OA will mark the 10th anniversary of the death of alumni DJ Henry this week as the students remember Henry and work together to craft a legacy in his honor.
DJ Henry, a student from OA that graduated in 2008, was shot in Pleasantville, New York, by officer Aron Hess. He was unarmed and his car was shot at 4 times before killing him. This Saturday, October 29th, 2022 marks the 10th year anniversary of his death. As a community we have commemorated his legacy and plan to do this once again this Friday, October 28, 2022.
“It is a day to reflect on what he means to our community,” said history department chair Mr. Auger, who is involved in organizing the remembrance. “That reflection and subsequent discussion has many facets, including, but not limited to, how we can build a stronger and more inclusive culture here at OA and in Easton, how we can think about our own individual legacies, how we feel about DJ’s place in the national conversation, how we signal who belongs to a community, and more.”
Mr. Auger, as well as ADL peers, are orchestrating DJ Henry Day this year on Friday during the last two blocks of day. Two programs will be taking place during this time for the upperclassmen (grades 11 and 12) and underclassmen (grades 9 and 10). Each of the groups programs have a different agenda with priority of informing students and involving them in activities.
All grades will work on their “legacy” to contribute to the schoolwide living mural mosaic. Students will receive a 1/8 sheet of paper that will become part of the living mural. Students will write or draw what they want their legacy to be. And collectively, all these pieces will become part of a school-wide mosaic that represents OA’s collective legacy. This was a big theme for DJ, as one of his favorite quotes was the Marcus Aurelius quote: “What we do in life echoes in eternity”.
A portion of Oliver Ames’ school day for the past 3 years on DJ Day has been dedicated to celebrating the memory of Danroy Henry. This website was created if you would like to refresh your memory or have not learned: https://sites.google.com/view/djday/home.
For more information, visit the DJ Henry dream fund: https://djdreamfund.org/
The DJ Henry Dream Fund provides financial support allowing youths to participate in sports, performing arts, summer programs, and more.