Celebration marks school's 20th birthday

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Mary Giella Elementary School invited the grandmother of one of its former students to speak at a schoolwide celebration. County Commissioner Pat Mulieri, whose grandson Michael Winans attended the school in the early 1990s, was one of the featured speakers at Friday's event, which was attended by students, alumni and current and past staff members.

"I love this school. I love the teachers and the kids," Mulieri said, adding, "If you can dream it, you can do it."

Mulieri presented a proclamation from the county commission to mark the elementary school's 20th birthday.

Mary Giella Elementary School opened at 14710 Shady Hills Road with 590 students. The school's teachers and administrators read the proclamation, "work hard every day to improve the quality of life for students, and to make learning fun."

And these educators, said Superintendent Heather Fiorentino received excellent guidance from the school's namesake, Mary Giella.

"She is someone who believes in strong leadership and a love of learning," she said. "She believes that students should believe in themselves."

Because of health problems, Giella was unable to attend the event. Current students at the school named for her,

Fiorentino said, "have started a legacy for every student who comes after you."

In the past months, said Mary Giella Principal Katie Lail, students and staff have marked the school's legacy in a number of ways: by each contributing 20 cents to the school's Assist, Believe and Care program, by making 20th anniversary hats and wearing commemorative T-shirts, by contributing "memory links" to a paper chain, and by donating items to a school time capsule assembled at Friday's ceremony. These included everything from student writing samples to Silly Bandz, to class photos to a cell phone.

Also at Friday's celebration, staff members unearthed and opened a time capsule buried in 2000. It contained items such as Nintendo and Pokémon cards, Matchbox cars and a list of student aspirations.

At that time, students yearned to become everything from a medical doctor to a pro football player "with a big house."

Assistant Principal Kathy Kaburis acknowledged staff members who had been with the school since its inception. They are: Debbie Crane, Vivian Garner, Sharon Kish, Ricky Rowell, Gladys Russell, Michele Tumolo, Kim Valerio, Bruce Werthwein, Bill Coudray, Judy Fowler, Judy Kile-Simpson and Donna Lyons.

The school's chorus performed the Mary Giella Elementary School song, and guests gathered in a memory room to view pictures and video from years past.

"Twenty years ago, Mary Giella Elementary School opened its doors to students prekindergarten to sixth," Lail said.

"The first students are now parents of our current students. Today, we come together as a family. I look forward to another 20 years at Mary Giella," Lail said.