The PS 56 Children’s Chorus celebrated the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at a school concert on Friday, Jan. 22. Children paid tribute to the civil rights leader in song before parents, teachers, family and classmates. The concert expounded upon the importance of equal rights and social justice for all peoples, honoring the philosophy of Dr. King and declaring in verse “excellence is our goal.”

Sandra Boozebailey, a teacher at PS 56 for the past five years, directed the concert. The Children’s Chorus is a project she started just a year ago. Students participating in the chorus, of which there are 32, met with Boozebailey after school for weeks in order to practice and prepare for the event. Boozebailey is also a member of the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s Urban Voices program, a community-based organization that seeks to introduce choral music to children of all ages.

Principal Priscilla Sheeran lauded the outstanding efforts of the children’s chorus, reminding students that social awareness is a luxury and urging them to continue striving for Dr. King’s dream. Also in attendance was Cliff Frazier of the New York Metropolitan Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolence, who said listening to the children’s chorus was the equivalent of listening to “angels.”