Caring Community Concert at St. Bernadette
Upon arriving at St. Bernadette Catholic School in Barrie, you could hear the young voices singing in harmony in the gymnasium. The students were excitedly preparing for their Caring Community Concert for parents and guardians later that evening. Their efforts were the culmination of a week's worth of sharing, caring and contributing under the direction of Toronto-based singer, songwriter Errol Lee.
Lee creates programs for school-aged children aimed at using the arts to reinforce messages about creating a caring and compassionate community. He reminds students about Jesus’ teachings - especially the Golden Rule - which is to do onto others what you would have done onto yourself.
A quick chat with some Grade 3 and 4 students after their rehearsal really emphasized why Errol Lee’s programs are so effective. Simply put, the students were having a blast learning important lessons and life skills. One Grade 4 student said, “I had so much fun singing and learning the dance moves. I also learned about how important it is to care for one another and to care for our environment.”
When Lee was asked what he learned from the St. Bernadette students this week, he replied, “the community is so loving and caring - the messages are already here - during my time here I was just embellishing it - bringing it to the surface and reminding everyone how wonderful it feels to part of a kind and caring community.”
Parents and guardians came out in droves on a stormy Thursday night to watch the students in action, and they weren’t disappointed. The students put on a memorable show, which highlighted just how much the St. Bernadette students love being part of a caring community.