No one is sure exactly how long the tradition has been going on, but each year for more than 40 years the Chinook Lions Club has given miniature, desk top American flags to each first grader at Meadowlark Elementary. This year 22 first graders received the miniature flags.

Lions Club President Richard Cronk told the students, "Each year around George Washington's birthday celebration we come to give out flags to first graders." He asked the first graders to stand, with him and the other Lions Club members, and repeat the pledge of allegiance to the flag. It was pretty clear these little guys w...