HELENA — Helena Public Schools’ Winter Programs are back for the first time in-person since 2019. MTN stopped by Central Elementary School to see how rehearsal is going.
In-person Winter Programs were put on hold starting in 2020 due to COVID-19. Last year Central did its winter program through video.
“Well, last year we did one, but it was just filmed,” says 5th grader, Anson Segrest.
And unfortunately, some students missed out on performing.
“I actually didn't get to do it last year...” says 4th grader, Lucy Tommerup.
But this year, performances are back on, live and in-person. Each school picks its theme. For example, a picture book “Winter is the Warmest Season” by Lauren Stringer, is the theme at Central this year. The performances will be varied with dance, beat-boxing, and musical instruments
Central’s performances will be on December 15 and January 13. Parents and kids alike are excited to be able to perform in person again this year.
“Since the start of COVID kids have been asking me, ‘When do we get to have a performance? When are we going to do our program again?’ Because it's one of their favorite things of the year. Instead of just making music together in our music room, we get to share it with everyone else. We get to connect with students in other classes while we perform. So, they've been just so excited and so ready for it since the moment it went away,” says K-5 Music Teacher, Abby Nyhof.
“I'm most excited to be able for my parents to watch me instead of like on a screen and watch me in person and hear me sing,” says 5th grader, Eleanor Petersen.
All in all, there will be over a dozen and a half performances throughout the entire school district.
