By Nalani Lopez

“Kool-Aid on my pickle! Kool-Aid on my gummies! Kool-Aid on my pickle slush, it makes it taste so yummy!” rapped the Kool-Aid Kids.

This group of third- and fourth-graders under the musical guidance of Recreation Coordinator I Gabriel Penunuri was one of four groups that performed for the Community Recreation Services “A Rapper’s Christmas” program on December 14 in the Pi-Copa Gym.

The Christmas program’s theme was chosen by the students to share original rap songs and classic Christmas tunes for their families and friends.

While the performances took place, attendees were treated to a hot chocolate bar and dinner of sub sandwiches.

The first group of performers, the students in kindergarten and first grade, danced away to the Reindeer Pokey while wearing fuzzy reindeer ears, silver bells and rosy noses.

The second- and third-graders in red Santa Claus hats then took the stage to sing “Frosty the Snowman.”

Up next was an original performance by the Kool-Aid Kids of their original song “Kool-Aid” and Penunuri’s version of “Jingle Bell Rock.”

“We sing about what we like,” said Penunuri. “Kool-Aid came up because we were talking about all of the different rez snacks that incorporate Kool-Aid.”

Following the raps, the fifth- and sixth-grade students closed the performances with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” and “Last Christmas.”

Penunuri said, “Going into the new year, I am hoping to get our CRS music program up and off the ground so we can continue to make more songs with the kids.”