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Pittsford Students Celebrate Local Hero’s 102nd Birthday

Mr. P with student
Birthday Card
Mr. P with his birthday cards

Mr. P with a large group of students

As hundreds of thousands of people were preparing for the Total Solar Eclipse this past weekend, one local hero, World War II Veteran and friend of Pittsford Schools—Robert Persichitti—was preparing for his 102nd birthday.

Robert Persichitti has experienced a lot during his lifetime, and every year since 2013, Mr. Persichitti has visited Calkins Road Middle School to share his remarkable history with students. Over the years, he has become a beloved role model and friend to Calkins Road students and staff who throw him an annual birthday party, showering him with handmade cards, birthday cake, and requests for photos with him.

During these celebrations, Mr. Persichitti talks about his life and answers questions from students. As a young man during the Great Depression, he served in a Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp in Idaho, later served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and was present for the Mt. Suribachi Marine flag raising at Iwo Jima in 1945. In 1951, Persichitti met a centenarian Civil War Veteran who was the Grand Marshall of a parade he attended.

Born in 1922, Persichitti published his memoir, “Bob's Book: Building an American Life,” at the age of 93. He just released a second book about his life, titled “An American Life Well-Lived,” and donated a copy of this book to the school’s library.

At 102 years old, Mr. Persichitti appears ageless as he talks with students. He stands tall, expertly and excitedly engages in conversation with his young admirers, and is physically fit thanks to a daily fitness routine he follows. Every year, students gift Mr. Persichitti with avid attention, but those same students receive the extraordinary gift of witnessing history come to life in this seemingly ordinary man who is an American hero.