Lillie Perkins (pictured) takes 45 boys from New Haven and adjoining towns to sing all over the East Coast (including Canada) as part of the Unity Boys’ Choir. But, as she explained to the Board of Education’s Curriculum Committee in seeking permission for another trip, singing is the vehicle to accomplish other goals.
Perkins is planning a long weekend trip to Amish country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in April. She had to get clearance from the board to take the boys out of school for a day. She was not asking for money. “It’s not about money, — ¬ù she said. “It’s about commitment. — ¬ù It’s about getting the parents to bring the boys to rehearsals at Celentano School.
And her mission? “It’s social development, — ¬ù she says, “encouraging self-respect, and getting them away from city life and exposing them to other cultures. — ¬ù
Well, it could be partially about money. Perkins says many more boys would like to join the choir, but their parents can’t get them to the rehearsals. She’d love to have a van to facilitate more boys joining. She emphasized that the membership is diverse, and that since the choir has been in existence for a decade, it includes some young men now in college, whom the choir is helping out financially. Carlos Torres, chair of the Curriculum Committee, offered to meet informally with her to pursue possible options.
One of the teachers who’s led Nature’s Classroom in the past requested funding to take 40 fifth- grade students from Worthington Hooker Middle School for a three-day adventure in March. She said the hands-on activities teach cooperation and promote enthusiasm for learning, in addition to the actual science they learn.
After the meeting, two Board of Ed staffers lingered, talking about the amazing impact attendance at past Nature’s Classrooms had on their own kids. One said her son was close-mouthed about it, as if wanting to hold on to and treasure the very special experience he’d had; the other said her son came home so excited he couldn’t stop talking about it.
Both programs were approved at the Board of Ed meeting later Monday evening.
