N. Saavedra leads the 2nd Platoon of the Westbury Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. (Photos by Frank Rizzo)
Few school districts do a homecoming parade quite like Westbury. Marching about 1½ miles the length of Post Avenue and finishing near the athletic fields, the parade took as its themes “The Festivals of the World,” with impressive floats drawing applause from onlookers.
Special ed teacher Larry Minor served as grand marshal and alumni from the Class of 1971 were in attendance.
The float themes were as follows:
Senior class: “Lunar New Year”
Juniors: “Rio Carnival”
Sophomores: “Venetian Carnival”
Freshmen: “Junkanoo,” named after a street festival featuring mixed African origins popular in the Caribbean
Middle School: “Holi Festival of Colors,” a popular festival originated in India
Drexel Avenue School: “Day of the Dead”
Powells lane School: “Mardi Gras”
Dryden Avenue School: “Jouvert,” a traditional Caribbean festival preceding Lent
Park Avenue School: “Caribana,” a Caribbean festival originating in Toronto
One of the most impressive groups was the large contingent of the school’s Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, one of the school’s elective courses. Led by retired Navy officers Richard Immarigeon and William Caraballo—both naval science instructors—the NJROTC is “sponsored by the school board and closely monitored by school administrators,” according to a recruiting letter.
Click on the images for a slide show and larger views.
The Westbury Teachers Association members came out in force to support the parade.
Dr. Pless Dickerson drives fellow Westbury School District Board of Education members Floyd Ewing and Robin Bolling.
The junior class festival theme was Rio Carnival.
Teachers and students at the Home Health Aide Training Institute watch the parade.
Two of the four members of the Senior Royalty Court were Pamelo Gilles, left, and Esi Gyau-Boaten.
Larissa Desir, left, and Elizabeth Saintil constituted the Junior Class Royalty Court.
Looking south on Post Avenue as the long parade winds its way toward the school.
Kaden Gibson, left, and Kesha Jean were part of the Senior Royalty Court.
The Freshman Class Royalty Court consisted of Linda Lu, left, and Alani Manbahal.
Michael Rubenstein directed the high school marching band, whose members were decked out in their parade finery.
Middle School science teacher Delon Callender demonstrates the physics of the impossible.
Cheerleader Alena Seraj, inset, snaps a pic of the royalty court’s Esi Gyau-Boaten, left, and Kesha Jean.
The sophomore class created this mask for their float, whose theme was “Venetian Carnival.”
The Dryden Street Elementary School announces itself.
“J’Oubert,” a Caribbean festival, was the theme for Dryden Elementary.
Drexel Avenue Elementary School chose “The Day of the Dead” as its float decoration.
Drexel Avenue Elementary School Principal Dr. Wanda Toledo, left, and second grade teacher Manuel Ramirez get into the spirit of the occasion.
