Headlines Around the World Wish Elvis a Happy Birthday

January 8, 2013, 78 years since Elvis Presley was born and many media outlets ran news marking the day, the one which caught our attention was the news story that 'in honor of what would've been Elvis Presley's 78th birthday Tuesday, kindergarten students at Parkway Elementary in Tupelo took part in an old-fashioned sock hop! They danced to Elvis tunes, had a hula hoop contest and drag raced some mini hot wheels. Teacher Morgan Abraham said, 'They're going to dance, they're going to twist and we have all sorts of Elvis music'. Students and teachers alike came dressed for the part. Abraham said, 'They're all dressed up in white with their jeans rolled up. Some have gel in their hair slicked back and they've really gotten into it today'.

The teachers say it's a fun day, but also a way to learn about this important part of Tupelo's music history.

Abraham said, 'We just wanted our kids to understand his impact, not only on Tupelo and Mississippi, but for the whole world'.This all ties in with more than just Elvis history. Abraham said, 'We wanted to pull in the King of Rock n' Roll and his importance to music. We thought with his birthday, it would be a great way to pull in the music to learning and celebrate the arts and the importance of that at our school'.

And what better way to celebrate than with one of Tupelo's own!

** As an aside, The City Of Memphis and Shelby County isued a joint proclamation part of which credited Elvis with 'touring the world' : We wish!!! You can view a PDF of the  2013 Elvis Presley Day Proclamation.

Video : Tupelo's Parkway Elementary (01:23)

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Latest Audio (and video) updates : Video courtesy of Elvis Presley Video Central.

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