Fourth-grader Arthur Harris welcomed students from grades K-8, faculty members and parents who filled the school gymnasium. Aren Baghdasarian, fourth grade, followed with the
Pledge of Allegiance and went on to discuss its true meaning. Fellow fourth-grader Jason Robertson led a moment of silence to reflect on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jillian Brady, fourth grade, introduced the song
Let Freedom Ring, which was written by last year’s 4th grade class under the direction of their teacher Tonita Fernandez.
The 4th and 5th graders sang together while wearing t-shirts designed by Fernandez and Chandler parent Greg Andrade. The young performers were flanked by “I have a Dream… a dream realized” posters designed by Andrade to mark this special holiday and Tuesday’s inauguration.
The assembly continued with another song,
We Shall Overcome, introduced by 4th grader Sophia Terrile.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE A FULL SLIDESHOW FROM THE ASSEMBLY.
Fifth-grader Jake McCarthy then delivered Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Fourth-graders Kami Durairaj and Sabrina de Brito recited a poem about the Civil Rights Movement, from Abraham Lincoln’s era, to MLK and Barack Obama; the poem was penned by Kami Durairaj.
Tony Kukavica, 4th grade, performed a violin solo of the Black National Anthem,
Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson.
Assembly attendees filed out of the gym to the sounds of African drums by Chaz as they pondered the notion of coming full circle through MLK’s dream being realized.
The inspirational day continued as the 4th graders took a field trip to the Jackie Robinson Center in Northwest Pasadena and the Senior Citizen Center of Pasadena. They performed songs for the seniors and visitors at both locations.
At the Jackie Robinson Center, an African American man in his 80s was so moved by the visit, he started crying. He said he never thought he would live to see freedom like this. Teachers, parent chaperones and students alike became teary-eyed, recognizing the importance of how far the Civil Rights Movement has come.
Fourth-grader Olivia Vandergriff said, “It was really special to see that we were able to make someone feel so touched. And I think that seniors make a great difference in life. Where would we be without them?”
