On August 11th and 12th, members of I LUG NY visited Nassau BOCES at the Carman Road School in Massapequa Park, NY for the purpose of sharing our hobby with the Carman Road School community. LUG members Rick Theroux, Cody Wells and I (Brian Wygand) were on hand to present our LEGO models and interact with the students and staff of Carman Road.
This July I received a phone call from teacher Pam Doyle to see if I thought her school would be a good fit for a LEGO visit much like the visits Cody and I have done at the Jerusalem Avenue School. Shortly after, Pam gave me a comprehensive tour of the building providing me with opportunities to meet the students and staff of the school. Each and every single classroom we visited I was welcomed with a smile and warm greeting which made me feel appreciated immediately. Pam took me into the huge, all purpose room/auditorium where a science fair was in progress and Pam mentioned that we’d likely set up our LEGO in this room opposed to visiting classrooms as we have done at Jerusalem Avenue. Much of the student body at Carman Road requires mobility devices in order to travel the school and the all purpose room would not only give us ample space to set up our LEGO and show our slideshow presentation but it would most importantly give the entire school a chance to travel through the LEGO exhibit freely.
I was convinced that Carman Road was a great fit for a LEGO event at this school after my first visit and so was Cody upon hearing about the school. After speaking with Rick he was on board and the three of us packed our cars and met up at Carman Road on the 11th. Rick and I set up our display over the next five hours or so and felt confident that our work would be met with excitement by the students. Rick and I set up a town/train display measuring 64 square feet. We had 24 modular buildings in the town, 17 of which were MOCs, a running 9 volt train, many vehicles and townsfolk going about their business. The three of us also arranged 52 mosaics, 12 spaceships, a micropolis with 9 modules, a Ghostbusters scene complete with Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and GB HQ, a Lighthouse, WWE championship wrestling belt, and Titanic along the perimeter of the room on 12 folding tables.
Once the presentation started Tuesday morning the three of us were in for a real treat. Students, staff and nurses filed into the gym throughout the day and the reactions of the students will be something I never, ever forget. The larger than life personalities of the students were on display for us to see as they communicated in both verbal and nonverbal manners to show their emotions and share their opinions of our work with enthusiasm all day long. Besides being complimented and congratulated verbally we were applauded, waved at, smiled at, spoken to through an iPad/tablet, had kisses blown at us (thank you Paula!) and the students filled us with a sense of wonderment!
Rick, Cody and I were treated royally by all who visited our display. We want to thank the Carman Road Parent Association for their support, young Will for assisting with set up, Will’s family for helping us pack up our models, Principal Steven Kessler, Assistant Principal Gina DaRocha and the staff of Carman Road for their kind words, custodian Pat for helping us with tables and plywood, and LUGmate Will Smart for also helping with tear down. We’d also like to thank teacher Pam Doyle for making sure this event could take place in the first place. Pam’s support with our slideshow presentation saved me a lot of time. Pam provided us with wonderful ideas (play area, LEGO posters, signs reminding visitors to not touch the display, etc.). Every school should have 20 Pam Doyles! Last but certainly not least we’d like to thank the students of Carman Road for creating memories that will last a lifetime, some who are pictured below.
