By Linda Delmonico-Prussen
The year was still 2003, but the Levy-Lakeside Student Council thought it would be cool to dress up on Spirit Day the way young people did during the '50s, to help celebrate the elementary school's 50th birthday this year.
And by all appearances, Levy-Lakeside's golden anniversary year is off to a rockin' good start.
Kindergartner Andrew Toback, 5, was one of the youngest greasers on hand, donning '50s garb, slicking back his hair and sporting dark shades. And he certainly knew why he had dressed up. "Because it's '50s day. It's Lakeside's birthday!" he exclaimed.
Another 5-year-old, Shellie Mittleberg, was showing off her ponytail when she announced, "I'm Sandy from 'Grease,'" the movie-musical. Kindergartner Mikaela Orenstein wore a traditional pink poodle skirt.
Emily Mauser, 11, a fifth-grader and Student Council member, enjoyed dressing up in '50s-style clothing with friends Brittany Goldman, Mia Wilkowski and Ali Cirenza. Cirenza, though, was quick to say, "My reputation is not wearing skirts and dresses."
Sixth-grader Sami Lentin looked cool as a Pink Lady, from "Grease," and sixth-grader Justin Fouche borrowed his father's leather jacket for the event.
The students weren't the only ones who got into the act. Sixth-grade teacher Daphna Arm, who donned a '50s outfit, said she got a big reaction that morning when she stopped off at a 7-11, with many people staring at her.
Teaching assistant Sue Watson went above and beyond to help her colleagues capture school spirit by purchasing self-adhesive felt and cutting out letters to create the script-letter sweaters that were so popular among high-schoolers during the '50s. "I must have made about 40 [letters] last night," Watson said on Friday.
Levy-Lakeside principal Dr. John Kohnken was dressed to impress in a suit with a bow tie, carrying a Slinky.
Dressing up wasn't the only way students enjoyed a little bit of a bygone era. They also Hula-Hooped during phys. ed. classes, and fourth-grade teacher Sue Molloy had her students watch popular 1950s TV shows like "Father Knows Best" and "The Donna Reed Show" last Thursday to inspire them on Spirit Day.
