Students to honor elders with original songs

On Monday night, the Custer fourth grade classes will bring the community together at the Custer High School theater to celebrate two of Custer’s finest: Diane Dennis and Jim Kelley. Dennis and Kelley are the latest honorees in Custer’s Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song Program, which aims to bring communities together by celebrating its own members and bridging generational gaps.
The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments being served at a recpetion in the commons afterward.
In the past weeks, the classes have met with their elders to hear stories, advice and wisdom, which they will use to write a song to honor that elder with the help of local songwriters and musicians.
The program has been a Custer Elementary School tradition for 18 years and has resulted in nearly 150 orginal songs that have been written and performed for honorees.
Last year, Custer and Hermosa had a joint program, but this year, Hermosa will be hosting its own program on Feb. 15.