VHEW students celebrate ancestries

Second graders at Vestavia Hills Elementary West celebrated their ancestry, recognized veterans and honored the American flag during a November musical performance. 

The students performed “In America: We Are As One” in front of a large American flag that was created by former West students following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. During the performances on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, students sang “This Land is Your Land,” “Yankee Doodle” and “I am Thankful to be an American” for classmates and family members. 

In addition to singing, students used percussion instruments, sign language and dance movements. The students performed under the direction of West’s music teacher, Trudye Confessore. During each performance, veterans in the audience were asked to stand and be recognized. The performance aimed to celebrate national and personal history, and students researched their ancestry before the performances.