MOVING UP WITH LINCOLN AVENUE

After greeting families, friends, administrators, and guests for the 2016 Moving-Up ceremony at Lincoln Avenue, Principal Dr. Michele LeBlanc addressed the students, who had shared “approximately 1,099 days” of school at Lincoln, remarking on a particular memory she had of this class six years ago.

“Girls and boys, I clearly recall your spectacular performance as kindergarteners, entitled What I Learned in Kindergarten. My personal favorite number you sang that day was entitled, I’m Curious. Curiosity is defined as ‘eager to learn or know something.’  The lyrics of the song you sang six years ago still ring true...I want to understand every word I’ve heard, and know the names of every bug and bird …Every day I am even more and more and more and more curious than the day before.” 

Encouraging the students to remain curious because it leads to discovery and innovation, Dr. LeBlanc recounted: “As history shows us, people, out of curiosity, have crafted new inventions and stumbled upon discoveries by accident. During the last six years at Lincoln Avenue, you have made continuous discoveries. These discoveries cannot occur without a prepared mind. Girls and boys, you have prepared your mind for the challenges ahead. Your curiosity combined with your prepared mind is what it takes!”

Dr. LeBlanc concluded with another quote by an ingenious man, Walt Disney, who stated: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we are curious and it is curiosity that keeps leading us down new paths.”

Her parting words urged the students to  “remember your kindergarten song. Keep it close, and continue to be ‘more and more curious than the day before.’ Best wishes to you as you take this next step in your lives.” 

The celebration continued with Middle School Principal Tom Murray offering assurances about Middle School, Dr. LeBlanc acknowledging the “graduating” Lincoln parents for their six years of support, and thanking the PTA, SEPTA, and Site-Based Team volunteers for their countless hours of service. Students representing each Fifth-grade class (Michela Scoleri, Liam Higgins, Erin Marshall, Vincent Bonfanti) read their insightful essays about their years at Lincoln. Music teacher Christine Cirillo directed members of the Fifth-grade Chorus, who sang Child of Tomorrow, and the concluding number We’re Moving Up which was sung by the entire class.