The Wallenpaupack Area South Elementary School's third grade will present their annual concert Thursday April 24.  The program is a salute to Earth Day with all the songs focusing on our planet and our need to be good stewards.

The patriotic opening includes the entire assembly saluting our flag and singing our National Anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" followed by the Wallenpaupack Area School District's Alma Mater. 

"It's a Beautiful Day" begins the celebration with lyrics about sunshine, songbirds  and the wonder of being alive in a world of beauty.  "Save the Planet" presents the challenge that "there are some problems for you and me to solve without delay."  "It's a Beautiful Land We Share"  includes an original verse about the beauty of the four seasons in Pennsylvania!  "Lullaby for the Trees" highlights the children's beautiful higher range voices.

Four selections follow from Joyce Merman's "Rx for Earth."  "I Was Walkin' Down My Street" has "Good Citizens"  picking up the litter that the "litter bugs" left behind!  The good citizens are:  Logan Franklin, Shelby Milewski, Edward Frick, Erika Hansen, Kyle McDermott and Alyssa Medina and the litter bugs are: Zoe Cykosky, Kayli Beierle, Hunter Nakielny, Victoria Maher, Jamil Alvarado, Sydney Perrera and Victoria Demuysere.  "Heat Your House With Sunshine" speaks to the "Do's and Don'ts to Save Our Blue Sky." "Chicken Little Had It Right" warns us that "There IS a Hole in the Sky!"  "Oink! - If You Litter" - well, you know what you are if you litter!!  "Solar Carol" is to the tune of "Angels We Have Heard on High" and informs us about the benefits of solar power.

The concluding songs sing the praises of our beautiful earth: the familiar and much-loved "It's a Small World" in two-part harmony,  "For the Beauty of the Earth," "Garden Song" and the  classic  Woody Guthrie song "This Land is Your Land." Three "water" songs showcase the Rain Sticks the children made in art class under the direction of art teacher Debbie Pulst.   "The Wheel of the Water" by John Forster and Tom Chapin includes a melodic ostinato sung by one class while the other children continue adding verses.  The shape of the melodies match the meaning of the words.

The concert concludes with the theme song "Ev'ry Day is Earth Day."

Mary Van Patten, the recycling coordinator for Wayne County, has generously donated  her time for several years and sets up a very interesting display in the foyer.  Both children and adults find lots of useful information with handouts about keeping our planet clean, safe and beautiful.

The local Audubon Society has also been coming to the concert with fascinating information about our feathered friends.

Erika Hansen says, "I don't like litter.  Everyone should try their best to keep our earth clean."
Logan Franklin also believes that "everyone should try to do what they can to keep the earth clean."

Show time is 7 pm in the school's cafetorium under the direction of Jean M. Shields, the South's music teacher.  Principal Nancy L. Simon, Ed.D., said the public is invited to attend.