It’s so good to see ….

It’s so good to see the green grass and see temps get up to 50 or 69 by late afternoon. Morning temps were more like 19-21 degrees this week and it is 37 today. Our folks would talk of celebrating May Day by having games around the flag pole and making baskets of flowers to leave at a neighbor’s door, ring the bell and run so no one would know who had given them a gift in secret. We celebrate our freedoms and need to remember to make good choices as the mid-term elections come in June. Diligent farmers are getting into the fields, pre-working and planting peas.

The Lustre Grade School has a new bus driver. Pastor Frank Lenihan has earned his CDL and is driving the south bus route.

The Lustre Grade School K-8 students, led by Jerson Ayuno, presented their spring concert April 29. It was called LGS Goes on Vacation.

The kindergarten, first and second graders played their chimes on Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

They played Sailor, Sailor on the Sea with flute recorders, sang You are My Sunshine accompanying themselves on ukuleles and then What a Wonderful World.

The third-fourth graders began with singing What a Wonderful World and Ian Unrau played a solo verse in the middle on his trombone. They sang How Far I’ll Go and played a welcome rendition of Heart and Soul by Hoagy Carmichael on flute recorders. They wistfully sang Somewhere over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen using their ukuleles before Mr. Ayuno led them in a rousing performance of Pearly Shells in a chimes class choir.

After a break, Micah Zerbe, Colton Miller and Ian Unrau played Kum-ba-yah as a trombone-trumpet trio. Each piece of the concert was introduced by students. The fifth-sixth grade band played Sakura Sakura, Banana Boat, Auld Lang Syne, William Tell and When the Saints Go Marching In. The seventh- eighth grade class sang three choir pieces in beautiful harmony: One Day, The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Africa, accompanied by Joseph Olfert on the bongos. Mr. J also accompanied on piano.

We got a sneak preview of entries for the Eastern State Music Festival in Billings on May 1-2, as the entries were showcased in the LCHS Spring concert 7 p.m. Wednesday at the MB Church. Music teacher, Mr. J Ayuno called on Pastor Lenihan. He quoted Martin Luther’s words, “Next to theology, I know of no other power that moves the heart of man than music.” He talked of David using music to help King Saul overcome his moodswings. He quoted Ephesians 5:19 and said “God is worthy to be worshiped and magnifi ed in song.” Principal Wes Young welcomed the crowd and thanked the sta_ and community volunteers for their hard work in preparing the students for festival.

Those qualifying for State Music Festival during the District Music Festival held at Poplar gave performances first. T.J. Cumpio sang a great bass vocal solo entitled “On The Sunny Side Of The Street

(Jimmy McHugh), accompanied by Meridith Reddig. Justice Byers sang a searching song composed by Mercy Me entitled Even If, accompanied by Ashleigh Byers. Nathan and Lauren Fast sang a vocal duet called Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better,

composed by Irvin Berlin, and accompanied by Meridith Bartel. It was a crowd pleaser and done very well. Holly Hilkemann soloed on her trombone, playing Polka Caprice (arranged by Jaroslav Cimera) and beautifully accompanied by Sarah Brown. Nathan Fast (trombone) and Diek Olfert (trumpet) played an instrumental duet titled Cool, Calm, and Collected,

composed by Kate Agioritis — what a laid-back contrast to Holly’s piece full of arpeggios and chromatics!

Sarah Brown accompanied a vocal quartet comprised of Chris Traeholt, Lauren Fast, Lauryn Holtzrichter and Samantha Neufeld singing Laura Story’s Blessings. A drumline was presented by KJ Brown, Wheeler Damboise, Prestyn Klatt, Andy Ponce-Curl and Joel Reddig with Quasi Bossa Nova, arranged by Owen Clark. Part I was completed with the All Band Class entry done by the Jazz band playing two pieces: Bu_alo Head and Martian Square Dance.

After a brief break, the other entries at Poplar were performed. Justice Byers did L-O-V-E, composed by Bert Kaempfert, accompanied by her mother, Ashleigh Byers. Fanfare and Air was performed by a trumpet trio of Grace Byers, Samantha Neufeld and Tessa Olfert. It was composed by Acton E. Ostling. The All Class Choir entries were Bonse Aba and

Song of Peace, arranged by Victor C Johnson, and Christian Fortner. Meridith Bartel was accompanist. The choir consisted of Kencia Brown, Skylar Cummins, Lauren Fast, Tessa Olfert, Ashtyn Traeholt (soprano); Lauren Holzrichter, Sidney Klatt, Samantha Neufeld, Monica Uy (alto), TJ Cumpio, Zachary Hilkemann, AJ Lloyd, Andy Ponce-Curl, Chris Traeholt (baritone).

Music teacher Jerson Ayuno thanked the accompanists and the LCHS board for providing all they needed for the music program. He proclaimed Wednesday was “the longest day of his life” with two concerts!

The concert band closed the concert with Overture Galactica and Forward March, arranged by John O’Reilly and Paul Murths. Band members are: Justice Byers (sax), Grace Byers, Samantha Neufeld, Diek Olfert, Tessa Olfert (trumpet), Nathan Fast, Holly Hilkeman (trombone), TJ Cumpio (electric/bass guitar), Ashtyn Traeholt (bass guitar), KJ Brown, Wheeler Damboise, Prestyn Klatt, Andy Ponce-Curl, Joel Reddig (percussion).