COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Evan Powers

Submitted By: Wesley Roy, Evan Powers, and Rebecca Rosario

Evan Powers serves as the Chorus Director at Avalon Middle School where he teaches his students the ins and outs of singing, music, mostly importantly, loves for themselves, each other, and service to their community. One of his numerous community service endeavors is Songbird project, an incredible program where 7th and 8th grade students share music and establish relationships with elders living with dementia. Students begin with a 4-5 week training period that includes dementia education, hands-on dementia simulation and empathy training, a “meet and greet” with the elders, and introduction to popular music of different areas and decades. Following this training, students are partnered with Memory Care Residents at Encore at Avlon Park, where they find out the residents’ favorite music and then work to share this music (through recordings or singing) with the residents, listen to stories, and build relationships. At the final session, the students bring the residents a personal card and gift. The results of Songbird are breathtaking- people who disease has taken away their ability to fully and authentically express themselves are gifted with moments of clarity and joy. Their reactions range from a simple smile, to engaging conversation, to memory sharing, to dancing and playing instruments. These moments bring incredible joy to the residents and leave a very importantt mark on the students. Goals of this project include changing students’ attitudes toward the elderly, connecting students and elders through shared music experiences, brightening the days of elders living with dementia, inspiring students to continue in community service, and giving the students greater confidence, allowing them to feel a sense of purpose, and helping them to better understand themselves.

Evan Power is a gifted and dedicated teacher who has had a tremendous impact on his school, the surrounding community, and the field of music education at the state and national levels. He has presented on Songbird numerouse times and created step-by-step tutorials so others can implement this program in their own schools and communities. He often travels to conduct honor choirs and inspire students around the country with his innate joy of music and service. We are very lucky to have him here in Avalon Park!