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RED School Color Day to Remember Everyone Deployed Goes School-Wide at BMS

By Julie Perine on January 13, 2018 via Connect-Bridgeport.com

Since taking over the reins as Bridgeport Middle School principal, Dave Mazza has been on a mission to instill in his students a mindset for community service and selflessness.
 
That spirit has been contagious and has led to some amazing projects; some which have come even to Mazza as a surprise.
 
What started out as school spirit color days to support BMS athletic teams has served as the basis for RED day.
 
Mazza explained.
 
“A few months ago, we were going to have a school spirit day – everyone wearing red – and a teacher came up to me and asked if I minded if she wore a particular shirt,” he said.
 
On the shirt was the acronym, RED, which stood for “Remember Everyone Deployed.”
 
“I told her not only did I care if she wore it, but that I’d like to make it a school-wide observance once a month,” Mazza said.
 
The teacher was Belynda Fergusson, who thereafter worked with Mazza on a project specific to the school’s very first RED day.
 
A contest was held for the design of a BMS shirt supporting the RED mission.
 
“We decided that any of the students – in grades 6 through 8 – could bring in some type of design,” Fergusson said. “It had to be something they drew themselves and there was, of course, criteria – certain things had to be included.”
 
Twenty-three designs were submitted and via the school’s closed-circuit TV programming, designs were shared with members of the student body, who voted on the winning design.
 
By majority vote, Skylar Elliott was awarded first place. Just a sixth grader, Skylar had very specific reasons for her inspiration. In fact, she said Red Friday has a long history in her family.
 
“I already knew about RED Friday from my dad. He has been wearing red every Friday since before I was born,” she said. “My granddaddy was in the Army and my great-granddaddy was in the Navy. I have a lot of love for the military and what they do to protect us and I hope they all come home safe.”
 
Among required elements for the design submission was the placement of a military symbol. Skylar said she chose to feature a soldier holding a salute, indicating honor and respect for the selfless acts they perform.
 
Skylar’s design was featured on T-shirts made for all BMS students.
 
“We asked the kids to each send in $5, but they didn’t have to,” Mazza said. "We weren't going to leave anyone out."
 
Nearly all students brought in the money and some brought enough to cover the cost of several shirts.
 
Friday, T-shirts were distributed and a group photo taken of the student body sporting their RED shirts.
 
Mazza hopes his students, faculty and members of the community will take a few minutes to “Remember Everyone Deployed.”
 
“We want to remind our kids what these people do – what they sacrifice – for our freedom,” he said. “They take time away from their families so we can live our lives. A lot of people take for granted what is going on and we will now have a once-a-month reminder to let people know others are out there fighting for our freedom.”
 
Fergusson has several family members who have served or are serving in the U.S. military and said she knows first-hand how it feels to have a loved one so selflessly fighting for our freedoms as they spend time away from those they love.
 
“My grandfather was a gunman during WWII on a Navy battleship.  My father was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War and has retired from the Army.  Also, my two brothers are active military and have both served and continue to serve overseas when needed,” she said. “These are the main reasons I am passionate about supporting RED Day."
 
Fergusson said she is thankful that BMS has a principal as supportive as Mr. Mazza. Many BMS students have family and friends serving oversees and are excited to demonstrate their patriotism through the RED project.
 
“This is their way to show their support to these brave men and women,” she said.
 
From now through the end of the school year, one Friday will be set aside each month for all BMS students, teachers and staff to sport their own RED shirts, thanks to combined efforts of administration, faculty and students to make an impact on the world around them – and to Skylar Elliott's insight and artistic talent.



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