(C) Verite News New Orleans This story was originally published by Verite News New Orleans and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . At Morris Jeff, parade melds Mardi Gras and books [1] ['Minh Ha', 'More Minh Ha', 'Verite News'] Date: 2024-02-13 This year, elementary school students at Morris Jeff Community School built their Mardi Gras parade around the world of literature. That meant pre-K through fifth grade classes circling the block around the school’s Mid-City campus on Feb. 8, bedecked in construction paper and other costumed details to represent books like “What If You Had Animal Ears?” and “The Feelings Book.” The school’s annual parade, attended by parents and students and neighbors watching from their porches, also included the Morris Jeff middle school band, cheer and dance teams and Cadet Corps. Each class, dressed in the theme of a children’s book read by students, marched on with banners, costumes and even throws — candies, stickers, beads, plushies and even toy magnifying glasses, among other objects. Camille Galanes-O’Neill, a longtime Spanish teacher at Morris Jeff, said she loved watching the kids’ excitement as they made their way around the school building. “It’’s so much part of our culture,” she said. “As a community school, we like to embrace our culture as well as to understand other cultures. We start with our own culture, appreciate it, love it, work on it and then move into the bigger concept of the world.” See photos below: The Morris Jeff middle school band kicks off the literary-themed parade on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News Morris Jeff students, dressed as emotions and parading under the theme “The Feelings Book,” give spectators high-fives on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News Costumed Morris Jeff students walk past a crowd of cheering parents on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News Spanish teacher Camille Galanes-O’Neill receives throws from a first grader dressed up as a scientist on Feb. 8, 2024. The theme is “The Questioneers: First grade shows off future career.” Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News Students participate in the Morris Jeff Community School parade on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News A fourth grader at Morris Jeff Community School leads his class holding a Mardi Gras flag on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News A fourth grader dressed as a dragon participates in the Morris Jeff Community School parade on Feb. 8, 2024. Credit: Minh Ha / Verite News Related Stories Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. [END] --- [1] Url: https://veritenews.org/2024/02/13/at-morris-jeff-parade-melds-mardi-gras-and-books/ Published and (C) by Verite News New Orleans Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 US. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/veritenews/