Thank You, Mrs. Menino

At 9:00 a.m., last Thursday, school had already started. Yet some of the Perkins kids were still a few blocks away. Even though it was morning, they were at the Paraclete Foundation, which has an after-school enrichment program for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. The Foundation's library was being dedicated to the mayor's wife--Mrs. Angela Menino.

But our Perkins kids were the ones who got a treat. The First Lady of Boston was going to read to them!


The Paraclete Library had lots of books on its shelves. The book Mrs. Menino read, however, was a special one. It was written and illustrated by the kids of the Perkins School. Not these kids--the book had been published in 2007. It's called Why Do We Celebrate Evacuation Day? You can even buy it on www.Amazon.com.

As Mrs. Menino settled into her chair, she told the kids that she had been to the Perkins School before with her husband.

"I didn't see you there," said Angel.

"But I did see the mayor," added another student. "Just a while ago." "Yes," said Mrs. Menino, "I know he was at your school last spring. He's a very busy man and works hard. I can't go with him all the time."


Then Mrs. Menino opened her book. She started reading the story of Evacuation Day, when, in 1776, George Washington and the American rebels drove the British out of Boston.

The kids read along in their own copies as the big confrontation between the American and British soldiers took place on a hill right in back of the Perkins School (which hadn't been built yet).

We don't want to ruin the end for you, but the Americans won!

Our kids celebrated the library, the book, and the battle with a special breakfast. Then it was back to school for the rest of the day.