At its meeting on June 9, the Malverne Board of Education honored the Davison Avenue Ambassadors for their efforts to have the Lakeview Public Library certified by the Town of Hempstead as a historic landmark.
The library was once the Woodfield Road School, a K-6 school that served the Lakeview neighborhood when schools were segregated. Sixty-one years ago, on May 12, 1965, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a march from Rockville Centre to Lakeview, organized by the Lakeview chapter of the NAACP, which ended at the school.
Martine Laventure, Davison Avenue’s school social worker, and the Davison Avenue Ambassadors, a children’s civic learning and advocacy group, saw to it that the historic event was honored and recognized. They researched the history of the Woodfield Road School, including the day King visited, and interviewed former students.
On May 6, Dr. Laventure and two members of the Ambassadors, along with other Lakeview community members, spoke at a meeting of the Hempstead Landmarks Preservation Commission, making their case that the library be certified as a historic landmark.
The town is working on a temporary landmark sign for the library, before planning a ceremony and permanent sign to be placed on the property. “They expressed how important it is to properly honor the work of the Ambassadors,” Laventure said.
“At this point, the timeline is primarily dependent on coordinating schedules for the official public hearing and Town Board vote,” she said.
In addition to its recognition on the town level, Laventure and the Ambassadors are hoping to have the library certified as a state landmark. Laventure confirmed that their application passed the first phase of the certification process, with word from State Sen. Siela Bynoe.
The second phase of the process is peer review by state historians, which is meant to cross-check the integrity of the building. “That is where including pictures came into play,” Laventure said. “We had to demonstrate that the building was never demolished, just that it changed on the outside. Once they go through the peer review portion, the next step will be another public hearing in Albany.”
Reflecting on the process and recognizing the library’s likely designation as a landmark gave Laventure a range of feelings. “I’m actually getting goosebumps as I'm just thinking about it,” she said. “It’s really magical to see where we are now from it just being an idea last year.”
She also credits the work of the Ambassadors for inspiring her, as well as being a source of inspiration for the entire Lakeview community. “No matter what I threw their way, they took it and amplified it, and they kept wanting more to do,” Laventure said. “We know what this means to everybody — students in the middle and high school and other residents are familiar with the project. It gives them a sense of pride.”
“As adults, we look at children and determine what they’re capable of, or what they can handle, or where their opinion lies,” she added. “But this project, and the things that they invested in, has shown them that their voice matters, that they can make a difference, that people listen when they talk.”
The young Ambassadors are proud of themselves and the recognition they, and their project, are receiving. “We really deserve it after all the work we put in during the school year,” fifth-grader Kendrick Harris said.
“We tried to figure out how we can make this a historic moment for generations to come,” fifth-grader Liana Nieves said.
“It just feels good that as a group, we’ve been putting all this work in to achieve this big project,” Kendrick added.
“I’m just happy that me and all my colleagues, that we were able to push through and do all the work,” Liana said, “and I’m very happy that we were able to accomplish this.”
“I feel happy that we were able to do this, and that we’re being rewarded for all the work we put in,” another fifth-grader, Stefano Pecoraro, said.
