June 10, 2004

‘Freaky Friday’ at Graystone

By Allison Johnson
Special to the Times

Graystone Principal Jerri Kazmierczak and Assistant Principal Juan Correa always keep their word. If the recent Graystone walk-a-thon surpassed the goal of raising $35,000, they promised to change faces and places for a day. So on “Freaky Friday” last week at Graystone Elementary, they did just that, making quite the fashion statements and generating cheers and laughter from the students and staff.

The two of them were certainly a sight to behold.

Correa showed up in two items of style that Kazmierczak is known forÑher sweater sets (his was a stunning deep purple) and long colorful custom fingernailsÑtopped off by a blonde wig and white Keds tennis flats.

Kazmierczak countered the move by showing up with very dark eyebrows and a mustache, sporting Correa’s neat and tidy look, wearing menÕs trousers with a belt, and a button-down shirt with a hideous tie. Correa is known to have one of the largest tie collections in the universe, going all year never wearing the same tie twice, each of them displaying vibrant color and personality.

The walk-a-thon was more important this year than ever, as all of the funds raised at this event were earmarked for the Save Our Programs (SOP) Fund, which maintains Graystone’s Science, Music and Media Center programs.

These programs were in jeopardy due to the recent state budget cuts. In the end, the programs were saved and as always, Principal Kazmierczak and Assistant Principal Correa kept their promises to the delight of all of those around them.