Children Tell Christmas Story and American Traditions

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

It was an All-American Christmas celebration on Thursday morning, Dec. 16 as the children from Go EXL Academy and the Permanent Learning Center (PLS) Early Childhood Program presented their annual holiday extravaganza. The large hall at the Old Logandale School was full of adoring fans eagerly awaiting the program to begin.

The pageant brought the Christmas holidays together with American heritage. Some of the songs talked about the United States being a melting pot of different cultures from around the world. And, of course, this included the observance of different holiday traditions.

The children shared a few fun historical facts. For example, Alabama was the first state to call Christmas a legal holiday back in 1836. Other states were soon to follow and by 1890 all 50 states had done so.

There was plenty of music sung wonderfully by the children. Some like “We Gather Together” and “Over the River and Through The Woods” emphasized the importance of family gathering as an American Christmas tradition. Others, like a very enthusiastic rendition of the African American Spiritual

“Children, Go Where I Send Thee,” highlighted the importance of all different cultures in the American experience.

There was even a performance of “Yankee Doodle Santa,” a fun departure from the familiar American folk tune, which featured a dancing Santa dressed in American red, white and blue.

Accompanying the children’s singing was Shelby Brandon on the piano. Local music teacher Walter White added to the kids’ voices with beautiful violin solo work.

Many of the children in the school had speaking parts in the production. Dressed in costumes of the traditional Nativity, some of them told the first Christmas story. Others, dressed as colorful patriotic characters from American history, weaved the story of the melding of many traditions to become a modern American Christmas holiday.

Each child had prepared extensively and had his/her speaking part memorized. Most of them delivered their lines perfectly without any prompts.

This practice has important educational value, said Go EXL/PLS founder and owner KaeLyne Pendleton.
“Memorizing helps the brain to organize its three main cognitive functions, which are receiving information, storing it and retrieving it,” Pendleton said in an interview after the performance.
She said that it was interesting to watch each young learner process information and commit it to memory in different ways.

“For many of them, the use of pictures as a memory device has been very helpful,” Pendleton said. “Developing a visual memory is good because it is long-term and it makes information easy for the brain to access.”

Pendleton said that the kids had been practicing for this Christmas program since the beginning of November. Much of that time had been spent on the stage learning parts and music. The long prep time paid off as the program had a polish and a focus that is rare in pre-school and early-grade productions.

“It was a lot of work for such young kids to do and I was so pleased with them,” Pendleton said. “They all pulled through and just did a great job.”

The program ended with a rendition of the traditional carol “Away in a Manger” sung beautifully by Logandale resident James Carson, accompanied by Brandon.

“That just put the perfect final touch on the program,” Pendleton said. “The little kids were just frozen and in awe; quietly listening to this man singing so beautifully. I so appreciate Jim for doing that for us.”

The kids were awestruck again, though maybe this time a big less quietly, at the conclusion of the program when they enjoyed a visit from Santa Claus himself.

Pendleton expressed appreciation to the school’s learning coaches Nancy Holm, Debby Bagley, Brittney Osmond and Ruth Home for their support in putting on the program.

She also thanked the families of each of her students. “Thank you parents and families for sharing with us your awesome kids,” she said.