Perkins Students Show Talents In Holiday Program

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

The students of Ute Perkins Elementary warmed up a packed Ron Dalley Theatre with holiday cheer on Friday night as the kids performed the school’s annual Christmas program. This year the program was entitled “Stepping Back for a Traditional Merry Christmas.” As is customary, every student of the school played a part.

The stage was decorated lavishly in holiday colors. A team of talented ladies including Rebeca Rubio, Lonia Pulsipher and Brooke Williams had spent a good deal of time and effort in decking the hall for the performance.

Creating and directing this year’s show was Perkins Art and Music teacher Angela Crouch. It was her first time directing this performance which has become a much anticipated annual tradition.
“It was a big responsibility to take on, given what this program has meant to the community in the past,” said Crouch in an interiew following the show. “But it has been a pleasure. With all of the help I have gotten from teachers and parents it has eased the way. And the kids are amazing; they have been so easy to work with.”

The evening began with an instrumental performance by the school’s 4th grade class. Each student had an ‘idiophone’ to play, a pitched percussion instrument similar to a xylophone. The kids played a piece entitled “Snowflakes and Candles”.

In the next selection, the third graders used the same instruments to accompany the kindergartners and first graders singing the song “Mary Had A Baby.”

The Kindergarten class alone then performed a set of holiday tunes. This was followed by a performance of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Christmas Star” by the school’s Pre-K program. This number was coordinated and directed by the Pre-K teachers at the school.

The inclusion of this age group was a new addition to the program. “In my inexperience, I dared to ask our Pre-K teachers why those students had never done anything in the Christmas program,” Crouch said. “When no one really knew the answer, we decided that we should give them a part.”
In the next segment, the 2nd and 3rd grade students sang the beloved carol “Silent Night” while being accompanied by the fifth grade class on guitars.
“What a great opportunity it is for the older students to be able to accompany the younger ones on instruments,” Crouch said. “I thought they did a fantastic job.”

The school’s Patriot Rockers dance team made a spirited stage appearance. The large group of boys and girls danced to “Marshmallow World” and had the audience swinging from side to side. This dance team rehearses regularly after school and is led by parents Natalie Staley and Wendy Jensen.

The 4th and 5th grade classes performed three holiday classics beginning with “Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.” A version of “Jingle Bell Rock” featured soloists Daisey Gordon, Valeria Hernandez and Nateya Rider. And “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” wrapped up the older class set.

Finally the whole student body returned to the stage for the final three numbers which ended in “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”
“The kids did a superb job,” said Perkins Principal Hal Mortensen. “I think that everyone who came had a great time. Things like this are a lot of work and we certainly appreciate Ms. Crouch and all of her helpers for their work on it. It is just great to be among these talented kids and see what they can do.”