(revised from a Band Notes article printed in the CRC July 2020)
It’s almost that time of year again…. time to sign up for next year’s classes! Current 5th graders will become “rising sixth graders”, heading off to middle school and current 8th graders will be-come “rising freshmen” –regardless of if parents are ready or not. Whether students are mov-ing into a public school from homeschooling or private school, even if they are just moving up to the next grade level, transition can be a little scary at any age.
Getting involved in an activity gives students a sense of belonging, which is a great way to lead to success in school. Other students who are also joining the Band or Choir will be from your current school, while some will come from other schools; joining the Music programs at JFHMS or BHS will give students the support of a peer group that blends new friends in right along with some of your oldest buddies. You will all spend time together creating, building and growing, while having fun and learning a new skill that you very well may enjoy for the rest of your life.
Students never “age out” of music, and it’s not likely that anyone will have a “career ending inju-ry” while performing in Band or Choir. It is however, pretty common for students involved in a school music program to discover confidence they never knew they had, that members will learn to make connections with other students easier, creating some lifelong friendships and memo-ries. Developing leadership and responsibility skills, time management skills and a building a strong work ethic are all life skills that are directly linked to being a part of an active music pro-gram, as well as being skills that help students to become stronger academically
It’s no secret that sometimes kids find going to new places or trying new things to be a little overwhelming; some kids might find it easier to say “nope”, rather than taking a risk and trying out something completely new. As Directors, we hear excuses that often begin with “I can’t join Band because…”, but every year, there are also music kids who DO participate in sports– including in cheer and in football– as well as in Band. Marching Band is voluntary, and Band and Choir kids learn to balance their time and communicate about their schedules. If the student wants to be in a music class the Directors will find a way for you them to do it, along with pursuing other interests.
Every family can afford for their student to be in Band, since students have the option to use school-owned instruments when needed. Students with braces and students with asthma can also be very successful in music classes. College scholarships are available to students who can play an instrument well, and colleges are known to seek out Band members in particular, because of their history of working through difficult things, along with the hand/eye coordination and the pathways that have been built in their brains while studying music. Music is something you can continue to benefit from even after graduation, all through your life and into your retirement years. With so many lifelong benefits coming from Music classes, every school schedule should include Band or Choir (or BOTH!!), so contact your school and SIGN UP!
