Feature: Christmas spirit is abundant at BCS

THE PIRATE
Berea Community School
2 Pirate Parkway
Berea, KY
Happy Holidays from the Pirate!
December 19, 2013
Do you hear what I hear?
BCS students of all grade levels celebrate holiday season with music
BCES music dept.
puts on annual
winter concert
by Hannah Crowe
Fifth graders Edward Sexton and
McKenzie Clowers dance together during
the BCES Winter Concert on Dec. 12.
Sixth grade alto
saxophonist Carly
McDonald plays in the
band during the BCHS
Holiday Concert on Dec. 10.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, the
Elementary percussion, strings
and choir groups performed the
holiday music that they’d been
practicing all year in the Conkin
Gymnasium.
The groups included fourth and
fifth graders, with the choir having
as many as 76 members.
The 36 strings students are
taught by both Christina Steinfield
and Emma Crump, and the choir
(76 children) and the percussion (25 students) are led by the
elementary school teacher Mark
Fields.
“Considering where they were
at the beginning of the year, there
has been so much progress,” said
Fields. “They started with almost
no knowledge of how to read
music.”
“The concert was really, really
fun,” said Marieca Hare, a fifth
grader who is in both choir and
strings. “It’s really exciting.”
After holiday break is over, Mr.
Fields plans on continuing the
music they’ve been working on, as
well as starting a musical.
“I haven’t told them what the
musical is yet. That’s their end-ofconcert reward.” he said.
photo by Mackenzie Perry
photo by Mrs. Larinda Agee
BCMS/HS choir
and band hold
holiday concert
by Jacob Mondine
Community members braved
the cold on Tuesday, Dec. 10 to
come and see the annual band
and choir concert in the Conkin
Gymnasium. The concert began at
6:30 with the 6th grade choir performance, followed by the 6th, 7th,
and 8th grade bands and 7th grade
choir. After a brief intermission
the 8th grade choir and high school
band performed, and the night
ended with a high school chorus
performance.
The concert consisted of both
traditional and modern holiday
songs, including some variations
arranged specifically for group
performances. There were also
non holiday songs including Katy
Perry’s hit Roar.
Several of the songs featured
soloists and duets throughout the
night.
There was also a bake sale in
the concession stand with the
proceeds going to the Evan Smith
Foster music camp scholarship.
Amanda Thacher, middle and
high school choir director, was
very pleased. “I’m very proud of
their hard work,” she said. “It really paid off.”
Matt Barthill, director of the
band, agreed saying, “All the
bands exceeded my expectations.
We got a lot of good comments
from teachers and parents. I’m
really proud of them.”
The BCES Chorus, directed by Mr. Mark Fields, performs
at the BCES Winter Concert on Dec. 12.
Members of the BCHS Band, directed by Mr. Matthew
Barnhill, perform during the BCHS Holiday Concert on
Dec. 10.
photo by Mrs. Larinda Agee
photo by Mackenzie Perry
Feature: Christmas spirit is abundant at BCS
by Sadie Theodore-Powell
& Bailey Rosenbarker
“Chestnuts roasting on an
open fire, Jack Frost nipping
at your nose. Yuletide carols
being sung by a choir and folks
dressed up like Eskimos….”
Christmas brings lots of joy
and fond memories to people
everywhere. When asked,
students in the elementary,
middle and high schools all
agreed that the holiday season
is a time to spend with family,
open gifts and relax.
“My favorite part about
the holiday season is getting
presents and writing letters to
my family,” said fifth grader
Emily Fredrickson.
When fifth grader Hollis
Maxson was asked what his
favorite Christmas memory
was, he answered, “One year
we found a lot of yoga balls
a n d w e h a d a g i a n t do dg e ball tournament with the
whole family with giant yoga
balls!”
Many students had similar
answers when asked what
the holiday seasons meant to
them.
Eighth grader Taylor Mullins said she spends her holidays with her family and people she doesn’t see very often.
Many families have traditions that they partake in each
year. Freshman Sam House
said, “We always try and get
a Christmas tree.”
Although it’s been said
many times, many ways, merry
Christmas and happy holidays
from the BCHS journalism
staff.