Hamilton 5th Grader Learns Life Lessons from RBG

It started out as a way to pass the time and learn a little something during an are-we-there-yet summer car ride, when Hamilton 5th grader, Lucy Spangler first learned about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lucy’s mom Courtney plugged into a podcast based on the book “Bedtime Stories for Rebel Girls,” which told the life stories of strong women including Cleopatra, Jane Austen, Amelia Earhart, Coco Chanel, Serena Williams and Ginsburg.

From the very first chapter, Lucy was hooked. “I loved that her nickname was ‘Tiny but Mighty,’” Lucy said, “My nickname is also Tiny, and it was her life story, how she overcame illnesses, pursued higher education when not many women did, and became only the 2nd woman in history to be a Supreme Court Justice that really interested me.” From there, Lucy read books and learned more about Ginsburg online, and collected RBG memorabilia like dolls and pillows. She even dressed up as the Justice for Halloween (the resemblance was uncanny!)

Lucy’s connection to RBG comforted her during the pandemic, and she started asking herself WWRBGD (What Would Ruth Bader Ginsburg Do?) when faced with problem situations. She even sent her a handwritten birthday card for her 87th birthday in March. Sadly, Ginsburg never responded, and passed away on September 18, 2020. “It was like I lost an admired friend or family member,” said Lucy, who feels more strongly than ever about celebrating and remembering RBG’s legacy. “She embodied ‘girl power,’ and showed through her perseverance and leadership that girls can do anything, and to never give up.” Lucy admired the fact that while Ginsburg was on the Supreme Court, she made tough decisions and always wanted to do the right thing regardless of who disagreed. Excellent lessons to learn that can carry us through dark times, and push us all forward.

And just recently, Lucy connected with a group called ‘Notorious RBG’ (a cheeky pop-culture nickname for Ginsburg) who put on a virtual charity 5K run in RBG’s name. “My mom and I did the run, and were proud that the proceeds went to women’s charities.” Just like RBG would have wanted.

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Photos courtesy of Troy Schools and the Spangler family