On December 18th, the students of both Chateauguay Valley Regional High School’s Music and Ethics classes reached out to the elderly community.
Headed up by CVR’s music specialist, Lynn Harper, a total of 41 students visited the Centre d’Accueil and Residence Ormstown. The students sang a total of 23 songs, with classics like Here Comes Santa Claus, Holly Jolly Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer standing out as favourites. Students brought a selection of jingle bells, tambourines and maracas, which were distributed not only amongst the performers, but to the audience as well. Spectators also enjoyed home-baked goods and Christmas plates prepared by the Grade 11 students and their families—an idea that stemmed from the students themselves.
Harper selected songs that represented both traditional religious carols as well as beloved holiday pieces. “Something I spoke about with both groups was the connection between memory and music and how these songs would harken back to special times and days gone by for our audiences,” said Harper of the experience. As for the students? They couldn’t believe how many of the lyrics that the audience knew by heart. While the performances only took an hour of the students’ time, the joy that they brought to their audience was immeasurable, receiving special thanks from the Centre d’Accueil’s head nurse and Residence Ormstown occupant Marian Anderson, who let the students know how much their performance meant to the residents.
Working with student services counsellor Vanessa Finnie, Harper sought to find a way to connect the students with the local community. According to Harper, the duo wanted to address “…issues related to family, community and ageism—specifically, the treatment of the elderly in our society.” For the students, this activity was a way not only to immerse students within the community, but also to open their eyes to the organizations that are present within the public to help not only the elderly, but many others. Transportation was provided by Autobus Roland Leduc, who graciously donated their services free of charge.
