By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The students of St. Mary's Elementary School played to a packed crowd Wednesday evening.
More than 150 people crammed into the Niles school's gymnasium to see students sing, play drums and bells and perform the Christmas musical "Listen to the Angels." Every grade, from preschoolers to sixth grade, participated in the evening's events.
The night opened with the Lights of St. Mary's Ceremony and a blessing by Fr. David Otto. A prayer was said honoring and remembering about 280 people connected to the St. Mary's family, and then the St. Mary's tree in front of the school was officially lit.
The performances started with St. Mary's Leaps and Bounds preschool students, followed by the third, fourth, fifth and sixth graders performing a series of Christmas songs including "The Christmas Tree Feud," "Hot Chocolate" and "What Gift Can I Bring?" Next, the sixth grade boys drum ensemble pounded out a couple numbers, leading up to the fifth and sixth grade bell choir and youth choir performances.
The kindergarten, first and second graders were the stars of the final show of the night, "Listen to the Angels." The students packed the stage as angels, shepherds, and Mary, Joseph, Sherman, Jake and Gabriel, and performed four songs to tell the story of Christmas.