June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship Recipient Katherine Jones

Katherine Jones submitted the following essay with her application for the June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship. Applicants were asked to respond to the prompts “Why do you wish to become a music educator?” and “Why should music be available to all students?” Katherine’s essay appears here with minor editing and the addition of a headline.

Music Teachers Play a Crucial Role in the Lives and Education of Their Students

by Katherine Jones June M. Hinckley Music Education Scholarship Recipient

I“I love my music teachers because they have your best interest in mind” (Dominic Miller, eighth grade, Harrison Middle School in Harrison, Arkansas). Music has been a part of my life since the very beginning, and growing up there was no doubt that music would be a part of my future in some form. I was blessed with excellent teachers who poured themselves into their students both in and out of the classroom throughout my schooling. I have always been grateful for the relationships that I held with my music teachers and the impact that they left on me. My aspirations to become a music educator are founded on the very principles and lessons taught to me by my music teachers. I always knew the impact my music teacher had on my own life. Throughout my years at Lakeland Christian School, she has become one of my most outstanding mentors and friends, along with being an incredible teacher. However, it was not until I interviewed my peers that I understood that I was not alone in my experience. Music teachers play a crucial role in the lives and education of their students that could not be filled by anyone else. That is why I want to be a music teacher, to have the opportunity to have an impact on students not limited to music, but an effect that they carry into their lives outside of the influence of my classroom. “My music teachers definitely get to see a better side of me than most of my teachers” (Anna Morin, sixth grade, Lakeland Christian School in Lakeland, Florida). Music teachers bring out the best parts of their students and always encourage them to become the best people they can be, and that is the same influence I hope to have on my students, to be dedicated the same way as Imani Ferrari’s choir teacher at Blake Academy who stayed after school with her and spent countless hours preparing her for her auditions. My music educators took my existing love for music and multiplied it through their time and efforts, and in the future, I can only hope to have half the impact on my students as they have had on me. So, why do I want to be a music educator? So that I

Receiving this scholarship presents me with the opportunity to study and eventually teach choral music. It has provided me the funds necessary to complete a full ride to Southeastern University where I will be attending in the fall. Being selected for this scholarship means that I will not only deepen my love for music, but I will also gain the education necessary to effectively share that love with

every student that enters my classroom in the future. — Katherine Jones

can share my love of music with my students every day and teach them to use their love of music to impact the world around them.

Music is a focal point in every person’s life. Whether they play, sing, or simply listen, music speaks to humans in a way that nothing else can. Music classrooms serve as an outlet for students to express themselves in a way generally discouraged in other teaching environments. It allows students to break away from their regular school schedule and enter a music environment that “is just peaceful” (Kaden Conley, third grade, McKeel Academy in Lakeland, Florida). Whether a student will pursue music as a career or not, music provides opportunities for each student to become the most excellent version of themselves. Matthew Barranco, a sophomore at Lakeland Christian School, was one of the most reserved kids you could ever encounter. However, music provided an outlet for him to break out of his shell and build relationships with people he would have usually never met, let alone have spoken to. This newfound confidence also impacted his academics. Matthew commented that “music let me make better grades because I was scared to ask questions, but now I can ask away.” Matthew is still not an extrovert, but music has taught him the importance of confidence, and now he presides as secretary of his class. Music provides an opportunity for a community that cannot be found anywhere else on a school campus. Andy Li is a junior at Lakeland Christian School who has played football since middle school. However, just last year, Andy also joined the concert chorus and currently sings in the chamber ensemble. When I asked Andy what his favorite part about choir was, he responded, “In sports, there’s always a winner and a loser. But when you make music, you’re there to enjoy the moment and work on your craft. The peacefulness and the fellowship you get from the fine arts department are different than football, too.” Music provides a relief for students to detach from any stress or pressure they experience throughout the school day and create music in fellowship with their peers. Every student should have the opportunity to experience the gift of music. Even if a student takes a music class and decides that music is not the career meant for them, music’s impact on them will never dwindle. The stories presented from these students are just a few examples of the lasting impact that music holds on the lives of students. That impact should never be taken from them. The experience of making music and exploring new possibilities should never be stripped from their lives, no matter the cost.

Music is the greatest tool for lessons and character. It builds lasting relationships and opens up the lives of students to new experiences that they never thought possible. I hope that in my career as a music educator I am blessed with the opportunity to share these lessons with my students and aid them in their journey to finding the person that they are destined to be, to teach them about new cultures through music from abroad, and to give them a greater appreciation for others and themselves. My music teachers instilled these lessons in my life, and I could never be more grateful for everything that they have taught me. Now, in this next chapter, I will carry everything with me and pass it on to every student that I have the opportunity to teach.