Horizons Elementary 4th & 5th grade classes

April 1st I visited Horizons Elementary again. This time I spent time with Mrs. Olson's 4th grade class, Mrs. Boyd's 5th grade class and Mrs. Petre's 5th grade class. After our music discussion and question and answer time the students showed me what the new instruments they were learning to play. The glockenspiel, xylophone and bongos. They each took a turn and rotated through the instruments. At the end of class they listened to an African gospel group to open their ears to a new kind of music.

South Bay School Mrs. Gerard's Music Classes

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What a fun day I had at South Bay Elementary! I was able to hang out with 7 classes 1st through 6th grade! They were full of energy. They asked many interesting and thought provoking questions. We talked about music education, music careers and all the opportunities they have with music. Of course they asked about pageant stuff too! They were very interested in my band and what songs we play. We also discussed the music they like to listen to as well.

We played a few games but the real fun was trying on the crown! At first it was a dare for one of the boys but soon we found that most of the boys wanted to try it on! I even taught them a pageant pose! They were quite good! Almost everyone got a Music Just Imagine tattoo on their hand or arm but a few had to have them on their foreheads or other weird spots!!!

Ms. Gerard is a fun and passionate teacher. All the students love her and her music class. My big thanks to her and all that she does!

Cinderella's Attic Network

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This is a new Non-Profit Organization that has been started by Renata Hanson. She is an amazing woman with lots of energy and ideas. This has been her dream to provide this opportunity for girls and women. Having 2 daughters of her own she knows what it is like for a girl to go to a prom and get all dressed up. Her goal is to provide nurturing and esteem building experiences for girls and women by lending them everything they need to look and feel beautiful for any special event or dance.

As a volunteer I get to work the boutique. Helping to take donations, organize the dresses and accessories, help girls who come in to have a wonderful experience. This is very fun for me since I only have boys at home!

Tumwater Highschool Community & Electives Fair

Today Tumwater High School held its first Community and Electives Fair. The purpose was to expose students to elective opportunities and areas of community service. I helped staff the Chorus booth in my continuing effort to support Music Education. I got to talk with the students in choir already about their experiences. They all agreed their teacher Mrs. Osgood is an amazing teacher and she has made their experience even greater.

One senior I talked to told me that her music classes are what kept her coming to school. It has made her high school experience so much more meaningful and fun. She also shared that the choral classes are such a melting pot of students that it was a way for her to meet all different types of students that she might not ever get to know outside of chorus.

The students staffing the table were able to get lots of other students to sign up for the choir classes. Another senior helped other boys make the decision to join by explaining the guy/girl ratio 2 girls to one guy! That was an obvious selling point!

MENC article about ...Mrs. Pacific Northwest!

I am honored to have been featured in a web story by the National Committee for Music Education. The Mrs. America organization supports the MENC. We were given an assignment to visit schools in an effort to promote music education. I was the music director for my local vacation bible school for 10 years. This was a big community event that hosted 1000 kids each summer. I have always loved music and working with the students. So the challenge to visit schools was an easy one for me and one I looked forward to.

I contacted many music teachers at schools in my area and got a great response. I shared my experience with the staff at MENC and they asked to do a story about it. Here is the link to the MENC Web Story

Seven Oaks Elementary 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th grade classes

Today March 22 I spent the day back at Seven Oaks Elementary with Music teacher Ms. Hathaway. She is an amazing teacher. It was an exciting day and I learned many new things. Of course I came their to inspire the students but they also inspired me with their positive attitudes and abilities. I played the flute with Ms. Cryders 3rd graders and Ms. Henry's 3rd graders. Ms. Koch's class sang their Martin Luther King song for me, it was beautiful. I played the Recorder with Ms. Koch's class. It was a little more challenging than the flute, the students thought it was funny when I squeaked my notes!

During lunch I helped Ms. Hathaway work on some choreography for the 2nd grade classes upcoming music performance. We had fun making up the motions. After lunch Ms. Raymond's 1st graders came in. Wow they are a lively bunch. They sang several songs that will be sung in their upcoming spring musical. We then helped them learn their choreography to their skunk song. It was very funny.

Next Mrs. Roth's 2nd graders came in. After practicing their songs we worked them on the choreography for their milky way rap song. As we taught them the moves we had them help make up some new parts. They were quite talented. Their homework was to go home and makeup some free form moves! I can't wait to see what they come up with.

Lastly Mrs. Kerry's 6th graders came in. They are playing the Marimba's. Mrs. Hathaway taught me a small part on the Marimba last time I visited so of course she put me right in with the students to do my part. I had already forgotten how to do it but the students were eager to show me how. I thought I finally got it right and then they informed me I was playing the wrong part! They didn't make fun of me too bad!

Homeless Backpacks Benefit Concert

March 20th the band Pre/Emptive Apology, that I sing in along with my husband who plays drums and other friends who sing and play guitars hosted a benefit concert for Homeless Backpacks. Thanks to generous donations we raised over $1200!! Homeless backpacks provides food for after school and weekends for homeless kids in Thurston County. It is a totally run by volunteers and is completely non-profit.

Mrs. Snohomish County Jessica Riggs, Mrs. Washington Beth Larsen, Mrs. Seattle Tamara Deporter & Mrs. Olympia Irene Schade came to help work the door for us. They greeted everyone with their beautiful smiles. They even got to dance a little too! The concert went very well! We are glad to use our talents to help others.