It was the last day of the school year and summer vacation was only an hour away as Malverne middle school students filed into the Herber auditorium for one last assembly on June 24.
They were there for the first annual R.I.C.E. awards ceremony, celebrating the success of the character development program and acknowledging students who have shown respect, impulse control, compassion, and equity above the rest throughout the year.
After the honors were doled out, the students settled back to listen to some of their peers perform the popular Katy Perry song "Firework," but as the choir began to sing the second chorus they got a big surprise.
the Merrick teen who won over fans across the country during his stint on the last season of American Idol, stepped into the auditorium while belting out the words to the song - ofcourse adding his own style to it.
Many students shrieked, squealed and bounced out of their seats over the excitement of the local singing sensation in their midst. Rosen shook some of their hands as he continued to accompany the chorus.
Even though Rosen attends Calhoun High School, where he is known just as much for his baseball talents as he is for his voice, he is no stranger to the Malverne schools.
His father, Matt Rosen, has been a social worker for the district for the past 22 years, and as a child Robbie used to accompany him to meetings and after-school events. (He even rode his tricycle through the school hallways on occasion.)
Rosen also treated his audience to one of his original songs, "Hang On," which he said he wrote only days before. He performed the heartfelt number while playing the piano.
Then, he concluded his visit by inviting a number of students on stage to sing John Mayer's hit anthem, "Waiting On The World To Change."
