NCSD celebrates annual Christmas Tea with students, staff, and community

Students at North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD) took a break from their normal school day Thursday afternoon for the school’s annual Christmas Tea, a cherished tradition that brought holiday cheer and a festive spirit on campus.

Members of the community, Board of Trustees, NCSD alumni, members from the Morganton City Council, neighbors from Western Piedmont Community College, and NCSD staff members from every department were in attendance to celebrate with students and their families.

Sandy Manning, interim principal, expressed her excitement at the event.

“We look forward to it every year,” Manning said. “Every department shows up for this because every department has a hand in doing this. We have alumni here so it’s good for them to see deaf role models. It’s just a time to celebrate Christmas.”

Before entering the upstairs auditorium, students were greeted by Santa and a Christmas tree filled with students’ handmade ornaments.

According to Hannah Digh, Director of Business and Finance, NCSD’s maintenance staff used trees that had fallen during Hurricane Helene to cut small ornaments for students to decorate the on-campus Christmas tree. Digh said students painted and decorated ornaments in art class.

“It was all a collaborative effort. We were not here for 10 days and so many students were impacted more than others so it’s just a nice way to kind of do something to tie it in,” Digh said. “Now they’re able to take them home for Christmas.”

In the auditorium, staff members at NCSD served food while the cafeteria staff stood next to shelves of replenished platters. The menu included sausage balls, veggie trays, fruit trays, sugar cookies, and Christmas punch.

Jason Tuck and Cathy Williams created, proofed, and sent invitations while Susie Fortune, Human Resources Benefit Representative, helped with decor.

“This is a longstanding tradition that the school puts on every year. It’s a big event. We did the tree and the centerpieces. It’s an event that we put on every year for the students, but it’s also something where we can invite community leaders and stakeholders, and other administrations to come in and see what we do,” Fortune said.

Elementary school students took the stage and performed ‘Frosty the Snowman.’ Nine-year-old Zariyah Williams was one of the students to perform.

“I really like performing,” Williams signed with a smile. When asked what her favorite thing about Christmas is, Williams signed “presents.”

According to Manning, NCSD has a very strong elementary program. She said most of NCSD’s students are in the elementary school age bracket and the high school program is fairly small.

“Every group has something special about them and this year the elementary students and teachers are just on fire,” Manning said excitedly. “For that group, we have a young teaching staff, they are really on fire … Those students have made significant progress from last year to this year.”

To conclude the event, First Baptist Church in Morganton’s Just In Case Ministry gifted NSCD students Christmas pillowcases with a note enclosed. In addition, the NCSD Foundation sponsors a gift for each student that they took home on Dec. 19.

“The students really look forward to it … and it’s for them,” Jill King, guidance counselor at NCSD, said. “This is a great community, great school. It’s a wonderful place, very much child centered. It’s beautiful.”