Tinton Falls 2nd Graders Work Hard to Celebrate the Preoccupation of Occupation

Second graders from the Mahala F. Atchison School performed a musical "thank you" to their parents, teachers and caregivers last week as part of Read Across America.

The March 4 program, "Nine to Five," celebrated grown up efforts at working, whether through employment or the unpaid tasks of making dinner, cleaning the house or driving to soccer practice. 

“The concert was dedicated to those people in the students' lives who work hard every day to make sure that they are provided for,” said music teacher Kristen Briggs, who stepped into the role of overseeing the show when former "Teacher of Year," Nicole DePresca, left on maternity leave. 

And though Briggs was the one who brought the second graders to the stage, it was DePresca who chose the theme and songs for the program.  DePresca said her intention was to bring awareness to students of how hard the grown ups in their lives work to care for them.

DePresca suggested that recent headlines about unemployment and how the lack of jobs had affected American children influenced her decision to choose the theme for the program.

“Sometimes students don't have a clear understanding of the value of hard work and what it takes to keep them cared for,” she said.  “I felt it was important to make a connection through music so children can have a new appreciation of what their parents do for them. Some parents work multiple jobs and some are even struggling to find jobs, but all in all each parent is there for his child, trying to put food on the table and pay the bills.”

The children performed "Star Spangled Banner," "Get A Job," "Please Mr. Postman," "On the Road Again," "Workin' on the Railroad," "Takin' Care of Business," "Car Wash" and concluded with "Nine to Five."  Each song was introduced by students and artwork was created and hung for the show by parents.  

Briggs directed and played keyboard and students accompanied her on various instruments--from xylophones to boomwhackers, which are percussion tubes that are lightweight, hollow, color-coded, plastic tubes that are tuned to musical pitches by length.

“We enjoyed learning to play the boomwhackers in our song 'On the Road Again,'” said Briggs, “and the students thought the name of the instrument was hilarious. They liked to say 'Booom-a-whack-a-whack-a.'”

Briggs has concert cred at MFA, albeit on short notice.  In her first two weeks at the school, she led the first graders in their own performance.  

"My ultimate joy is helping the students create a musical experience for themselves, which is not only fun but allows them to fulfill the desire within themselves to be creative,” said Briggs.

The concert was part of a full week for MFA students. Read Across America, a initiative that emphasizes the importance of reading and originality, was celebrated all week at the school with daily, fun and educational diversions and enhancements.