Governor, First Lady Celebrate Annual Tree Lighting with Hoosier Students

Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence welcomed more than 300 K-5 students to the Statehouse for their annual tree lighting event.

“The Governor and I enjoyed welcoming Hoosier children to the Statehouse today,” First Lady Karen Pence said. “The experiences and memories we create year after year during this annual holiday tradition are ones which the Governor and I have come to cherish.  We were thrilled to once again this year spend  time with the students in attendance by helping them decorate an ornament to take home with them – a memento the children and their families will be able to enjoy for years to come.”

Each grade level was designated a different ornament—specially designed by the First Lady—to make during the program. After the decorating was complete, a student representative from each school in attendance helped light the trees in the Statehouse Rotunda.

Trees were donated by the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association and the wreath hanging above them was hand-crafted and donated by the Friends of the Indiana State Archives.

Students included in today’s program were from Maplewood Elementary School, Burge-Terrace Home Educators,  Zion Lutheran School,  Saint Philip Neri Catholic School, Greenwood Christian Academy, Stinesville Elementary and Rural Community Academy.

Also during today’s festivities, Governor Pence read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to students and the Kingsway Christian School sang holiday favorites.

Governor Pence reads “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” to students gathered at the Indiana Statehouse for the annual tree lighting event.

Choir students from Kingsway Christian School in Avon, IN joined Governor Pence at the Indiana Statehouse to perform at the annual tree lighting event.

Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence help students craft ornaments at the annual tree lighting event at the Indiana Statehouse.

Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence join Mr. and Mrs. Claus to light Christmas trees in the Statehouse rotunda during the annual tree lighting event.