As every year, the three sections of Belgrano Day School came together to celebrate another anniversary of Argentina’s Independence Day. In addition, our sixth-grade students took the Pledge of Allegiance to the National Constitution.
Kinder Celebrated with a Traditional Folk Festival
The youngest members of Belgrano Day School commemorated July 9, 1816, with a special ceremony attended by students, teachers, and BDS families. After welcoming the ceremonial flags and singing the Argentine National Anthem, Estela Fothy, Head of Kinder, shared a few words, inviting everyone to move beyond seeing the Historic House of Tucumán merely as a monument and instead recognize it as a symbol of our ability to set aside individual interests in pursuit of a common goal.
Later, the K4 students, together with their teachers, spoke about what being independent means to them—such as brushing their teeth on their own or choosing what to wear—before taking the stage for the eagerly anticipated folk festival.
The children sang the song “Casita de Tucumán” with their Music teacher, Yael Kohan, and performed a traditional chacarera dance with their Movement teachers. As the perfect finale, everyone joined in a lively carnavalito, bringing together not only the children but also their families to celebrate our country’s freedom and sovereignty through dance.
Pledge to the National Constitution
Primary also commemorated Argentina’s Independence Day with a very special moment: the P6 students took the Pledge of Allegiance to the National Constitution. After welcoming the ceremonial flags and singing the Argentine National Anthem, Andrea Pelliccia, Head of Primary, shared heartfelt reflections on the relationship between the concepts of State and Nation.
“By pledging loyalty to the Constitution, you are not only committing yourselves to its legal text—you are committing yourselves to one another. You are reaffirming that you are active members of a nation and that you are willing to uphold the principles on which it is built.”
Then, with a resounding “Yes, I do!”, the sixth-grade students pledged to respect the rights and responsibilities established by our Constitution.
Middle & Senior Commemorated Independence Day with a Concert
Students from Middle & Senior also celebrated Independence Day with a ceremony in which music took center stage. After welcoming the ceremonial flags, the Argentine National Anthem was performed on piano by teacher Magui Roiter, accompanied by teacher Alejandro Fernández and student Félix Plante on violin.
Next, Music Department Coordinator Pablo Dzodan shared reflections on the value of independence in today’s world, highlighting it as a driving force for preserving our identity and maintaining a critical perspective on contemporary challenges—values closely aligned with our motto, Fac Recte: Do the Right Thing.
The ceremony concluded with performances by the school’s musical ensembles. The Percussion Ensemble, directed by Professor Pablo Favazza, performed three traditional Argentine folk rhythms that celebrated our cultural roots. This was followed by the BDS Orchestra, conducted by Professor Alejandro Fernández, who presented a varied and moving repertoire including Morgen (R. Strauss), Chacarera del violín (Zirpolo – Hermanos Simón), Variation No. 18 (S. Rachmaninov), Pas de deux from The Nutcracker (P. Tchaikovsky), Bésame mucho (C. Velázquez), and Aquarela (Toquinho).
