Hooker Students Make Magic

by Maya McFadden

Hooker staff dress up for East Rock march.

Students win gift cards for “kindness week.”

Leonardo the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, the Hulk, and Sonic the Hedgehog were all spotted on East Rock’s Everit Street — as Worthington Hooker School celebrated its fifth annual Magical March.

That event, a half-decade tradition at the East Rock public elementary and middle school, took place on Friday during Halloween.

The school’s elementary students from the 180 Canner St. building marched down to Hooker’s 691 Whitney Ave. middle school building to celebrate in costumes with the older students.

The afternoon celebration was kept upbeat and lively by the school’s sixth- and seventh-grade brass band.

Staff pick raffle winners.

Hooker Assistant Principal Melanie Thomas and Principal Gethings.

As the school’s middle school students waited in the parking lot for the elementary students to march to the Whitney Avenue building, they prepared a line of students ready to give the younger students high fives.

Then by the dozens came students dressed as police officers, firefighters, Luigi, Spider-Girl, Minions, Robin Hood, Moana, and doctors. The elementary students in their costumes were joined by the school’s families, who also joined the march for support.

The elementary students rang bells to announce their introduction as a speaker played the Ghostbusters theme song.

The elementary students paraded around the school’s parking lot with the middle schoolers cheering them on.

Worthington Hooker Principal Margaret-Mary Gethings said the five-year march tradition reminds the students of the community that supports them. As a neighborhood school, she said it is also nice for the elementary students to connect with the middle schoolers since they operate in different nearby buildings.

“It’s the simplicity of how good it feels to come together and bring school spirit,” she said.

Hooker also celebrated “kindness week” last week. At the parade celebration, staff announced several gift card winners among students who had demonstrated acts of kindness throughout the week. The gift cards were for Elena’s on Orange soft-serve ice cream shop.

Before the pulling of names during the raffle, Gethings asked the students, “Is it for this week only?” Students responded no. Kindness should be done “forever” done, she said.

6th and 7th graders in the brass band.