LION’s 20th Anniversary Spring Family Day
The hiss of the grill, the swoosh of a bouncy house inflating, the sweet smell of cotton candy, and the pop of fresh popcorn. As smiling faces lit up our hallways and music boosted the energy in our building, hundreds of LION families didn’t just enter a typical Spring Family Day; they stepped into 20 years of community, care, and pride. The rain fell outside, but inside, LION staff brought the sunshine to 830 Hunts Point Avenue.
From the moment families arrived, the message was clear: this day was for them. At registration, families picked up 20th-anniversary shirts and swag, then moved into the Lions Den, transformed into a full carnival. Students and siblings raced through games, shot hoops, and bounced their way through the morning while staff spun cotton candy, popped popcorn, and grilled hot dogs out on the patio. Everywhere you looked, there were smiles, high fives, and friends reconnecting.
Upstairs, the celebration kept building. Families faced off in dance competitions, grabbed the mic for karaoke, and settled in for board games and friendly challenges. In between activities, many stopped to take in photos of key “firsts” from LION’s history, pausing to reflect on those moments and share stories. Those snapshots reminded us that the most important part of the last 20 years has always been the people.
On the third floor, the day connected fun with purpose, as families met local partners who strengthen our community every day. New York Junior Tennis and Learning, Urban Health, NYPD Explorers, the Hunts Point Alliance for Children, Clarity Care, and NYC Kids Rise shared extracurricular, health and wellness, and financial opportunities, answered questions, and helped families register for programming. Families also visited our second LION Cares pop-up, where they could pick up clothing, toys, baby and hygiene products, and pantry essentials donated by LION staff and supporters, as well as 20 boxes of fresh produce generously provided by D’Arrigo New York. The LION Cares pop-up is one more way LION shows up for our families, meeting immediate needs with dignity and reflecting the care we build together as a community.
Family Days are a signature practice at LION, bringing staff, students, and families together to celebrate milestones, deepen relationships, and see our values in action. This Family Day was especially meaningful because it marked our 20th anniversary, a testament to our sustained commitment to the Hunts Point community and to the belief that schools thrive when they are built with, and for, the neighborhoods they serve.
Our decision to build a school in Hunts Point was deliberate. This is a community rich with history, resilience, and advocacy, and it is home to so many of our students, families, and staff. Twenty years later, we are still proud to be rooted here, growing together, and preparing young people to lead wherever they go.
Thank you to every family who joined us, every staff member who brought the energy, and every partner who helped make the day possible. Here’s to the next chapter of LION, built in the Bronx, leading everywhere.
