Welcome to the Oscars

At Cherry Avenue

Walking the red carpet to the Awards Ceremony, the “Oscar”-nominated Third Graders at Cherry Avenue were dressed to the nines. In “tuxedos” or gowns, feather boas or sunglasses, glittering tiaras or “leather” jackets—some in cool casual attire—the nominees entered the cafetorium and took their assigned seats. An audience of parents and relatives pointed and twittered with excitement as they recognized their “stars” on parade. Flanking the stage were life-size posters of golden “Oscar” on a black background, while balloons floated above the podium. After performing on center stage an opening song and dance number, directed by music teacher Kristi Woerner, all the Third-graders returned to their seats to wait for the award announcements.

The voting process, done in advance by ballots from both the students and teachers, ensured that all students received a golden statuette for having winning attributes in the one of the award categories: Best Leading Attitude, Best Set Design (Art) Best Supporting Speller, Best Script (Handwriting), Best Film Historian (Social Studies), Outstanding Behavior, Best Director (Reading), Math Action Star, Director’s Assistant (A good helper!) and Tech and Science Wizard (Computer).

Third-grade Teachers Geraldine Batterberry, Beth Ann Fulton and Jeannette Anderson hosted the event in their Hollywood finery and called out the category winners for their classes. As everyone cheered, the winners ascended the stage steps to receive their awards. Dressed as or impersonating movie stars, each student delivered an acceptance speech before the live audience upon receiving the Oscar statuette. Sentiments shared by the grateful recipients expressed thanks to “my parents for helping me with my homework…, my lovely mother, my great father, my older brother….for everything!, my friends, my teachers for being great, and Mrs. Batterberry for coming up with the idea of the Oscars for all of us.”

Staging the first Annual Cherry Avenue Oscars ceremony for the entire Third grade may have been the brainchild of teacher Mrs. Geraldine Batterberry, but her colleagues Mrs. Beth Ann Fulton and Mrs. Jeannette Anderson, embraced the golden opportunity to disguise the New York State learning standards for public speaking in a self-esteem promotional program. With their generous assistance and artistic talents, the preparations for the ceremony covered all angles to make the fanfare fun and rewarding for everyone!

(to see News12's Head of the Class Coverage click on the link below.)