A longstanding tradition that had to take a brief hiatus when COVID hit is back and didn’t miss a beat.

The popular ‘Patriotic Program’ put on by third grade students at Dent Elementary is part history lesson, part song and dance, and all entertainment.

“We have 112 third graders this year in five classes,” noted Dent teacher Becky Head, a member of the third grade team and primary coordinator for the patriotic showcase. “Our kids began working on learning songs, including the meaning of the lyrics, in January.”

After weeks of rehearsal, the work came to fruition this past week, just before school let out for a weeklong break.

“We were able to perform on Wednesday and Thursday mornings (Feb. 15 and 16) for Dent classes, and Friday morning (Feb. 17) for our families,” Head said. “Also, we were visited by members of the Escalon Lions Club who taught us about our nation’s flag and gave students the flags used in the performance.”

Along with songs, many of the students stepped to the microphone to offer tidbits of history, complete with costumes ranging from presidents to the Statue of Liberty.

“This group of students has never performed at school before due to the COVID shutdown and restrictions, but they were just amazing,” Head added. “We teachers could not be more proud!”

Shows were staged in the cafeteria/multipurpose room on the Dent Elementary campus, playing to a packed house each time.

Dent Principal Anthony Varni said the shows went off without a hitch and were received very well by all those in attendance.

He praised the third graders for “all their, and their teachers’, hard work.”

The patriotic show is timed to coincide as closely as possible with the observance of Presidents’ Day.