Students take part in immigrant experience

MARLBORO- With their ship docked in the hallway of the Frank Defino Central School, pupils were swept back in time to experience a journey to America through the doors of Ellis Island.

Immigration Day was celebrated on April 17 as part of the Marlboro K-8 School District's multicultural festival.

The nervous travelers left the ship and made their way down the hall to the school cafeteria, which had been set up with inspection stations to mirror what Ellis Island once looked like to people entering the United States.

Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor, saw more than 12 million immigrants enter the United States between 1892 and 1954, according to the Ellis Island Internet Web site.

Mary-Ann Landi, president of the school PTA, greeted the third-graders and collected their inspection passes. She directed the students to their first stop as they entered America, a visit to the nurse's station.

Parent volunteers manned stations such as customs, a geography table, a fact table, their final destination table and finally the entering of the United States where the Statue of Liberty greeted the weary travelers.

Dressed as immigrants, with some carrying sacks or suitcases, the children carried their special Passport to America, which was filled as they passed each station. At the customs area the students' luggage was searched for contraband, which in this case included items not historically accurate. A table in the back was quickly filled with contraband items such as water bottles and toys. The confiscated items were returned to the students at the end of the activity.

This eye-opening experience for the pupils at the Defino Central School has been an annual event for eight years, according to Landi.

Principal Sandra Morris explained that the children were asked to choose a country where their ancestors had immigrated from for the project.

Working at the geography station was parent volunteer Donna Belmonte, who explained that the pupils had to identify their point of origin along with surrounding countries or body of waters on a globe.

"I think it's wonderful," said Belmonte, whose daughter is in the third grade at the school.

She said the parents were also learning things about the immigration process.

"It's great to ask them (the students) about all the other countries," Belmonte said.

Aidan Moyer, 8, dressed the part of a British immigrant and brought along the essentials in his bag - bread, paper and crayons.

The fact that the United Kingdom is run by a monarchy is what Aidan found most interesting.

"The English class system is based on a person's background, not on their wealth," he said.

Leaving family members behind in their home country was what Aidan felt would be the hardest part for those immigrating to America.

Justin Chen, 9, said his family had immigrated from Taiwan and went on the say that he learned a lot about where his ancestors once lived.

The various types of cuisine is one point that Justin said he found most interesting about the country his family immigrated from about 15 years ago.

Having already visited Greece, Jack Cipas, 8, chose the country of his father's ancestors to learn about. The famous people the country has produced, like Socrates and Plato, was one thing Jack found interesting about Greece.

After going through the mock Ellis Island, Jack said he thought an immigrant would be scared upon entering the country, and that part of his or her fear would be the possibility of separation from their family.

When asked what he felt was the best part of this activity for the pupils, Vice Principal Nicholas Camera said, "I think they really get an appreciation for what immigrants went through and they'll never forget it."