By Elena Perri • Posted January 9, 2026

Two archdiocesan elementary school communities experienced an extra dose of joyful anticipation and celebration this Christmas season.

The choirs from Notre Dame de Lourdes School in Swarthmore and Holy Innocents School in Philadelphia participated in the annual B101 Christmas Choir Competition and eagerly awaited the outcome of the public voting process in the K-8 division.

Both schools made it to the semifinal round with the top three winners announced Dec. 5 during Kathy Romano’s morning radio show.

This year’s competition produced an unprecedented and unexpected result: For the first time in the 17-year history of the competition, two Catholic elementary schools won, taking first and second place.

The Notre Dame choir came in first with its rendition of “Like It’s Christmas” by the Jonas Brothers and earned the top prize of $5,000 for their school’s music program.

The Holy Innocents choir, making its inaugural debut in the competition and singing “Someday at Christmas” by Stevie Wonder, finished in second place and received $2,000 for their music program.

Last year Cardinal Foley Regional School in Havertown became the first archdiocesan elementary school to earn a top spot in the annual competition.

Angela Wertner, choir director at Notre Dame, attributed the first-place finish to not only her talented choir members but the support of parishioners and the local community.

“It felt like all of Delaware County and our neighboring parishes supported us,” Wertner said. “It was so cool to feel that sort of joint community pulling for us to win.”

Wertner selected a choral arrangement of “Like It’s Christmas,” and the choir started practicing in late September.

“We learned the song in about three to four rehearsals, and then we started to record,” she said. “They’re extraordinarily talented kids, and I’m so proud of them for their hard work.”

In addition to the $5,000 prize money, the choir performed their winning song and other songs in the atrium of the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia on Dec. 14 and were recognized during the Philly Pops’ Philly Holiday Spectacular show held at the center that evening.

They also attended the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 21.

Wertner, in her fourth year at Notre Dame, said the money will help enhance the school’s music program.

“We just bought some new lighting and sound for our stage in Nelson Hall, and we’d really love to get face microphones for the kids,” Wertner said. “We want to get some risers and choral books, things that will make us feel like we’re growing.”

Although the elementary school choir at Holy Innocents began only a few years ago, approximately 40 students have joined the choir, and they sing at school Masses, confirmation Masses and during the Easter Triduum.

The choir’s performance during the parish’s annual multicultural Christmas concert last year served as the inspiration for participating in this year’s B101 Christmas Choir competition, according to Gio Morales, director of music at Holy Innocents.

“Right after that concert, Sister Nancy, the principal, said, ‘We should really think about entering the B101 contest,’” Morales recalled. “I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s give it a shot. We don’t really have anything to lose.’”

On days off from his full-time job, Morales rehearsed with the students to prepare them for the competition.

He selected “Someday It’s Christmas” because it connected with the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope and conveyed a positive message.

“We can come from different backgrounds, and even with all the negativity and divisiveness happening in the world, someday we can all come together,” Morales said.

Since the choir was participating in the competition for the first time, he was uncertain how well they would do.

“Even if we got into the top nine, that would be a win for us because we had never done this before,” Morales said. “To find out we not only made it to the top nine, but then to the top three and ultimately second place, I think that says a lot about the kids and how hard they worked.”

Holy Innocents was the only city school to win a top prize, and Morales expressed gratitude for the support the choir received from the parish and school community as well as residents across the city.

“Most of the people who voted probably don’t even know these kids,” he said. “For them to believe in them and give them that opportunity, to me, that’s everything.”

Morales hopes that his young choir members learned that where they live or their background did not matter in this competition.

“If you put your mind to something and you dedicate time and effort, you can do anything just as well if not better than anyone else in the world,” Morales said. “I hope they got a sense of pride and confidence out of it.”

The prize money will help with getting a piano tuned, upgrading equipment and buying music binders.

Both choir directors are hopeful about participating in future B101 competitions.

“The kids were just thrilled, and it was a really cool experience,” Wertner said. “It was such a great opportunity for us to show all the wonderful things we do here.”

Wertner’s winning choir is composed of 23 singers in fifth through eighth grades,  but a newly formed junior choir has 40 participants in first through fourth grades.

“It’s exciting because we will see some growth in the coming years,” she added.

At Holy Innocents, choir members are energized about entering the competition next year.

“They got a taste of what the competition was like, and some of the kids were already asking, ‘Mr. Gio, can we do this again next year?’” Morales said. “They’re definitely excited for it, so we’re going to give it a shot and see what happens.”