To get excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, you need look no farther than the nearest elementary school.

Thanksgiving was always one of my favorite holidays when I was growing up and, curious to see if kids nowadays are any different, I took a trip recently to Albert S. Hall School in Waterville.

If you've never been there, the Hall school is this beautiful old building on Pleasant Street that is meticulously maintained and has a lot of pretty wood trim inside. To walk the halls is to take a trek down memory lane, with all the smells and colors and sounds of a school in the '60s.

Principal Harriet Trafford graciously allowed me to spend a lunch hour with 10 very engaging fourth- and fifth-graders who couldn't wait to talk about Thanksgiving and all the special things it brings -- yummy food, time off from school and best of all, spending time with those you love.

We sat around a table in the school gymnasium, which doubles as a cafeteria, and the kids were very chatty and animated. Hannah Comfort, 9, could barely contain her enthusiasm.

"I looove Thanksgiving," she said. "It's just -- you see all your family and it's just a time to sort of come together and have fun and enjoy life and family and friends. Every year we have a really big meal because my mom's one in a family of seven. We get to go to a different house each year. She has four brothers and two sisters."

For Meghan Nawfel, 10, the best part of the holiday is the food:

"Turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie. My uncle makes a really good chocolate cake on Thanksgiving."

And there were those for which food was not the major attraction.

"I like Thanksgiving," said Amica Jolicoeur, 11. "I'm not a big fan of turkey but I do enjoy getting together with family."

I asked if they help to make the meal and got various answers -- including one that drew giggles.

"I don't help and I'm not afraid to admit it!" said 11-year-old Nick Dufour.

Eventually the conversation turned to why we celebrate Thanksgiving in the first place. In 1621 the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock shared a harvest meal with the Native Americans who had befriended them, the children said.

"What I heard is that the Pilgrims came and the Indians helped them get food and water and helped people cure the sick," said Sofie Weston, 9.

An aspiring singer-actress, Weston said when she becomes famous, she also plans to help people.

"I want to make a difference in the world somehow, and make peace and donate money to the homeless, like the hobos. Thanksgiving is for the whole family and it's just to come together and share all your things and give to other people and you just share the love."

The students have been writing persuasive essays in class and some said they pretended to be turkeys and wrote about why they should not be killed and cooked.

They also have been reading this really good book, they said, called "Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving," written by Laurie Halse Anderson.

The main character in the historical fiction book is Sarah, described by the students as bold, brave, stubborn and smart. She wanted to make Thanksgiving a national holiday and tried unsuccessfully for 38 years to persuade U.S. presidents to declare it so. In 1863, a president -- Abraham Lincoln -- finally heard Sarah's call.

"Lincoln said, 'Yes!'" Comfort said. "Sarah's secret weapon was her pen and she wrote thousands and thousands and thousands of letters."

Clio Bazakas, 9, explained why Sarah worked so hard for her cause:

"She wanted to get everybody together and everybody to just celebrate together and share thanks. Instead of just keeping everything to yourself, you need to share with other people and thank people."

Comfort thought for a minute and then mused:

"Imagine what it would be like without Thanksgiving."

The din in the cafeteria grew louder as the children became more excited. Katie Lopes, John Reisert and Felicia Grant said they look forward to spending time with their families.

Weston said Thanksgiving at her house will include her grandpa, mom, dad and older sister, Abby.

"Usually my mom makes the turkey and she mostly cooks everything, but my dad makes one dish and he sets the table and he makes the gravy and stuffing. Sometimes I help my mom with the turkey and while we're cooking we watch the Thanksgiving Day parade with all the cartoon characters and balloons. We just really like that. After we eat dinner we usually go outside and play soccer, and that's usually it."

Mackenzie St. Pierre, 9, has a special reason to love the holiday.

"I was born on Thanksgiving," she said. "My mom called me a 'turkey baby.'"

Comfort thought that was pretty neat.

"I think her mom should be thankful for that," she said. "And especially on Thanksgiving."

Amy Calder has been a Sentinel reporter 21 years. Her column appears here Saturdays. She may be reached at acalder@centralmaine. com.