The Fall and Rise of the Music Department

Fortuna, California

Emily Smith

In the small town of Fortuna, California, a local high school is working at saving their beloved music department. After the previous teacher resigned, the department was left with no teacher for the 2017-2018 school year.

The current students enrolled in this program were devastated, but never gave up. They not only held fundraisers all summer long, including face painting at the 3rd of July Festival at Newburg  Park, but many meetings to raise awareness to their search for a new teacher.

Senior Amanda Smith has been involved in the music department for all four years of high school, “I’ve been involved since my freshman year when I took music tech, then glee choir sophomore year, for this school year and last my part in the music department is that I’m in Camarada singers” We discussed about how the department lost its teacher,  Amanda says that “She got better job opportunities,  but chose the one closer, so she could visit.”

Since the music meeting at the FUHS Board meeting that took place days before school starting, they have put in substitutes for each branch of music classes. “Currently Mr. Peterson is subbing for choir, Mr. Benbow is subbing for the marching band, and Mr. Helms is subbing for the Jazz Band class” Besides school classes, the band is involved in many things including the homecoming parade, game, and weekly friday night games. Duey stated that subs have been put in place for those events as well. “Mr. Peterson has stepped in to be in control overseeing that and the drum major is writing all the music.” He also confirmed that three applicants had applied for the position, and he had offered the job to one.

“Well, I am optimistic that we will have a music teacher in place during the first week of September.”