Honoring America and the holiday season

About 180 third-grade students from Olga Brener Intermediate School in Shawano sang songs of Christmas cheer and honored military members during a concert at the auditorium of Shawano Community High School Tuesday.

Lynn Johnson, the school’s music teacher, said timing was essential to the combined production.

“We were so close to Veterans Day, and it was the 200th anniversary of ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ It was our way of honoring them,” Johnson said.

Gracie Otis, one of the third-grade students that performed, said the song is her favorite because she “loves how the music starts.”

Students opened the concert with the 1814 poem written by Francis Scott Key, and combined songs from a variety of seasons, including “Merry Christmas to You” and “From the Red, White and Blue” by Teresa Jennings.

Johnson asked students in the middle of September to bring in photos of family members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. She collected 62 photos from the students.

Otis added two of the 62 photos and said she was grateful for both of them serving in the United States Air Force.

The standing room only crowd read all 62 names as the third-graders sang “My Country Tis of Thee,” before performing “Merry Christmas to You” and “From the Red, White and Blue.”

In addition to music from Christmas, they also sung from other holiday selections, including Halloween-themed song “The Boogie Woogie Ghost.”

Third-grade student Eli Reisterer said the song was his favorite among other selections. He also was grateful to the veterans who served in the military.

“I am very thankful that they served,” Reisterer said.

Fourth-grade students will take the SCHS auditorium stage tonight before family and friends to sing selections from the themed “Celebrating Winter.”

Similar to the third-grade class, there will be about 60 different military personnel featured on the slideshow, Johnson said.