SC students ornaments head to Washington

The son of Cody and Jennifer Krieger is among 2,600 students ages 4 to 19 years old nationwide participating in the American Celebrates ornament program. Stanley County is the only school from South Dakota.

The ornament program connects students across the country to this annual holiday tradition. It is a collaboration of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Education and National Park Foundation.

Stanley County third-grade teacher Kristi Maher applied for the opportunity.

“I knew they would be excited and thought it would be fun,” Maher said.

Students created one-of-a-kind ornaments for 58 trees.

“Since we are the Stanley County Buffaloes, we started by reading an excerpt from the book ‘Roy Houck: Buffalo Man’ to consider the traits that make this animal a good mascot for our school and a legendary South Dakota animal,” Maher said.

Students then read about and explored the art of Oscar Howe, a Yanktonai Dakota artist and South Dakota artist laureate, she said. The art on their ornaments was inspired by the natural subjects, bright colors, movement and sharp lines in Howe’s paintings.

Third-grader Kaysen Fisher drew a honey bee for her ornament because she likes honey.

The 9-year-old is excited about people from around the world seeing her ornament.

“That’s really cool,” the daughter of Jonilynn and Allen Fisher said.

Classmate Talia Kuntz drew an owl for her ornament. The 8-year-old chose an owl because she likes that they are nocturnal.

She is also excited about her ornament being on display in the nation’s capital.

Maher said she scanned in and emailed the drawings to Washington. Twelve to 18 of the drawings will be transferred onto plastic ornaments.

The 100th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting will take place on Nov. 30 outside the White House. Middlebury College in Vermont donated the 48-foot balsam fir.

The National Christmas Tree Lighting has strong ties to education, according to a news release. In 1923, a letter arrived at the White House from the District of Columbia Public Schools proposing that a decorated Christmas tree be placed on the South Lawn of the White House. On Christmas Eve that year, President Calvin Coolidge walked from the Oval Office to the Ellipse and pushed a button that lit the first National Christmas Tree.

During World War II, wartime restrictions meant no new ornaments were purchased for the National Christmas Tree in 1942. Washington, D.C students donated ornaments that would supplement the use of reused ornaments from previous years.

CBS will broadcast the 2022 ceremony at 7 p.m. Central Time on Dec. 11. The lighting will also be available at CBS.com beginning Dec. 12.