Beta Club students travel to Nashville

The Sunny Hill National Junior Beta Club traveled to Nashville on December 13 with Beta advisors Rhonda Jones, Mike Leigh, and Jackie Whitten to see ICE, Nashville’s icy winter wonderland of ice sculptures on exhibit in the Gaslight Theater.

This year the theme for ICE was “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss. The group toured the exhibit wearing coats and viewing moments frozen from scenes such as the Grinch’s mountaintop lair, feasting Whos, and Whoville with smoking chimneys. The students were amazed at the life-size sculptures carved from 1.5 million tons of ice by 40 Chinese artisans who traveled to the U.S. to carve the exhibit.

A breathtaking nativity scene awed the students as they neared the end of their tour. Many of the students were brave enough to try out the 20-foot ice slide. While in Nashville, students enjoyed dining at the Rainforest Cafe and shopping at the Opry Mills mall.

Annual assembly showcases Sunny Hill’s most talented

Sunny Hill showcased some of its finest talent during a talent show on the morning of December 18. Fifth- and sixth-grade students danced, played musical instruments, and sang. The Sunny Hill Choir also entertained the crowd throughout the morning. The talent show, held as an assembly, has become a favorite annual event for the school.

Sunny Hill Choir entertains retired teachers

Voices from the Hill, the choir from Sunny Hill Elementary, performed at several events during the month of December. Students sang at a mini-concert held for Haywood Country Retired Teachers Meeting at Sunny Hill on December 13. They performed for Christmas at College Hill on December 10, the Multi-handicapped Center on December 17, and the annual Sunny Hill talent show on December 18. Audiences especially enjoyed the choir’s performances of the song “Thou O Lord,” often performed by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, and “Share Your Good Will.” The choir has 35 members and is directed by music teacher Mrs. Arethria Turner.

Greek projects expand history lessons

Mrs. Barbara Garrett’s social studies students expanded their knowledge of Greek Culture by doing Greek projects on varied subjects. Students made models of the Parthenon, Greek sailing ships, Spartan shields, and Greek-style pottery. Also, some students made the Trojan horse and dressed dolls as gods and famous Greeks. Many students represented Greek theater by doing models of tragedy and comedy masks. These projects were completed during the third six-weeks.

Poetry Slam showcases students’ original works

Ms. Jackie Whitten’s sixth-grade language arts students held a poetry slam
near the end of the third six weeks after studying a poetry unit under the
supervision of Shalondria Hardin, student teacher for Ms. Whitten.
Students were in the spotlight as they presented poems to parents, other
students, and some teachers at the Celebration Cafe set up in the
classroom. Afterwards, students enjoyed hot cocoa and snacks.