Monticello students to perform for U.S. troops

MONTICELLO, NY — Monticello Schools’ music students will be part of a concert performance titled “Songs for Our Troops,” scheduled for Wednesday, December 16. Through a live video conferencing feed supplied by Orange-Ulster BOCES, 1,700 students from 11 area schools will perform for U.S. soldiers serving on the frontlines overseas.

The concert will be broadcast simultaneously from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from each of the participating schools to members of the 3rd Infantry Division, 26th Field Artillery Regiment. The two-way connection will also allow the students in each of the districts to see and communicate with each other and their overseas audience.

The “Songs for Our Troops” concert is organized by Chester Middle School Principal Ernest Jackson, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, who served in the 3rd Infantry Division. The concert is a way of getting a large number of students actively involved in a community service project that will touch an even larger number of soldiers, many of whom are away from their families for the first time.

The holiday performance will include Monticello High School’s orchestra under the direction of music teacher Nancy Wegrzyn. Monticello is the only school in Sullivan County to participate in this event.