BCS Advantage Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 6

North Windy Ridge Intermediate Creative Connections Students at North Windy Ridge balance academics with incredibly enriching classes such as Spanish and Band. These opportunities help create important connections for students. Whether through a second language or the universal language — music — these are important experiences for our students. “I had to learn to read music notes and build up my breath to play the music correctly. At first, I didn’t know how to read music, but this year, I have learned.” -Macee Benfield, sixth grade, plays trumpet “Students get more than they expect. They are learning a new language. Music is it’s own language. Plus, they are learning other languages within that – Latin, Italian, German, and French. This helps with their other classes. They are learning self-discipline and learning to practice on their own, which leads them to gain some good life skills. Plus, they build camaraderie.” -Shawn Benfield, Band Instructor “We live in a different world than I grew up in. Students have access to information and opportunities on a global level. It’s more than speaking English, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese. You have to learn to work with all different kinds people. It’s about learning to respect and embrace differences. We may be different from each other, but we each have something to share with others.” -Marisel Vicente, Spanish Teacher “I think it’s fun to try something new, because I’ve never played an instrument before. It was really new for me.” -Katie Johnson, sixth grade, plays trumpet 4