After-School Enrichment Program 2008


     Silverhill children completed Zion's Fall 2008 After-School Music Program on December 3 with the help of Mrs. Jo Helmich, sixth grade science teacher at Silverhill School, and pianist Ms. Carolyn Moseley. A brief program comprised of several favorite songs was performed for parents and friends in the Fellowship Hall of the Church by this year's first-graders. The program has continued for several years across the street from Silverhill School at Zion Lutheran Church.


December 3, 2008
Click each photo to enlarge.

Children participating in the program included Cadee Harwell, Chloe Trull, Bailey Ryals, Kieran Lyles, and Hannah Barham (first row, l to r) and Holly Wilson, Alexander Gonzalez, Johnny Frego, Dalton Dunn, and Issac Godfrey (second row).
Mrs. Jo Hellmich and Ms. Carolyn Moseley (last row) served as musicians and teachers.
Parents and guests enjoyed the music of the children in the parish Fellowship Hall.



Click here to listen to the children sing songs from their
Music Program
presented on
December 3, 2008.
This mp3 file is 10 minutes long.


After-School Music Program 2007


     The State of Alabama enacted legislation a number of years ago to encourage community businesses and organizations to become involved in "educational activities to build character in children." Zion Lutheran Church began an after-school program to incorporate character education activities into a music enrichment program in 2005 through a grant from the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations. This year the program has run on Wednesdays from the first week of September until October 24, 2007, when the children presented a program demonstrating their music skills to parents and friends. A MP3 recording of their program is on this page below.

After-School Music Program      Children involved in the Fall '07 After-School Music Enrichment Program at Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church, posed with teachers prior to their final week of music on October 24, 2007. Miss Jo Helmich (l to r) and Miss Linda Gibbs "backed up" the children; the back row: Nathaniel W., Delaney A., Reece J., Mary Ashlee H., and Coleton C.; the middle row: Cade M., Dona J., Karsyn H., Houston H., and Rhian P.; and the front row: Adeliene M., Rosa G., Jessica W., and Jordan M. The children were very excited, because family and friends were coming to hear their music program in just five minutes!

     Each week of the program, children were assembled after school and were escorted across the street as a group to the Fellowship Hall of Zion Lutheran Church. The children received a light snack followed by a brief character-centered lesson connecting with an historical character, a character education story activity, and a lesson teaching a new song. Teachers involved were Linda Gibbs from Zion Lutheran Church and Jo Hellmich from Silverhill School.



Click here to listen to the children sing songs from their
Music Program
presented on
October 24, 2007.
This mp3 file is 20 minutes long.




After-School Enrichment Program 2006


     Mrs. Jo Hellmich has been working musically with First and Second Graders from Silverhill School. The most recent project has been readying voices for the "Silverhill Christmas in the Park" for Friday, December 1, 2006.

     Children have been participating in Zion Lutheran Church's After-School Enrichment Program on Wednesdays. After a successful debut at "Christmas in the Park," the children will sing for parents, friends, and neighbors on Wednesday, December 6, at 3:45 PM at Zion Lutheran Church in beautiful Silverhill. Friends and neighbors are invited! A day later on December 7, 2006, the children will be joined by Silverhill's Sixth Grader Chorus to perform for the PTA in the Silverhill School Gym at 6:45 PM.



Mrs. Jo Hellmich (piano bench) works with First Graders from Silverhill School, readying voices for the "Silverhill Christmas in the Park" for Friday, December 1, 2006.


Mrs. Jo Hellmich discusses the music for "Silverhill's Christmas in the Park," December 1, with her first graders participating in Zion's After School Music Enrichment Program on the Wednesday before the event.


Mrs. Jo Hellmich with her 6th grader helpers, assembles the 2nd graders in music preparation for a performance at the 2006 "Silverhill's Christmas in the Park," December 1.


Mrs. Jo Hellmich directs the 2nd graders in preparation for the 2006 "Silverhill's Christmas in the Park," December 1. Once assembled the Second Graders sing loud and clear.




Click here to listen to the children sing songs from their
Music Program
presented on
December 6, 2006.
This mp3 file is 8 minutes long.


Wonderful Wednesdays at Zion
March - May 2006



"Criss-cross, applesauce!" Miss Jo (far right) joins the kids on the floor by the piano for Pastor Dave before she begins her formal music curriculum. The pilot program continued through May 3, 2006.

     Zion Lutheran Church began a pilot music enrichment program with a positive character-building component on March 29, 2006.


Wonderful Wednesdays
March 29, 2006

The hour music enrichment and character-building program moved from light afterschool refreshments (juice and wafers) to Pastor Dave's talk about how to build strong lives. Would you believe he had part of squirrel's nest and a piece of roof that came off in Hurricane Ivan? We need to have a good foundation for a good house and good life!
Miss Linda and Miss Jo (Linda Gibbs and Jo Hellmich) discussed the 6-week pilot afterschool program focus before things started at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, March 29.