By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
Just as those American Flags and P.O.W. bracelets did, the fifth grade teacher in Darien, Connecticut wanted to keep the memory of the Sept. 11 victims alive. Especially since two children from the Royle Elementary School lost their fathers, Bill Meehan and Stephen Lamantia, on that day.
It was in a moment of helplessness and hopelessness that the former Long Beach resident said he had a dream. Squeo wanted to raise money to help the families and find a way to help the community cope with the tragic event. That's when he remembered almost two years ago he volunteered to sell little gold star shaped pins to raise money for a soup kitchen.
There were some pins left over, so he bought them. Close to 500 of them. His students decorated citizen pledge cards that were attached to the pins, which were then adorned with the names of the nearly 80 Connecticut residents who were lost in the terrorist attacks. Students researched each victim so they would not be forgotten, Squeo said. And the Be a Star Citizen project was born.
I didn't want the kids to forget who these people were, Squeo said. They were the real heroes. They shouldn't just be known as just a victim.
While the community became heavily involved with the project, one parent sent a letter to Connecticut Governor John Rowland asking that he recognize Squeo's work. During the fifth grade commencement, Squeo was honored when June 12 was designated Joseph A. Squeo Day.
It really hit me hard, he said. This totally floored me to get individual attention from the Governor.
Each pin was given for a minimum donation of $2, and the children raised $1,020 for the Meehan and Lamantia family. Students wanted to give the money directly to each family, so it was divided and sent on its way.
But his project wasn't a planned event, Squeo said.
It just came to me, he said. It just came out. It wasn't planned. It's not something that I was teaching. It just helped us cope through the school year.
Born and raised in Long Beach, Squeo graduated from Long Beach High School in 1963. Having enlisted in the United States Air Force, he served four years in Vietnam. After returning home, Squeo graduated from Nassau Community College in 1972 and continued his education at Southern Connecticut State College, now known as Southern Connecticut State University. Shortly after completing his Masters, he landed a job at Royle Elementary School in Darien, Connecticut where he has been ever since.
