Bowling Green Elementary Celebrates Its 65th Birthday

Community members, local officials, students, faculty and administrators gathered to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Bowling Green Elementary School in the East Meadow School District on May 19.

The school was built in the 1950s with the purpose of educating both elementary and junior high school students. The east campus was built in 1951, and two years later, the west building was constructed. At one point, more than 1,500 students were enrolled in the building.

Opening the ceremony, Bowling Green Principal Maria Ciarametaro welcomed attendees to the historic birthday celebration

“We celebrate because the Bowling Green school community is and has always been a wonderful and outstanding community that has seen so many families and children pass through our doors,” Ciarametaro said. “We are proud of the innumerable accomplishments and successes of Bowling Green students, past and present.”

The festivities continued with students in grades K-5 performing a “Through the Decades” dance, choreographed by teachers Emily Buckley and Ilyssa Baine. Each grade gave their own performance that displayed music and dance moves from the 1950s to the 2000s, reflecting upon the many years Bowling Green has been educating students of East Meadow.

Boosting school spirit was Spike, the school mascot, whose name had been voted on by Bowling Green’s student body prior to the event and revealed during the celebration. The newly designated mascot joined students, administrators and guests in singing “Happy Birthday” to the school as Ciarametaro and Assistant Principal Amelia Garcia unveiled the PTA’s gift to Bowling Green: two “buddy benches” at each entrance of the campus, a total of four benches, for students to make new friends at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.

The anniversary bash concluded with a performance of the new school song, composed by students and children’s singer/songwriter Rick Charette. Departing students received an Italian ice and Bowling Green drawstring bag as a party favor.

Photos: East Meadow School District