I love Woodlake’s music room. It’s a warm, welcoming space that is filled with vibrant colors. Even better, it’s a room that is alive with the magic of sound. It calls for my students to push the limits of their imagination. What a special space for all at Woodlake!
On the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I can’t help but recall my old classroom and the sinking feeling I experienced when I read the e-mail that it had been flooded. When I returned to school, I found a construction crew from the St. Tammany Parish School District already hard at work repairing the damage. All of the items from my room had been moved into the library hallway, and I was touched by the numerous teachers that helped me sort through the items to see what could be salvaged. The weekend before the students returned to school, my parents drove in from Alabama to help me move what had been saved back into the music room and decorate it.
Although the students immediately noticed the changes, their disappointment was short lived. It was amazing how many people throughout the country came forward to donate funds and instruments. We turned each gift into a celebration, and the students experienced an amazing lesson about the importance of generosity.
Now, each instrument in my room has an extraordinary story- one of compassion, love, perseverance, and resilience. For all of those in St. Tammany Parish and across the country that came forward to help, I would like to say that “You Are Woodlake Elementary School’s Sunshine”.
Stomp'nchat 