Holiday Extravaganza set at Harding

STEUBENVILLE — Fourth-graders will travel to Harding Middle School Thursday to celebrate the holiday season during the school’s Holiday Extravaganza event. The performance includes musical selections and goodies beginning at 12:30 p.m. in the Harding gymnasium.

“We have the fourth grade coming up and the fine arts departments are going to put on a program with Christmas music, and we’ll provide treats,” said school social worker Shay Greiner. “The fourth- and fifth-grade classes will have the experience together.”

Band, choir and orchestra members will perform. Greiner said it is a way to incorporate more opportunities for the elementary students who will attend Harding in the fall.

“The administrators are always looking for ways to get the fourth graders exposed to the middle school as much as possible,” she said. “Any experience will help reduce anxiety on day one in fifth grade.”

Principal Bryan Mills said similar events were held prior to the COVID pandemic, noting parents will get a sneak preview of the musicians at a 9 a.m. session in the school cafeteria.

“We will have a parent information meeting in the morning and bring the fourth graders up to transition, then the band, choir and orchestra will put on a performance,” Mills explained. “The fifth and sixth grades will be part of it and the seventh and eighth grades will perform. It’s the first time this year that fourth graders will come as a whole group. It’s one of our spirit days and they will be dressed in their Christmas pajamas, so it will be a fun, laid back event.”

Harding holds several events each year for fourth-grade pupils from Wells Academy, McKinley STEM Academy, Pugliese West and East Garfield elementary schools, including the Fourth-Grade Bump Up Day and Making Memories in the Middle.

“The more they get exposure to the building, the easier the transition,” Mills said.

Ohio Goes to the Movies

COLUMBUS — Ohio Goes to the Movies, an America 250 Ohio signature event, has released its calendar of film screenings for 2026. The state-wide cinematic celebration begins Feb. 11, delivering more than 250 free movie events hosted by local venues in all 88 counties through October as part of Ohio’s official commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary. The initiative showcases Ohio’s long-standing influence on American film, its nationally-recognized actors and directors and the iconic movies filmed across the state.

Screenings across the state will feature films such as “The Shawshank Redemption,” filmed in Mansfield and Upper Sandusky; “A Christmas Story,” filmed in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood; “The Avengers,” shot in downtown Cleveland; and “Rain Man,” filmed throughout Cincinnati.

These films and others serve as anchor titles for the state-wide series, drawing audiences who want to experience Ohio’s storytelling legacy on the big screen.

“Ohio has played a significant role in the history of American film and continues to attract talent, productions and storytelling that resonate around the world,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Ohio Goes to the Movies ensures that residents in every community can participate in the America 250 celebration and rediscover the films that connect us.”

Molly Kreuzman, program director for Ohio Goes to the Movies, said the initiative reflects the state’s creative depth and community pride.

“This celebration honors Ohio’s filmmakers, in front of and behind the camera, and the towns and cities that brought some of America’s most beloved stories to life,” Kreuzman said. “By offering more than 250 free events across all 88 counties, we are making the America 250 celebration accessible and meaningful for every Ohioan.”