The Lincoln Elementary School gymnasium has been temporarily changed into a music studio, sitting about 150 third, fourth and fifth graders.

They are wriggling around in their seats in the way that only children of that age do. Their director, music teacher Jim Kanas, collects their attention.

The first song will be “Little Snowflake,” he said, and the music studio/gymnasium hums with the ring of holiday cheer. Kanas is recording this performance and packaging it into a CD for the school to sell, with proceeds going to aid the tsunami relief effort.

“It’s a way for the kids to feel like they can make a difference,” said principal Tom Burski. “It is important for the kids to understand that if they can help, they should.”

Helping children to fully understand the scope of the waves’ destruction is difficult, so school officials have tried to relate the disaster in ways that the students are able to grasp, Burski said.

Third-grader Monica York talked about people losing loved ones and the lack of basic nutrition.

“Every little bit helps,” she said. “Even $3 can give them food, water and wood for houses.”

The CD features about a dozen songs from the school’s “Polar Express” play and should be on sale in about two weeks. The cost is $10.

The cost of production will be $3 to $4 per CD, so each donation will be what is left over from the $10 sale price. The proceeds then will be given to the Red Cross.

Anyone concerned about poor sound quality shouldn’t be worried.

“I’m hearing too much third grader,” Kanas said, interrupting the song and shifting kids and microphones around until he was satisfied.

When he played the song back, the children broke into a collective smile.

NIU Counseling and Development Center will offer counseling and host group discussions for NIU students and faculty troubled by the tsunami.

In addition, Student Involvement and Leadership Development will help spearhead a relief drive to collect financial contributions, clothing, bottled water and other non-perishable food items. For more information, call Darnell Bradley at 753-6190.