These questions, except the last one, were just some of the brain-benders that Liberty Elementary 3rd-graders lobbed at their principal and school resource officer in “Are You Smarter Than a 4th-Grader?”

The assembly pitted the adults individually against five students, who sat at a table on a stage beautifully decorated in red, white and blue. Three other students asked questions relating to America. Wrong answers earned the school more and more “Star Cards.” The star card program is a method of positive reinforcement that encourages good manners and good behavior by students. The school’s goal was 10,000 Star Cards.

Occasionally, contestants could ask for a hint. No help was permitted from the audience, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Principal Jeri Finnegan was asked which president made Flag Day a recognized holiday. “What’s the answer, Mom?” Finnegan asked her mother, who was in the audience. Well, she didn’t give it up, Finnegan answered “Franklin Delano Roosevelt,” and bingo – another Star Card for the school. The answer is “Harry S. Truman.”

The program was interrupted when the school fire drill began clanging. The school dutifully filed outside and waited until the all-clear, then came back in and the game resumed. “That was some commercial break, wasn’t it?” commented Assistant Principal Amy Brockner.

With the help of Finnegan and Officer Anthony Santos’s incorrect answers, the school was able to top their goal and earn a total of 10,643 star cards for the year. That earns them a dance party at LaPolte Park in the middle of downtown Liberty later this month.

By the way, the answers to the above questions are: 1) Francis Scott Key 2) 50 stars, one year more than the 48-star flag, 3) Make their teachers proud by behaving calmly and quietly.

The toughest question was: What do you call someone who studies flags or is a flag expert? A vexologist!

Jared Law, Alyssa Marciano and Donavan Nietzal try to stump the principal by asking tough questions last Friday during Liberty Elementary School’s “Are You Smarter Than a 4th Grader?”

The end of the assembly was full of flag-waving fun.