Payson Roundup | Payson, AZ

Frontier Elementary School students had a fun week before Thanksgiving break with crafts and games designed to involve families in school activities and raise everyone’s spirits for the upcoming holiday.

Kindergarten students in Darlene McDaniels’ and Doug Freemans’ classes performed a Thanksgiving show for parents dressed as pilgrims and Indians. Parents proudly snapped photographs and giggled at the cute children.

Earlier in the week, the students performed at the senior center, entertaining the elderly with songs.

After the show, students in Brianne DeWitte’s second grade class made crafts.

Students divided into groups, each working on a different festive project.

A group of girls made a colorful wreath by dipping their hands in paint and slapping handprints onto paper.

A group of students wove string in and out of holes poked in colored construction paper shaped into stockings. Another group of children made little creatures of out pipe cleaners and other ornaments.

Grandmother Holly Crump and mother Amity Justice volunteered, helping the children.

Earlier in the week, DeWitte’s students wrote letters to soldiers in Afghanistan. DeWitte’s students write letters to soldiers every year so that the serviceman or woman who receives them can feel better about being away from home during the holidays. Usually, the kids write letters to a soldier suggested by someone DeWitte knows.

Soldiers who miss their families enjoy the kids’ letters, said DeWitte.

Second grade students across Rim Country have also written letters to Santa Claus, asking nicely for the things they want for Christmas.

Keep an eye out for a coming Rim Review edition that will feature some of the kids’ letters.