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Awty's Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

By Vishakha Medha Rao, The Awty International School, School Buzz Reporter | January 2, 2025

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The Awty Choir performs “Oh Santa!” at the Tree Lighting. Back row (left to right): Sophia Shakourifar, Isabella Kamara, Eva Marie Pasteris, El Williams, Elias Treviño Cross, Konrad Tittle, Dax Rennick, Emiliano Del Valle. Middle row (left to right): Margarita Potapenko, Eloise Luneau, Gina Alati Anwer, Marie Saulnier, Catalina Clark, Leïa Dal, Isa Vargas Silva. Front row (left to right): Vishakha Medha Rao, Arjun Rao, Vani Mahajanam. (Photo: Vishakha Medha Rao)

On Friday, December 13, The Awty International School held its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, a long-standing tradition for as long as students can remember. The event was an amalgamation of students, teachers, and staff from diverse and vibrant backgrounds, united under one roof. Hosted by our spectacular Head of Secondary, Mr. Tom Oden, it was a guaranteed success to welcome the holiday season with caroling and seasonal warmth.

This celebration was a nod to the Awty community, bringing students of all ages together to commemorate our shared identity. Twelfth grade students who have been at Awty the longest, or “Lifers” as we call them, shared their fondest memories at Awty, from school trips to favorite classes. The highlight of the ceremony was when the youngest student met the newest and oldest faculty members onstage and lit the Christmas tree to officially commence the holiday season!

The Awty Choir, directed by Dr. Ingrid Gerling, made a splash with songs like “Oh Santa!” “Carol of the Bells,” “Underneath the Tree,” “Santa Tell Me,” and “Love Grows at Christmastime.” Their intricate harmonies and festive energy captured the crowd and brought the holiday spirit to life!

Youngest student lights the tree at the Tree Lighting Ceremony to commence the holiday festivities. On stage are Dr. Heather Beck, Ilya Kremer, Mr. Tom Oden, Awty Faculty, and Awty 2025 Lifers. (Photo: Vishakha Medha Rao)

Isabella Kamara, a junior and member of the Awty Choir, stated that her favorite song was “Carol of the Bells,” performed with a “surround-sound” effect. She added that “seeing the lower school kids gasp and get excited made the ceremony feel just as magical as we wanted it to be.” She expressed her appreciation for “having the entire school together, excitedly watching the performance.”

In my experience as a member of the Awty Choir and a soloist for the song, “Oh Santa!” I felt a similar sense of gratitude. Performing in front of the entire school and seeing pleasant reactions from all ages in our audience ignited a spark inside my heart. Using music to spread cheer across the community is always the most rewarding, and I am incredibly grateful to the school for this opportunity.

Of course, as an international school, Awty never fails to recognize and celebrate various cultures during this holiday season. In addition to English songs, the Awty Choir hosted sing-alongs for “Feliz Navidad” to celebrate Spanish-speakers in our school and "Petit Papa Noël” for our French friends. The cherry on top was “Ocho Kandelikas,” a carol to celebrate Hanukkah written in Ladino, a mixture of Hebrew and Spanish, which coincidentally falls on the same day as Christmas this year.

The ceremony offered additional festivities, including a surprise appearance from Santa Claus (played by our wonderful teacher Mr. Tiller!) and his student elves, cheerfully tossing presents into the crowd. The sight of the little ones jumping with joy and grabbing the treats with glee was heartwarming.

As always, the 2024 Tree Lighting Ceremony was an incredible experience and opportunity for community bonding. It was a great way to kick off the holiday season and start the new year fresh with winter cheer and a collective sense of happiness.