Armstrong School for the Arts Holidays Around the World Program takes a village to execute a memorable experience

Armstrong School for the Arts celebrated a spectacular event as they “traveled” the world during their Holidays Around the World Program held on Monday, December 13, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. Families, friends and community members enjoyed a night of music, food and lights as each grade level provided entertainment and shared facts about the country they represented. 

Performances included: 

Kindergarten (Mexico-Feliz Navidad) 

1st Grade (Italy-Dominic the Donkey)

2nd Grade (Slovakia-Rolnicky, Rolnicky and Dance-Morning Comes Early) 

A 2nd grade parent from Slovakia joined the students on stage to sing the verses of Jingle Bells in Slovak.

3rd Grade (China-Zhao Peng You; talked about kindness)

4th Grade (Iceland-Upp, Upp, Upp A Fjall) 

5th Grade (Polynesian Islands-the Haka Dance) 

Armstrong’s oldest students, many of who have attended Armstrong all six years of their elementary career, performed the Haka dance to display pride, strength, and unity. After the students performed, the 5th grade parents were asked to join and dance as well. 

The school office represented France.

Visitors were able to travel through the halls on all three floors to view displays. Visitors also sampled foods from each country Around the World.

There were many individuals and groups who helped make the program a success. One group that especially gets a shoutout is the students in the Kecoughtan High School Academy of Entrepreneurship and Information Design (AEID). These students designed and created custom t-shirts for the students. With help from the Hampton City Schools print shop, students learned the process of designing and creating custom t-shirts including business aspects of preparing quotes, and creating invoices. Michelle McDaniel at KHS hosted HCS print shop team members to her entrepreneurship class to collaborate on a project to make 50 shirts for the Armstrong School for the Arts first grade class. Marty Wood, print shop coordinator, taught students the process of designing the graphic and preparing it for printing, and also shared resources on pricing and billing. Joe Huggett, print shop technician, demonstrated the printing process and shared tips on machine maintenance. Once the shirt graphics were finished, students were taught how to prepare the graphic and shirts for heat pressing. This project helped the AEID students connect career and technical education competencies with real world applications. Students were able to experience the job from start to finish. They met deadline, and delivered the goods making the Armstrong first graders’ performance night a little more special. The complete products were on display when Michelle Bowers and Tracie Jacobson’s first grade students performed their song for Armstrong’s Holidays Around the World Program. 

Armstrong wishes to extend a special thank you to the following sponsors:

Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority-ETA Chapter who provided funding for the 1st grade art and wall displays.

Hampton Arts Commission who provided funding for the 2nd grade for art, costumes and hallway displays.

Hampton City Schools CTE department and students who created and made the Boun Natale shirts for the 1st graders.

Hampton City Schools Graphics Department who helped with all of the signage for the event.

Hampton Education Foundation who provided a grant for the holiday event.

Armstrong teachers, staff, students, parents, and community.