IN Fox Chapel Area Spring 2018 | Page 15

O ’ HARA STUDENTS PERFORM FOR AREA SENIOR CITIZENS
showcase our curriculum and the outstanding work our students are capable of ,” Ms . Goldberg stated . “ The students seemed genuinely touched to be asked to create art for the School Board members and they love to show off what they can do .”
The eighth-grade student council officers presented the gifts to the Board members . The officers are President Mia Martier , Vice President Anna Szymanski , Social Media Chair Kaylee Uribe , and Secretary / Treasurer Siddharth Yende .
Additionally , an orchestra quartet from DMS performed one of their favorite

O ’ HARA STUDENTS PERFORM FOR AREA SENIOR CITIZENS

The O ’ Hara Elementary 4th and 5th Grade Chorus took their winter concert on the road and presented performances at Lighthouse Pointe and Hampton Fields on January 18 . The repertoire included : “ Come Celebrate ,” “ Tum Balalaika ,” “ On the Back of an Eagle ,” “ Ghost Ship ,” “ Jubilate Deo ,” “ The Tailor of Gloucester ,” “ Bonse Aba ,” “ Winter Fantasy ,” and “ Jingle Bell Rock .”

“ We were so glad to be able to take our students to share their gifts with these special members of the community ,” said O ’ Hara music teacher Heidi Pandolfi . “ Our students and the residents truly enjoyed this special opportunity .”
According to fifth grader Marina Dunham , “ I loved performing for the residents . It was nice to see their faces when we were singing the music .” She added , “ I think the residents enjoyed having visitors . They probably don ’ t see many kids . I bet they get to see adults usually . Seeing kids was probably fun for them . It was also probably nice for them to hear a concert .” pieces , Scott Joplin ’ s “ The Entertainer ,” for the Board . The quartet included eighth‐grade orchestra members Nathaniel Mueller , Kaylee Uribe , Ben Veser , and Annie Yonas .
School Director Recognition Month is a program of the Pennsylvania School Board ’ s Association . It was started in 1985 and is held to honor school directors for their dedication and the many hours that they voluntarily spend to help students . Students from all six of the Fox Chapel Area schools take turns preparing a meaningful way to honor the Board each January .
“ It was so fun singing for the residents ,” said fourth grader Dan DeMotte . “ I especially loved singing ‘ On the Back of an Eagle .’ I thought the residents really enjoyed that song too . I felt like singing for them was really meaningful . I think we sang well and they probably don ’ t get the chance to see younger children very often . They were so nice .”
A Vietnam veteran and Navy photographer and resident of Lighthouse Pointe , John Young , took photos of the performance and then shared them with Mrs . Pandolfi . On the day of his visit to O ’ Hara , he talked with her about his career as a photographer and his service to our country . He also shared how much the children ’ s performance meant to him . In fact , he enjoyed the visit so much that he would like to create flyers and posters to promote next year ’ s performance so that none of the other residents will miss it .
The performances were part of a community service outreach , and this is the second year that the O ’ Hara chorus visited area senior citizen centers .
Photo Courtesy John Young

ox Chapel Area FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS

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