Personal Narrative: Carlton

Teaching is sacrificial and it is a calling for those who have a servant’s heart. I am frequently reminded of a student in my Beginning Band class two decades ago. His name was Carlton and he was a special needs student in sixth grade. Carlton desperately wanted to learn to play the Baritone horn well enough that he could perform on the Spring Band Concert but band rehearsals were short and he needed more help. So, he and I agreed that he would skip recess and I would skip lunch a few times each week to practice together. Carlton played on that concert and him doing so was just as rewarding to me as it was to him.

It is challenging and refreshing to look back and seek to rediscover the roots of one’s career path. From my earliest recollections,
Our Director was Dr. Charles T. Menghini and his determined attitude and commitment to excellence was contagious. Becoming a student leader, I was afforded opportunities to teach my section along with other various small ensembles. I worked closely with our director in the preparation of music, organizing student events, and participating in student leadership training workshops. Valuable lessons were learned through partnering with other Band members, faculty, parents, and even the custodial staff as I worked side by side with Dr. Menghini. I quickly found my gift for incorporating the love of music and for leading people. By the middle of my sophomore year in high school I had decided to become a music
I have nurtured their growth as both musicians and people. I have watched them continue to enjoy music and become leaders among their peers well past the time in my classroom. As students have graduated from Fort Osage, many have come back to our district and have enrolled their own children into the Beginning Band. Other graduates are now teaching music at high schools and universities. My greatest teaching accomplishment is the legacy of my teaching living on through these students. I have instilled in them the belief that regardless of their circumstances, they can be successful and make a difference in this