Quinn Elementary students learned one last important important lesson ahead of their long weekend on Jan. 18: the meaning behind their day off.

Ahead of Martin Luther King, Jr. day, the students got a primer on King and his work from Assistant Principal Audra Thomas and their peers. It was part of the school's Peacemakers assembly, which is an annual tradition at Quinn.

“Dr. Martin Luther King was not silent about the things he thought mattered, and that was about treating people fairly and doing it in a peaceful way,” Thomas said, explaining that those were values that are important at the Quinn School today.

Fourth graders read a poem to the kindergarten, first, and second grade students outlining Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and values, and encouraged them to keep his dream alive by being kind and treating people fairly.

Each second grade classroom decorated a letter from the word “peace” with ideas about being peaceful in the world and following in King’s footsteps. On the brightly colored poster boards, students decorated them with phrases challenging their peers to "be excellent," including "be positive," "be awesome and amazed."

The first graders wrapped up the assembly with two songs about Martin Luther King, Jr., sung to the tune of “Bingo,” and “If You’re Happy and You Know it,” respectively.

The assembly was also the kick-off of the school's Pennies for Patients program. It is a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Over the next three weeks, the students will collect change for the charity before pooling their collection as classrooms for the chance to win a pizza party, all while being superheroes for those diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma.

For more information about “Pennies for Patients” or donate to Quinn’s fundraiser, go to events.lls.org/pages/ma/James-M-Quinn-Elementary-School-2019.