Middle and high school students from the Bronx marched along Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx this month, playing Latin-infused rhythms, while majorettes twirled their batons high into the sky.
The students were among the hundreds of people who attended the Bronx Children’s Day Parade, which was hosted by the Bronx Borough President, Rubén Diaz, and the Department of Education as part of the Bronx Week celebration.
“Marching in parades is the best part of being in the band because we can show off what we’ve been working on,” said majorette Yolimaris Pizarro, a recent graduate of Satellite Academy (Bronx campus) who returned to lead the squad in this year’s parade.
Elementary school students from PS 304 Early Childhood School performed a dance number to the Motown Classic, “My Girl,” and the Lehman High School Step Team wowed the crowd with fancy footwork.
“This has been a really good year,” said a parent, Jennifer Ofarrill, whose daughter Lilly is a student at PS 304. “I’m very pleased with the activities my daughter has been able to participate in.”
One of the biggest stars of the event wasn’t a student at all. The robotics team from Morris Academy for Collaborative Studies walked its prize-winning robot, “Tán Tán,” along the parade route. The team won the 2009 Philadelphia FIRST Robotics Regional competition earlier this year.
“The Bronx Children’s Day Parade was the last of the 2009 Children’s Day Celebrations and was a great day for our students and their families. The performances were entertaining and festive and acknowledged the accomplishments of our schools,” the Department of Education’s Chief Family Engagement Officer, Martine Guerrier, said.