WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Benecio Carpentier, 10, took the stage in the children’s section at Barnes & Noble to read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” as part of the Wyoming Area Catholic School Book Fair held Thursday night.
He impersonated Santa Claus, moved around the stage and did his best to keep the audience intrigued.
“I’m nervous a little bit, but most of the time I’m fine with public speaking,” said Carpentier, one of several students who volunteered to real aloud to the audience.
The book fair also included a craft table for students to enjoy. Frankie Warren from Magic 93FM radio read a few short Christmas stories and members of the school’s choir sang songs.
“It’s nice to come together at the holiday season,” said Wyoming Area Catholic School Librarian Theresa Zabetta “I know the customers, after they leave, they just love to hear the students singing and it’s a community spirit. People like to see the students’ enthusiasm beyond the classroom.”
Zabetta also said this was the fourth year for the book fair.
Also included was a gift wrapping station at the front of the store that collected donations in which proceeds benefited the school’s library.
Injecting enthusiasm into his readings, Warren read “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Santa Duck” and “The Lady Who Swallowed a Bell.”
“I’ve been reading to kids at schools for many, many years and I always tell them that’s the most important subject because it helps you with every other subject as you go through grade school, high school, and college,” said the morning radio show host. “If you’re a good reader, you’re going to do well in all your other subjects and I like to share that with the students as well as the story and imagination.”
Warren said he enjoyed reading to the students, but it was even more special since his 11-year-old daughter Valerie, a fifth-grade student at the school, was in the attendance.
“It’s such a great honor and to have your own daughter here is like a double blessing,” said Warren. “You have all of these kids and one of them is your own daughter, and I get to know some of these other kids through her school, so it’s unbelievable.”
After Warren finished reading, the after-school choir, which consists of 17 students, sang over 20 various Christmas songs.
Songs included “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Silver Bells” and many more.
Wyoming Area Catholic School music instructor Jackson Fiore said the students have been practicing for weeks after school for the book fair and they enjoy singing at the event.
“They get to sing Christmas songs,” he said. “They’re fun to sing and there are a couple of students who really like to sing out, so it’s an opportunity for them to sing in a public event.”
Fiore said students rehearsed one day a week after school to prepare for the fair, during which time they got used to him playing the guitar as opposed to the piano.
The best part about singing at the book fair, he said, was getting out of the classroom.
“We get out of the classroom and we get to do something fun,” said Fiore. “Not that we don’t have fun in the classroom, but it’s nice to get out and come here. Barnes & Noble has always been supportive of us doing the program here and having free reign of (the children’s) area.”
