NCSD students bring Christmas celebration to Academy of the Americas

NOVI — Children at the Academy of the Americas Cub Campus (grades K-3) in Detroit received Christmas gifts and a celebration provided by the Novi Community School District Dec. 12.

NCSD has partnered with Bridgepointe, a nonprofit charitable organization in metro Detroit, for several years to bring Christmas gifts and festivities to students at a school that could use the support.

The Novi Community School District bused in approximately 100 students, staff and volunteers for the annual event. This year, the event featured performances by the Novi Singers, of Novi High School, which also led the kids in a game of Simon Says as a conversation starter. The choir performed a variety of traditional Christmas songs including “Carol of the Bells,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Jingle Bells,” “Up on the House Top” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

NCSD provided the students with a pizza lunch and a variety of games and crafts. Student, parent and staff volunteers were placed throughout the various classrooms in the academy to help children with the games and crafts.

“This is going to be so much fun,” exclaimed one little girl upon learning that she was going to make a melted snowman.

Cousins Enzo Rodriguez, 8, and Liam Arriaga, 8, third graders at the Academy of the Americas, said they really enjoyed the event.

“I like how they give us activities,” said Enzo. “The activities are fun.

He said his favorite activity was making a snowman bookmark.

Liam said he really enjoyed the singing. His favorite song was “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

The event usually features an appearance by Santa Claus, but he couldn’t make it this year, so volunteers handed out gifts to all the children in his place.

“The kids really look forward to the different activities and Santa and the presents, and they really enjoy it,” said Mariana Hernandez, kindergarten teacher at Academy of the Americas. “It’s a nice experience for them.”

Children could be heard from every nook and cranny of the school as they took in the celebration.

“We like that kind of loudness,” said Nicholas Brown, principal of Academy of the Americas Cub Campus. “That’s the loudness of happy children.”

Brown said this event provided a fun break from the children’s regular schedule and provided them an opportunity to connect with children from a community that is far from them.  He said that without this event, children at his school might not have the opportunity to engage with children from Novi.

“This is the one big event that bridges two communities,” he said. “I think ultimately it’s about cultural exchange, getting to know different kids, different communities, different perspectives, and that’s what’s been positive.”

Liam said he liked being asked for the Spanish words for different things. He said one Novi student asked him how to say “hat” in Spanish. “Sombrero” was his reply

“It’s nice for the kids to see older kids and have an example and a model,” said Sharon Duggan, kindergarten teacher at Academy of the Americas. “They are always involved. (Kids from both schools) are always talking and curious. I like how they try to talk to the kids who speak Spanish. … I like how they come in and they are very open and they don’t see our kids as needy or whatever. They just see them as students that they can have fun with while they’re here. So, I like that about them. They are always very positive to the kids and they behave very well. So, I enjoy it.”