It was a day to celebrate heroes at Voorhees Middle School recently.
The sixth grade blue team sang, played music, read poems and essays at a program recognizing Heroes Remembrance Day.
Voorhees Mayor Michael Mignogna and Assemblyman Louis Greenwald also spoke to the crowd, made up of mostly students’ parents.
Students nominated their hero and wrote an essay about this person which is displayed on the “Wall of Heroes” in the school.
Each hero was pinned with an American flag by the nominating student.
Voorhees School Board Member Amy Lynch was chosen as a hero by her sixth grader son, Ian.”
“I appreciate the honor,” Lynch said. “It means a lot.
“I think it’s nice to have the kids appreciating those around them,” she added. “I think the program is good in general.
Lynch said she thinks Heroes Remembrance Day could go farther but is a nice program.
“I think the whole concept of trying to get past the bullying issue and having respect and looking towards other people and what they do for you,” she said. “I think it all ties in together.”
Lynch said she has “no idea” why her son chose her as his hero.
Noreen Saggese, sixth grade social studies teacher, has been running the program for 10 years.
“I think it’s a very worthwhile program” and school administrators have supported her putting the program together from the beginning.
“It’s important to teach the children the lessons that happened from 9/11 and also to show them the unity that has come to the country as a result,” Saggese said, noting she hopes her students take away a sense of patriotism and an appreciation for the value of life.
“There are all kinds of heroes,” she said, adding the students’ essays are poignant. “It’s amazing to see who they choose every year. They’re from all walks of life.”
Saggese said the satisfaction is in knowing she is teaching the students about what happened when they were babies.
“They have to be taught about this,” she said.
“I love all my kids coming back and they enjoy the program, they all want to help with it,” Saggese said, indicating some seventh and eighth graders helped with the program. “It’s very rewarding.”
Sixth grader Lindsay Cohen chose her dad as her hero.
“He’s always been with me every step of the way and he’s really kind and we have a close relationship and I love him very much,” Cohen said. “Heroes are very special to many people because they can be role models.”
Adam Cohen, Lindsay’s father, said he is honored that his daughter selected him.
“It meant a lot to me,” Adam said. “We have a very close family and it’s just an honor for Lindsay to think of me in that way.
“We’re always so involved with each other’s lives and supporting each other,” he added. “That’s how we try to define hero in our house.”
Most students nominated parents or other people in their lives, not celebrities or athletes.
“They’re very grounded in who they look up to as a role model,” Adam said.
Sixth grade language arts teacher Jaclyn Pryzbylkowski loves Heroes Remembrance Day.
“I think it’s a beautiful day,” she said. “It’s just a really good day for the kids to honor to express themselves.”
Pryzbylkowski said her hero is her mom, whom she says has a heart of gold and is very compassionate.
“I definitely wouldn’t be who I am today without her,” she said.
Pryzbylkowski noted it was sometimes difficult because students have multiple heroes and choosing one was a challenge.
“There were tears of happiness today and I think it’s an outstanding thing for the kids to be able to do,” she said.
