Tyee Park Elementary students honor Pearl Harbor survivor
Story by Staff Sgt. Teresa L. Adams
Students gathered to perform a musical, sing jazz and wish a happy birthday to a very special veteran. These students are no strangers to recognizing Soldiers. They know the history behind each note they sing.
More than 100 veterans, parents and faculty members gathered at Tyee Park Elementary School, Lakewood, Wash., May 30 at the annual spring concert where 4th and 5th grade students performed the musical adaption of the Charles Dickens classic, "Oliver Twist." Following the musical, students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades performed an upbeat jazz concert involving scat, improvisation, and 5 year old "Guest Conductor" Yuri Castillo directing the final swing tune of the day, "Start your day with a song!"
Retired Chief Petty Officer, Donald R. Green, who served on the USS Pyro during the attacks on Pearl Harbor, was invited to attend the concert on this special day.
At the beginning of the concert, students at Tyee Park took a moment to recognize Green and sing, "Happy Birthday." They presented him with a bright orange banner that said "Remember Pearl Harbor" which had more than 400 signatures wishing him a Happy 90th Birthday.
Tracey Lundquist, Tyee Park's music and literature teacher, has afforded her students many opportunities to visit service members and to witness firsthand what it means to serve.
Lundquist's enthusiasm for music and literature is why this fine arts teacher provides an exceptional learning experience for her students.
While reading with her kids about WW ll, for example, she invited Pearl Harbor survivors and Tuskegee Airmen to talk to her students and brought history to life.
"It is like we have torn out the pages of history and wrapped them around the kids," Lundquist said. "Sometime youth gets in the way and these kids just don't realize how fortunate they are to have the veterans walk among us and share their stories.
"At 90, Don is still full of zip and energy, added Lundquist. "I can always count on him to share his history with my students and come support our programs."
Green says that it is very important for student to be introduced to opportunities within the military.
"I've been coming here for 12 years, said Green. "I have a story to tell."
Adrianna H. Brown, a 5th grader who performed during Oliver Twist, has great respect for Green and was happy to see him attend the spring concert.
"He is a veteran and risked his life to protect our freedom," said Brown. " He likes to see us perform and he shows us that we shouldn't take our freedom for granted."
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