December is the month of Christmas spirit and celebration with family and friends. Interact Club partakes in the festivities by going Christmas Caroling at Southland Health & Rehab Center, bringing joy and festivities to all the residents. Christmas caroling at the center is an Interact Club tradition.

“We have been doing [christmas caroling] for at least 6 to 7 years,” Interact Sponsor Marcela Sample said. This year, the students sang 4 songs to the senior citizens. They started off with a jolly “Jingle Bells,” and ended with a sincere “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

Many members went farther than just reading words off the paper. For example, they created small dance moves and used facial expressions to appeal to their audience.

“Many people around me were smiling and making cool jazz hands,” 6th grade student Hanna Thompson said. Hanna is the daughter of Starr’s Mill Spanish teacher Shayne Thompson.

The seniors adored the students’ performances, and many of them were teary-eyed. As the students gave out wrapped tissues, some seniors complimented the members on their singing or thanked them.

“Many of the seniors do not have contact with young people very often, so this makes them very happy,” Southland Health & Rehab employee Ruth Brookman said.

Sophomores Rommy Sierra and Nicole Sierra had an especially heartwarming encounter with a Hispanic senior as they had a conversation in Spanish, a language the senior had not heard in a few months.

“[Speaking with her] gave her another reason to be happy,” Nicole said. The senior citizen complimented the Sierra sisters on the level of fluency they had gained by taking Spanish for three years.

For the grand finale, some Interact Club members split up into partners and caroled to individual residents of the center, as some of them were unable to leave their rooms to join the main area. This way, all the senior citizens who were unable to participate were included from the comfort of their room.

Caroling to the residents at the center was an eye-opener for many members who hadn’t ever done it before. “It showed them a new perspective that they have never experienced before,” Sample said.

For the returning members, the feeling of serving the community through this annual event never gets old.

“I am proud of my students, who spent their Saturday being with people who are not as fortunate as they are or may be in the future,” Sample said.  

All the Interact Members collectively agreed on one thing — Interact Club’s Christmas caroling is an example of how Starr’s Mill students brighten the winter season, spreading the Christmas spirit.

“These students brought the elders hope, and a bright presence in the nursing home that will probably last a lifetime,” Sample said.