TJ’s Leadership students practice singing Christmas carols. photo by Jon Poole
TJ Leadership spreads holiday joy through holiday songs.
The holidays are right around the corner, which means the Leadership class at Thomas Jefferson is embracing the festive season in a fun, unique way. For the second year in a row, the students in Leadership will be singing various Christmas carols to select classrooms, bringing a sense of joy and community to the school this winter season.
The caroling is scheduled to take place during the last week of classes before finals, and the sing-alongs will bring a cheerful end to the first semester. If any teachers are interested in having the carolers visit their classrooms (or the classroom of a colleague), they should sign up through the Google Form that Assistant Principal Jon Poole sent out. Every teacher is encouraged to sign up in order to increase participation and holiday spirit within TJ’s high school community.
The holiday caroling tradition, beginning in 2023, is becoming a favorite activity for both the Leadership students and their peers. The class has immense fun choosing seven different beloved Christmas songs to perform, and then spending time in class practicing the performance. Many songs have been sung, but “Jingle Bell Rock” has been a crowd favorite. In previous years, Leadership has included carols for a variety of winter holidays, this year the class is only singing Christmas songs. When teachers sign up, they get to pick any of the seven songs they wish to see performed. Then, during fourth period, dressed in festive holiday headbands and Christmas hats, the Leadership carolers will make their way around the school, stopping and singing for each teacher/class that has signed up. Leadership’s goal is to spread cheer and create a memorable experience for everyone involved.
One of the leadership students, senior Kayleen Millard, showed her eagerness toward the caroling and shared, “My favorite part about the caroling is the joy the class we go into gets and the laughter our class has because we are not professional singers but we have fun with it.” Counselor and leadership teacher Erin Thompson said that her favorite part is the fact that they, “get to go in looking crazy and acting crazy!” Rather than the class striving for perfect harmonies, the lightheartedness of the performances adds to the fun and charm, celebrating the seasonal holidays, and creating more impactful connections within TJ.
The event would not be possible without the support and enthusiasm of the TJ teachers. By signing up to have the leadership students visit their classrooms, the teachers play a crucial role in creating a warm and festive holiday atmosphere for their students.
As leadership prepares for their performances, they’re not only excited to have fun singing, but also they’re looking forward to seeing the smiles, laughter, and joy their caroling brings to the school’s environment. The two year tradition has easily become a loved part of TJ’s holiday celebrations, and leadership students are already looking forward to continuing it in years to come. The simple joy of singing together promises to be a merry addition to the holiday spirit this winter. Regardless of the audience, the leadership class is certain to make a cheerful and musical ending to the 2024 year.
