Head Start Carolers Spread Holiday Cheer Around UAMS

By Liz Caldwell

 
Head Start carolers show the card they made Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D. and where they signed their names.


College of Medidcine Dean Rick Smith, M.D., enjoys listening to the Head Start carolers in the hospital lobby.


The Head Start carolers sang several holiday favorites such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Up on the Housetop” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

 

 

Dec. 20, 2013 | More than 40 preschool-aged children and their teachers decked in holiday attire from the UAMS Head Start program visited campus this week to spread holiday cheer.

They came to sing to UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D., and UAMS College of Medicine Dean Rick Smith, M.D., but many more employees, patients and families got the chance to hear the jingle of their bells during enthusiastic performances.

The students filed into the chancellor’s office area on Thursday morning and one preschooler stepped out to introduce the group and start the singing. The group of children sang a number of songs including “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Feliz Navidad,” “Up on the Housetop,” “Let It Snow” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The children had special motions and holiday accessories to fit some of the songs. Employees from the area came out of their offices to enjoy the holiday songs and Rahn told the children that it was the best group of carolers he had seen or heard in his four years atUAMS.

The children presented Rahn with a large Christmas tree card they all signed for him, then eagerly pointed out where they had signed it. Rahn in return passed out candy canes for the children and had the group of adults who had gathered sing a chorus of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” back to the children.

Another class of Head Start children caroled to Smith on Tuesday in the hospital lobby with many spectators and hospital visitors enjoying the holiday spirit. Smith was so thrilled with the children’s performance that he asked them to go carol in the surgery waiting room. Once the group started singing, those in the waiting room gathered around to listen and some even captured the moment on their phones. Carolers even spread holiday cheer by giving candy to some of the spectators.

This is the 13th year the UAMS Head Start students have caroled at UAMS. UAMS runs the Head Start-Early Head Start program in Pulaski County and has since 1998. UAMS has 14 sites in Pulaski County that serve 840 children ages 3-5 and three other locations that are for UAMS Early Head Start for 88 infants and toddlers.

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