By Albert Amateau
P.S. 3 celebrated its Fourth Annual Environmental Parade of All Species on April 3, mostly juvenile Homo sapiens wearing animal masks of all species and then some.
Booming drums led the procession from the top to the ground-floor auditorium of the school on Hudson St. — indoors this year because it was raining cats and dogs on Friday morning.
“All 600 kids in the school participate — I make sure of that,” said Lupi Del Toro, founder of the school’s annual environmental event and a P.S. 3 art teacher for 22 years. Del Toro and Jennie Miller, who teaches movement and dance, worked with the students for six weeks preparing the show, which included readings of original poetry, with topics ranging from trees and shells to birds. A dance number inspired by the percussive East Village musical “Stomp” followed.
The main event was a play, “The Old Tree,” about residents of an old tree who complain about noisy neighbors. Of course, harmony prevails at the end.
