South Seneca is Going to Swing in Albany

The South Seneca Fifth Grade Swing Chorus has been accepted to go to the State Capitol building in Albany to help celebrate Music in Our Schools Month on March 1, 2011. This is the second time that one of these groups has been selected to go and represent South Seneca. The last time was in 2009.

The group, composed of eighteen auditioned fifth graders is directed by Diane W. Dersch, choral music teacher. They rehearse every Thursday morning before school and perform at every elementary concert throughout the year and other venues.The students who comprise this group are: Cole Acker, Tyler Acker, Catie Adams-Compton, Jesse Bower, Justin Carmona, Cameron Cupp, Julia Diamond, Jeffery Elliott, Dominiq Kio, Annabelle MacIntosh, Haleigh Mills, Benjamin Pollack, Amber Relyea, Alexandria Rought, Skylar Shaulis, Dylan Stiles, Tessa Taylor and John Zajac.

The Swing Chorus needs to raise $2000 to make the trip. For every $1 that is raised a generous donor will donate a dollar. If you would like to donate to this cause and help South Seneca Swing in Albany please send $1 or more to Diane W. Dersch, South Seneca Elementary School, 8326 Main St., Interlaken, NY 14847.

Veterans Day

South Seneca Elementary Honors Area Veterans at Veterans Day Assembly

All veterans and their families were invited to the annual celebration in their honor at the South Seneca Elementary school. The special assembly featured speaker Sgt. Richard Marthaller, USMC, who served from 1964 through 1970 in the F Company, Second Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines. He was stationed in Seal Beach, California at the U. S. Naval Weapons Station. Also featured was the VFW Color Guard and patriotic music performed by the South Seneca Fifth Grade Band. Veterans in their service uniforms and hats took a stand proudly as the song identifying their branch of service was announced and played. The assembly was followed by a reception in the cafeteria. Event organizer and band director, Rebecca Davis commented, "Just prior to the assembly, fifth grader Haleigh Mills’ Uncle called from Afghanistan to wish her luck in the performance. Haleigh’s mom videotaped the whole ceremony and was preparing to send it to her brother in Afghanistan." Thank you for your service to our country, veterans!

Veterans Day

South Seneca Hospice Fundraising Concert Features Area Bands

Music is a means of comfort for many, and how fitting that it should be a fundraiser for the newest Pathway Home of the Finger Lakes: a comfort care home in Seneca County for the terminally ill. Three area school bands performed including Waterloo, Mynderse and the South Seneca Elementary Jazz Band. The 18-member jazz band composed of mainly fifth graders, started off the concert with "Slide-in the Blues". South Seneca band director, Rebecca Davis was very proud of her students, "they played well. Later, some taller and older musicians commented on how fantastic they were, so the kids felt proud of their performance and had a great time."

At the present time, there is no hospice type facility in Seneca County. For the past one and a half years, the Pathway Home group has been raising awareness of this project. There is no physical space secured for this future comfort care home as of yet, but according to Tina Sullivan, Pathway Home secretary, the group hopes a two-bedroom unit will be secured soon, Tina commented, "we raised $700 as well as a great deal of awareness. We know the latter to be true given all of the comments we heard such as, 'I didn't even know what a comfort care home was' and 'I didn't know Pathway Home was a project happening in our county.'" For more information on Pathway Homes, please visit their website at www.pathwayhome.org

Concert

SSCS Elementary Music Teacher Rebecca Davis leads the South Seneca Elementary jazz band in a warm-up prior to playing for the Seneca County Pathway Home Fundraiser Concert at Waterloo High School recently.

Concert

South Seneca fifth grader, John Zajac (foreground), chimes in on the South Seneca Elementary jazz band's performance of "Slide-In the Blues", a performance during the recent Seneca County Pathway Home Fundraiser concert at Waterloo High School. Foreground to back, students are: Braeden Bierwiler, Charlie VanNess, Annabelle MacIntosh and Skylar Shaulis.