Williamstown Students to Honor Veterans in Musical TributeStaff Reports,
10:24AM / Monday, November 10, 2014 | |
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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — On the eve of Veterans Day, Williamstown Elementary School will host a musical tribute to veterans tonight, Monday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the school's auditorium.
The concert, titled "United We Honor Our Heroes, Our Home: WES Sings for our Veterans," features the Williamstown Elementary School sixth grade chorus and band.
WES music teacher Betsy Reali is directing the chorus, with Margot Sanger directing the band. Reali said the idea of the concert came about when she and WES librarian Sua Lynch wanted to deepen their departments' integration with the general curriculum.
"We asked classroom teachers at the end of last year to make a list of their fall topics, and when we spent the summer planning how to incorporate our music/library materials with some of these various topics, we first thing we embraced was the ceterans unit that sixth grade teachers do each year," Reali said. "Sue had some great books and ideas, and I had a whole collection of songs, so it evolved into specific goals in library and in music."
Reali said she worked with Ron James, who heads the local American Legion, to personally invite local veterans.
"Ron dropped off at WES the names and addresses of over 100 local veterans, and a complete list of those in Berkshire County, so if next year we decide to make this a tradition, we may be able to extend an invitation to the whole county," Reali said. "Also, Ron has arranged for the Color Guard to come in uniform to process into the auditorium, which will be wonderful."
The evening will feature renditions of "America the Beautiful," "Star Spangled Banner," "Armed Forces on Parade," "Those Who Served," "We Are a Grateful Nation" and many more, with various students doing solos throughout the show.
Girl Scout Cadette Troop 40003, led by WES business manager Anne Donati, also will be helping out by presenting pins and cards to the veterans who are in attendance. In addition, Williams College donated two full sheet cakes decorated in patriotic colors to be served at a reception immediately following the concert.
The concert and reception are free and open to the public.
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