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I n
honor of the anniversary of September 11th, East Woods
School students, ranging in ages from four to fourteen,
faculty and friends convened to celebrate the American
spirit. The community recited the Pledge of Allegiance
and then sang “America the Beautiful,” accompanied by
Mr. Paul Oechslin, an East Woods music teacher, on
piano, in company with trumpeter, John Henry Hanson, a
Fourth Grade student.
The Ninth Grade Honor Guard along
with John McDade, a member of the East Woods staff and
former Chief of the Atlantic Steamer Fire Co. No. 1, and
Jill Rizzuti, an East Woods teacher and EMT for the
Centerport Fire Department, presented the flag.
Headmaster Dr. Nathaniel W. Peirce requested a moment of
silence to remember those affected by the terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center, specifically noting
the loss of East Woods School alumnus and resident of
Oyster Bay, Mr. John Niven ’73.
East Woods was proud to welcome
alumnus, Marvin Bethea ’75, a former paramedic and
survivor of the attack on the World Trade Center. Mr.
Bethea appealed to the East Woods students to be
tolerant of others and of difference. He spoke of his
co-founding Heroes Helping Heroes, an organization
dedicated to helping all the Rescue and Recovery workers
who aided in the clean up from the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks. Mr. Bethea explained that by
co-founding Heroes Helping Heroes, he turned a “negative
into a positive.” He urged the East Woods students to
have a similar outlook when confronting difficulties
within their lives.
While patriotic artwork in the form of handmade
star-spangled hats was the focus of the Early Childhood
students, the Upper School students individually
reflected on the appeal for open-mindedness and
worldwide peace
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