By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–All Aboard!
The Polar Express rolled through Union City Elementary School today and students there participated in the annual ritual that celebrates the 1985 holiday story that was made into a movie in 2004.
UCES Vice Principal Thel Taylor made his rounds through the school’s halls and into classrooms, attired in his conductor’s uniform – a yearly staple of the rails-themed story day. Taylor read to several classes the story of the Polar Express, with many students and teachers listening intently while dressed in their pajamas.
Students enjoyed hot chocolate and watched the Polar Express movie during the day, which Taylor said “basically signals the beginning of the Christmas season at Union City Elementary.”
The film tells the story of a young boy who, struggling to fall asleep on Christmas Eve, sees a mysterious train bound for the North Pole stop outside his window and is invited aboard by its conductor.
The boy joins several other children as they embark on a journey to visit Santa Claus preparing for Christmas.
“It originally started with just the younger students, but we’ve started including the entire student body in the last few years,” said Taylor, who’ll also play his role at Discovery Park of America this weekend.
“It a fun day for our kids, but there’s also some theme-instruction using the Polar Express story as a background. The kids will have some writing and drawing assignments and other classroom work.”
Numerous programs and performances are on the agenda for the UCES student body before dismissal for the Christmas holidays, Dec. 19.
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