A Trip Back In Time to Ellis Island

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Dan Raphael

In December, we took a great field trip to Ellis Island. The students pretended to be their immigrant characters in the year 1908.

Beckett: In the Great Hall I am standing terrified with the legal inspector making his move that determines my life.

Cecilia: The inspector kept questioning me as if I was hiding something. I didn’t know I would be led to mental tests.

Chase: I’m so excited to get off the boat. I go on the deck. I see the Statue of Liberty. I’m almost at Ellis Island. No more seasickness. No more.

The steerage passengers are upset that the first class passengers are getting off first. The captain gave us bread to make us feel better.

Dash: I am on the boat looking at the Statue of Liberty.

When I entered the Great Hall, I started to get nervous. Different emotions filled the cavern. What was in front of me in my journey was not yet to come. A bunch of hope and fear filled me. Filled other immigrants. And yet to come was something for me to keep on moving on this journey or to end this journey.

Freya: I wait to be inspected with goosebumps all over my body. Even though I am smiling I don’t feel that way.

Gray: I just came off the boat and I am in the Great Hall doing the legal inspection with my new best friend Dimitrios.

We were so happy that we were able to go to New York.

Imogen: I am with my friends and have just gotten off the boat. We are getting all our excitement out after being cramped on a boat. I am the most excited.

Jasiri: I am looking at the test-giver hoping to be let in.

Leo: I’m taking the test. I’ve passed and I’m very relieved.

Lily: I was scared for the inspections. I did not know if I was going to pass. I am the one in the scarf.

The lines were so long!

Luc: I am standing with some other steerage passengers and we have just arrived on Ellis Island.

Luca: This is me getting inspected. I was scared. I passed, I was so happy.

Mayer: At inspections, I was feeling queasy. Questions are being fired at you is not a good feeling.

Mia: This is me getting inspected. I was scared but when I passed I felt so happy.

Milla: I am taking the legal test, the last test. I could not explain the feeling I had at that time, scared, excited, worried, happy. When I passed my heart exploded!

Oliver: I just got off the boat with a couple of my good friends. I am about to go into the Great Hall.

The legal inspectors were very scary!

All the kids were playing as we watched our boat go back to England. We get to stay in New York!

I look out at the water and see the beautiful Statue of Liberty. I have made it to America.

Samuel: I am looking at Lady Liberty and I feel happy and sad. I was happy to go to Manhattan but sad because I am going to miss my grandfather.

Sophie: I am looking out at the Manhattan skyline through binoculars. I felt so happy that I passed the inspection.

Wyeth: I just passed the inspections and am waiting for the ferry with my friends, Emily and Madelia.

Zach: I just got to Ellis Island and made a friend named Kingston. I am smiling because I got past inspection.

For more photos, check out the photo album.

The Union Square Post-it Wall

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Dan Raphael

The Wall Against The Wall

By Jasiri Young

NEW YORK NY- On Thursday, December 15, Dan and Tara’s fourth grade class went to Union Square. They saw the post-it protest against Trump. They were going there for a Social Studies Field Trip. The wall is full of post-its that had people’s thoughts on the election on them. They made them because There were many post-its that said “We’re all in this together!” Also, some had swear words.

Many were against Trump, while some were for Trump. They were very inspiring and hopeful. A witness asked a chaperone on the field trip, “What are they doing? It is very interesting.” and then the chaperone said, “These are fourth graders taking notes on this wall.” and then the witness started crying. She was so moved by it and she cried until she couldn’t talk anymore and then she left. After that, some fourth graders asked her about her thoughts on the wall and she said, “Well, it’s awesome! And, this gives a message of hope to world, and it’s just great.”

There were many post-its. They were mostly saying either don’t give up! Or we’re all in this together! Some weren’t even really related to the election. One said, stop wearing fur! Don’t kill animals! Many said, black lives matter! Or Global Warming exists Trump! This man named Matthew Chavez created this idea to have a wall of post-its called “post-it protest.” Then, tons of people started putting post-its on the wall and it got started. Matthew is trying to show Trump what people think.

You Post-it I See-it

By Milla van Gastel

Manhattan-The fourth graders went to see the walls of post-its at Union Square on 12/15/16. There were a lot of post-its, they were looking at them and taking part. They even got to put their own post-its on the wall. A women started tearing up and had to leave because she was so moved!

They went to the post-it wall because they wanted to see what people are doing right now and what they are saying. They contributed to the wall by putting their ideas and thoughts down. A lot of the post-its were about the election and the next few years. They took notes and read the post-its also. They also were interviewing people that were looking at the post-its, one person said, “ I think this is really cool, people are saying nice encouraging things to help each other and make each other feel safe.

The wall of post-its was a very good learning experience for them and it was fun to see everyone thoughts, comments, and ideas right now. There was one line of post-its that said something interesting: HATE ONLY BREEDS MORE HATE, SPREAD LOVE. And some fourth graders thought that was true and that we need to do that too. And it was really amazing to go see the wall!

Chase wrote about the Constitution.

The preamble of the Constitution was to describe a perfect constitution and what America should look like and be like. The constitution wanted a perfect America to convince the U.S but guess what the constitution got out of it. A bunch of filthy cities.

You might know what the Statue of Liberty is. Well look at liberty. What does liberty mean? It means freedom. The founding fathers of the constitution wanted to liberate all people who didn’t like the king come to America and live in a free country. Think about the last part of the national anthem. It’s “home of the free and land of the brave”, well something like that.

I haven’t seen a lot of fairness around the country. The constitution wanted fairness. Some people are trying to be fair but some people are not. I’m not talking about sports and other things that don’t have to do with the law. I’m talking about wealth and being able to afford food. And guess what? I still don’t see people being treated fairly.

Peace is basically America. And you know why? We have such a great army, navy and military. That’s why other countries barely attack America. That’s what the constitution got.

The constitution wanted a good future. 2016 is what the constitution was looking forward to but not exactly. Look at America. What do you think about when you see people pollute? Is this what the founding fathers of the constitution wanted? No! Somebody once told me global warming was the most important issue for him. Do you know why he said that? He said that because the world depends on it.

Please help make the world a better place.

Lizbeth: A Contemporary Immigration Story

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Dan Raphael

Lizbeth’s Story

By Wyeth Zeff

NYC-On December 1st 2016, one of the LREI spanish teachers, Lizbeth came to the fourth grade to talk about when she came to America, and how she just became an American citizen and how it was her first time voting.

Lizbeth is originally from Lima ,Peru and moved to the U.S. in 2004. When she left Peru with one of her daughters she had a hard time traveling and taking all her things from her house to the U.S., it took her about two years. She hadn’t had a notarized document saying her husband knew she was taking their daughter out of the country. In the end she got on the plane but it wasn’t easy.

When Lizbeth finally got to America her husband took her to his favorite diner called John’s. Of course Lizbeth was new to America and had all these questions like…… What is a diner? What is a pancake? Lizbeth’s husband knew she loved to eat, so he ordered a 12 oz cheeseburger with cheese fries and it’s been her favorite thing to get there ever since.

In 2016 when Lizbeth decided to become an American citizen she had to get her picture taken and scan her fingerprints and she also had to answer 10 questions out of a 100, she got a packet with 100 questions so she could figure it out before the test. When she got asked the questions she got all of them right. The questions were something like “What do the American citizens celebrate on July Fourth?”

She had to give her Peruvian passport to become an American citizen. Lizbeth got a little teary but now she was able to vote. Lizbeth loves to cook new recipes, drive her children to different places and loves dancing with her family and even her dog dances too. Everyday she celebrates that she is in America!

Lizbeth’s Story

By Samuel

Manhattan(LREI)- Lizbeth our early bird teacher turns out to be an immigrant. She came to New York from Peru in 2004. She had to answer 10 questions to get a visa to come to the US because she didn’t want to come illegally.

Her daughter was 1 years old when they left Peru. Lizbeth was sad that she was leaving her family and she’d have to give up her Peru passport. When she got to the US she lived in Queens. She didn’t know many words but a couple words like potato, tomato and hello. The other words she spoke were in Spanish. When she came to the US it was hard to find a job but she found one at LREI.

Her parents came to New York for her daughter’s quincenera. Since there was nobody that they knew, they just grabbed some people who were from Peru to come to the quincenera. They assumed that they would know what it was. At the quincenera she found her true love.

She lived with her husband and he taught her about New York City. Like a diner that had pancakes, eggs and cereal and big, juicy burgers and cheesy fries. He taught her how to speak English and get used to her new home. She has lived there ever since feeling bittersweet about being in America and not being in Peru.

Transcript for the visit:

Lorenzo: Why didn’t you take your whole family with you? Too much money?

Lizbeth: My husband’s mom and her family came here illegally and crossed the border, and I didn’t want to have that experience. It took me two years to get over here because we wanted to do it lawfully.

Lizbeth: “Green cards have an expiration date. When that date comes close, you have to make a decision to either renew it or become a citizen. Do I want to become a citizen or stay a permanent resident? I saw the elections coming up, and I had to make a decision, do I want to give up my Peruvian nationality? It was a very hard decision.”

Lizbeth: “When I decided, I filled out the application, submitted it, waited for months, had to give fingerprints, a picture taken, and a background check. Then they gave me a packet and said you need to know a little bit of our history. The book had 100 questions about the USA! They said you would have ten questions and they wouldn’t’ tell you which ones they were out of 100. I was a little nervous and studied with Kenna. I was worried. I didn’t know what was going to happen if I didn’t get them all right.”

“I did get them right. So, I passed the test and became a citizen!”

Asher: “Why did this election make you feel this way more than others?”

Lizbeth: “I had been part of elections in Peru before becoming a citizen and I knew how important that was. I wanted to have a voice in your country and wanted my kids to witness that I was taking a part and being responsible for my country.”

Lorenzo: “Does the average citizen know all those answers to the questions?”
Lizbeth: “I don’t know and don’t want to generalize, but my husband knew some answers and didn’t know some others.”

Mayer: “How long did it take you to memorize all this stuff?”
Lizbeth: “I got the packet in February and studied every day. I studied on the ride to work and downloaded an app that helped me.”

Jasiri: “Why didn’t you become a citizen in 2012?”
Lizbeth: “I don’t think I was ready to give up my Peruvian nationality. I had to give up my passport at the naturalization ceremony.”

Asher: “Before this election, is there anything that made you want to become a citizen?”
Lizbeth: “I guess there are some things that you can only do when you become a citizen like voting and being part of a jury. There are some things you can only apply for if you become a citizen. But it was really hard to give up my Peruvian nationality”

Lorenzo: “I’m guessing Peru does not allow you to have two nationalities?”
Lizbeth: “They do, but I would have to go through the process of applying again, and could have dual citizenship. But it is a long process with lots of paperwork.”

Sam: “Do you still write to and talk to your family members in Peru?”
Lizbeth: “Yes, I talk to my parents almost every day. I’m so thankful for Skype and I can see them through Skype, and I can visit them and they can come visit me.”

Lorenzo: “When will you have enough money to bring you family over?”
Lizbeth: “I don’t think they want to come.”

Dan: “How did you end up in Queens?”
Lizbeth: “My husband lived in Queens and emigrated here when he was three. His family lived in Jackson Heights and we lived with his family. Once we could afford our own place we decided to stay in the neighborhood because I fell in love with it; it felt a little like home. I now live close to a Peruvian restaurant that tastes like my mom’s cooking!

“What was it like bringing your daughter and moving here?”
Lizbeth: “Well, we didn’t realize we needed a piece of paper that had a notarized signature that said my husband knew I was taking our daughter out of the country. We had to get a new flight and new papers! I had my daughter, all my things, I spoke very little English, and it was really an adventure. I was practicing English on the plane, how to say Hello and I had a dollar with me so I could call someone on the phone.”

“When could you specifically speak English?”
Lizbeth: “I practiced a lot, I read a lot, I love to read, I checked out kids books from the library, I listened to lots of music in English. I would take the train even if I got lost so I could be independent. From the moment I arrived I worked really hard because I couldn’t afford to take a class. I would say two years.”

Lorenzo: “So, 2006.”

Mayer: “What’s your favorite food in Peru and what’s your favorite food here?”
Lizbeth: “That’s hard! Ceviche, fried calamari, it always comes with ceviche. Every time I go to Peru, I go to this place I went when I was little that still sells the best ceviche in the entire world. I love this dish that has beans with beef stew that is so good, but I can’t find it here!

CC: What reminds you most of Peru here?
Lizbeth: “I live in a neighborhood with a lot of Spanish speaking people: lots of Colombians, Ecuadorians, some Peruvians. I like walking down the street and hearing people speak in Spanish or hearing traditional Peruvian music.”

Wyeth: “How did you meet your husband?”
Lizbeth: “Good question! We met when we were 15 years old. He had just gotten his citizenship and his mom decided it was time for him to go back to Peru, as he is Peruvian. What we didn’t know is that our families grew up together in the same neighborhood. My cousin was having her quinceañera and our family invited him over because they wanted to welcome him back, and that’s how we met! There!”

Lily: “What is a quinceañera?”
Lizbeth: “In Spanish speaking countries, we don’t celebrate the sweet 16, we celebrate the 15th birthday.”

Dan: “What’s the first time you ate something and thought, ‘This is American!’?”
Lizbeth: “When I first came, I couldn’t believe how cold it was. It’s not that cold in Peru. My husband told me I needed to bundle up. But as soon as we stepped out of the airport and into the car, it was so freezing cold and it hit me. So that day my husband said I want to take you to my favorite diner. And he said you can have pancakes! Or cereal! What? In Peru there is no pancakes or cereal. Just kinds of oatmeal. He took me to the diner and he showed me the big menu, and I saw hamburger. I asked is that like hamburguesa? So he ordered a bacon cheeseburger deluxe with a 12 ounce patty, and he knew I love cheese so he asked for cheese fries. I remember them bringing the plate and looking at it and I thought, this is very different! This is not my rice and beans with breaded chicken on top like my mom used to make. It’s my favorite thing still! We still go to that diner and I order a bacon cheeseburger deluxe with cheese fries! The diner is called Johns. If you ever want to go to Queens in Jackson Heights and it’s an amazing neighborhood.”

What did your baby eat at the diner?
Lizbeth: “Good question. She had a little bit of pancake and she loved it.”

CC: What’s the common or traditional dance in Peru?
Lizbeth: “Peru has the coast, countryside and jungle. THere’s one traditional dance in each. Coast is the marinara, in the country is the yaeno or the wayana, and in the jungle it’s the chibi dance.”

Laiali: “Where in Peru did you live?”
Lizbeth: “I lived in Callao, which is one of the districts of Lima.”

Bailey: “What was it like growing up in Peru compared to here?”
Lizbeth: “My daughter asks me that question. I can see the opportunities that she has here, and I say I can give you a better future here.”

Asher: “What’s your favorite activity besides going to the restaurant?”
Lizbeth: “On a day off when I don’t have to come to work, I love driving and to take my kids to new places, and I love photography so I take my camera with me and take pictures of everything. I love dancing, so I put on salsa and merengue music and everybody dances, even our dog! I love cooking and baking, so if there is a new recipe I like to try it.”

Lorenzo: “How did you end up working at LREI?”
My husband’s aunt was the caregiver for a family here, and she heard that they were looking for a coverage person because the current coverage person had to leave. They needed someone to cover lunch and rest in Kindergarten. Only two hours a week. I needed the money and met with a person named Delia and Meghan Dunphy, and that was my very first interview in English, pure English. I came on November 19, in 2005 and started working here November 21, 2005. I have been working here since then!”

Teardrop Park and the Hudson River

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Dan Raphael

In mid November, we took our first field trip of the year. We ate lunch, ran around, wrote some poetry, slid on a big slide, and played at the playground. We came back to school to finish our poems and paint our memories in watercolors. Enjoy!

Teardrop Park

By Milla

Up and down the water goes
The highline in view
The sun making the water
Sparkle like a diamond
Lady Liberty and Ellis Island on the water
Those big cranes behind them
Boats go smoothly on the water
Almost as if they are hovering on the surface
Birds in the distance
This is the Highline view
From Battery Park!

Teardrop Park
By Wyeth Zeff

The leaves are falling,

When people are stalling

And Dan is calling look out at the view,

The sunshine is bright,

Planes took their flight

And the water is also blue too,

I look at the clouds,

The chatter is loud,

I talk to the person I see,

I look at the sight,

I know what to write,

For my perfect poem beside me.

Teardrop Park
By Freya Sutter

Trees move with the wind
Sun shines on the fiElds
The wAter bumps
Children climb Rocks
Dan and Tara read
Red leaves fall
cOlor is everywhere
The children are hapPy

We are Playing in the sun
wind in my hAir
I run on the gRass
The trip was breathtaking

The Hudson River
By Harlan Paroff

The Hudson River is near
As the sun shines above the fear
The wind turns light
As the sun stays bright

The leaves are blowing in the air
As the wind is blowing through my hair
The bricks are a rusty gold
They aren’t very BOLD
I see the waves
It was a picture i will save

The Hudson
By Samuel

The water sways like
The Duat a magical realm
The sun is blinding like
The morning light
The Statue of Liberty
Stands high
Like a
Mother watching us

A Day at Teardrop Park
By Jasiri Young

The Statue of Liberty on
Ellis Island
Awesome colors everywhere!
Red trees,
Duck families,
Rooftops,
Oval clocks,
Parks all over!

Playgrounds,
Autumn,
Radical!
KIDS!!!!!

Teardrop park is super fun,
When I’m on the slide, I’m never done!
Sliding down is super fast,
I’m going faster than the past!

Teardrop Park
By Oliver Benavidez

The buildings tower
High above the human ground
As the grey pigeons fly down
And then fly right back up again
As kids chase them away many at a time.
As nests are being constructed in the branches
Of the trees.
As you sit down quietly
And just wait for something
Great to happen
Or something small to happen
Like a butterfly to fly by.
You sit down quietly as the waves blow
Wind into your direction.
Teardrop park
The park of grey pigeons
Tall buildings
Kids
Nests
And butterflies

I Can See Across The Water
By Zach Mastrodimos

I see calm water,
I see the Hudson River,
I see boats,
I see that the water is bluish green,
I see giant buildings,
I feel small looking at the buildings,
I see my apartment building,
I see tiny waves,
I see New Jersey,
I feel Awesome!

A Day at Teardrop Park
By Imogen Notaro

Children staring ahead
Branches swing
Wind in your hair
BIG BOULDERS, little rocks
Pigeons straw fly away
Leaves lay, hopeless
The water shines in the light
Lady Liberty looks at us hand waving
water blue green
The bumps and

The Boy With The Red Coat
By Cecilia Cunningham-dePedro

The boy with the red coat,
Chasing the birds, as if he too,
Could let go and soar away,
The boy with the red coat,
Staring at the baby blue sky,
One so brilliant, it looked fake
The boy with the red coat,
Peeking out of a shell like a turtle,
But then quickly ducking back into his den,
Saying goodbye to the birds
Before his last glance of the wild world

Teardrop Park
By Luc Silver

Terrific!!!!!
Exciting!!!
Amazing!!
Rocks!!!!!!
Dangerous!
Rough!!!!!!!!
Oh my god this is fun!
Perfect!!!!!!!

Playing!
Awesome!
Really fun!
Kicking people off the slide!

People are doing a train
down the slide with the whole class.
A lot of people are at the bottom of the slide.
The train comes down and some people get off the slide.
Some people can’t get off in time and the train knocks them off the slide.
Dan closes trains.

Skyline
By Mayer Sidikaro

The red trees glow
The yellow trees
Are so bright
They hurt my eyes
The grass is colorful
The colors of
Where the sky
And the buildings meet
Are perfect together
Blue and gray
Blue and yellow
Blue and black

Don’t I live in a great city?

I Don’t Like It, I love It
A Teardrop Park Poem
By Mayer Sidikaro

Surfing down a slide
I like it
The wind on your face
I like it
I can’t stop going down
I like it
Steep as a hill
I like it
Surfable as any wave possible
I love it

RIVER
By Mia Galpern

Moving
Quiet
Slow
Blue
Sleepy
Calming
Waves, boat and fish
Are all
A part of the river

We’re by the Hudson River
By Lily Faulkner

The leaves are blowing in the air while the wind is howling in my hair.
The water is flowing as the helicopters are going.

We’re by the Hudson River

The lights are off the sun is shining.

We’re by the Hudson River

The benches are green while the sides curl up
a man walked by with a cute little pup.

We’re by the Hudson River

Wind and Leaves
By Sophie Lamont

I feel the wind on my skin
I see pigeons flying over grass
I see people walking
I see Ellis Island
I hear Tara talking
I hear trees crackling
I see the Hudson River with a high tide
The Hudson River has no tall boat
The sun is shining very bright
It makes a lot of light
The slide is silver
It shines very bright
There are rocks beside the slide

Hudson River
by Dash Cosaboom-Son

Here at the Hudson River
it gives me such a shiver
in the lake down below
there is a boat to float
and help the people
in situations of distress
And stops the people
who do bad things
to help the people
who do good things
In a Ferris Wheel
above it gives me quite a chill
to be at that height
and rock up…down…side to side

TearDrop Park
By Beckett

The whole place is so wonderful
Everything is beautiful
The trees are so magical
Every things amazicle!
The water sways so peacefully
There’s very pretty scenery
And everything is amazingly nice

You might get a little tear
When it’s time to go
But you can drop by
Anytime you want you know?

The Hudson River
By Luca Hoffman

I hear the siren of the police boat
It hurts my ears
I wonder where the boat is going
Maybe it is going to give someone a ticket

I see a taxi boat
It is going very slow
I imagine annoyed people on the boat
Late to work

I feel the cold breeze
My hands are freezing
The wind is on my face
It feels good

Hudson River And New Jersey
By Grayden Pasmore

The building are tall
As the water is low and calm
The Statue Of Liberty
Is as awesome as ever
The air is fresher than ever
And calm as the wind is speeding
The boatless waters and
The buildings are interesting
The birds are soaring above us all

Teardrop Park
By Leo O’Hagan

The fast slide
The Statue of Liberty
A park of fun
Rolling on fields
Dropping down a slide
Trees
Open fields
Open fun

Playing
Awesome
Really Cool
Docks

Looking at the Atlantic From the Hudson River
By Chase Goldner

The city has the pity, to be free
Look down the Hudson River, in the city
See the Statue of Liberty
This is New York City, we have some brie
The Statue of Liberty means a free country
When you’re downtown you can see it vividly
The U.S is a free country
The Statue of Liberty represents that with a plea
Even though the Statue of Liberty is now dirty
And a century ago it was clean
Our ideas of liberty
Should never change
It might rise or it might fall
Justice and liberty
Forever and for all

Show Me App

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Dan Raphael

by Lily

Recently, I have been working on showing my math using Show Me on my class iPad. It’s an app where you can draw and explain what you are doing and it will record your voice. The first time I did it was for a math problem 17×6. I made an array and split it up into 10 and 7. Then I did 6×7 and 10×6 and I put them together. In the end the answer was 102. You can use different colors like black, grey, red, blue, green and orange. You can also erase things and add typing and use a picker and draw on it. Show Me is really fun and I really like to use it.

Two Recent Show Me’s

Lily

Leo

Second Grade Article Writing

Posted on November 20, 2016 by Dan Raphael

By Imogen

Since we are studying newspaper articles, we practiced writing them. The fourth grade went to Tasha’s and Bill’s classrooms to see what they were doing. We could then write newspaper articles about what we observed.

We split into groups of four or five, and some groups went to Tasha’s and some groups went Bill’s classrooms to write. We watched the second graders in their classroom, while they were reading and doing math. Some fourth graders watched the students in Bill’s class get ready for the canned food drive.

We took notes about what the second graders were doing so we could could write about it for homework. We all wrote a news article. Some of us wrote it by hand in our writing journals, while others wrote it on the computer.

In the articles we wrote for homework, we had to include the 5 w’s and 1 h (who, what, when, where, why, and how). We also had to include quotes, and at least 3 paragraphs.

We stood at the back of the second grade classroom to watch. We were like flies on the wall. We tried to cause as little disruption as possible. A couple of fourth graders were able to ask questions to the second grade.

Faith Responds to Fourth Graders’ Questions

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Dan Raphael

Fourth graders sent thank you notes to Faith Holsaert. Then she wrote back…

Dear Deborah, Dan, Joel, and Tara,

Thank you so much for sharing your students with me. I had a great time visiting and talking with them. The thank you notes were fantastic.

In their notes a number of students asked questions, so I am answering below, in the order that notes came out of the envelope, except I have placed Samuel’s first. Apologies if I have misspelled names.

Samuel: Were you excited to go to LREI?

Faith: Attending the school was the most wonderful thing that happened to me, the best school (including college and graduate school) I ever attended; I learned ideals I’ve kept for my entire life; I’ve made friends who are still my friends when I am 73 years old.

Lorenzo: Why did you quit LREI?

Faith: My family moved me to a public school after sixth grade, for financial reasons. Did you feel that LREI prepared you for your profession and what was your profession? LREI taught me to be inquiring, to value peoples’ words, and to care about justice; all of these prepared me for my work as a teacher, writer, and organizer.

Gia: Did you recite the Pledge of Allegiance?

Faith: No. We also did not sing The Star Spangled Banner at assemblies. We sang America the Beautiful.

Crosby: Did you have a party after you won the case?

Faith: We danced around our classroom with our teacher.

Miles: What made you want to go to LREI?

Faith: I was only 4 years old when I started at LREI, so my parents chose LREI because of its values for me.

Makeda: Do you enjoy telling your stories?

Faith: Yes. And your class was an especially attentive and enjoyable audience for me.

Asher, Milla: What was the hardest thing for you when colored and white were separated under segregation?

Faith: Black people and white people were not legally separated in NYC in the 1940s and 1950s, but there was sometimes tension and hostility between the races. So, do you think this is similar to how things are now?

Ezra: How did you get to school?

Faith: I walked two and a half blocks from Sullivan St.

Jade, Alden, Jasiri, Sophie, Leo, Harlan: Who were your best friends and what are your favorite classes?

Faith: My best friends were Katie and Sarah Anne. My favorite class was fifth grade. I loved art and reading, and also shop.

Kieran: What was your favorite part of the visit?

Faith: Absolutely, my favorite part of the visit was meeting the interesting and interested students of LREI.

Chase: Did you march with Martin Luther King, Jr?

Faith: I never marched with Dr. King, although I went on lots of marches and was arrested twice. I met him in Albany, GA and also during the planning for the 1963 March on Washington.

Imogen: What made you want to be involved in Civil Rights?

Faith: I think becoming an activist was a gradual process which began at LREI, where my teachers and the school were committed to justice and equity, but my commitment was deepened by my love for Charity Bailey. Although we didn’t talk about it during my visit with your class, I also think as a Jewish child in the 1940s and 1950s, I was aware of discrimination against Jews.

Oliver: How was it living in that time for you?

Faith: I was very aware of the effects of McCarthyism upon my community, including the Rosenberg case, but I was also just a kid, going to school, going over to friends’ houses, walking my dog, taking music lessons.

Cecilia: How did the kids react when they found out Charity moved in?

Faith: Charity was a beloved figure, so I think mostly other kids envied me, but I don’t know this for sure. I experienced LREI as a safe space to be, even though I was a child in a biracial family.

Gray: How did you help Black people vote?

Faith: Before you can vote, you must register with your county courthouse, which then gives you a voter registration card. We helped people go down to the courthouse and went into the courthouse with them. In the early 1960s, when Black people tried to register to vote, they were often met with white people who were hostile and violent. Court cases were filed to stop the harassment. I don’t know if you have heard, but this year some states have again made it harder for people of color to register to vote.

Mia, Freya: Did you eat lunch in your classroom or in the cafeteria? and what was school lunch like?

Faith: We ate in the cafeteria. I don’t remember the lunches, except I really disliked the milk in the little cartons.

Lily: Was it really cool to meet Martin Luther King, Jr at the time? Did anything bad happen when you fought for equal rights?

Faith: At the time, Dr. King wasn’t quite as famous as he became later, but it was exciting to meet someone I’d seen on television and heard a lot about. In Southwest Georgia, many of us were arrested for marching and some people in The Movement were beaten; some houses were shot into. At that time, hundreds of demonstrating children in Birmingham AL, in the next state over, were attacked with police dogs and had firehoses turned on them. There are some famous photos of the children in Birmingham.

Luc: Were your parents happy that Charity was living with you?

Faith: Yes.

Beckett: Was it fun having your music teacher live with you?

Faith: How different was school then? It was fun because Charity was a very lively person and she was a Greenwich Village celebrity, so people would stop her to say hello when we were walking down the street. One big difference is that we did not learn how to read at LREI until we were in second grade. We had other subjects, like science, but we didn’t read.

Luca: What were the differences between Charity Bailey and you?

Faith: There were many differences, but here are three: Charity was African American and I was Jewish; Charity was a grown up teacher and I was a child/student; Charity grew up in Providence, RI, and I was growing up in New York City.

Dash: Did you make enemies on the way?

Faith: I made some people very angry when I was registering voters. I don’t know if I’ve exactly made enemies, but there are people with whom I’ve STRONGLY disagreed about justice when it comes to race, gender, and other issues.

Mayer: Were there terrorists in the 1950s?

Faith: People did not use the term “terrorists,” but I believe the white people who carried our lynchings and other racist acts of violence in the 1950s were terrorists, trying to use terror to force Black people to live a certain, inhumane way.