Principal Traci Walker-Griffith and Assistant Principal Lydia Torres were surprised by students and families to celebrate their 10 years at the Eliot K-8 Innovation School in Boston’s North End. Hundreds of students and parents joined in the cheering crowd with a show that featured dramatic speeches, boogie dances, award presentations, funky music, tears of joy and lots of Eliot love.
Follow along with the celebration using this video timeline:
(00:00 in video) The Big Surprise Entrance
(01:20) Eliot School students arrive at the skating rink before the celebration
(02:40) Event organizer, Jennifer McGivern, speaks as an Eliot parent
(03:50) Michael D. O’Neill, Chair of the Boston School Committee
(06:30) Entertaining hundreds of kids waiting for the party to start
(07:10) Tommy Welch, Office of the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools
(10:00) Sing-a-long “You’ve Got The Whole School in Your Heart” led by Stefano Marchese (Stage View)
(12:00) Joseph Boncore, State Senator – Citation Presentation
(14:30) Michael Sinatra, City Councilor Sal LaMattina’s Office – Citation Presentation
(16:15) Israel Ruiz, Governing Board of the Eliot School
(19:00) Blame It On The Boogie Music and Dance-a-thon
(22:20) Mary Wright, North End Waterfront Health Center
(23:30) Tribute to Asst. Principal Lydia Torres by Eliot Middle School students
(32:30) How a Principal calms down 500 kids in an arena
(33:00) State Representative Aaron Michlewitz – Introduces the Mayor
(33:45) Boston Mayor Marty Walsh – Citation Presentation
(38:30) Tommy Chang – Superintendent of Boston Public Schools
(40:20) Denise Clancy – Representing Alumni parents
(46:40) Sing-a-long “You’ve Got The Whole School in Your Heart” led by Stefano Marchese (Students View)
(48:00) BPS Principal trained by Eliot’s Principal Griffith and Asst. Principal Torres
(50:00) Performance choreographed by Sean Murphy
(58:00) Rep. Michlewitz introduces 2017 North End Campaign Slate – Elect Walker Griffith / Torres
(1:00:00) More Blame It On The Boogie Group Dancing
(1:02:20) Traci Walker Griffith, Principal of the Eliot K-8 Innovation School speaks to the crowd
(1:09:00) Finale dance
(1:12:20) Goodbye
Filming by Eliot Parent, Art McGivern