Elmont Union Free School District

Stewart Manor School scholars and staff came together on the morning of Nov. 14 for the annual Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, joining a nationwide movement honoring the iconic civil rights leader. The event pays tribute to Ruby Bridges’ courageous steps in 1960, when she became one of the first Black children to integrate into an all-white school.

Participants were encouraged to wear purple, Ruby’s favorite color, as they gathered alongside New York State Troopers and local police officers for a meaningful walk around the school’s perimeter to signify Ruby’s steps to school. 

In the week leading up to the walk, students engaged in a series of activities to celebrate Ruby Bridges. In their music classes, they learned and reflected on the lyrics to Jackie DeShannon’s “What the World Needs Now.” During library sessions, the scholars explored a range of stories about Ruby: the school’s youngest learners read “Ruby Bridges Goes to School,” while older students delved deeper with “Through My Eyes” by Ruby Bridges and “The Story of Ruby Bridges” by Robert Coles.

This annual event offers the school community a meaningful opportunity to come together, reflect on history and consider how to continue working toward a more just and inclusive future.