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Hilltop first-graders put on a show for grandparents
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary School first-grader Parker Ahlquist showed his grandfather, Bob Thayer, around his classroom after the students performed a special show during the school’s annual Grandparents Day March 26.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Anna Burnett, a first-grade student at Hilltop Elementary School, celebrated the school’s annual Grandparents Day with her grandmothers, Marge Burnett (left) and Merceda Saleman (right) on March 26.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Hilltop Elementary School first-grader Ceci Muckleroy invited her grandparents, from left, Bob Cartwright, Carol Cartwright and Becky Stead to the school’s annual Grandparents Day March 26.
By ABBY SLANKER
As Hilltop Elementary School first-graders entered the multi-purpose room to perform their Grandparents Day program, flashes were going off everywhere, courtesy of proud and loving grandparents who just couldn’t contain themselves with their cameras, video cameras, iPads and iPhones on March 26. The students did not disappoint, with their excitement showing through with huge smiles and big waves.
“Welcome. On behalf of our first grade students, musical staff and teachers, we welcome you to Grandparents Day. Everyone has put in a lot of hard work and practice and we know you will enjoy the show,” said Joe Maroni, Hilltop Elementary School principal, as he welcomed the grandparents.
Maroni then turned the program over to Tom Scurich, Hilltop Elementary School music teacher, who was accompanied on the piano by Roni Sue Gregory.
Scurich started the program with the Pledge of Allegiance and was followed by the students singing their school song, Hilltop Elementary. The students then sang “You’re A Grand Old Flag” and “My Country ’Tis of Thee.”
Charn Creed, first-grade teacher, welcomed the grandparents and explained a bit about the program.
“Mr. Scurich and the children have put together a program that will whisk you away from the grips of this harsh winter and will warm your heart and put a smile on your face. They will take you around the world and through the ages,” Creed said.
The students children broke out into small groups, class by class, to perform songs with movement, including dancing, hand clapping and skipping.
With an introduction by Creed of the history of the songs which celebrated several places around the globe, the students sang the 19th century sea shanty of the “Pacific Ocean John Kanaka;” the traditional coastal Irish song “Rig a Jig Jig;” “Draw a Bucket of Water” from the Georgia Sea Islands and “Circle Round the Zero” from the streets and playgrounds of the inner city.
“It is a pleasure to have you all here and it is a pleasure for the children to be able to perform for you. Thank you for being a wonderful audience and being so supportive of our children. Music is everywhere and movement is an important part of music. Music contributes to the development and growth of the students and they have had a lot of fun learning these songs and we have had a lot of fun working with the students” said Scurich.
Scurich then invited the audience to participate in the program.
“We would now like to invite you to join us with a little audience participation,” Scurich said, as he asked the grandparents to join the children in a round of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
He gave the audience a chance to warm up before the actual round.
“Nice. Not bad for a warm up,” Scurich told the audience.
The students and audience then sang the round and when it round was finished, Scurich and the children applauded the grandparents, and grandparents enthusiastically applauded the students.
The students received a standing ovation from their very special audience after concluding the program with “God Bless America.”
After the program, the students found their grandparents in the audience and led their guests of honor to their classrooms and introduced them to their teacher, showed them their desk and presented them with a drawing as a memento of their special day.