Amityville

On Nov. 26, students at Northwest Elementary School in Amityville celebrated Thanksgiving in a creative and joyful way that brought learning, art, and cultural traditions together.  

After reading “Balloons Over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet, which tells the true story of Tony Sarg — the self-taught immigrant artist behind the original Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats and costumes — students were inspired to design and construct their very own parade balloons. Sarg’s innovative creations, which laid the foundation for the iconic helium balloons featured in today’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, helped students explore both immigrant contributions and cherished American holiday traditions. Drawing from this inspiration, classrooms buzzed with imagination as students transformed their ideas into colorful balloon characters of their own. 

The school’s hallways were soon filled with excitement, laughter, and pride as students showcased their artistic talents in the Northwest Thanksgiving Day Parade, complete with cheers from classmates and staff. Ms. Fox's class was among the classes to participate in this year’s festive celebration. 

Northwest would like to thank Ms. Karniewich, Ms. Haber, Ms. Carrero, and ENL teachers Ms. Soto and Ms. Meisser for their leadership in organizing the event and helping bring the story of Tony Sarg to life for students.