Schools
Middletown's River Plaza Elementary Turns 100 Years Old
Many River Plaza parents donated $100 and a few even donated $1,000 to install a bronze statue outside the school, of two children reading.
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — River Plaza Elementary School in Middletown turned 100 years old this year, making it the oldest school building in the district.
Middletown school board member Harmony "Barry" Heffernan and Chris McCue, both of whom have children enrolled at River Plaza, started a fundraising effort this fall to commemorate the 100-year birthday of the school.
Incredibly, the fundraising drive raised almost $16,000. The money was spent to commission a bronze statue of two children reading a book, celebrating the act of learning and sharing. The statue was unveiled Thursday in a special ceremony at River Plaza.
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Many River Plaza parents donated $100 and a few even donated $1,000 to the effort.
"I think it speaks to just how special River Plaza is, and what a special school it is," said Heffernan, saying that he was blown away by the generosity of the River Plaza community. "It's a really tight-knit community. We all know each other in River Plaza; our kids all play on the same sports teams. If one family is struggling, we all pitch in to help out. It's really just a close community."
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Video from the unveiling ceremony Thursday:
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