From their homes, backyards and bright pink bedrooms, more than 70 elementary school students from San Marcos, California, gathered online to take part in a touching tribute to essential workers, singing the classic and timely song, “What The World Needs Now Is Love.”
The sweet, moving, 4-minute video was posted on YouTube Wednesday by Matthew Armstrong, a music teacher at San Marcos High School in San Diego’s North County.
In the video’s caption, Armstrong said the visual and performing arts students from San Marcos Unified School District “wanted to sing a song and say thank you to all the essential workers out there.”
The video begins with the familiar chords of the 1965 song created by Hal David and Burt Bacharach. Then, tiny, enthusiastic voices chime in with the lyrics.
“What the world, needs now, is love, sweet love,” the kids sing. “It’s the only thing, that there’s just too little of.”
Between verses and images of all the kids by themselves but then also very much together, the students begin to deliver their messages of gratitude and love to essential workers.
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“I would like to say thank you to all the doctors out there,” one student says.
“I would like to thank the grocery store workers, for risking their lives,” another adds.
“I would like to thank all of the first responders, because it is a tough time right now, and they are working hard to keep us safe,” one boy says.
“Thank you, doctors and nurses, for your hard work,” notes another student.
“Thank you to all of the essential workers; we love you,” one girl adds.
“I want to thank nurses because my mommy and daddy and both nurses, and they’re still the best,” one boy says. “Go nurses!”
“Thank you, teachers, for educating us, even through tough times,” adds another San Marcos student.
As the song wraps up, a student, from her pink bedroom, reads down a long list of essential workers that are keeping our world going.
“Nurses, janitors, doctors, teachers, cafeteria workers,” the girl reads from her list. “Delivery people, grocery workers, truck drivers, and so many others who are helping our world during this difficult time.”
Armstrong’s colleague, Jessica Willmering, a music teacher at Twin Oaks Elementary School, shared the video with NBC 7.
Willmering said the students featured in the video range from TK to 5th graders, ages 5 to 11, from all over San Marcos Unified. Armstrong, she said, supports all of the arts throughout the San Marcos Unified School District. He put the project together as students are all adjusting to learning from home during the coronavirus pandemic.
Willmering called the video uplifting in these tough times.
And, as those little voices sing, it may be just the love “the world needs now.”
