Holiday Season at Northwood High

[Gina Harrison]

The Northwood Music Department presents it’s Annual Holiday Benefit Concert for our own Chatham Outreach Alliance (CORA) Food Pantry on Thursday, December 11 at 7 o’clock in the evening in the Benjamin J. Smith Auditorium on the Northwood campus. Admission is free when you bring a canned good or staple. The concert is part of the largest food drive of the year for CORA and this community service activity by the Northwood musicians is, (if my calculations are correct) now in it’s tenth consecutive year.
Join Marilyn Shugart and the NHS Vocal Ensemble, and Eugene Cottrell with members of the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, the All-Superior, award-winning Marching Charger Band and special guests for a memorable evening of music, song, and celebration.

In the same venue, Leah Smith and the Northwood Dancers present the Annual Winter Dance Concerts on Saturday, December 13 at 7 pm and again for a Sunday matinee on December 14 at 3 pm. Program highlights include “The Last Snowfall” choreographed by Smith to music of Northwood graduate Ari Picker; a work focusing on research into the significance of the Number 5; and a re-creation of the very first Finale Smith choreographed for Northwood students. Freshmen in the original work are now Seniors and stepping into the spotlight.

NHSAEF Vice President Crystal Horton has been busy this fall organizing our Valentine’s Fashion Show to raise funds for the college scholarship fund. The event will be held on Sunday afternoon, February 8 at the General Store Cafe, our co-sponsor. Crystal and her team are looking for three more members to join the organizing committee—a Model Recruiter ( to sign up students, teachers, and community members); a Merchant Participation Director (to contract with area merchants to present their spring fashions and donate raffle items); and a Sales Director (to manage ticket sales). If you would like to work on this fun project with Crystal and her crew, contact her at [e-mail]

NHS Graduation Project Coordinator Megan Johnson will be our special guest for the January 8 NHSAEF General Meeting. Join us and learn about opportunities to mentor students as they begin working on this new project-based learning initiative that all NC students will undertake. We'll be helping get the word out to the entire community about the need for mentors, the duties and activities associated with the effort, and the process for volunteering.

Visit the NHSAEF website and send a link to friends and neighbors so they can keep up with NorthwoodArts news. Make a comment in the news section or update the alumni pages with news and activities. If you'd like to make a donation to the scholarship fund in someone's honor, we'll be happy to send them a card with your holiday wishes.

Make plans now to enjoy a student performance during the holiday season!