Calverton 2nd-graders celebrate Flag Day

A wave of Calverton second-graders awash in red, white and blue brought a lesson plan to life Tuesday as they celebrated Flag Day.

Scores of parents lined the driveway at Riley Avenue School, applauding, waving and snapping photographs as the 160 students waved flags and hoisted drawings of the stars and stripes. They marched back and forth -- as several classes before them have done in a nearly 20-year tradition -- then went inside for a patriotic concert and a discussion of the American flag.

All of the school's second-graders have studied the flag because holidays are part of their curriculum. They learned about Betsy Ross and the symbolism of the stars, stripes and colors.

"Wherever you go, it's always there for you," said Marissa Braunreuther, 8, of Aquebogue.

After the parade, the second-graders performed for nearly 500 schoolmates, and there were some pre-performance jitters.

Marion Dorman, a second-grade teacher who is retiring this year after 40 years in the district, recalled the first time she organized a parade at the school, 19 years ago.

"We used to parade around the whole [recreation] field of the school," she said.