Kenmore East High School
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Guests Enjoy Inspirational Concert by Kenmore East High School Classes
Staff, family members and other guests were recently treated to an amazing and inspirational concert by students in three special education classrooms at Kenmore East High School.
Students in the classrooms of teachers Cindy Kramer, Patricia Phalen and Kathleen Struckman have all been singing, dancing, practicing various instruments, and learning all about music under the direction of music teacher Elaine Grant. As part of this class, they were also preparing for a very special concert event for their families and the Kenmore East and Ken-Ton School District community.
Assisting Grant was Corrie Louth, a teacher aide who helps in Struckman's class and runs a dance club for the students after school. Louth arranged the choreography for the dances. The students opened with a dance number to "I'm In Love With A Monster" from the movie “Hotel Transylvania” and closed with a dance number to "I'm Still Standing," which was featured in the movie “Sing.”
The theme of the concert was friendship, and songs included "Count On Me," "Lean On Me," "You've Got a Friend In Me," and "Make New Friends." The students enjoy singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" so performed that as well. A number of students also wanted to sing "O Canada," which they frequently hear at hockey games. It also aligned nicely with the “friendship” theme since, as one student said, "Canada is our friend."
As part of the concert, Grant strived to give the students opportunities to speak as well as sing solos. The students all took turns introducing the songs, and several of them sang solos on “Make New Friends” and “Lean On Me.”
“They love to perform, and they have a tradition of doing a concert for their parents, so my goal this year has been to help them prepare and perform on this concert,” Grant said. “These kids have so much potential. It was such a great day to celebrate these kids and each other. It's one of my favorite parts of my job.”
Preparing for the concert also allowed students the opportunity to learn a little bit of sign language.
“One of our freshman singers at Kenmore East, Esther MacDonald, is fluent in sign language, so I asked her to come during her study halls to teach us to sign ‘What a Wonderful World’ as they sang it,” Grant said. “It was a wonderful opportunity for the students to meet a new friend and get to collaborate, and was extremely moving.”
At the end of the concert, parents were invited back to Phalen's classroom for a reception planned by their classroom teachers.
All in attendance agreed that the students’ performances were nothing short of remarkable, and that the concert was a memorable experience they won’t soon forget.
“It was one of the most inspirational concerts I have ever attended,” said Robin Zymroz, Ken-Ton School District assistant superintendent for instruction and student services. “The student performers were absolutely remarkable as they announced the songs at the microphone, sang loud and proud to each of the selections, danced with such spirit and touchingly celebrated each other’s’ accomplishments every step of the way. I left the concert feeling such joy and it stayed with me the rest of the day.”
The students also recently travelled to Hoover Elementary to present at an assembly on kindness and being a good friend under the Louth’s direction as well as speech therapist Angela Stranahan. Grant was asked to accompany them to play some of the songs they sang on their concert, which was a big hit with the students and teachers at Hoover Elementary.