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Surprise Celebration Video: 10 Year Anniversary for Eliot School Leaders Traci Walker Griffith & Lydia Torres

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