UFT members, students and other education activists celebrate New York City public schools and demonstrate their support for public education during the United Way’s “March United for Public Schools” across the Brooklyn Bridge on Oct. 13.

Marchers cross the Brooklyn Bridge to reach Brooklyn Borough Hall and join the “Future Festival,” which celebrated public education through student performances and activities including a bubble garden, face-painting, a reading tent and more.

Big Apple Circus performer “Mr. Fish” towers over (from left) Martha Murray, the chapter leader at PS 109 in Brooklyn; Dana Jefferson; Nicholas Cruz, the UFT parent-community liaison; and Zacarias River, a recent UFT retiree.

Enjoying the event together are (from left) UFT Parent-Community Liaison Nicholas Cruz; UFT District 3 Representative Elizabeth Espert; Lorine Romero, a paraprofessional delegate at PS 76 in Manhattan; Teresa Bello, a teacher at PS 185 in Manhattan and recipient of the pre-K award at the Teachers Recognition Ceremony; Trina James, a paraprofessional representative at PS 180 in Manhattan; Diana Watson, a paraprofessional and chapter leader at PS 25 in Brooklyn; and Raphael Tomkin, a teacher and chapter leader at PS 333 in Manhattan.

Students explore their art using the oversized drawing boards at the “Future Festival” at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Parents and children listen to a story in the Scholastic reading tent.

Summer, whose mom Sharay Williams teaches at PS 677 in Brooklyn, enjoys playing in the bubble garden.

Students from the Dancing Classrooms program, which seeks to empower students and to help them develop important social skills through dance, perform onstage.