Middle School Students Participate in Stand By Me Day

Manchester Middle School students spent an entire school day traveling around the school building and attending several different motivational presentations last week during a program called “Stand By Me Day.” 

The Manchester Township High School ROTC performed a demonstration about how to properly fold the American flag and how to do a drill. They also asked the group of students to stand up and learn how to respond to the calls such as “about face." The ROTC explained to middle school students what they would be doing next year if they joined the organization at the high school level.

A magician, Mark Calabrese, put on a magic show in another room. He performed card tricks and explained to the students how the fine art of distracting an audience with banter while the trick is being performed.

Manchester Township Police Department sent an officer to speak with the students. He spent his presentation explaining Facebook and technology safety, Meghan’s Law and general safety. Although he won the students over by joking around with them, the students were very engrossed in this informative presentation.

In the cafeteria, Project PACKMAN (Police And Community Kids Music Against Narcotics), a singing group of students from the Manasquan area, performed several rock song selections for the younger students.  

“This goal of this organization is to spread the awareness of drugs and alcohol and how it affects us and other kids,” explained Nicole Heilos, member of PACKMAN.

Project Pride (Promoting Responsibility in Drug Education) also stopped by for Stand By Me Day. Each grade was spoken to by the New Jersey Department of Corrections and four inmates. 

Each prisoner shared their story of how they ended up in jail. The message from every inmate was to choose your friends carefully and every action has a consequence. 

Joseph Bolcato organized the day and was very excited to have well over 40 guest speakers available to the students. 

“This program is offered to the Middle School Students to provide them with positive reinforcement, role models, and motivation for their future endeavors," he said. "Middle School years are very impressionable and a young person's goals in life emerge at this age. Now is the time to develop good decision-making skills for the future."

Bolcato said that all of the hard work for this day is worth it. 

“The enjoyment I get is when I see young people making positive choices both inside and outside of school. Students coming back and saying to me, 'Do you remember Stand By Me Day Mr. B., wasn't it great? I learned so much today, thank you,' is a reward like no other.”