On Monday, just days before Christmas, students from Dublin Consolidated School spread holiday cheer across the community.
Destinations included the Scott-Farrar at Peterborough retirement community, Spring Village at Summerhill and downtown Dublin. Volkert Volkersz, a retired music teacher and school librarian, joined the young carolers by providing the setlist, back-up vocals and an acoustic guitar.
“The students have been practicing all month. I provided them with some video recordings to follow along with while practicing. I joined in and practiced with them during the last few days,” Volkersz said.
Teacher Kristen Garland added that the 48 students met on Mondays as a school to practice together and then practiced with their individual classes for 10 to 15 minutes a day.
Principal Nicole Pease said the project involved coordinating with the bus company and communicating with the retirement communities about the plans.
“This is our first year doing it, but we hope to make it an annual tradition,” Garland added.
The audience, which included retirement community residents, staff and other visitors, were given a setlist of nine holiday classics, including “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza were all featured as students sang “I Have a Little Dreidel,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “This Little Light of Mine.”
Volkersz said that last spring the student singers performed “This Little Light of Mine” and “May Peace Prevail on Earth” during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Peace Pole in downtown Dublin.
After the performances, the students gave audience members homemade ornaments and holiday treats.