Why All the Flags? This Year’s New Look Parade of Nations

By Madeleine Mattson The thirteenth annual Branford High Parade of Nations Friday will differ from past parades. What exactly was it before and what will it be now? Where does this BHS flag-waving tradition come from? It goes back to September 11th 2001. The administration at the time – Principal Edmund Higgins, and assistant principals Dave Maloney, Joe Fazzino, and Anna Puglia – felt like the best way to cope with the fall of the Twin Towers was to celebrate the different cultures of the world, not scrutinize them. A survey was given to the students to get a feeling of the different heritages in the school. These cultures determined the flags that were chosen to be in the parade, Ms. Puglia said.

Read about previous year’s Parade of Nation ceremonies held in September 2012 and September 2013 in The Buzz

This year, however the parade is taking place at the start of October, rather than September. It also has a little different format, Puglia said. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be carrying flags of countries recognized by United Nations with the exception of the American and United Nations flags, which will be carried by administration. Seniors Haley Nelson and Marissa Salazar, presidents of the cultural diversity club, will be announcing the names and backgrounds of flags as they pass. This change was made to invest more interest in the individual flags by having advisories sponsor different countries and research them in the weeks leading up to the event, Ms. Puglia said. Separately, Music Teacher Cathyann Roding also decided to make a change; the choir will not be singing “Imagine” this year, for the first time in several years, Roding said. They will instead be singing “We Are The World” and will open with the national anthem. What do you think of the new Parade of Nations? Let us know in the comments or via Twitter @BranfordBuzz