Students Celebrate 100th Birthday of Real-Life Rosie the Riveter, Mary Masciangelo

Pittsford students had the unique opportunity to meet a real-life Rosie the Riveter as they celebrated the 100th birthday of Fairport resident Mary Masciangelo at Calkins Road Middle School on April 9, 2025. The event, organized by the school’s social studies department, honored Mrs. Masciangelo’s contributions while giving students a chance to meet her, hear her inspiring story, and present handmade birthday cards.

Mrs. Masciangelo was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on March 21 in recognition of her work during World War II to produce critical supplies for soldiers overseas. At 16 years old, just a few years older than the students she spoke with, Mary took a part-time job working alongside other women to manufacture pins for parachutes and goggles for the Air Force, playing a vital role in the war effort. Mary worked on the days she didn’t have school and never missed a day of work during her three years at Shuron Optical Defense Plant in Rochester. While her brother and future husband were fighting the war overseas, Mary says she and others were helping the war effort at home. “We fought with our hearts,” said Mary. Like the iconic Rosie the Riveter painted by Norman Rockwell, she and countless other women had stepped into traditionally male-dominated roles, proving their strength and determination.

“We were thrilled to celebrate Mrs. Masciangelo’s 100th birthday and give students the chance to learn firsthand about this remarkable period in history,” said Superintendent Michael Pero. “Her story was an inspiration to us all,” he said.

The event aimed to connect students with living history and reinforce the important contributions of women in wartime and beyond. “Pittsford students enjoyed celebrating this extraordinary woman and learning about her life and the historic time she did something few believed women could do,” said Pero.

Photo: Mrs. Masciangelo at the Congressional Medal of Honor Ceremony