Forest Road hosts annual 'Winter Wonderland' event

Holiday songs blared through the speakers in the Forest Road School gymnasium as students, their parents and school staff members and administrators filtered in to enjoy some breakfast and performances at the Parent Teacher Association’s annual Winter Wonderland event on Dec. 23.

It was a festive morning as most of the children donned red and green and some even had holiday-inspired hats. Parents and staff members also took part in a zany ugly sweater contest, and close to 200 gifts were collected for the Toys for Tots program.

Students from kindergarten through sixth grade took the stage one after another to entertain the audience by singing songs and showing off their dance routines. The Dance Club of first- and second-graders got the festivities underway, performing three songs for the audience.

During one part of the show, The Magnetic Turtles, a string band made up of fifth-graders, hit the stage and put on a string-only rendition of “Carol of the Bells.” The performance was warmly received by the audience.

“I was a little nervous,” admitted fifth-grader Ibraham Quadri, who played the cello. “But I just try to play good.”

Quadri said he has been playing the cello for nearly three years and it took him about three days to learn the song. He added that he originally played the viola, but he switched to cello to fill a vacancy in third grade and he’s happy he did.

The event has become an annual spectacle ever since Principal Erin Malone came to the school in 2009. Malone said the children lead themselves in the performances and the school looks to include as many cultural nuances into the performances as possible.

“[Winter Wonderland] is a community event designed to bring all of the students and staff members together to celebrate the upcoming holiday season and impending vacation,” Malone said. “I wanted to bring our school together to participate in the common goal of building cheer and energy right before the break while promoting a sense of community.”