Dayton Avenue and Eastport Elementary students drew packed audiences during recent stage performances of “Mary Poppins, Jr.” and “Beauty and the Beast,” respectively.

Under director Tori Gonzalez, stage director Peter Edwards and musical director Kaitlyn Somerville, the colorful and talented cast performed the beloved classical favorite “Mary Poppins, Jr.” on April 25 and April 26, which included a similar storyline, cast of characters and playlist as the Broadway and television versions. Likewise, Eastport Elementary School thespians wowed the audience with their rendition of the beloved fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” on March 28 and March 29, under the direction of Melanie Mauriello. The students also kept to the main storyline of the Disney version and included the same familiar and beloved characters and songs.

Mr. Gonzalez spoke for both schools when she said the students worked really hard for weeks to prepare for their opening nights on stage. Borrowing a line form the show, she said, “They certainly deserve recognition for their efforts. The show [“Mary Poppins, Jr.”] was practically perfect in every way.”

Click here to view the Elementary Students Wow Audiences with Musical Productions slideshow.

Date Added: 5/9/2025

Dayton Avenue School students are using their voices to make sure that those with disabilities are included.

Athletes from the Bionic Project recently visited the students to discuss the definition of a “disability” and to raise awareness that disabled persons may interact with the world differently but can perform many of the same tasks as nondisabled persons. Athletes Nico Calabria and Joven Booker, para athletes at the top of their game, discussed how commercials often give mixed clues about the disabled and encouraged the students to use their voice to make sure disabled persons receive what they need and are included.

Principal Dr. Shelita Watkis said the assembly was a call to action. “We are asking the students to consider what they can do today to make Dayton Avenue more inclusive,” she said.

Additionally, the students celebrated Rock Your Socks Day. Each year on March 21, people around the world come together to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day by wearing brightly colored and mismatched socks. Socks are worn this day because the karyotype of Down syndrome chromosomes look like mismatched socks.

Click here to view the Dayton Avenue Students Use Their Voices to Include Those With Disabilities slideshow.

Date Added: 3/24/2025