3 Quarters Today

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Day 137/365: Choir Performance Wins Top Score at District Music Contest

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I never get tired of bragging about the students at Elmwood-Murdock High School, especially when my son and daughter are involved. Here our choir performs at the district music contest the song “Things That Never Die”. They received “1’s”  from all three judges receiving the highest score of a 1+ for the second year in a row.   Twelve schools competed and only two schools received the high score.

HIgh School Choir, Things that Never Die
Elmwood-Murdock Choir

For your listening pleasure here is the video from my YouTube Channel.

If you have followed previous articles you know we are a small rural school district from a community of less than a thousand people in Eastern Nebraska. Our high school has a student body population of less than 120 students. That’s approximately thirty students in each graduating class. To have this many students (almost 50%) in choir is simply amazing and the credit has to go to Mrs. Betty Colbert our choir director.

She has made choir “cool” and coaches the students to find their voice. Many students sang solos at districts (including my son) and the girls sang Italian Sonatas earning top scores. The students participate in honor choirs and learn from top vocal practitioners in the field. In 2009 they even were invited and sang at Carnegie Hall, an experience I’ll never forget.

Glee Has Made High School Music Cool

The television show Glee and movie High School Musical and  Pitch Perfect has helped make high school choir and singing cool again. That and American Idol. It doesn’t matter why, but I’m glad. Many people have made fun of Glee and don’t like the mashup covers of popular songs but it has elevated music programs around the country. Glee style show choirs are extremely popular

Glee – The Complete SeriesPitch PerfectPitch PerfectAugust RushHigh School Musical 2High School Musical 1-3

Music in Our Schools

 

Mon Valley schools honored for commitment to music education

“Ensuring that every child has access to music in schools is central to the NAMM Foundation’s work, but a commitment from the entire community, including local music industry leaders, keeps music in schools,” foundation executive director Mary Luehrsen …
CMCSS makes list for Best Community for Music Education

Ensuring that every child has access to music in schools requires commitment by students, teachers, and those who determine school budgets,” said Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the NAMM Foundation. “We commend the districts and schools that …
Why cut music programs that help children with their learning?

However, we know that is shortsighted, as educational research supports music in schools. In performance groups, if not many students are being served or if the quality of performance is lacking, music becomes a target. This is too bad, because music …
Music education helps mould well-rounded students

Music educators from across New York state came to Albany to spend the day meeting with their legislators to advocate for continued support for music in schools and to discuss the current challenges that face education. Music educators from NYSSMA Zone …
Harmony Project Mentors Youth Through the Power Of Music

Unfortunately, many school districts are quick to cut the music programs whenever budget issues arise, but the statistics show that there’s value in keeping music in schools. According to the Arete Music Academy, children who take music lessons are …

 

 

 

 

 

Day 130/365: Spring Elementary Carnival

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Carnival Games: Put your ticket on a color, roll the die. Match you win!

It’s spring time and therefore the annual Elmwood-Murdock Elementary Spring Carnival. Student, parents and relative purchase tickets that can be redeemed for games, food, raffle drawings, jump houses and the very popular cake walk.

Although there is only a little over 200 students in the K-6 school at least twice that many attend the carnival. Kids everywhere, making a “joyful” noise. It makes you appreciate teachers. Thousands of dollars are raised that go back to the classrooms for supplies, trips, and other needed items for the students and teachers.

Although my kids are far removed from elementary school the high school cheerleaders had a fundraising table. Since my daughter was at State FBLA conference I took her place. Just knew my photo of the day would come from the carnival.

I worked in the ticket redemption center where little first graders agonized over prizes worth one ticket a piece, a 6 inch back scratcher or a sticky alien man. Boy, to go back to when those decisions were the only ones I had to make. The grand prizes were large stuffed animals worth 330 tickets, and yes it was normally the 5th or 6th grade boys. Over the years they had figured out the game system. Everyone had fun, I think, it was hard to tell by looking at some of the parents.

Day 23/365: Ice Skating

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I loved ice skating when I was young. During the 1970’s in Connecticut the best skating was outside, a field would ice over and all the neighborhood kids would gather with skates and hockey sticks. Cities and parks would sponsor outdoor skating rinks by flooding fields and bonfires would be lite to keep skaters warm.

It was wonderful.  I learned to skate with my Dad. He skated backwards and held my hands. Didn’t matter if the ice was bumpy, or cracks made one fall down. It was the whole experience. Even when it  snowed, then shovels came our clear the skating area.  Always thought figure skating inside was cheating in a way, although I liked the smooth ice, it’s just not the same.

Ice skating
Day 23/365: Ice Skating

This rink at Eugene Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Nebraska combines the best of both worlds. A prepared, maintained surface gives the luxury of skating on “good” ice, while the open air pavilion maintains the natural feeling of skating outside. I taught my daughter to skate here and it’s a annual tradition around Christmas to spend a few hours on the ice. The park is located halfway between Omaha and Lincoln and we are very lucky and fortunate the park is so close, skating in the winter and swimming in the summer.

Learn More about Ice Skating in Omaha

10Best: Tara Lipinski’s favorite skating rinks in America

Ice skating can make for a perfect holiday family outing or date, even for those who don’t know a double axel from a death spiral, says Olympian Tara Lipinski, who won the figure skating gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and now serves as a …
Con Agra Ice Skating Rink opens

(OMAHA, Neb.) – Friday night the Con Agra Foods Ice Skating Rink will open for the season, the latest aspect of the Shine a Light on Hunger Campaign. Mayor Jean Stothert will be on hand to help cut the ribbon on the rink at 6:00 Friday night. The rink …
Outdoor Riverfront ice rink to open Saturday

This year, Wilmington is hoping to get a little taste of that feeling of excitement, wonder and community by importing its own outdoor ice skating rink, which will open Saturday at 11 a.m. on the Riverfront. Millions of skaters aren’t expected in …
Con Agra Ice Skating Rink opens

(OMAHA, Neb.) – Friday night the Con Agra Foods Ice Skating Rink will open for the season, the latest aspect of the Shine a Light on Hunger Campaign. Mayor Jean Stothert will be on hand to help cut the ribbon on the rink at 6:00 Friday night. The rink …
Ice skating! 4 cool things to do in Omaha this week

Show off your skating skills and head to the opening night of the Conagra Foods ice skating rink at 10th and Harney Streets. The rink opens Friday, and you can lace up your skates nearly every day through Jan. 4. (It’s closed on Christmas and New Year …

Day 16/365: Santas in the Choir

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Today I’m being indulgent, and being a very proud Mom. If my son ever see’s this he’ll be mad, trust me, but I’m going to post it anyway. Tonight was Elmwood-Murdock High School Winter Concert and this was taken during song Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. He’s the tall Bass in the back.

My youngest son is a high school senior and his choir director always said he had a wonderful voice. But he really didn’t take notice until a couple of years ago. Maybe it was singing in Carnegie Hall (yes, the one in New York City)  that he realized “Hey, this is pretty cool” .

Then he began to sing out. He has since auditioned for several honor choirs in Nebraska and  just got accepted to the UNO Honor Choir and the Hastings Honor choir.

Yeah, this picture is not the best quality, too far away, low res, but remember I said I’m being indulgent. So the image is small. But isn’t the point of the project is to chronicle your life? Oh course it is, so no apologizing. On with self promotion!

My main job during the high school concerts is to run the video camera. That’s my other hobby, video editing. To hear Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus visit my YouTube channel. I promise you it’s pretty amazing. Yes, they lost the Santa hats.

Veterans Day 2010

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As a new Mother of a Marine, my thoughts take a different turn on Veterans Day.  I think it’s because it’s now close to home and I find myself worrying in advance of what lies ahead. The potential of the biggest sacrifice that can be made for our country is now personal. It’s my sons. Yes, plural. My youngest son, still in high school decided that the United States Marine Corps is his calling.

Memories of my Father are particularly strong now. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korea Conflict. He never spoke of  war, not that I can remember, and his service papers were lost when we arrived home on New Years at Times Square.  So, I have sent to the National Personnel Records Center for his service records to share with his grandchildren. 

I’m also thankful for living in small town community with Midwestern traditions. Unlike other parts of the country, our schools take time to honor our veterans by inviting them to the school and honoring them with celebrations. I attended two such programs today, one at the high school and the other at the elementary.

Lieutenant Colonel Rick Gray was the speaker from the Nebraska National Guard. The choir and band sang and played in honor of those who bravely served in the armed forces past and present. It was very moving to listen to over 125 elementary children sing “Bless Our Troops”.  It’s something I won’t forget anytime soon.

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