Hundreds of Former Students Return to School for Longtime Teacher's Touching Send-Off

Former students return to their alma mater for all sorts of reasons. But on one very special day, more than 300 former students came back to La Salle College High School for the sweetest reason!

Joe Ciciimaro, or the man known as Mr. C, is an 83-year-old director of the performing arts department at the boys, La Salle College High School outside of Philadelphia. He has been there for 54 years, and it is now time for him to retire. 

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When his former students heard the news, now professional musicians, they came together to be conducted by him one last time. What a way to honor a former teacher! 

Students Return To Say Farewell

You can’t help but compare this to the Richard Dreyfuss movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus from the 1990s. In the movie, the music teacher’s former students come back together with his current students and greet him with a standing ovation. They then go on to perform with him one last time. 

More than 300 of Mr.C’s former students returned to the school for this event. This included Hugh Panaro from the class of 1982. He played the title role in the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. 

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Further on in the video, Inside Edition interviews Frank DiLella (a former student to return) and Mr.C. Frank says, “When we walked into his band room it didn’t matter if you were a star on the football field, star on the basketball court, we walked in, we picked up our instruments, sat down at he piano, and we were all one.”

The interviewer then asks Mr.C what made him a great teacher. He responds, “My love of it!” A simple statement but a powerful one. 

As someone in the comments says, “I’m not crying so lovely he must have been great teacher for 300 of former students to come back for this day.”

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When former students want to come celebrate a teacher, you know that teacher has made a difference in their community. Mr. C is one of those teachers. 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go: I will guide you with my eye.” - Psalms 32:8

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Julie Provost is a GodUpdates staff writer and editor. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, three boys, and little dog Max. She loves to read, go to the movies, and enjoy time with family and friends.