Lyrikal entertaining the scholars of Public Faculty 244 on Tilden Avenue in East Flatbush throughout their inaugural carnival.
Photograph by Linton Atkinson
Dr. Linton Atkinson, the Jamaican-born principal of Public Faculty 244 on Tilden Avenue in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, says he was delighted to finish the varsity 12 months with the varsity’s inaugural carnival on June 3.
“I consider the carnival was a good way to finish the 12 months at PS 244,” Dr. Atkinson informed Caribbean Life in an unique interview. “We have now had a profitable educational 12 months, the place everybody labored extraordinarily exhausting to realize pupil success.
“As a principal, I’ve all the time informed my college students and workers that we must always work exhausting and play exhausting,” he added, stating that many of the faculty’s inhabitants is from the Caribbean Diaspora.
“Carnival and the historical past of our African roots are important to who we’re as a individuals,” Dr. Atkinson continued. “Lyrikal was the right visitor. He was very accommodating to the youngsters; all of them knew his songs. I’ve by no means been to a carnival, so this was an excellent expertise for me as properly.”
He stated the carnival was “such an excellent expertise for households, workers, and college students that the varsity will make it an annual occasion,” disclosing that it was the brainchild of the varsity’s Mother or father Affiliation (PA), led by President Varessa Smikle.
Dr. Atkinson stated different members of the PA Board embrace “mother and father that college students affectionately name Ms. Raynell, Mr. Ezra, Ms. Browne, Ms. Felix, Ms. Greaves, and Ms. Bradshaw.”
He stated that, for 3 months, college students carried out analysis on one among three totally different costumes and dressed of their assigned costumes for Carnival Day.
Dr. Atkinson stated Pre-Ok to Grade 1 college students had been assigned Fairly Mas; Grades 2 and three had been assigned Junkanoo; and Grades 4 and 5 had been assigned Jab Jab.
“After the historical past of every costume was learn, college students marched out with nice revelry,” Dr. Atkinson stated. “Members of the family and guardians had been current to benefit from the festive event.”
To prime issues off, fashionable soca singer Lyrikal wooed the group of about 450 college students and oldsters together with his hits, equivalent to “Blissful Place” and “Fete Cyah Over.”
Dr. Atkinson stated the Meyer Levin Faculty (MS 285) metal band additionally “impressed the group with their stellar performances.
“They had been pleasantly shocked when Lyrikal agreed to have them play ‘Blissful Place’ on the metal pan, whereas he jammed with them,” he stated.
