Action, humor, and Ronald entertained about 200 Robbins Elementary School students Tuesday in the school gymnasium.
The children from grades K-2 chortled during the hourlong show. The Spanish-speaking children, about 44 percent of the total, were transfixed — even if some had no idea what the clown was saying.
Except for the Spanish word for “hello,” Ronald spoke English and made himself understood by the age-old art of pantomime. He juggled, stumbled, pranced and even corrected the grammar spoken by a puppet in his show. Among his many talents is ventriloquism.
The show as a popular one about character education, written by the McDonald’s Corp. four years ago.
Trustworthiness, responsibility, respect, and fairness were the lessons Ronald McDonald taught through jokes, and visual comedy, using children and their teachers as stage assistants and contestants to get his point across.
A little girl with glowing brown eyes and long black hair was called to the stage to try on uniforms. Ariana was a policeman, a fireman and then a racing car driver. But what is important is “what’s inside the costume — character,” Ronald said. “It’s not about being cool, it’s about what you are on the inside.”
Trustworthiness and responsibility — not having to be reminded to do what you are supposed to do — and sharing are other examples of character, he said.
“I liked the juggling and when he hit himself on the head,” Colton Talbert, 6, said. He added that the show taught him about respect for others.
A big pair of lips, teeth and tongue worn as a mitt on Ronald’s hand talked away, leading the clown where it wanted him to go.
“Does your big mouth get you into trouble?” Ronald asked the audience. The children unhesitagingly chorused, “Yes!” “Even when angry, don’t say something that might keep you from having any friends,” he said. “Your character is something nobody can take away, ever.”
The lessons went down more easily than preaching would have. A group of contestants was given a basketball too large for the basketball hoop. They couldn’t slam-dunk it. A different group was given a ball the right size, and they were able to slam-dunk it through the hoop.
With just a little prompting from the audience, a girl raised a flag in her hand that proclaimed the game wasn’t handled fairly. The children understood that the group with the impossibly big basketball hadn’t had a chance to do their best.
“Fairness is giving everybody the same chance to do their best,” Ronald said.
“I liked the way he involved the children,” Principal Gail Dale said after the show. “Our counselor, Phyllis Lambert, will follow up with the children on the character education lessons.”
Teachers said the combination of humor and action caused the children to pay attention and absorb lessons that many don’t get at home.
Assistant Principal Sherlyn Jackson worked hard, making multiple telephone calls, to arrange for Ronald McDonald’s appearance at Robbins Elementary at no cost to the school or children.
The Manning Restaurants of North Carolina Inc. of Asheboro, who operate McDonald’s in Biscoe, sponsored his visit to Robbins.
Olga Manning, wife of the owner, attended the performance. She gave the school hundreds of coupons for free drinks or french fries.
Ronald McDonald travels all over the world. “We are everywhere,” said Ronald, who was going to Lancaster, S.C., the next day to do his character education show.
“It was perfect,” Ronald told Dale afterward. “The children were a great audience.”
He gave each child a diploma from his course.
