Port Jervis students bring holiday cheer to soldiers

PJMS Band & Chorus perform live for troops via the Intranet

 

Middle School Chorus teacher Ruthann Gordan opens the Port Jervis segment of the Songs for Troops Concert by extending warm holiday wishes to the soldiers in Iraq.

The Port Jervis School District united with eight other New York districts December 16 to give the soldiers serving in Iraq a special gift – a festive holiday concert broadcast live via the Intranet.
 

Port Jervis Middle School Band perform holiday music for the troops.

For the third consecutive year, Port Jervis musicians participated in Songs for Troops - a “virtual” concert performed for U.S. Army soldiers who will be away from their own children and families this Christmas. This year’s concert of over 600 students included the Port Jervis Middle School Chorus and Symphonic Band. The spirited performance was broadcast live to the soldiers serving in the 26th Field Artillery Battalion.

The broadcast was sent overseas through the Orange-Ulster BOCES’ Internet Protocol video conferencing bridge that was connected to video equipment at each of the school districts.

Due to the overwhelming success of past concerts, the opening and closing ceremonies for the multi-district concert were presented in Washington, DC at the Pentagon.

Port Jervis Middle School Band participates in Songs for Troops.

The other segments of the multi-location concert were broadcast from Port Jervis Middle School auditorium and the other school districts where each of the student bands and choral groups took turns performing a selection of holiday and patriotic songs.

The special holiday concert was organized by Chester Middle School Principal Ernest Jackson, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who graduated from Port Jervis High School and taught at ASK Elementary School following his retirement from the military.

Songs for Troops is a way of getting a large number of students actively involved in a community service project that will touch an even larger number of soldiers - many of whom are away from their families for the first time. This year, there was a personal connection between the Port Jervis community and the soldiers. The Field Artillery battery that was entertained by the students is commanded by Cpt. Jason Norwood, a West Point graduate and former Army wrestler. When Cpt. Norwood attended West Point, he helped coach the Tri-State Wrestling Club. Many of the wrestlers Cpt. Norwood worked with in their early years in the wrestling club have gone on to become stand-outs for the Raiders wrestling team. 
 

Under the direction of music teachers Dana Long and Ruthann Gordan, the Port Jervis students got a huge round of applause from the troops after they performed the Holiday Celebration - an uplifting selection of holiday songs that includes Silent Night and Little Town of Bethlehem. 

Special thanks to the Port Jervis School District technology integration teacher Scott Reichert and computer technician Mike Ulbrich for working with Orange Ulster BOCES Data Communications Specialist Phil Payne to make the virtual concert possible.