An innovative theme for Freedom Elementary’s first school assembly and in-person concert since the pandemic began.
Last week’s Spring Music Program included songs such as “Big Beautiful Planet”, “Under the Sea” and “The Tree in the Wood”.
But something was different.
Black paper covered the cafeteria windows to block out any natural light.
On stage, among a sea of third grade students dressed in black, there were electric neon props: trees, birds and planet earth.
A blacklight concert was the latest creative idea by music teacher, Elizabeth Kimbrell.
The Southeast High graduate has been teaching music for 17 years - seven of those years at Freedom.
On May 4th, 2020, also known as “Star Wars Day”, she recorded a split screen video of herself playing different instruments and singing lyrics which included R2D2 and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Virtual learning was underway, and this was one of the ways Mrs. Kimbrell connected with students.
Her passion for music education is stellar.
It took three months to pull off Freedom's latest brilliant performance – plus a grant from Peace River Electric Company to buy black lights, and donations of poster board from families.
"The students had a lot of fun putting this together and felt great about the reaction they got from the audience, said Mrs. Kimbrell. "There were lots of ooohs and ahhhs, and tons of applause."
Glowing reviews from the audience – quite fitting.