Students and staff at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School celebrated both the 90th birthday of the Magnolia Park primary school and the 157th birthday of their namesake and the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, on Monday, October 26.
More than 200 new teddy bears were collected by Roosevelt’s students in Kindergarten through fifth grades and were donated to the Burbank Fire Department, whose members, according to BUSD Board of Education member Charlene Tabet, “promised to find good homes for them.”
“It has been my honor to chair this event for over 15 years,” commented teacher Linda Walmsley. “Every year we have done something wonderful to celebrate our school and its namesake.”
“This year we have extended our celebration beyond our campus by collecting and donating teddy bears to needy children. Having the partnership of the Burbank Fire Department to help us achieve this goal gives me great joy.”
In addition to Principal Dr. Jennifer Meglemre and officials from the Burbank Fire Department, the event was also attended by Burbank Mayor Bob Frutos and Councilmembers Will Rogers and Jess Talamantes along with Board of Education President Tabet and member Armond Aghakhanian. They also led the children in singing “Happy Birthday.”
Students and staff held a Teddy Bear Picnic on the grass field of Teddy Bear Park. Burbank Firefighters drove onto the hard top area with a ladder truck and engine to collect the donated teddy bears. While the goal was 90 teddy bears to celebrate the school’s 90th birthday, families from the school donated more than 200 for local needy children.
