In true Oscar fashion, the event began with a rousing and original choreographed musical number, which featured the entire cast of Oscar Winners. The auditorium was decorated to resemble the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, including a red carpet, podium, and Oscar statue presentation table. Everywhere you looked you saw that students and teachers alike were ‘dressed to impress’ – formal evening wear, a tux or two, suits and party dresses were just the beginning – tiaras, feather boas, cowboy hats, top hats, berets, sunglasses, ‘jewels for days’ worn on the neck, wrist, hair, waist, and ankles, adorned boys and girls alike. I saw one young man in a full Groucho Marx outfit – I know I’d love to meet his parents!

The Oscar Winners had ‘acceptance speeches’ prepared and each student read their speech after accepting their Oscar. My personal favorites included the girl who said, “I’d like to thank my lovely mom …” and the audience got a kick out of the students who thanked their younger siblings for ‘being quiet when I do my homework”. Laughter, validation and love abounded that morning – the parents I spoke with said this Oscar Award program was by far the best school program they had attended this year. Mrs. Batterberry told me that after the Ceremony, the boys and girls returned to their classrooms for ‘an after Oscar party’. She said the children were thrilled and amazed that their friends voted them the ‘Best’! It was a most rewarding experience for the kids and I would not be surprised if this idea caught on and was used in other grades and other schools in our district.

Brava, Ladies, the Cherry Avenue Oscar Ceremony was a smashing success!

After all the votes were in and all the ballots were counted, the Oscars went to the following Award Winning Students –

Group 1 Best Leading Attitude: Tyler Kettleman, Joseph Zoller, Jenny Philbin, Cole Chamberlain, Allyson Bricker & Samanatha Polituski

Group 2 Best Set Design (Art): Daniel Johnson, Chloe Gacconier, Eric Lindfors, Kevin Newell & Mark Doucet

Group 3 Best Supporting Speller: Drew Geffner, Aidan Dillon, Robert Ziegler, Julia Micelli, Emma Davis, Michael Steck & Meggie Byerley

Group 4 Best Script (Handwriting): Thomas Ottavio, Julian Rizzo, Emily Antos, Bryan Murphy, Matthew Pacholik, Seamus Burns, Anthony Martino & Amanda Pacholik

Group 5 Best Film Historian (Social Studies): Rebecca Mohrmann, Griffin Mills, Alex Leyboldt, Michael Dionisio, Meghan Fawcett & Daniel Palma

Group 6 Outstanding Behavior: Garbrille Michelini, Jillian DeCanio, Camryn Schilling, Katherine Neuschwender, Megan Goercke & Samantha Scherff

Group 7 Best Director (Reading): Jordan Maddy, Taylor Grandfield, Tyler Tuscan, Michael Fleming, Conner Dekenipp, Joseph Gulotta, Gabrielle Krupa & Dayna Charlack

Group 8 Math Action Star: Jacob Hellman, Timothy Treco, Tara Hickey, Giovanni Gilberti, Liam Costa & Conor Riccomini

Group 9 Director’s Assistant (A good helper!): Taylor Corwin, Brendan Kolar, Caitlin Gormley, Luke Hession, Elizabeth Gouvis, Emily Arzt & Taylor Kobel

Group 10 Tech and Science Wizard (Computer): (Teacher – Miss Anderson) Brian Mendez, Anthony Scura, Brendan Pendergast, Andrew McCarthy & Jonathan Virga