The students of Mountain Lake Public Elementary School (MLES) presented their Holiday Program on Monday evening, December 12, proposing to the audience, “We All Need Peace.”
The program, held in the school’s auditorium, featured the kindergarten-through-grade six singers, as well as the fifth- and sixth-grade bands.
Directing the program were MLES Music Teacher Sarah Tailowright, leading grades kindergarten-through-five; Mountain Lake Public School Director of Choirs Andrea Brinkman, presenting the sixth grade and Mountain Lake Public School Director of Bands Kurt Jahnke, with the baton for the fifth- and sixth-grade bands.
The program’s finale featured a number by a mass first grade-through-sixth grade choir.
Speakers for the program were fourth- and fifth-grade students – Kaila Blom, Khya Boldt, Makiya Hartwig, Karla Hernandez, Carsen Hopper, Chase Jensen, Mareena Jepsen, Alexus Lopez, Aayla Radtke, Chase Radtke, Adaliyah Srixomphou, Braxton Tollefson, Andres Vetsouvanh and Kody Wassman.
Following is a photo gallery from the program:
KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS REACHED out in all directions to jingle their jingle bells for the song, appropriately named, “Jingle, Jingle Little Bell.” Front, Makai Vannabouathong, left and Tryona Khounsanthone, right. Back, from left, Jaxton Paulson, Bricelyn Brown and Adleigh Olson. Kindergarten teachers are Nicole James and Kelli Tucholke.
A TRIO OF kindergarten students – each as unique and special as their snowflakes – take part in the selection, “Little Snowflake.” Front, Mason Khamkhaykeo, left and Hannah Savage, right. Back, Ally Hanson.
FIRST GRADE STUDENTS got in the holiday spirit with their own jingly bells for the number, “Jingly,” by Teresa Jennings. From left, Jaisamy Inthamthirath, Gracen Rempel, Sovann Thang and Jonathan Harder Schrock. Kim Blomgren and Stacey Stade are the first grade teachers.
ALSO MAKING SURE their jingly bells are making all the jingly noise they possibly can was this quartet of first-graders. From left, Camille Blom, Jackson Banks, Benjamin Falk and Nevaeh Ott.
FIRST GRADE STUDENT Ezra Savage was most assuredly “thumbs up” for his good behavior over the past year when the students sang the holiday song, “Nice, Not Naughty,” by Teresa Jennings.
A COUPLE OF groovin’ second grade elves struck a groovy dance pose at the opening of the selection, “Groovin’ Elf,” by David and Anne Ellsworth. Bryn Bell is at left, and at right, Elena Stade. The MLES second grade teachers are Joan Raabe and Mikkala Hup.
CAUGHT IN THE moment doing their groovin’ moves are these second-graders. Front, from left, Kathryn Wassman, Carson Wall and Ian Nelson. Back, from left, Kadyn Anderson, Max Fast and Bella Anacker.
THE SECOND GRADE joined forces with third-graders for a pair of selections, “Better Bundle Up,” by Teresa Jennings and “I Choose Peace,” by Mike Wilson. The Wilson song featured the speakers, pictured above, from left, Tyler Dahna (third grade), Isabelle Penner and Joseph Torres (second-graders) and Ashlyn Pfeiffer and Aidan Olson (third-grade students).
THIRD-GRADERS ALSO performed their own number, “Hanukkah Dreams,” by Mike Wilson. Pictured above, from left, Alondra Velasquez, Julia Brinkman and Khloe Saelee. Teachers for third grade are Marilyn Tusa and Jennifer Fast.
STUDENTS IN THE fourth grade sang a song looking back at a previous holiday, “A Christmas To Remember,” by Karl Hitzemann. From left, Landon Strom, Sawyer Carrison, McKenna Parent and Trinh Dang-Teumboun. Stephanie Willaby and Pamela Anderson are the fourth grade instructors.
ACROSS THE RISERS, fourth-graders Evan Karschnik, Dustin Falk, Thaila Sengchan and Jacob Evers.
TOGETHER, MLES FOURTH grade and fifth grade students sang two numbers, “Joy To The World,” by Handel, Watts/arranged by John Riggio. In front, from left, fourth-graders Aalya Radtke, Genesis Lopez, Briley Nickel and Brie Anacker. The middle and back rows featured fifth grade students. Middle, from left, Deaven Khamkhaykeo, Preston Xayachak, Aiden Saelee and Joyce McCue. Back, from left, Alex Karschnik, Kody Wassman, Bathanie Lopez and Joey Faber.
STUDENTS IN THE fifth grade also shared the selection, “On The Road To Bethlehem,” by Mike Wilson. Above, front, Kaylani Inthamthirath, left and Annika Brinkman, right. Back, Chase Radtke, left and Javonn Rodney, right. MLES fifth grade teachers are Cheri Strom and Nate Brinkman.
THE FIFTH GRADE band and the sixth grade band presented one number each, and then came together for a mass band song. The fifth grade played, “Jingle Bells,” by J. S. Pierpont and the sixth grade band performed “Tidings of Joy!,” arranged by Robert Smith. The joint number was “Merry Kisimus!,” arranged by Victor Lopez. Wishing the audience that “Merry Kisimus!” with their instruments were, on trombone at front, Theo Evers (sixth grade) and Brody Kleven (sixth grade), along with percussionists at back, Aiden Saelee (fifth grade), left and Victoria Lucio (fifth grade) right and at back, Devyn Rempel (sixth grade). Leading the band students was MLPS Director of Bands Kurt Jahnke.
MORE BRASS SOUNDS from sixth grade students. Treyton Duerksen on trombone, left, and on baritone, Areli Capetillo, right.
MLPS DIRECTOR OF Choirs Andrea Brinkman, center front, led the sixth grade in their two songs. Accompanying on piano is MLPS Director of Bands Kurt Jahnke, left. Sixth-graders pictured are, front, from left, Jennifer Quang, Shyann Ober, Graciela Ramirez, Areli Capetillo, Jaci Tollefson and Paris Fast; middle, from left, Hailey Marx, Kearney Wall, Kaylie Baerg, Emma Estrada, Mikiah Peterson and Alana Morey and back, from left, Caroly Orea Morales, Madison Schultz, Kaelynn Pietsch, Meesha Hoek, Brooke Naas and Michala Morin. One of the numbers performed was “Agnus Dei,” arranged by Victor C. Johnson.
THE SIXTH GRADE second’s presentation was “I Was Here,” arranged by Victoria Shaw. Front, from left, Devyn Rempel, Peyton Banks and Treyton Duerksen. Middle, from left, Avrom Buller, Brice Anacker and Trystyn Hartwig. Recognizable at back are Ethan Dunn, left and Alex Blomg, right. Annette Kunkel and Kyle Blomgren are the sixth grade instructors. Soloists were Mason Fast, Michala Morin, Devyn Rempel and Jaci Tollefson.
THE RISERS AND stage were filled, along with the floor in front of the stage as well as the north and south aisles of the auditorium, by MLES first grade-to-sixth grade students for the mass choir finale, “We All Need Peace,” by Karl Hitzemann. Directing the singers was MLES Music Teacher Sarah Tailowright, at front.
