Advocate for the Arts

By Carolyn Lillehaugen

www.ockhardtphoto.com

Music Education has permeated every part of Denese Odegaard’s life. As the youngest of Bertel and Dorene Nelson’s five children, Denese was naturally introduced to music in their north Fargo home where she enjoyed taking piano lessons from her mother and making music with her siblings. Through the years, Denese also joined the school orchestra and choir where her skills continued to flourish. These early experiences set the foundation for a lifetime dedicated to sharing music with others.

After attending college at Concordia in Moorhead and the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Denese graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree with honors and began teaching in Grand Forks. She eventually returned to her home district of Fargo Public Schools, and for the past 33 years she has touched the lives of thousands of young people while teaching general music and orchestra for 5th through 9th grade students. When Denese returned to Fargo to teach, she had the unique opportunity to become a colleague with Emily Burggraff and Carol Nelson, who had been her mentors in earlier years. Burggraff, Denese’s first strings teacher, describes Denese as “A very hard worker who is always generous with her time and talent. Her tireless work as an advocate has made a significant impact on the opportunities for students both in Fargo and across the nation.”

In 2009 Denese switched gears a bit, accepting a leadership role in the Fargo School district as the Performing Arts Curriculum Specialist. In this new role she spends a great deal of her time advocating for and organizing music and drama education throughout the district as well as mentoring new teachers and helping them celebrate what is going well and identify areas for continued growth.

Throughout her career, Denese immersed herself in studying the process of effective teaching. Not only did she look to music education specifically, but she consistently sought to learn about the best practices in all areas of education. Whether it was “action research” where she tried and analyzed the effect of new strategies in her own classroom or taking courses on the Six Traits of Writing, Teaching with Technology, Strategies of Assessment, or Mentorship Training, Odegaard was passionate about learning and integrating effective techniques into her classrooms. As a natural outgrowth of her learning, Denese then sought to share what she had learned with others. She has written or co-authored several professional publications for music teachers and given numerous workshops throughout the nation.

This quest for continued learning naturally led to involvement with professional music education organizations and again, positions of leadership. She has been active with the FM Area Youth Symphony Board, the American String Teachers Association, and the National Association for Music Education. As a testimony to her leadership, Denese was recently elected to serve as the President for the National Association for Music Education. Kathlyn Scott, retired secondary curriculum coordinator for West Fargo Public Schools, explains, “Denese has long been dedicated to defining and shaping the future of music education in the United States, and she has now been elected to the highest position in this professional organization.” The National Association for Music Education has 100,000 members across 50 states and affiliates in Europe. While President Elect and then President, Denese will provide leadership as the organization seeks to mentor young teachers, identify and implement core standards for music education, and advocate for arts education for all students.

Educators often speak of helping their students develop 21st century skills such as communication, problem solving, and creativity which help them be prepared to make positive contributions in all kinds of future jobs. As a strong advocate for music education, Denese proudly points out that music education has always been an avenue for that kind of learning. “Music helps develop the heart of the child. When students belong to music groups, they develop a sense of belonging and this not only promotes higher self-esteem, it can in turn contribute positively to the school’s rates of attendance and graduation.” The joy that comes from creating music can permeate the other parts of a student’s day and improve education in general.

When not teaching or advocating for music, Denese and her husband Ron enjoy spending time in the mountains. They are the proud parents of 2 young adult daughters Erin and Amy who also live in Fargo.

[AWM]

Long-time Minnesota State University Moorhead head athletic trainer

Andrea “Andy” Scott was named the Head Athletic Trainer of the Year for Division II by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) at their annual meeting last summer.

NATA recognizes one athletic trainer for exceptional performance in each of the following collegiate divisions: NCAA D1, NCAA D2, NCAA D3, NAIA and Junior College/Community College. Award recipients are actively involved in their community or campus, athletic training associations and promotion of the profession.

Scott discovered athletic training through a softball injury during her freshman year at MSUM. By her sophomore year, she found her passion, and said her goal was to someday be MSUM’s head athletic trainer. Today, she coordinates the healthcare of MSUM’s 300 student-athletes—scheduling doctor