Bloomberg Visits PS 8
With help from students, the mayor introduces new Crayola crayon set, giving a special welcome to New York?s "Lady Liberty" green
By Maryanne Buechner, Pre-K Parent
Photos by Nathalie Schueller, Pre-K Parent
Fifty PS 8 students carrying giant crayons paraded into the school's auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 26, as part of a new product launch by Crayola, a pull-out-all-the-stops media event that culminated in an appearance by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
To kick off the assembly, fourth-grader Kiana sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" accompanied by music teacher Pearla Martin on the piano. Then the 50 new "State Your Color" hues -- one for each state in the U.S. -- were introduced, from Arizona Grand Tanyon to Maryland's Francis Scott Kiwi, Virginia's Williamsburgundy to Sweet Georgia Peach.
When Bloomberg took the stage -- an elaborate set that a professional production company spent hours constructing the day before -- he asked the children to guess his favorite color (hint: it's part of his last name) before unveiling the "color-elect" from New York: Lady Liberty green. "It's also the color of Central Park and Oscar the Grouch," the mayor noted as a seven-foot walking crayon, sporting a crown and torch, took the stage.
The mayor's final task was to "swear in" the new colors, represented by a group of second, third, fourth and fifth graders sporting official Crayola T-shirts. At the mayor's prompting, the students took an oath to "draw, color, blend and work together to bring a brighter future to all." The colors were chosen based on a nationwide poll that drew 25,000 votes, according to Crayola's website (www.crayola.com/state).
After the presentation, the mayor posed for pictures and chatted amiably in the hallway with students, parents and members of the faculty. Asked what he thought of PS 8, he smiled and said, "The principal [Seth Phillips] seems to have a real empathy for children." Crayola plans to donate a box of the new crayons to every PS 8 student and to art teachers at all the city's public elementary schools.
Posted on: November 1, 2004
