.

Broughton said that both second-grade classes "were proud, excited and a little nervous" about performing for such a large audience.

Contact John Lentz at (910) 693-2479 or jlentz@thepilot. com.