Dear Sir:
Who doesn’t love music? I have such fond memories as a child of playing in the band at Thornhill Junior Secondary. Some of my best memories of school took place in band practice, concerts, and a road trip I went on with the band to Calgary in Grade 10.
I had the privilege of being taught by Mike Wen whom I’m sure many of you know. He was both passionate, funny and inspiring.
Music plays such an important part in our lives. Often we hear a song and it stays with us forever, we remember it just like it was yesterday when we hear it again.
It was in my band class where I heard the song Canon in D for the first time. That later became my wedding song.
I now have a daughter in Skeena Junior Secondary in Grade 7 band. She was in Grade 6 band in Thornhill Elementary last year and there she learned so much there with Daryl McDicken.
What a lot of work it must be teaching children their first notes!
It would be nice if the elementary schools here would offer Grade 5 band as well (like Prince Rupert does).
Anyone who has children that age should strongly consider writing the school board and make requests.
If you saw what I saw at my daughter’s last concert you would not hesitate.
Susan Brouwer is the band teacher at Skeena Middle School. The passion and excitement in her voice all year is enough to make any kid want to pick up an instrument and stick with it. To say she is good at her job would be an understatement. She touches the lives of every child she meets with her outgoing and positive attitude and the children adore her, truly they do.
After our children leave Skeena they will go to Caledonia where they will be met by yet another amazing band teacher, Geoff Parr.
We are also blessed to have Dare to Dream here in Terrace, the charitable organization that provides a band retreat with professional clinicians for all Grade 6 and 7 band students in the area.
I attended this retreat both this year and last year with my child as a volunteer and it was truly amazing to see what they learned at the retreat.
Dare to Dream also helps to pay for costs for instrument rentals for those who would not otherwise be able to afford to rent an instrument. We should be supporting foundations like this with donations, as our children are our future.
Band is important in schools everywhere. In Terrace we need to do our part to keep this going and have more hours for our kids to practice band in school, and perhaps have them begin even earlier as they do in other areas here in the north.
I would like to thank Susan Brouwer for being such an amazing teacher and making sure all kids in Skeena have the opportunity to participate.
Danielle Lavoie,
Terrace B.C.