Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 06/98) - They might soon be calling Weledeh the "Spice School" or the "Backstreet School."

More than 30 students from grades 2 to 6 became recording stars over the holidays when their school's first CD was released to local radio stations.

Both public and private stations made good use of the school's CD which featured renditions of Little Drummer Boy and the First Noel.

Choir director Brenda Mullin was the master behind the project and work began on the CD in November. She and her choir members were able to utilize state of the art recording equipment only acquired by the school last fall.

"I heard it on CJCD," said principal John Murphy. "It was really exciting."

Murphy then proceeded to telephone just about everyone he knows in Yellowknife to alert them to the fact students from his school were now be broadcast over the radio.

He also said one local station's music director said the CD helped the station keep up with Canadian content rules over the holiday break.

Student Diane Lynn, a choir member, also heard the CD over the holidays.

"It wasn't bad," she said with a grin about the experience of hearing herself on the radio.

Murphy said the school's goal was simple in producing the CD.

"The reason we gave it to the radio stations is we wanted to give something back to the community," he said.

As to the future, Murphy and Mullin say plans to record a version of the Weledeh school song are well under way. A CD could be available by the end of the school year, Murphy said.

Plans to have a Weledeh Christmas CD available for next Christmas are also in the works.