songs for the troops
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WARWICK
MIDDLE SCHOOL PARTICIPATEs IN SONGS FOR the TROOPS
Following the spirited tradition of USO performers who have been brightening the holidays for lonely GIs since the 1940s, the music departments from five local school districts united Thursday, Dec. 20 at 1:00 p.m. to present a special holiday concert for the troops. Unlike the USO - which for safety reasons must perform concerts in designated safe zones - video conferencing technology enabled the schools to bring this concert directly to members of the 3rd Infantry Division serving on the front lines in Iraq.
The Songs for Troops Concert began at Chester Academy with a flag presentation by
a five-man military color-guard from the Warwick VFW Post
4662. During the multi-location concert, each of the
participating bands and choral groups took turns
performing a selection of at least two songs. The musical
performances were broadcast live to Iraq using the
Orange-Ulster BOCES’ Internet Protocol video conferencing
bridge connected to video equipment in each of
the schools.
The special holiday concert was organized by Chester
Middle School Principal (and former Warwick Middle School
Assistant Principal) Ernest Jackson, a retired Army
lieutenant colonel who served most of his military career in
the 3rd Infantry Division. A member of the 7th Infantry
Regiment Association Board of Directors, Jackson has been
coordinating local participation in the association's
Operation Direct Support for the past four years. While he
continues to solicit donations for soldier care packages and
cards, Songs for Troops was a way of getting a large number
of students actively involved in a community service project
touched an even larger number of soldiers - many of
whom are away from their families for the first time.
Below is the list of participating schools:
Chester Middle School - Chester Union Free School District,
Chester, NY
Minisink Valley Middle School - Minisink Valley Central
School District, Slate Hill, NY
Anna S. Kuhl Elementary School Fifth & Sixth Grade Band and
Chorus - Port Jervis City School District, Port Jervis, NY
Monticello High School Concert Band and Mixed Choir
Warwick Valley Middle School - Warwick Valley Central School
District, Warwick, NY