Winter music shines in the sun

Lauren Vane

“Put on your coat and come with me, let’s play in the snow,” children

at Hawes Elementary in Huntington Beach sang Friday.

They were strange words to hear from children that were squirming

and sweating in the hot sun in the school courtyard.

As the students belted out the lyrics describing snow winter

wonderlands, snowmen and freezing temperatures in 80-degree heat,

they had to rely purely on imagination, but their enthusiasm never

melted.

Students were practicing for their annual Winter Music Program

coming up on Friday.

This year, new Music Program Director Shen Liu-Fong and students

will present the Winter Music Program, and for the first time, they

are also using musical instruments, along with sign language.

“They’re really excited,” Kindergarten teacher Jackie Marsh said.

Lui-Fong thought it was the important to introduce musical

instruments into the program and the winter concert.

“Singing’s fun, but with instruments, they get more excited,”

Lui-Fong said.

Amy Arsenault, a first-grade teacher who has a son in

kindergarten, says the music program has had a positive impact on her

son.

“He loves the fact that they’re playing instruments and that

they’re learning how to sing on tune,” Arsenault said. “It’s

phenomenal. It enhances everything they do. They’re just excited and

happy about it.”

The Winter Program, which feature’s only winter-themed songs, not

holiday songs, gives every child a chance to participate, said Marsh.

“They’re just songs, they’re not one religion or another,” Marsh

said.

Many of the children in the program are special education

students, according to teachers. The Winter Music Program gives those

students a chance to perform and participate, just like the rest of

the children.

“Two of my kids have solos,” said Roxanne Stetson, who teaches a

pre-Kindergarten special day class. “It’s very important so that they

experience what the regular education students experience and follow

along and, maybe, not know all the words and all the signs, and get

along in a big group situation.”

As students stood squinting into the sun, they belted out the

words to “Jingle Bells.” They did not let the sweltering sun get in

their way and they payed no mind to any differences between them. It

was just one big group of children singing their hearts out.