Lincoln Elementary celebrates president's birthday with special guests

Lincoln Elementary School students were in awe as they sat in the gymnasium Wednesday morning to celebrate another birthday with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Actors Michael Krebs, 57, and Debra Ann Miller, 50, were dressed in period costumes as the president and his wife. They were at the Hoffman Estates school to celebrate Lincoln's Birthday.

Krebs and Miller, of With Lincoln Productions, kept the attention of 670 students who learned about the Lincolns during several short programs.

"We are thrilled they are here for Lincoln's 205th birthday," said Principal Mariann Alyea, noting Krebs was also at the school for Lincoln's 200th birthday.

Gerardo Robles, 7, said the program "was really neat." He was selected from among a group of students and portrayed a childhood friend of Lincoln's during the program.

Krebs, who has a theater background, mentioned the president's limited formal education and asked the students to promise to work hard in school. As the Lincolns walked out of the gymnasium after their program, they quipped, "Remember why you are off school Monday."