My daughter's 6th grade class had their chorus recital last night. My daughter told me beforehand that the last part of the concert may bring a tear to my eyes but nothing more.
The opened with 2 "traditional" type 6th grade songs.
The chorus instructor then had the kids part left-and-right on stage and a projector screen dropped. She said a few words about how this was the last year she'll have these kids since they move on to another instructor for 7th grade and beyond. I was expecting a PowerPoint presentation of pictures of the kids for the past 6 years which would have been touching.
Instead, it was a 4-minute service salute video to our soldiers whom have served in the Armed Forces. I was very impressed that our school would do such a wonderful tribute.
It's what happened next that blew me away. The projector screen raised and the kids reassembled. They then, with more energy than I've ever seen them sing, break into the US Army anthem. From the corner of the stage, the Principal then asked any members of the Army, past and present to please rise. The audience broke into a huge applause for those that stood. They repeated this (singing the anthem and asking those whom have served in that branch to rise) for the Navy, Air Force and Marines. The chorus then ended with God Bless America which met a spontaneous rise of all in the auditorium and singing along.
The pride I have for the school doing this and the kids learning and singing those anthems still brings a tear to my eye.
The opened with 2 "traditional" type 6th grade songs.
The chorus instructor then had the kids part left-and-right on stage and a projector screen dropped. She said a few words about how this was the last year she'll have these kids since they move on to another instructor for 7th grade and beyond. I was expecting a PowerPoint presentation of pictures of the kids for the past 6 years which would have been touching.
Instead, it was a 4-minute service salute video to our soldiers whom have served in the Armed Forces. I was very impressed that our school would do such a wonderful tribute.
It's what happened next that blew me away. The projector screen raised and the kids reassembled. They then, with more energy than I've ever seen them sing, break into the US Army anthem. From the corner of the stage, the Principal then asked any members of the Army, past and present to please rise. The audience broke into a huge applause for those that stood. They repeated this (singing the anthem and asking those whom have served in that branch to rise) for the Navy, Air Force and Marines. The chorus then ended with God Bless America which met a spontaneous rise of all in the auditorium and singing along.
The pride I have for the school doing this and the kids learning and singing those anthems still brings a tear to my eye.