Wearing a tricorne hat, white wig and a blue coat befitting one the Founding Founders, Decas Elementary School first grade student Manuel Barbosa stood before his classmates on March 1.

Behind him sat 43 of his classmates all in costume for the school’s 14th annual skit, The Hall of Presidents.

Barbosa and the others all shared tidbits about the presidents they researched and wrote reports with friends and family in the school’s cafeteria.

“You’re going to see first graders present what they learned,” said first grade teacher Susan Allen. “Or at least they used to be first graders. Today, they’re going to be leaders.”

The portrayals came after students picked a president’s name at random and then completed three homework assignments. Each one challenged the students to research the president they had chosen.

Students ended up writing reports and contributing a hand drawn sketch of their president to a gallery on display in Decas.

On stage, the students shared a few facts they learned.

“I invented the famous expression OK,” said Quintin Grosso-Vincente, speaking as Martin Van Buren.

“I’m a strong leader with big ideas,” said Liviya Kline who picked James Polk.

“I loved jelly beans so much I kept them in the Oval Office,” noted Troy Semple speaking as Ronald Reagan.

At the end of the skit, parents crowded the stage for photographs and congratulations. And who knows, a future commander in chief may have been on stage that day.