Penns Valley Area students sing carols in Spanish

Second-grade students in Morgan Holsopple’s class didn’t quite understand the words some Penns Valley Area High School students were singing during a Christmas caroling event.

They did, however, know the jingle of the songs.

On Wednesday morning, about 20 Penns Valley Area students from the high school’s Spanish club walked to Penns Valley Elementary and Intermediate School to sing Christmas carols to the kids.

The twist was that all songs were sung in Spanish.

They went from classroom to classroom singing three songs per class, and then asking the elementary school students if they recognized the songs — most did.

And those students in Holsopple’s class began singing along, in English, to “We wish you a merry Christmas,” otherwise known as “Feliz Navidad Deseamos.”

Spanish teacher and Spanish club adviser Jessica Lanich said the caroling event has been an annual tradition with the group for eight years.

The mission, she said, it to celebrate the holidays before going on break — all while practicing pronunciation and vocabulary that isn’t necessarily in class curriculum.

“Singing can help with all that, and we have a lot of fun,” she said.

Spanish club President Bella Planchart, a senior, said the group organizes a couple trips throughout the school year as a way to interact with younger students in the district.

She said they organized activities in October for Hispanic Heritage recognition and hope to set up another event for Cinco de Mayo.

This story was originally published December 21, 2016 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Penns Valley Area students sing carols in Spanish."