Students and faculty at Gaywood Elementary planted a tree and installed a park bench on school grounds Friday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of classmate Ricky Atkinson Jr.
Atkinson, a fourth-grader at the time, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run-driver May 30, 2007 while trying to cross Annapolis Road at Woodlawn Drive in Landover Hills, where he lived. Ricky’s father, Ricky Atkinson Sr., was also struck but survived.
One year later the driver of the car has still not been apprehended, Ricky’s mother, Tamara Atkinson, said.
‘‘Ricky meant a lot to us,” she said. ‘‘He was a good, caring, sharing child.”
The $250 bench, paid for by the school, was constructed by Martin Murray, an ESOL teacher at Gaywood. The bench was inscribed with the words ‘‘In Loving Memory of Ricky Atkinson: 4th Grade student with an amazing smile.”
The tree, an American Elm expected to grow up to 100 feet, was donated by Marcia Weaks, a parishioner at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale, Murray said. The church frequently provides the school with items for its garden, he said.
‘‘This will be a nice memorial for him,” said Audrey James, Gaywood’s special education coordinator. ‘‘Students can come out here and play by the tree and sit on the bench any time.”
During the 30-minute ceremony, more than 75 students and faculty members at the Lanham school sung ‘‘Happy Birthday” to Ricky, whose 11th birthday would have been Monday, shared their memories of him and presented his mother, father and grandmother with a teddy bear, a yearbook signed by many of the students in his fourth-grade class, and a $400 check from funds collected from parents and faculty.
‘‘I just wanted the family to realize that we still remember Ricky,” Gaywood Principal Sonya Harris said.
Ricky attended Gaywood for one year. He previously attended Woodridge Elementary School in Hyattsville.
Family and faculty described Ricky as an outgoing child with a bright smile and many friends.
William O’Neal, Ricky’s teacher at Gaywood, said despite his short time at the school, Ricky made his presence felt. O’Neal said he continues to find comfort in remembering Ricky’s sunny disposition.
‘‘He reminded me to cherish each day,” he said. ‘‘He was always so happy. He never lost his joy.”
Another memorial ceremony was held Friday, attended primarily by Ricky’s extended family, at the spot where the accident occurred.
At the candle-lit ceremony, the gathering encircled a marker covered with pictures of Ricky, a giant poster with short notes and hand-decorated cards from classmates with messages such as ‘‘We Miss You.”
The ceremony featured songs, prayers and speeches from O’Neal and family members.
‘‘I’m grateful for those people that are here,” Ricky’s great uncle J.F. Artis said.
E-mail Jonathan Stein at jstein@gazette.net.
