Port students bring holiday cheer to soldiers

Multi-district concert performed live for troops via the Intranet
 

Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School Band & Chorus perform Dec. 15 in the newly-renovated Port Jervis High School auditorium.

To make sure the courageous soldiers serving in Iraq and those hospitalized in Germany with combat injuries know they haven't been forgotten this holiday season, Port Jervis united with seven other districts December 15 to give them a special gift – a festive holiday concert broadcast live via the Intranet.
 

Port Jervis High School Chorus sing holiday songs for the troops.

For the second consecutive year, Port Jervis High School and Ann S. Kuhl Elementary School musicians participated in Songs for Troops - a “virtual” concert performed for many of the U.S. troops who will be away from their own children and families this Christmas. Due to the overwhelming success of the inaugural concert, the number of participating school districts and military concert sites has increased. This year’s concert of over 600 students was broadcast to three overseas locations: two forward operating bases in Iraq and the largest American military hospital outside of the United States - Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany. The broadcast was sent overseas through the Orange-Ulster BOCES’ Internet Protocol video conferencing bridge that was connected to video equipment in the schools.
 

Port Jervis High School Band participates in Songs for Troops.

This year, Chester Middle School, which hosts the event, began the concert with a special presentation at Chancellor’s Hall at the New York State Education Building in Albany where they were invited to perform. The other segments of the multi-location concert were broadcast from Port Jervis High School auditorium and the other Orange County school districts where each of the student bands and choral groups took turns performing a selection of holiday and patriotic songs.

The special holiday concert was organized by Chester Middle School Principal Ernest Jackson, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who graduated from Port Jervis High School and taught at ASK Elementary School following his retirement from the military. Jackson has been coordinating local participation in Operation Direct Support for the past five years. Songs for Troops is a way of getting a large number of students actively involved in a community service project that will touch an even larger number of soldiers - many of whom are away from their families for the first time.
 

Under the direction of music teachers Mike Pacer, Alvera Sylvester, Patricia Eckert,
Seth Riehl, and Matthew Carlozzi, the Port Jervis students got a huge round of applause from the troops after they performed an uplifting selection holiday songs. 

An email received from one the soldiers in Iraq reflects how much they all appreciated the support. "We owe the children a thank-you. We all loved the concert - it was a wonderful evening. Great chance to smile and take a break. We were honored by their tribute to us," said Maj. Brian Tribus, 3rd Brigade.

• Click here to read article in the Times Herald-Record.
• View the Record's Photo Gallery: Port Jervis sings for troops