PARADISE — To mark the passing of one year since Concow, Paradise and Magalia were evacuated in the Camp Fire on Nov. 8, Paradise Ridge Elementary celebrated first responders on the schools news campus Friday morning.
The campus has brought together several Paradise schools in the Paradise Unified School District at the location, and used it for a memorial event starring students of all grades.
Gathering in the former Paradise Intermediate gymnasium, classes of grades transitional kindergarten through sixth were there, with many children’s parents seated in the bleachers to watch.
Grades TK-6th are all here today! pic.twitter.com/dlmmMo8aRY
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) November 8, 2019
Retired teacher Susanne Linebarger was one of the teachers leading classes into the event, and said she was substituting in leading a class of first-graders. She said she knew one of the first responders from classes she taught years ago.
Police and first responders for Paradise joined them for a mostly musical tribute, “Honoring the Heroes Around Us.”
Principal Ed Gregorio of Paradise Ridge Elementary opened the ceremony with an acknowledgement of the police and first responders gathered, describing them as local heroes.
“When we think of heroes, we might think of what we see in movies … of heroes with shields, heroes with capes,” he said. “But these are the real heroes.”
The presenting of the flag and Pledge of Allegiance. pic.twitter.com/Ms0pDoUPHA
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) November 8, 2019
He introduced two fifth-graders, who presented the flag and called for the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Paradise Elementary School chorus then sang several songs to the group of first responders, opening with “The Star Spangled Banner.”
PES chorus: The national anthem. pic.twitter.com/xcwSNF2vgc
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) November 8, 2019
“Hero” followed, led by soloist Kylin Crawford.
“Hero” by PES chorus features solo by Kylin Crawford. pic.twitter.com/BFgl5taAsU
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) November 8, 2019
“There’s a hero, if you look inside your heart/ You don’t have to be afraid of what you are,” she sang to the officers gathered.
Another class led the group to recite the American Creed to the crowd.
Transitional kindergarten through second graders also got a chance to perform “America the Beautiful,” signing the lyrics in American Sign Language while singing. “This Land is Your Land” was also performed later.
TK- second graders sing “America the Beautiful” pic.twitter.com/2gRj7LbJDc
— Natalie Hanson (@nhanson_reports) November 8, 2019
It was a chance for the kids to honor the men and women who helped evacuate the town, according to Gregorio. Paradise Ridge Elementary listed the following in its dedication within the event: Paradise Police Department, Cal Fire-Butte County, Butte County Sheriff’s Office, Butte County Search and Rescue, Paradise Veterans, National Guard, California State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, California Highway Patrol and local paramedics, as well as staff, parents and students.
