- River View High School provides seniors with projects that support the school and community while developing leadership and self-management skills.
- Grace Callison and Paige Nicely became publicists for the junior year music department. Basically, I was monitoring the music department’s social media accounts.
- They launched a three-county music department last year with students from Riverview, Ridgewood and Coshocton.
- The two have also done a project to encourage elementary and middle school students in Riverview to pursue bands and choirs as they get older.
Two seniors from WARSAW – River View High School have expanded their assigned roles related to the music program to foster countywide connections and encourage the next generation of high school musicians.
Grace Callison and Paige Nicely became publicists for the junior year music department. In the past, this role has basically consisted of monitoring social media counts and creating posts to promote choir and band activities. developed into a project.
According to Senior Project Advisor Cindy Hemming, River View seniors work with community mentors on projects related to nearly any hobby or career area. The idea is to improve self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, responsibility, and decision-making skills while improving yourself, your school, or your community. Choir director Dawn Anglin served as Nicely and Callison’s mentor.
“It gives you the opportunity to be recognized for many things,” said Nicely of senior projects. “We have a kid in our school right now doing an advanced project of painting the kitchen. I’m encouraging you to do that… your role as a leader.”
Cullison says she encourages students to find niches in completing projects they’re passionate about and helping their schools and communities.
“It’s great to be able to take your passion and create a project that literally serves you,” said Callison.
Last year, they developed a correspondence program between high school music students and students at three elementary schools in Riverview. Callison said so many students had multiple correspondents to cover all the kids who wanted to attend, so this year we will explain what the music department does during the high school Christmas season. He made a video and sent candy canes.
“It was a really fun project. It was really hard to get people to write letters, so we switched to something that Paige and I could do personally,” said Callison.
Junior high school students perform at a basketball game every year. They said they took downtime around the performance to eat dinner, play games, and hang out with middle schoolers.
“We call it passing the torch and trying to bring them into our world,” Nicely said.
The teens also took the lead at last year’s gathering of three county music departments. Students from Riverview, Ridgewood, and Coshocton in bands and choirs gathered at the Roscoe United Methodist Church. There were guest musicians, dinners, trivia, ice-breaker activities, and line dancing. The next one is scheduled for his March 4th and will feature square dancer and fiddler Jeremy Timmons.
Cullison said about 50 teens attended last year, and word of mouth hopes for even more this year. I want you to continue after graduation.
“It was a fun, getting-to-know night,” Callison said. “I think it brought us together well.”
Leonard Hayhurst is the Community Content Coordinator and General News Reporter for the Coshocton Tribune, with nearly 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio AP. Contact him at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow @llhayhurst on Twitter.