The sixth annual Fine Arts Showcase at Prairie Knolls Middle School in Elgin this weekend featured the artwork and musical performances of Central Community Unit School District 301 elementary and middle school students.
The schools represented were: Country Trails Elementary School and Prairie View Grade School in Elgin; Howard B. Thomas Grade School in Burlington; Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park; Prairie Knolls Middle School, and Central Middle School in Burlington.
The Fine Arts Showcase is something our district is very proud to present,” said District 301 Assistant Superintendent Esther Mongan. “Our arts program is incredible.”
“We love meeting with families and sharing our art and music with them,” said Paula Mack, Country Trails music teacher.
Schaumburg resident Ken Hirsch drove to the middle school so he could watch his granddaughter, Mia Kunica of Elgin, sing songs with her fellow students.
“It’s wonderful that these kids get all this exposure to the arts,” Hirsch said.
Artwork was displayed throughout the middle school hallway and inside the glass cases on the wall. Students pointed out their individual pictures or sculptures to their friends and families.
Musical numbers were performed by the sixth, seventh and eighth grade bands. There were also tunes from the sixth and seventh grade jazz band and the eighth grade jazz band.
“Central Middle School jazz band members meet at 7 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday mornings,” said band teacher Annaliese Siegel. “They put in their best effort.”
The final event of the day featured performances by the sixth, seventh and eighth grade choirs in the middle school gym. The elementary school choirs also sang three numbers.
Mack pointed out that one of the songs, “The Beautiful Rain,” was adapted from a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The final tune was performed by the combined choirs of all four elementary schools and the two middle schools. They sang “My Favorite Things” from the movie “The Sound of Music.”
“It’s a song that everyone knows,” said chorus/music teacher Jon Piel. “The students not only knew the name of the movie, but they also knew which scene the song came from. We have a great tradition of vocal music at our district. I hope everyone has enjoyed what we have been working on all year.”
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.