Proud parents’ camcorders zoomed in at the Wallace Primary School on Wednesday as their children waved handheld American flags and sang patriotic songs at the school’s “Americana Assembly.” In the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, even the youngest members of the Hoboken community realize the importance of unity.
“We don’t care what they take from us; we’re still proud to be Americans,” said fifth grader Jeanine Cintron before the assembly started.
That kind of dignity was evident as the young students performed skits and dances to educate and celebrate different states in the union. For example Cintron’s class selected California. Clinton and several of her classmates effortlessly spouted of facts and figures about the “The Golden State” and then led the audience in the singing of California’s state anthem.
Other classes chose to celebrate other states. New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Alaska, and Hawaii were all represented. The students for Hawaii hula danced, the students for Alaska wore parkas, and the New York students wore “I Love NY” t-shirts and led the crowd in the singing of the classic song “New York, New York”.
“It really makes your heart feel good,” said Superintendent of Schools Patrick Gagliardi. “It is a really significant effort on the part of the teachers to get the students involved in patriotism.”
Joining Gagliardi in the audience were Hoboken Mayor David Roberts, State Sen. Bernard Kenny (D-Hoboken) and Board of Education member Carmelo Garcia.
During the assembly, the mayor expressed his gratitude to the students and the teachers. “First of all I want to recognize all the hard work that the teachers have put in to this to make it happen,” he said. “You have made it abundantly clear to me and all of your elected officials that you love this country.”
Garcia, whose second grade daughter performed in the assembly, said that he is also grateful for the effort that the teachers put in.
“It’s a symbol that this staff is doing a wonderful job,” he said. “[They’re] teaching our students at an early age the moral value of staying united as a country and a community.”
Rachael Urena, a fifth grade, added she hopes that their performance both entertains and educates the students and parents that were in attendance.
“What we really want to is make people happy,” Urena said just before she was to go on to stage. “After this tragedy, we felt like we had to do something. That’s why we came up with the idea of celebrating America and representing the states.”