Scholars Sings For JASA!

By Dan Guarino

Celebrating the season through song, nearly two dozen students from Rockaway’s Scholars’ Academy entertained seniors, staff and visitors at the JASA Rockaway Park Older Adult Center, on Friday, December 19.

Slightly after 11 a.m., the group filed into the center at 106-20 Shore Front Parkway, first floor Suite 300, having just arrived by school bus from singing at another JASA center further down the peninsula.

The Scholars’ students were accompanied by music teacher and chorus director Kimberlee Kostik and drama/theatre teacher Mia Melchiorri. Under Ms. Kostik’s direction, they performed over a dozen holiday favorites and other songs in the nearly hour-long program.

“They were amazing,” said one visitor. “The way the whole group’s harmonies were split up, layered and arranged sounded so full, tremendous. It was terrific.”

The 21 students performed their first two numbers with recorded backing tracks, and the rest of the very varied program was sheerly acapella, blending their harmonized voices to rich effect. Ms. Kostik’s pitch pipe set the starting note and the Scholars’ group took off from there.

Their song selection ran the gamut from “Let It Snow,” accompanied by sleigh bells, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Jingle Bells” to “The Dreidel Song,” “Auld Lang Syne” and “Hannukah, Oh Hannukah.”

Many of the songs had their audience clapping and singing along.

The energy of the students was infectious, and many came dressed for the occasion in bright colors, with headbands with bright stars, Christmas trees, reindeer antlers, gift wrappings, holiday lights and more.

At the end of the session, the Scholars’ students enjoyed treats courtesy of JASA, before boarding the bus to go back to the school.

“We’re going back to go caroling to each classroom,” one student explained.

As they left, one woman at JASA noted, “I liked it very much! I like that they did an assortment of songs for both Hannukah and Christmas.”

Scholars’ Academy, at 320 Beach 104th Street, serves grades 6 through 12. Listed in the top 1% of NY State schools, its stated mission is to prepare students “for college and careers of the 21st Century…(by) cultivating and celebrating well-rounded resilient scholars and empathetic citizens equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to pursue success and happiness.”

Its music and theatre programs, which the JASA visiting students are a part of, offer instrumental and vocal instruction and performance, theatrical and technical stage training. Earlier this year, the school presented a well-reviewed production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Into the Woods,” directed by Ms. Melchiorri. The Scholars’ marching band is often the highlight of Rockaway parades and other local events.

With several locations across the peninsula, JASA (Jewish Association for Services for the Aged) itself provides a variety of non-denominational based services, meals, activities, informational, exercise and health programs and more for any and all residents 60 years of age and older.

For more information about JASA Rockaway Park Older Adult Center, call 718-634-3044.

 Photos by Dan Guarino.