Music is performed all over the world by anyone and everyone. It is a place for people to come together and express their emotions, from joy with gospel to hopelessness with the blues. I feel that it is my duty to share the beauty of music with those who might not have easy access to it. This group of people I serve are those with Special Needs. Throughout college, I have been in a club called United Sound. We teach adults with Special Needs, New Musicians, how to play instruments and provide them with unique opportunities they may not get otherwise. We believe they deserve the option to learn about music just like anyone else. My team and I developed individualized lesson plans, warm-ups, games, and even composed songs for them. After all of their hard work and consistency, we saw tremendous growth. In the beginning, they could barely read rhythms, but are now able to play a three-minute song mostly in time with almost all correct notes and rhythms. In the attachments, you can see our New Musicians in previous performances and rehearsals. The video shows a collaboration with the marching band during the halftime performance. They learned a modified version of the Fight Song and even the chants. Seeing my buddy Tristan rock out on the guitar and be so excited by the applause is something I will never forget. Knowing that we were able to provide him and others with such a special memory and experience makes me want to do this forever. In the future, I hope to create a program similar to United Sound at my church. It has a large Special Needs program and I would love to introduce them to music making. From my previous experience, I have seen our New Musicians grow in their attention spans, consideration of others, hand-eye coordination, confidence, creativity, teamwork, individuality, and more. I would love to spread that growth to even more people with Special Needs at my church. They deserve an outlet to shine just like anyone else and there is no better way than through music!

There is nothing better than serving my community. I have been lucky to serve in many different areas throughout my life and plan to serve much more in the future. This desire started at the early age of seven. My mom told me that she was going to start volunteering at our church in the nursery and I immediately wanted to join her. Once she explained that by watching the babies, we would be helping their parents receive God’s love, I became even more excited. Now that I am twenty-two years old, I have seen many of my early kids grow up, taken care of their siblings, and even attended a birthday party for a two-year-old. Seeing the impact that one hour of my week has provided for so many families has encouraged me to volunteer more. Throughout high school, I volunteered more throughout my community, by giving music lessons to those that could not afford it and volunteering at a music camp. Seeing the kids blossom musically, in their independence, and confidence was so rewarding. For some young students, it can be difficult to find their place in school, and I am so glad to have been able to help them. Upon entering university, I entered a club that teaches adults with disabilities how to play musical instruments. Within a year, I took over as president with a clear vision in mind. After hearing some absolutely tragic stories about their home lives, I knew I wanted to create a space for them to feel loved, feel accomplished, and to have some really unique opportunities. Since the students in the club ranged in ability levels, my team and I created lesson plans, warm-ups, solos, and whole group pieces tailored to their needs. They grew tremendously each week musically, in their confidence, and in their attention spans. Knowing that they had a safe space to be themselves and learn was enough to convince me to want to do something like this for as long as I possibly can. I am now headed into student teaching and will not be able to continue with this club, but I hope to one day start a program similar to this at my church. My church has a wonderful special needs program, but no music program. If I could create a bible study and music hybrid, not only for those with special needs, but for anyone interested, I would be as close to Heaven as I can get. This program that I have in my head will share the word of God, provide those with special needs with a welcoming learning environment, give adults and children an opportunity for community, and more. I hope that this can become reality someday, but if it does not, I will continue to share God’s love and the beauty of music with those around me. I will continue to serve with an open heart and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

“Teaching is a calling too. And I've always thought that teachers in their way are holy - angels leading their flocks out of the darkness.” ― Jeannette Walls This quote reminds me of the teacher who inspired me to pursue education. She was my middle school choir director. Middle school was an incredibly dark time for me, with bullying, deteriorating friendships, and troubles at home. I did not feel like I belonged anywhere and had very little confidence. My choir teacher saw this and became my mentor. She guided me through it all and gave me countless words of wisdom. After feeling her kindness, I knew I had to go into teaching. I wanted to, and still want to, provide students with a safe space. Over the years, as I have learned more about music and education, I gained many beliefs about teaching and why I should pursue it. When it comes to music specifically, I have learned that it is an exceptionally powerful subject. It is the great connector between all areas of learning. Music teaches math, history, science, reading, writing, languages, hand-eye coordination, discipline, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, independent thinking, creativity, confidence, and more, in addition to learning how to play an instrument. To have the opportunity to show students how connected the world actually is, as well as these important life skills, is huge to me. Every student deserves to learn these skills, and I completely believe that I am meant to guide students in this way. Now, whether it will be in a traditional band or music setting, I am not so sure. While at Northern Arizona University, I came across a club called United Sound. They primarily taught adults with special needs (New Musicians) how to play instruments, and it piqued my interest. I joined, thinking it would be a great place to practice teaching and get some guidance, but boy did it turn out to have a much larger impact on me than I originally thought. On the very first day, I fell in love with working with people with special needs. There is just something about how they see the world that resonates with me. After my first year, I took over United Sound as Co-President. While I loved that we were teaching our New Musicians from our provided music book and held a small recital for them the previous year, I knew I wanted to give them more. Within the next couple of years, we developed warm-ups, exercises, repertoire, and lesson plans tailored to their varying ability levels. We performed with several ensembles around campus such as the marching band and symphonic band, in addition to hosting recitals. And most importantly, every week, we spent time developing the relationships between our mentors and New Musicians. It was so special to see them come to each rehearsal excited, ready to learn, and comfortable with us. It has honestly made me question what my future might look like. I am very passionate about teaching and music, but I am not sure I will end up in a traditional band setting anymore. I might teach music to those with special needs or a combination of both. It is nerve-racking, but exciting to see what the future has in store. No matter where or who I end up teaching, I truly want to provide a well-rounded music education, share the joys of music, and create a safe learning environment for my students. I want to provide a space for people from all walks of life to experience this, just like my choir teacher did for me.

Serving others is one of the most rewarding things we can do. My parents raised me with giving hearts and encouraged me to find my own ways of giving back to the community. The time that sticks out to me the most took place during the last game of this past football season. For context, I was a Drum Major for our marching band and the President of United Sound. United Sound is a club that provides opportunities for adults with disabilities (New Musicians) to learn how to play instruments and provides performance opportunities they may not have otherwise. During that game, United Sound was collaborating with the marching band. We had the New Musicians come to our before-game rehearsal to meet everyone. They played some of the instruments and danced along to the music. As it was time to head down to the field, the New Musicians marched with their mentors, waving to the cheering crowd around them. They were loving it! Once we were in the stadium and getting ready for the pregame show, the announcers gave a shout-out to a few children from Make-A-Wish who were attending the game. The kids came down to the field and got to hang out with the football team, but I was curious if they wanted to hang out with us as well. After the pregame show, we went into the bleachers and took our seats. The New Musicians filled the remaining seats and were ready to play with us. Once everyone settled, I spotted a few blue Make-A-Wish t-shirts and headed over to them to see if they wanted to conduct the band with me. They were pretty shy, but one girl was super excited! I brought her over, she led a couple of songs, and had the time of her life! Soon, it was time to get ready for the halftime show. I double-checked that all the Mentors had their materials for their New Musicians and then had them head to the sideline. As we were heading down, we were walking by the Make-A-Wish kids again, and I knew I had to ask one last time if they wanted to hang out with the band. To my surprise, all of them did! So, I brought them down to the sideline with United Sound and gave instructions to everyone. The Make-A-Wish kids wanted to stand by my podium and conduct with me while the New Musicians waited by the center podium until they were allowed to join the marching band in the Fight Song. Conducting that halftime show is honestly the proudest moment of my life. I was able to see the two hundred twenty members of the marching band that I helped lead and shape the culture of for the past two years. I saw the Make-A-Wish kids to my right conducting with the biggest smiles. Then, to my left, I saw my New Musicians dancing, waving, and enjoying themselves. The icing on the cake was when the New Musicians joined the marching band on the field for the halftime show. They had worked so hard throughout the semester and could not wait to show the audience what they could do. I helped my New Musician, Tristan, play his guitar, and immediately afterward, he lifted his hands to the crowd, smiling, soaking up all the applause. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to give Tristan, all of the New Musicians, and the Make-A-Wish kids such a special experience. I will keep pouring my heart out to those around me, just like I did that day.

Volunteering is a norm in my family, whether through our church, at the airport, or in a school club. When I turned seven, I begged to serve with my mom in the nursery at church. After some time, they let me join her and I loved it. Not only was it fun to play with babies, but it was also gratifying knowing that their parents could relax during the church service. Once I got to middle school, I had experiences that solidified my desire to help others. I was in a friend group of about nine girls and we were very close for years. I am not sure why, but suddenly everything changed. There was a growing distance between us and it felt like they did not want me around. In eighth grade, there was an end-of-the-year dance. We were all super excited to pick out dresses and to go together, or at least that is what I thought. On the day of the dance, I realized there were no plans for us to take pictures or any carpool plans. After calling my friend, who was also struggling in the group, we discovered that the rest organized plans without us. We were officially out of the friend group. As a middle schooler, this was devastating. From that day forward, I vowed that I would not make anyone feel the way my friends made me feel that day. Throughout high school, I made some new friends and tried new things. I was really into music and joined the marching and concert bands and the choir. After some time, I realized this area of my life is where I could best serve others. I was on the leadership team for marching band and concert band and helped a lot of people, but nothing compared to my time with United Sound. United Sound is a club that helps adults with special needs (New Musicians) learn how to play instruments and provides opportunities they would not have otherwise. After hearing many of their stories about abusive roommates, getting cast aside, or just not being taken seriously, I knew in my heart that United Sound needed to be a safe place in addition to a learning environment. Each week we played games, had one-on-one time with a mentor, and whole band rehearsal time. These activities allowed mentors to gain teaching skills and build special relationships with their New Musician(s). On several occasions, mentors would see a New Musician outside of class, run to them, and give a big hug. Knowing that the New Musicians are building these relationships gives me faith that they will be ok. We also wanted to provide the New Musicians with performance opportunities with a large audience. We wanted to give them the same opportunities as other musicians. We have played alongside ensembles at my university, the marching band, and even hosted recitals. Seeing them and their parents beaming with pride during the events is something that I will never forget. As I am headed back home to student teach, I get to discover new ways to serve my community. I feel as if God is calling me to volunteer at church again to rejoin my mom in the children’s ministry and join the special needs ministry. I hope to continue sharing God’s love with others and to make those who are not seen, seen.

As I was reading about the life of Ginny, I could not help thinking about my Mama. They possess a myriad of shared qualities, including thriving careers, a profound love for their families, and a desire to serve God. After reading the prompt for this essay, I knew that it would be difficult to confine all that she has done for me in 600 words. My Mama is the best person in my life and my biggest role model. Since I was little, I have always wanted to be like her. Her kindness and caring heart shined wherever she went. No matter what event I had, she was my biggest supporter. At softball games, she cheered boisterously for me, brought snacks, gave pep talks, and always reminded me to thank my coaches. She recorded all of my beginning band concerts and always told me what piece of music she loved the most. During chess tournaments, I remember her looking through the windows, cheering me on. Even now, as a college student, she supports me greatly. When I have a band concert, recital, or marching band performance, she will make the two-hour drive to be there for me. When I had to move out of my dorm during my first semester of college due to a bad roommate situation, she stayed in a hotel with me for a week until I found somewhere to live. I do not know many other people who would have done all this for me. My Mama has also inspired me in terms of career goals. I have known from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher just like her. As I have gotten older and had many passionate conversations about education, she has helped me solidify that this is the career path for me. She constantly challenges how I think about the classroom, whether it is about classroom management strategies, how to effectively use wall space, or even how loud the students can be. I cannot wait to start teaching and follow in her footsteps. The most impactful part of growing up with my Mama is her faith. She and my dad raised me in a Nondenominational Church and have always been very active in the church. She regularly told me and my brother how important it is to serve in the church and attend consistently. We were not allowed to play sports that conflicted with church and had to attend either the kid or the adult service each weekend. While this may seem strict to some, my Mama's passion for God shaped my passion. By age seven, my younger brother and I started volunteering with her in the nursery and continue to do so every time we go home. Once I became a Junior in high school, I chose to get baptized. Now, as a twenty-two-year-old woman, I have decided to volunteer with my church's Special Needs program. I am so thankful to have a strong Christian Woman as my role model. She has always encouraged me to grow in my faith and to spread God's love to others. I would not be the woman that I am today without my Mama. She is my biggest fan and has always supported my endeavors, no matter how lofty they may be. She has guided me and challenged my beliefs as an incoming educator, but most importantly, she shaped me as a Godly Woman with a giving heart. I hope to one day have a positive impact on others like my Mama has done for me and like Ginny did for others.

My desire to teach started during the darkest time of my life, middle school. I was struggling at home with family issues as well as at school making friends. It was difficult to fit in anywhere, but when I attended my music classes, I felt like I belonged. I did not have to worry about outside issues, only making music. Whenever I needed to, my choir teacher let me eat lunch in her class and talk. When she saw me struggling the most, she took the time to meet up outside of school. She made me feel so cared for and seen. After the kindness she showed me, I decided to follow in her footsteps and become a music teacher.  Upon entering high school, there was a shift in my life. I decided to push my boundaries by meeting many new people, joining the Marching Band, and trying out several different clubs. By senior year, I came out of my shell, developed friendships, and became the Head Drum Major of our 160-person Marching Band. The band director had me lead a few rehearsals, warmups, stretch blocks, conduct pep tunes, and the halftime show. Middle school me would have never expected this to happen.  Once I entered Northern Arizona University to pursue a degree in Music Education, I received the Vice President role of the club United Sound. The two main goals of this club are to teach people with disabilities (New Musicians) how to play an instrument of their choosing and to give them opportunities they would not have otherwise. After training in the Vice President role and the Co-Presidents graduated, I was moved into the President position, ready to make a difference.  When I started, I did not change anything that the previous presidents did; we learned music from the curriculum, played games, and had many dance parties. It seemed easy, but did I not feel like we were doing enough for our New Musicians. My Co-President and I decided we needed to go the extra mile and ended up collaborating with the Lumberjack Marching Band each Fall, the Symphonic Band each semester, hosted a recital in the Spring, and wrote lesson plans that fit the needs of each New Musician rather than one for the whole group. This proved to take extra work on our end with taking home materials to write lesson plans, making meetings with several band directors, and composing a variety of music, but it was all worth it to see the New Musicians' joy and progress. My proudest moment at Northern Arizona University was with United Sound. It was during the final home football game and a collaboration day with United Sound. I was a Drum Major with the Lumberjack Marching Band and was conducting my final halftime show. The New Musicians were waiting on the sideline to join us in the Fight Song when I saw them dancing, singing, and waving at me. Once it was time for them to join us, I hopped off my podium and ran over to my buddy Tristan, ready to help him perform. I had never seen anyone play the guitar with as much joy as him that day. After we finished, he threw his hands up, ready for the applause of thousands of fans, and gave me the biggest smile ever. These are the moments that make me want to teach, to be able to give back to others, and to have them feel seen and heard, just like my middle school choir teacher did for me.