JFK Elementary School celebrates the big 50
Students from Janet Anne Rumble's fifth-grade class at JFK Elementary School in Great Neck. They were celebrating the school's 50th year. Credit: Janet Anne Rumble
Have you ever wondered when school started or how it started? Well, the first school in the United States was started in the 1600s. One of the first public schools was in Boston, the Boston Latin School. Our school, John F. Kennedy Elementary School, was built in 1965 but it was first called the Redbrook School.
Our school’s name changed to honor President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was in the U.S. Navy and commanded a boat during World War II. His boat got hit by the Japanese and he had to command his men to swim. He even had to pull a man to safety while swimming for hours. He became the president of the United States with lots of work and he inspired people. Even though Kennedy was shot, everyone still remembers what he did for the world and that he was a great president. This year marks the 50th anniversary of our school.
We have had lots of special things to celebrate such as: A former principal, Catherine E. Moore, visited and read us a book; Mr. Ron Gimondo, our current principal, had us go on our school field and make a ‘50’ to show the 50th anniversary. We also had a virtual tour of the JFK museum in Boston. Last, a musician played the piano for us.
Famous people who went to our school include Nikki Blonsky, who starred in the movie “Hairspray;” Sarah Hughes, a gold Olympic ice skating medalist; her sister, Emily, who won a silver Olympic medal; and Esther Zynn, who stars in a new Nickelodeon show, “The Other Kingdom.”
