The annual Back to School Pep Rally at Fred D. Wish Elementary
School on Barbour Street in Hartford's Northend was held on Friday,
September 25. Among those participating in the event were the
Fredie Wish Bear, John B. Larson, Democratic Congressional candidate,
students, faculty, parents, community members and the Stowe Village
Community Police Officer, Lu Ferino. Representatives from Automatic
Data Processing of Windsor and Phoenix Mutual Insurance Company,
two of the school's major sponsors, also joined in the fun.
Principal Lynne Lanier addressed the group and said that learning
is the number one priority at Wish School. "Here at Wish
my faculty works daily on our mission statement to 'Explore and
Learn, Achieve our Dreams' for all our students."
Several acts were performed by the students, including a rap
session created by the fifth graders in Lucille Waterman's class.
Larson gave a brief speech to the students and said, "I
know that the majority of you live in Stowe Village. As a child,
I grew up in Mayberry Village in East Hartford. My family consisted
of my wonderful mom and dad, seven brothers and sisters and me.
My parents were very hard working yet neither of them attended
college... but all of their children did. I feel so strongly
that you can all go on to higher education. With all the energy
and excitment shown here today at your school I would like to
present a special project to all of you here today. If on November
3, I am elected to the United States Congress, I will hire a
school bus to transport 20 Wish Elementary School students and
20 students from my home town of East Hartford go on a special
visit to Washington D.C. Here is an opportunity for all of you
to be challenged. Study hard and excel because 20 students will
be selected and we will go off to Washington," said Larson.
