DIXFIELD — A bright red carpet greeted more than 100 Dirigo Middle School students Wednesday afternoon as they disembarked from dozens of old-time autos driven to the school’s entrance. The car doors were even opened for the students by their principal, Celena Ranger.

It was the middle school’s second annual Night of the Stars, where each student had a chance to display projects and schoolwork that they felt was the most successful.

Area antique auto clubs provided rides in vintage vehicles for the youngsters from the superintendent’s office on Nash Street to DMS.

“We try to play it up,” Ranger said, “and let them show their successes and to honor all middle school stars.”

She, with the help of several students and others, unrolled a three-foot wide red carpet and laid it from the front door to the edge of the driveway. As each child left the vehicle, parents and staff gave a round of applause.

Sixth-grader Emily Jamison thought it was really cool to ride in an old vehicle like the one she was in — a 1950s white Ford truck.

Seventh-grader Franklyn MacDonald thoroughly loved the ride he got in a 1973 Ford Mustang.

“It was awesome,” he said.

His mother, Laurie Taylor, believes the annual event is a nice chance for students to show their talents.

Inside the school’s cafeteria, dozens of tables were set up to display art, industrial arts, math, English and other projects created by the students.

Sixth-grader Michael Packard displayed a wooden basketball backstop he and his friend, Mateo LaPointe, created in the industrial arts room.

“We’re really into sports,” Packard said.

He also had painted a series of Chinese lanterns in his art class.

Sixth-grader Brittany Macomber created a paper-and-cardboard fish in art class, a burned wood plaque in industrial arts and a poster describing the dangers of cigarettes in health class.

Throughout the cafeteria, drawings could be seen. Math projects were proudly displayed and written reports were exhibited.

Sixth-grader Forest Berry particularly liked working with watercolors. He displayed a painting of tertiary trees, comprised of several primary colors. Next to him, seventh-grader Trevor Bellegarde used his favorite subject, math, to create a series of angles.

While Superintendent Craig King visited the Night of the Stars, he watched the students disembark from the old vehicles and studied many of the students’ projects.

“This is fantastic,” he said. “An example of children showing high-quality work.”

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