WEST ORANGE, NJ — Students and staff at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School in West Orange held their sixth annual Day of Service on Jan. 13 to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
The day began with grades K-5 participating in different classroom activities together. An important part of the events was to unite all the grades to complete various tasks, with the goal of teaching students that, through service, they can rise up together. As a civil rights leader and pastor, King taught and served his community in various ways. In an effort to continue King’s legacy of serving others, Mt. Pleasant students served by teaching one another about the many cultures that are represented within the Mt. Pleasant community, as well as King’s activism.
In the afternoon, several parents visited classrooms to discuss their heritage and culture; Japanese, Filipino, African, Trinidadian/Tobagonian, Pakistani, Indian, Portuguese, Jewish, French and Cuban cultures were some that were shared. The day culminated in a celebratory assembly recapping the day and joining the students in song.
“Our Mt. Pleasant MLK Day of Service was exceptional,” said guidance counselor Lisa Struncis, who organized the event with reading specialist Diana Ferrera. “Throughout the day, students came together to collaborate, teach others and celebrate the many different cultures among us. Thank you to all of our parent volunteers for taking the time to prepare wonderful presentations to share with the students. It is times like these that make learning and school so extra special.”
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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