Head Start Carolers Visit Chancellor

By Spencer Watson

 
The Head Start students mime looking out the window as they sing Let It Snow.

UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D., hands out Cutie oranges to students following their performance.

The students show Rahn where they signed the snowman-shaped card they gave him after caroling.

 

The 4-year-olds from the class of Jannettaa Palmer filed into the chancellor’s administrative offices, bells ringing, and kicked off the program with Feliz Navidad.

 

“That was wonderful. How many of you speak Spanish?” asked Rahn as he applauded the performance. In answer, several raised hands gave a convincing count to eight – that is, ocho.

 

The carolers continued with Let It Snow, with enthusiastic, choreographed emphasis on the “stop” when it came time for “it doesn’t show signs of stopping.” Following that, the kids sang Frosty the Snowman, after which the chancellor noted their white gloves.

 

“It’s because it’s cold,” he was told matter-of-factly by one caroler.

 

Finishing out the program, the children sang Jingle Bell Rock and A Holly Jolly Christmas before a quick opening chorus of We Wish You a Merry Christmas as they presented a snowman-shaped card for the chancellor signed by all of them.

 

“Thank you so much for coming and entertaining us,” Rahn said, as he handed each child a Cutie orange. “This really is the best part of the season.”

 

The event was coordinated by Head Start Education Coordinator Dee McLemore. Tyra Larkin is the director of UAMS Head Start/Early Head Start.

 

This is the 14th year the UAMS Head Start students have caroled at UAMS, which runs the Head Start-Early Head Start program in Pulaski County and has since 1998. UAMS has 18 sites in Pulaski County that combined serve 840 children ages 3-5 in Head Start and 88 infants and toddlers in Early Head Start.