Third grade students from five elementary schools (Emerson, Hanby, Hawthorne, Huber Ridge, and Whittier) presented a world cultures concert called Nations Together in Song on Tuesday evening, November 14, at the Vineyard Church in Columbus.
In preparation for the show, all the schools learned the same collection of musical numbers and choreography, including a Nigerian song of welcome, a calypso song, an Arabic song of peace, an upbeat French Canadian folk song, a traditional Gospel song, and an arrangement of We Are The World. The children were directed by Mary Fortman (Emerson and Hanby), Cynthia Kinser (Huber Ridge), Evan McIntyre (Whittier), and Sarah McPeak (Hawthorne).
The goals were to create a shared musical experience for the youngsters and create a sense of unity between elementary schools and the community. It is hoped that eventually the concert will become a district-wide performance with a community service component.