Lincoln Elementary School held the promotion ceremony of its sixth grade Class of 2021 on the playground of the school campus on June 8. It was one of the largest classes to promote at Lincoln, which saw 78 sixth graders gathered with their parents at a social distance of six feet away and fully masked.

The promotion began with sixth grade Boy Scouts Peter James, Gavin Arntson, Dominic Horton and Joshua Stone leading the flag salute. Musical highlights included the “Star Spangled Banner” played by Grace Lee and Hoon Cho, “Minuet” by Luigi Boccherini played by Max Mucic and “Bourree” by G.G. Handel performed by Gabriella Michel. Student speaker was Joseph Papaleo.

The Lincoln class history was read by a variety of sixth graders. Principal Barbara Fariss delivered her message to the sixth grade class followed by the presentation of the certificates by sixth grade teachers Tracy Black and Karen Gilbaugh. The parent message was given by Ameri Ramirez, who thanked “the marvelous sixth grade teachers, principal and all the sixth grade parents” who worked so diligently this year to help the graduating class have the best year possible during a pandemic.  

Ramirez then presented the sixth grade gift to the school, which was a new computer for the Lincoln library. When the ceremony ended the graduates and their parents were escorted to a quick photo op with Principal Fariss before heading to the Hindenberg section of CV Park for a reception and memory book distribution. There they collected autographs, had photo ops with friends and family and reminisced about their elementary days at Lincoln.

Submitted by and photos by Nicolas JAMES