By Kathianne Boniello
The gray concrete of the PS 31 playground in Bayside came alive with red, white and blue Monday when hundreds of American flag-waving schoolchildren thanked Bayside's police officers and firefighters for their work in the World Trade Center disaster.
The highlight of the special ceremony – in which about 600 PS 31 students sang patriotic songs and waved American flags for an audience of firefighters and police officers – was the presentation of a large white sign covered in handwritten thank you messages from the school's students and staff.
The sign, which featured an American flag in one corner and “God Bless America” in the other, bannered a headline saying “Our heartfelt thanks to our NYFD, NYPD, EMS, PAPD and all the volunteers for their heroic efforts during the World Trade Center crisis, September 11, 2001.”
The banner was donated to the school by the Bayside Sign Company and the Bayside Times, while the Bayside Business Association donated the American flags to the students for the event.
Police officers from the 111th Precinct in Bayside joined firefighters from throughout the area, including Engine Co. 326 and Ladder Co. 160 on Springfield Boulevard and 64th Avenue, Engine Co. 320 on Francis Lewis Boulevard and Ladder Co. 160 on the Cross Island Parkway.
During the ceremony the students sang a number of patriotic songs, led by music teacher Alexandria Dunne, including “Proud to be an American,” the “Star Spangled Banner,” and “America the Beautiful.” The event included a musical rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Afterwards firefighters and police officers lined up as scores of beaming children came by, saying hello and shaking their hands. Older children asked the rescue workers for their autographs, offering up the American flags the students had waved during the ceremony. Many ran to get more than one signature from the smiling police officers and firefighters.
Principal Angela Monda, who thanked the Bayside Sign Company, the Bayside Business Association and the Bayside Times for the banner and praised the rescue workers, said the school has raised more than $4,300 for World Trade Center relief efforts.
John Royon, owner of Bayside Signs, said he was inspired to organize the ceremony after seeing artwork made by the students outside the school's fence last month. The drawings and essays created by the PS 31 schoolchildren reflected their thoughts and feelings after the terrorist destruction of the Twin Towers.
“We decided to come up with something that would last forever,” Royon said of his company's decision to create and donate the banner. Royon told the crowd of students the banner would hang on the schoolyard fence for about three weeks before being hung in the school's gym “to fly forever.”
111th Precinct Capt. Julio Ordonez said he and his men were grateful for the community's help and assistance since the Sept. 11 attacks.
“The letters, the calls, the prayers – and especially the cookies – have helped us all,” he said as the crowd giggled.
Firefighters Karl Van Kasten and David Randazzo, also of Engine Co. 326, said they were thrilled at the children's excitement during and after the ceremony.
Van Kasten said “it's great to see the support of all the children, waving the American flag. We need this – everybody needs this.”
Randazzo agreed.
“It feels terrific,” he said. “They did a good job of lifting our spirits.”
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
