Kindergarteners at Southwest Elementary Head Out into the World to Sing Christmas Carols

This morning, one of the kindergarten students on their way to Clemmons Village I, an assistant-living center near Southwest Elementary School, was Kaye Mullis’ grandson, Kyle Helms.

Mullis, who is the human-resources coordinator at Clemmons Village, was looking forward to seeing Kyle and to seeing the expressions of delight on the faces of the residents – particularly the women – when 70 kindergarteners came through the door.

“Watch their faces when they walk in,” Mullis said.

Marie Nix on right

Kaye Mullis with grandson Kyle

Clemmons Village resident Marie Nix had just finished distributing the holiday gift bags that she had put together with the help of her daughter Shirley Wood. “We play bingo, Nix said. “The money I made from bingo, I just put toward the bags.”

Each of the bags included candy, chewing gum and a pen because, she said, it seems as if everyone who works there is always looking for a pen. Nix wasn’t looking forward to hearing any particular holiday song. “I just like all of them.”

A few minutes later, Principal Matt Dixson came in to see where Mullis wanted the students to gather. That taken care of, he headed back out to the buses. In came the kindergarteners wearing an assortment of holiday hats and reindeer antlers. This was their second of four stops. They had already been to Kaplan Early Learning Center and sung to employees there. After singing carols at Clemmons Village I, they would be headed to Clemmons Village II and then it would be on to Lowes.

Dixson said that going out into the world to sing carols is not only a great way for everyone to kick off the holidays but also a good way to give students experiences in that wider world. And, as a bonus, it fits right in with the curriculum, said kindergarten teacher Tiffany Larson.

By no means was Mullis the only parent or grandparent on hand to hear the students sing “Five Little Snowmen” and seven other holiday songs. Christina Castro was there to see her grandson Michael O’Cana, and Kevin Glass’ mother, Chelsea Beddard, and grandmother, Tandrea Beddard were both on hand.

The “Must Be Santa” song put to rest any doubts about who that fellow with “a beard that is long and white” must be. The students were all armed with jingle bells which they put to good use during – yep, you guessed it – “Jingle Bells.”

When all the clapping was done, the students took a holiday walk over to Clemmons Village II, which is just across the lawn and has a Nativity in the lobby, and performed for another group of delighted listeners.