FROM THE SMALLEST learners up to the eighth-grade leaders on campus, the entire St. Angela Merici Parish School community came together during a very special week for a performance where children showcased their singing and musical talents to honor their country, their patron saint and their grandparents.
A STUDENT SHARES A JOYFUL MOMENT WITH HIS GRANDPARENTS FOLLOWING THE GRANDPARENTS DAY PERFORMANCES AT ST. ANGELA MERICI PARISH SCHOOL. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The school in Brea celebrated its patron saint’s feast day along with Grandparents and Special Persons’ Day with a student-led prayer service and patriotic performance on Jan. 27, followed by classroom tours and lunch outside. The event was one of many the school hosted during Catholic Schools Week, a national celebration of Catholic education that is celebrated on each campus in the Diocese of Orange from Jan. 25 to Jan. 31 in a way that is unique and authentic to the individual campus.
VANESSA HALLIDAY, MUSIC TEACHER, POSES FOR A PHOTO WITH SEVERAL OF HER STUDENTS FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCES ON JAN. 27.
“I’m so happy that we were able to celebrate with the grandparents,” said Principal JoAnn Telles. “The prayer service turned out lovely, and our students were amazing. But most of all, we were there to celebrate St. Angela’s feast day. She is an amazing role model for our students.”
The prayer service was led by St. Angela’s eighth-grade students who read Scripture, reflections on their patron saint and recited prayers.
“Lord God, on this feast of St. Angela Merici, thank you for the gift of Catholic education,” prayed eighth-grader Annabelle Acosta, the student council president. “Bless our students, teachers, parents and grandparents. With St. Angela as an example, let us grow in faith, kindness and courage.”
The prayer service featured music by the fifth- through eighth-grade campus ministry that performed Love the Lord and 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord), the latter accompanied by the seventh graders on ukulele.
The patriotic performance for grandparents opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star-Spangled Banner, before the eighth-grade class took to the stage to play This Land Is Your Land on their ukuleles.
Waving American flags, transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first graders sang You’re A Grand Old Flag followed by America the Beautiful by the second-, third- and fourth grade students.
Then there was a performance of My Country, ’Tis of Thee on recorders by fifth- and sixth-grade students.
The show concluded with God Bless America in ASL (American Sign Language) by the fifth- through eighth-grade students.
“It was lovely,” said music teacher Vanessa Halliday. “You can’t go wrong with kids singing patriotic songs for their grandparents. I mean, it really is such a treat when they get to come up and use their gifts and talents of reading and singing and even some dance moves in there. I’m very happy with how it went.”
Sisters Noelle and Avery Palacios, ages 6 and 11, said they were happy that their grandma, Martha Gallegos, came to spend time with them.
“It’s not every day that your grandparents get to come and see your classroom, visit you at school and you get to have lunch with them, so I thought it was fun,” said Avery, who is in fifth grade.
Gallegos said she wants her granddaughters to know that their family is always there for them and that they are loved.
“It’s something that is very special to me,” Gallegos said. “I love to be around my grandkids and my family. They were great. I love to see them perform. I’m here for every event.”