Kids with disabilities honor veterans in Viscardi School's parade
The second annual Veterans Day Parade through the hallways of the Henry Viscardi School in Albertson had special significance for 18-year-old student Joseph Donohoe, who has family members who served in the armed forces and are also first responders.
So he was thrilled Tuesday to lead the parade of local veterans invited for a Veterans Day parade at the school for children with disabilities, saying the event “holds a special place in my heart.”
“I am so beyond excited,” said Donohoe of Baldwin. “What veterans mean to me is that they are some of the nicest and most humble people in the world.”
The veterans who attended felt moved by the experience, too. Arthur Adair, 73, is a Vietnam veteran from Albertson who took part in Thursday’s event.
“Vietnam veterans weren’t treated very well when we came home from the war. When the kids did this for us today — it means everything to us,” he said.
This was the second annual Veterans Day event for the Viscardi school where more than 160 children from prekindergarten to age 21 are educated. It’s a regional school, drawing students from all over Long Island, New York City and parts of Westchester. The school serves children with severe disabilities who need medical treatment during the day. Most students there use power wheelchairs and augmentative communication technology.
The school is closed Friday for Veterans Day so the parade was held Thursday. The students wanted to have it, school officials said, because many lack mobility which makes accessing their local parades a challenge. The parade was first held in 2019, but then canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned Thursday.
Students applauded the veterans as they walked through the halls. Some handed the veterans homemade cards that read: “Thank you for your service.” They waved small American flags and cheered as the veterans passed by the classroom doors.
Students at the Henry Viscardi School in Albertson thanked their local veterans with an emotional parade through their hallways Thursday. Credit: Danielle Silverman
“It just means so much when our students can connect with our community members and such valued community members such as our veterans — it just gives you that sense of pride,” said Angelo Zegarelli, head of school. “We often teach our students advocacy. So they are not only advocating about disability rights, but advocating for other students or other people or other organizations. And that's kind of what you've seen here today ... our students ... showing how much love we have for our veterans.”
In addition, students and staff surprised the veterans at the end of the parade by unveiling a Veterans and 9/11 Memorial Garden that the oldest students at the school had designed, planned and constructed. It is outside the front of the school and officials said it is open to the community.
"These guys give you so much. They don't give up," said Leonard Scarola, 74, an Army veteran from West Hempstead who also worked as a substitute at the school and volunteers there. The students didn't know he was a veteran but found out during Thursday's parade.
"They all saw me and put their hands out and were waving their flags and said, 'You're a veteran too,' " he said. "It was great."
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
