December 20, 2024
The holiday season is always a special time at All Saints Episcopal Day School, and our annual Holiday Program is a cherished tradition that brings together students, faculty, and families in a celebration of learning, creativity, and community.
This beloved event showcases the talents of our students from Grades 1 through 8 as they take to the stage with a vibrant mix of music, dance, and multilingual performances. This year’s program was a true reflection of our Language Acquisition curriculum, featuring songs in French, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL). These performances highlight our commitment to fostering global awareness, cultural appreciation, and confidence in self-expression.
Our language classes are about more than just words; they’re about opening minds and hearts to the richness of diverse cultures. Through music and performance, students not only refine their language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—but also gain insight into the communities and traditions where these languages are spoken.
Some highlights from this year’s program included:
- Grade 1 and Grade 4: Together, these students sang Todo Está Bien, a Spanish-language song that promotes well-being and positivity. Through this performance, they not only embraced the joy of music but also strengthened their understanding of Spanish pronouns.
- Grade 2: Their performance focused on family diversity, tying into their IB theme Where We Are in Place and Time. They explored vocabulary for nuclear, extended, and adopted families, all while celebrating togetherness during the holidays. The students also performed Michael Jackson’s Heal the World in ASL, showcasing their commitment to inclusivity.
- Grade 3: Students honored Argentinian poet and musician María Elena Walsh with Adivina Adivinador, a poetic song about empathy and manners, told through folklore about the relationship between clouds and the sky.
Our Middle School students built on these themes of growth, connection, and cultural appreciation:
- Grades 5 and 7: These students performed Celia Cruz’s lively Quimbara in a call-and-response style with the audience, celebrating the joy of togetherness.
- Grades 6 and 8: Their heartfelt performance of Dos Oruguitas by Sebastián Yatra explored themes of change, growth, and the excitement of new beginnings—an especially meaningful piece for our eighth graders as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their educational journey.
- Middle School French Program: The entire group came together for Ensemble Plus Forte, a song promoting friendship, peace, and inclusion, originally part of the European International Friendship Initiative.
The Holiday Program is more than a performance—it’s an opportunity for our students to build confidence, embrace new challenges, and share the fruits of their learning with our close-knit community. Incorporating multilingual elements into their work deepens their understanding of the world and nurtures their ability to connect with others across cultures.
This celebration is a shining example of what makes All Saints Episcopal Day School so special: a commitment to academic excellence, creative expression, and the development of compassionate, globally minded citizens.
We are proud of our students’ achievements and look forward to continuing this meaningful tradition in the years to come!
Join us for a tour of All Saints to see what an educational experience like this can do for your child! Simply complete our inquiry form to register for a tour or email our admissions office: jharrison@allsaintsdayschool.org.
