The audience was taken back in time to the days of the pilgrims as Jewish Academy of Orlando kindergarteners performed in the school's annual Thanksgiving show. Each student had a role telling the story of the first Thanksgiving, as pilgrims, Native Americans, fall leaves, or even King James through music, song and dance. The program included dialogue and songs about Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower, and the harvest.

"The Thanksgiving program is a wonderful opportunity for our students to illustrate their learning for their families. It not only allows a showcase of their understanding of Pilgrim and Native American life and culture but also to develop important public speaking skills. It is incredible to see the confidence with which they present and how knowledgeable they are about the content," stated Nikki Buyna, director of Academics.

The program's fine arts components included Thanksgiving-themed creations such as Native American dreamcatchers, a kindergarten Thanksgiving Cookbook, illustrations of the Mayflower ship, and homemade pumpkin pudding desserts to enjoy afterwards.

"We are delighted to bring a program of this calibre that synthesizes academic lessons, American history, literature, art, music and performance to our kindergarten students. We even add Hebrew songs and the importance of gratitude in our Jewish tradition," said Alan Rusonik, head of school.

To learn more about Jewish Academy of Orlando, please visit: https://www.jewishacademyorlando.org or follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JewishAcademyOrlando.