Patriotism on full display at Richboro assembly
COrNCIL ROCh - Students at Richboro Elementary School aren’t required to wear uniforms. On Nov. 14, though, most of the children were decked out in red, white and blue as the school celebrated their 23rd annual patriotism day.
School music teacher hathleen O’Connor has been preparing for the event since school started in September. She and the four second-grade classes have been rehearsing once a week VLnFe WKe yeDU’V fiUVW PuVLF class, learning songs such as “You’re a drand Old clag” and “This Land is Your Land” and studying facts about the flDg DnG WKe SWDWue RI LLEeUWy, which they dutifully recited in unison as the student body looked on.
It’s one of the highlights of O’Connor’s year, and has been since she started at Richboro Elementary 23 years ago.
“The kids understand what seterans Day is,” O’Connor said. “I love to hear children’s voices, sending the message that we are very grateful to veterans who are protecting us.” O’Connor proudly relayed a story she had heard earlier in the morning, telling visitors that the kids broke out into an impromptu rehearsal on the school bus coming to school Wednesday morning.
While the assembly is aimed at thanking veterans, there were only two in the audience. Many more were expected to be in attendance during the event’s afternoon session. One who was there in the morning is the school nurse, Charlene Lindsey, who said she has gotten emotional each time she’s seen the production.
“Ohhh, I cry though the whole assembly,” said Lindsey, who was a nurse in the rnited States Army during the sietnam War era. “It’s wonderful that we celebrate veterans.”
O’Connor, Lindsey and Richboro Elementary School Principal Rebecca drimm all agree that though the performers are young, WKey’Ue ROG enRugK WR unGeUVWDnG WKe VLgnLficance of what they’re doing. “This is a very important event because the second graders learn the music and they remember this,” drimm said. “Year after year, it gives them a chance to recognize veterans. Many of them have grandparents who are veterans.”
The 30-minute assembly gave the children a chance to show off what they’ve spent 10 weeks learning. As one voice, the group explained what each color of the flDg UeSUeVenWV (UeG IRU FRuUDge, white for purity and blue for loyalty), that the Liberty Bell was actually cracked twice and various facts about the bald eagle.
The rest of the school’s students sat cross-legged on the gymnaVLuP flRRU, DOO EuW WKe fiUVW gUDGers reminiscing about their own experience on the school stage. During the program’s more quiet moments, several could be heard whispering – almost bragging – about one relative or another who serves or has served in the military.
The school’s four second-grade teachers were perched right in front of the stage, each one lip-synching the songs as if to lead the young performers. On this day, though, the children needed no help. More than two months of training will do that. The children capped their performance with a gift for their music teacher, handing her a copy of the appropriately titled book, “Sweet Land of Liberty.”
“The kids do a great job,” said school volunteer Ron Rosenberg, the other veteran in attendance. “This is more for them than it is for us. cor them to know there are veterans out WKeUe DnG wKDW WKey GLG IRU uV … WKey Gefinitely realize what veterans did after this is all over.”