Students from Head Royce School’s Sixth grade classroom came by Ability Now Bay Area to share Christmas carols with our participants on Thursday, December 10th. Led by Bob Wells, the school’s Choral Music Teacher, the students entered the building singing Mangwanani, an African welcome song that means good morning. The students then launched into traditional Christmas songs, as well as a beautiful rendition of Bashana Haba’ ah, a Jewish song about how good the new year will be, which was sang in Hebrew.
Head-Royce School is located about a block from Ability Now, and shares a reciprocal relationship of support and education. The school is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory day school with classes from kindergarten through 12th grade. More than 25% of the students (grades K through 12) receive need-based assistance.
Many of the participants at Ability Now enthusiastically sang and clapped along to the carolers, cheering loudly after each song. The carolers ended with Silent Night, with the participants taking turns singing the chorus with the students, and S’ Vivon, a Hanukkah song.
We thank the students from Head Royce School for bringing their Christmas spirit to Ability Now Bay Area; we look forward to hosting them again next year!