As I’m sure many of you did, I read reporter Leila Roche’s story on Grandparents’ Day in the Suffolk Public Schools with fond memories of when I was in school and our grandparents were invited to visit.

I had only one grandparent who lived near enough to attend Grandparents’ Day, but I was certainly blessed that she came every year, without fail. For a child, it’s always exciting to see your grandparents come to school and see your hard work.

At my small school, even the faculty and staff who were still young enough to have living grandparents would invite them to the school on the special day. There were always special programs, displays and classroom demonstrations set up.

I particularly remember one year when my classmates and I each brought one item that reminded us of our grandparents. Some brought photos or projects they had completed with their grandparents, but I had a special item that I felt trumped everybody else’s.

A couple years before this event, I had noticed a beautiful gold brooch in my grandmother’s jewelry box. The brooch was accented with a number of different-colored gemstones. I thought it was so beautiful that I asked my grandmother if I could have it.

She explained to me that my grandfather, who died many years before I was born, had given it to her and she didn’t want to part with it. As a child, I was upset, but I understood.

However, a couple of years later, I found that brooch in a box under the Christmas tree. It was that piece of jewelry that I brought to school for Grandparents’ Day. To my recollection, my grandmother was excited to see the brooch among the items on the classroom display.

On Grandparents’ Day, our school also had special programs in the gymnasium, and students showed off their knowledge in the classrooms through games. I also remember one gigantic poster that included the nicknames all the children and faculty called their grandparents. I’m still trying to figure out why our athletic director called his grandparents “Cow-Pa” and “Cow-Ma.”

In fact, on a recent visit to my other grandmother, I was pleased to hear her talking of visiting my little cousins at their schools for Grandparents’ Day.

My kudos to Suffolk Public Schools for giving this opportunity to their 14,000-plus students and their grandparents.