A group of students brought some holiday cheer to downtown on Wednesday morning as they visited local businesses and government offices to sing Christmas carols.
The Elizabethton City Schools system’ Early Learning Center brought four classes of pre-K students on a special holiday field trip to spread joy in the community.
“This is a tradition for us,” said Susan Dugger, one of the teachers in the ELC pre-K program.
Each year, the ELC takes the pre-K students on a caroling outing to visit local businesses, City Hall, the Elizabethton Fire Department, and the Elizabethton City Schools administration offices.
“It’s our way to say thank you to the people of Elizabethton for all their support they have given us,” Dugger said.
In years past the students all went as one group to visit each location, but Dugger said this year they divided into two groups to make it easier for the locations to accommodate them because not all of the businesses or offices have enough space for 80 students to visit with them. The students went in a single group to the school system’s central office to sing to the administrative staff and split into their separate groups from there, Dugger said.
Dugger and fellow teacher Rhonda Taylor took their classes to Elizabethton City Hall, the Elizabethton Fire Department main station, and Brumit’s Sport Shop. Teachers Ashley Estep and Susan Tinn took their classes to visit the Bonnie Kate Theater, Sugar Love Bakery & Cafe, and the banks located in downtown.
The children performed such Christmas favorites as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jingle Bells at each location they visited.
“Our children can’t give gifts, but they can sing,” Dugger said, adding it is their hope to bring joy to others with their songs.