By Peyton Lutz
During the holiday season, people look forward to food, crafts, presents, and, of course, watching their children’s music concerts. This includes music ceremonies and special occasions such as the ROAR Choir visiting the CHI for an opening ceremony. Mr. Haecker, the superintendent for Louisville, sought an opportunity to bring the elementary choir to an all-state conference in November. The school was able to bring 27 students to sing the National Anthem and also a special song called “Swinging in a Holiday Mood.”
The odds of getting our local choir invited to the all-conference are slim and was near luck of the draw that ROAR was able to go. This conference has been held since 1941, where at the start only six schools attended. Since then, it has grown to over 124 schools with over 700 different choirs having performed. Even though it has gone on for over 8 decades, an elementary choir has never been invited. Up until November 25, 2024, only high school choirs have been selected. Louisville ROAR Choir has made not just history for the school, but for the entire state of Nebraska.
In previous years, the school used to have a more complex choir with many students involved. Mrs. Stanley pushed to improve the music program at Louisville by adding a recent addition to the school; the ROAR Choir. This is a class that students can voluntarily choose to take, and currently, 27 students are participating. Mrs. Stanley has high hopes with the new program.
“I’m really hoping that I can use that group to start building up the program so that we do get more kids involved,” Stanley said.
Mrs. Stanley has been teaching for 11 years at Louisville and has not only taught elementary school, but high school for several years as well. Teaching high school choir for 9 years allowed her to start up her rebuilding of the program. Only two years ago she made the switch to specialize in only teaching elementary. Switching over to elementary has allowed her to further expand music concerts, and provide new opportunities for the kids. As a new tradition, the ROAR Choir visited the senior citizen center, caroled the streets of Louisville, and have more events in the spring on top of their winter program.
The school's music program has developed over time with the help of her teaching. Kiara Trent, a sophomore and former student that she taught, agrees that she looked forward to music every day. Trent is currently a part of the high school choir, and her passion for music grew after Stanley’s influence.
¨She actually taught us and helped us with what we were doing. She was a good teacher.¨
Stanley grew experience and understanding with the kids as well as a small part of her heart towards this year's ROAR Choir specifically. Her group of students this year have a shared passion that brings them together to work efficiently while having a good time.
“This group of kids, they are just so excited about singing and about being in the choir. It’s just neat. It’s neat to be able to work with a group of kids that are all there because they want to sing,” said Stanley.
ROAR is a special group for Mrs. Stanley to teach, and she impacts the children´s mindsets as well. Ella Little, a fifth grader at Louisville talks about how she feels about her teaching.
¨Mrs. Stanley did a really good job teaching us, and I think we had some cool and a lot of opportunities,¨ Little said.
The efforts put into teaching K-6 are not easy with helping many kids at a time and very little time on her hands, though Mrs. Stanley knows how to do this well. Teaching several grades and an additional choir added up to 32 different songs, and Stanley completed teaching them in under 3 weeks. She also practices learning the pieces at home, so her efforts for her students happen during and after school hours. Though it is a lot to manage, Stanley is appreciative of what she has been able to work with.
“I tell the kids I don't need perfection… I just want you to try your best.¨