17-04-2025
Aliza Spencer Friendship Day honors legacy of murdered Binghamton student
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Calvin Coolidge Elementary community honored the memory of Aliza Spencer today through multiple acts of kindness.
The school that Aliza went to for kindergarten through 5th grade, commemorated her death with its Aliza Spencer Friendship Day.
Spencer was 12 years old and a 6th grader at East Middle when she was shot and killed while walking near her home on April 21, 2022. Her killer has not been arrested.
On Thursday, students from East Middle came to Coolidge, one per each classroom, and helped the younger students make friendship bracelets and play friendship bingo.
4th grade teacher Ann Marie Bogart's daughter was best friends with Aliza. She's determined to keep her memory alive.
'She was a model student and everyone loved Aliza. She loved everyone. And she deserves to be remembered for the beautiful person that she was,' said Bogart.
Bogart showed her students a slide show about Aliza as well as a remembrance piece that News 34 aired shortly after her death.
Bogart and a student from East also read the children's book 'Can Cat and Bird Be Friends?'
East students Jahking Grandoit and Kashawn Hemingway say it feels good to spend time with younger kids.
'I feel like it's a good way to honor Aliza and how she was a good friend to everybody and liked to socialize and bring good vibes to everybody,' said Grandoit.
'Some kids knew Aliza and some kids didn't. It's good to do friendship stuff so that kids know how to be kind to each other and stuff,' said Hemingway.
Other ways in which the school honored Aliza were through holding a food drive and book drive to restock the Little Free Library and Blessing Box that were created in her honor, as well as a photo area for kids.
Binghamton's DPW painted a purple stripe down Robinson Street in front of the school in her honor.
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