12/16/2006

Record-Eagle/Tyler Sipe
Christian Sams, 5, top right, and Jacob Triplett, 3, bottom right, jingle bells while singing Christmas carols to senior citizens Thursday morning at Traverse Manor.

Students pay Santa a visit downtown

Traverse Heights children follow a long tradition

By EMMY PARSONS

eparsons@record-eagle.com

Record-Eagle/Tyler Sipe
Alex Olin, 3, shows Santa Claus a Christmas list Thursday morning at the Santa house near the corner of Cass and Front streets in downtown Traverse City.

TRAVERSE CITY — The children anxiously crowded around the door to a small, red house.

Inside sat Santa Claus, and each of the three dozen 3- and 4-year-olds huddled nearby eagerly hoped to catch a glimpse of the famous fat man.

"I think it's great,” said Melissa Marentette, who brought her daughter Carley, 4. "I just love seeing the kids smile. She has been looking forward to this for so long. I don't know how many lists we've made.”

The children who came to Santa's temporary quarters just off East Front Street this week are part of Reni Dengel's preschool class at Traverse Heights Elementary School. They asked for everything from Sesame Street toys to trucks and sang "Jingle Bells” while waiting in line.

Every December for the past 30 years, Dengel celebrated the holidays with his students. They rehearse Christmas carols and brainstorm wish lists of toys, dolls and games. Several years ago, Degel decided that instead of bringing Santa to his classroom, he'd take his students downtown to showcase their singing talent and to meet Santa at his house.

"I just see the joy on their faces,” Dengel said.

In this case, celebrating also is learning. All of Dengel's students have special needs, including speech and language difficulties and autism.

Visiting Santa and singing carols helps them develop their language and social skills.

"It's a language-oriented activity, and plus it's fun,” Dengel said.

Kim Anderson's son Keegan, 5, was Dengel's student at Traverse Heights for three years. Anderson said the field trips to see Santa helped Keegan gain confidence and improve his social skills.

"He learns from anything that goes outside of his realm for the normal day,” Anderson said.

Every year fathers of children in Dengel's class are enlisted to serve as Santa.

"It's a lot of fun,” Mark George said. "You know, every child remembers visiting Santa, and it's fun to be the one behind the suit.”

George's son Ryan, 6, was in Dengel's class last year.

George said his stints as Santa taught him to adapt to the different needs of the children.

"You kind of have to let them lead you,” George said. "Some of them are ready to hop on and list off the 20 things they want, and some of them are a bit more timid and you have to kind of coax it out of them.”

Residents at Traverse Manor Assisted Living Center also benefitted from the childrens' holiday spirit. After visiting with Santa, Dengel's students traveled to Traverse Manor to sing for the seniors.

"Christmas is a very special time of the year, and children are always the main focus,” said Anderson, who, in addition to being Keegan's mom, is the assistant manager at Traverse Manor.

"(Seniors) miss those memories of their children when they were the ones opening presents,” Anderson said.

For these seniors, the chance to interact with children is exciting. Before the children arrived, seniors decorated Christmas cookies and prepared cocoa to share with the kids.

"The more children we can bring into their lives the better,” Anderson said.

This year's trip was a bit bittersweet for Dengel. After 30 years of teaching, he plans to retire at the end of the school year.

"I think I'm going to really miss being with the kids, but I won't miss the paperwork,” Dengel said. "But I'll come back. I'm going to volunteer ... I'll probably be Santa next year instead of having one of the dads.”

Traverse Heights will miss him, too.

"He is an incredible, master teacher,” Principal Terry Smith said. "He is phenomenal with the little kids.”