Multicultural Show Celebrates Diversity
At Atkinson Intermediate School
FREEPORT, N.Y., Feb. 25, 2008
by Theresa Giusto/Felicia Febrizio |
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ith flags of many nations adorning the auditorium walls, students at the Atkinson Intermediate School celebrated ethnic diversity and Black History Month with a multicultural show of music, dance and oration. |
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Students honored the achievements of Harriet Tubman and how she courageously led slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad |
Setting the tone for the show were patriotic and inspiring songs performed by the fifth- and sixth-grade chorus — and a musically gifted fifth-grader named Brendon Belizaire. Donning a tuxedo, Brendon roused the audience into thunderous applause with his piano solo of “What a Wonderful World,” by Louis Armstrong. |
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The Atkinson Step & Drill Team clapped and stomped its way through a rhythmic performance. |
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With pictures of prominent African Americans displayed on a gigantic screen, the young performers praised the achievements of Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Madam C.J. Walker, Louis Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Oprah Winfrey. Students recited the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech — both in English and Spanish — and of Poet Laureate Maya Angelou’s “I Rise.” Before introducing the dance numbers, students spoke about the jazz movement and how dance styles such as hip-hop and step dance were born out of the jazz and blues genre. |
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Fifth-grader Brandon Belizaire shared his musical talents on the piano with a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” |
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The Atkinson Step & Drill Team performed their rhythmic moves featuring a series of stomps and claps. More step and hip-hop dancing was performed by a
set of twins called the Double Team and by the Reggaeton & Hip Hop Dancers made up of students in the accelerated programs such as XLELA and Project Challenge.
“We are very proud of all the students who made this program a success,” said Arlene Easter, a teacher on special assignment for math and the coordinator of the event. “The multicultural show represents the ethnic diversity we have at our school.”
Freeport Public Schools is a diverse, innovative district on Long Island’s South Shore serving about 6,750 students in grades Pre-K through 12. The district and its eight schools take pride in having the region’s only magnet schools of choice, a longstanding and award-winning classroom English/Spanish Dual Language Program, and a high school where students excel in competitions that include the regional Academic Challenge, Odyssey of the Mind and Future Problem Solving International. The district’s New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for its high student performance and engaging curriculum. |
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