The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

SUBMITTED PHOTO

As if 2020 hadn't thrown enough wrenches into routines and traditions, it had to try its hand at ruining the annual Clay Central/Everly Elementary Christmas program. Luckily, CC/E didn't allow that to happen. The district held its first – and hopefully last – online K-6 holiday musical concert entitled "How to Train Your Reindeer to Fly." The CC/E preschool class opened the show with their version of the song "Tony Chestnut (Toe-Knee Chestnut)," "This musical tells the story of a group of reindeer cadets that are ready to learn to fly," explained CC/E elementary music teacher Mrs. Anna Broring. "They have finished all their courses at the School of Reindeer and passed with flying colors. They wonder, is flying something they instinctively know, or is it an ability they have but need to learn how to use? This is what the reindeer cadets figure out during our story." The Christmas musical was filled with upbeat music, such as a knock-off version of the Top Gun movie favorite "Highway to the Danger Zone" called "Reindeer Zone." Valuable life lessons were sprinkled throughout the program. "The students at CC/E had a blast putting this program on, even with ever-changing logistics due to the pandemic," Broring said. "As a first-year teacher, I was blown away by their energy and thankful for all of their hard work!" Thankfully, students were able to perform to a cheering audience of teachers and staff while parents, guardians and relatives watched and cheered via live-stream online.