Fourth graders at PS 127 celebrate New York

The pre-teens, dressed in ‘I Love New York’ t-shirts, stood nice and tall, but most importantly full of confidence, in front of a large crowd on Friday, February 15, to show them what they had learn about the city that they live in.

“The Brooklyn Bridge took 14 years to complete,” Danee Jawad said to the audience, which included local politicians such as State Senator Marty Golden, Councilmember Vincent Gentile and a representative for New York State Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny, who came to see the fourth graders’ representation of the Big Apple.

Class 4-301 sang the “Lullaby of Broadway,” while class 4-302 chanted “New York, New York,” the song made famous by Frank Sinatra. And then came a mini representation of the Statue of Liberty, little Henry Hudson, a poem about Giovanni da Verrazano, “City, City,” and finally a performance of “Empire State of Mind” by the four fourth grade classes.

“They were fantastic. They couldn’t have done any better,” said one of the fourth grade teachers who worked equally hard with the kids to make them shine. Karen Doherty, Anita Kelly, Anna Gold and Jenn Epstein were proud of their students’ “phenomenal,” job after what they said were two months of intense rehearsals.

“You did an outstanding job,” Golden told the children. “We, here, all came from some place,” he continued, explaining to them that his family migrated many years ago from Ireland. “And most of us are still here,” he added. “Nobody makes pizza, bagels and bread better than us.”

Gentile congratulated the fourth graders, telling them that they make the whole community proud:

“This is what New York is all about.”