Now That's What We Call Closure, Folks!

"Dear Ms. Ruth, you are so helpful, kind, and you never give up on us. And there are some more, like you always give positive attitude. You told us not to give up and keep on trying because one day you will get it....Wherever you go, you will be happy."

-A special note from one of my cello students

One of the adorable pictures a second grade cello student of mine drew of us...
I am totally diggin' that hairstyle of mine!!

I am sitting in my backyard in Detroit and am reminded of the little touches of Heaven that appear all over this beautiful world. The tree branches sway in the wind, providing a nice soundtrack to the low wind chimes behind me that sing in the wind. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining brightly, and our dog, Lewie, runs up to me with excitement over who knows what periodically. Yes, being home is good. :)

My dedicated readers may be surprised that I am home right now...and that’s because I had to keep it a surprise! The only person who knew I was coming was my dad, and that is because he is the master of surprises, and was also my ride. :) I flew out just hours after my last day of student teaching and made it just in time to crash my niece, Abby’s, first birthday party. But let’s back up: the last week of school.

On the last day of school, a group of teachers got to bring
out their goofy sides and dress up and dance to "Respect"
by Aretha Franklin for all the third graders! 

On Friday, Sophia and I had a talk in our last car ride to school, and we came to a conclusion: we were not as frazzled or eager for this part of our journey to end as we thought. And we realized it is because of one significant thing: closure. Every teacher knows that an essential, yet often overlooked, part of a lesson is the ending. How will I summarize the new content of the lesson? How can I assess that my students learned the material? I know there were definitely days where the class period seemed to just fly by, and before I knew it, I was trying to brainstorm a closing point in the lesson as they walked out the door. And other times, things ended just right, and I was able to have some sort of assessment, whether it was written, spoken, or performed. This closure, as I said, is key to giving students a sense of...well, closure! And the last week of school really wrapped up our nine months of student teaching in a nice gift box marked, “The End”. In addition to receiving some literal very special presents, there were the age-old traditions that helped me adjust to the fact that things were over. Sophia and I threw an end of the year party for our orchestra, I helped both Lorrie and Tyree clean up their rooms (for Lorrie, just for the summer, but for Tyree, permanently! It was bittersweet for us both), I signed yearbooks, I gave many hugs. Both Tyree and Lorrie had such kind, encouraging parting words for me. It was truly special to be able to exchange deep senses of gratitude with one another. My, what a year it was.

The beautiful book Lorrie and our GV students made!

And the gratefulness was expressed toward all four of us in a variety of ways, besides the hugs, cards, and gifts. Tyree had all my orchestra and Spanish students sign a gigantic (and comfy!) t-shirt for me that I will treasure for the rest of my life- I can’t decide if I should frame it or wear it!! And Lorrie created a beautiful, wonderful book full of lovely thank-you notes from so many of my cello, bass, and chamber students. I took out that book the moment I got on the plane and held back tears and laughter as I read my students’ words full of appreciation and love. The character strengths they greatly appreciated were my patience, care, hard work, and my joy. May I always show those traits to my students!

I think the hardest part, of course, was saying goodbye to the students. I know that Tyree, Lorrie, and I will all keep in touch, but I became really close to my kids, and it was difficult to think about not entering those music rooms anymore, waiting for those students to show up. I dreaded the day last week that I told all my students at both schools my bittersweet news. They were all very happy for me, but I received many tear-filled, red-faced hugs from my elementary schoolers that made it hard! To think that we made that impact on one another fills me up, though. I will never forget my first group of students. And next year, I will have probably over 100 students that I get to form that special relationship with. I’m already filled with love for this next group! It’s so special to think of this journey of learning I get to embark on with each and every child.

I stayed in a hotel room by myself for the
first time in Seattle, and IT ROCKED!
First thing I did? JUMPED ON THE BED.
Yes, I am an adult!

While it is sad that one chapter is closing, that means a new, equally exciting one is unfolding. I began my two of four final classes for my MAT degree two weeks ago and will be done August 3rd, so there is a light! Those two classes that began two weeks ago and go until August are online, so the other two meet on campus for six weeks from mid-June to late July. The four classes I am taking are: Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities, Educational Psychology, Multicultural Education, and Alaska’s People, Places, and Perspectives. I am particularly excited about that last one because we get to travel around Juneau and learn all about my new, amazing home state! I greatly value all of these classes but have already experienced a great deal of déjà vu with the two classes I started; the thing is, because our program got started late and was in its first year, the four of us are a summer behind in classes. Which means, I should have taken these classes last summer, before our student teaching...but instead, I learned on the job! In one sense, it is super helpful to have real-life experiences to connect to what I am reading because it helps me truly understand the concepts. On the other hand, it sort of feels like I already know all of it…?! But, when you think about, that’s FANTASTIC! I could not speak more highly of this 9-month student teaching experience with UAS. I am ready to enter into a classroom. I know what it means to be with a class, beginning to end, and see students through every step of the way.

So, once I finish classes, I will stay in Juneau for a very special day: Sophia’s birthday!! It’s so cool to think about how Sophia’s birthday was two days after we met last year. I barely knew her! And now, she’s one of my best friends. I can’t imagine not being there for her birthday! After that, I am hoping to put my car on the ferry and then drive from Skagway or Haines to Anchorage. It’ll be quite the trip, but I really wanted a road trip this summer, and I have heard this is a beautiful one! Sophia might also be able to join me, which would just be amazing! So, hmm...in order to put a car on the ferry, I need a car...OH WAIT! I just put an offer on one!!!! I did some research, and while I know there are more (and probably cheaper) options in Anchorage, I would love to purchase a car in Juneau so that, 1. I can put all my things in the car (including my cello…as fun as flying first class with him last summer was, those days are gone...and I have a lot more stuff!), and 2. I can have that road trip experience. So to me, it’s worth it. Also, I found a fabulous car that is just my style! I have already been to the dealership twice and have test-driven it and asked a bunch of questions (and don’t worry- I didn’t go alone!). It’s so me. It’s a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek Premium, and it is tangerine orange!!! You’ll never miss me in the snow! I’m like a traveling traffic cone! So anyways, I am just beginning that process, making sure everything is within my budget at the same time. But I am excited at the prospect of owning my first car. I cannot tell you how incredibly thankful I am for a stable job that allows for this blessing.

My (hopefully) new car!

I have a friend in Anchorage who is keeping an eye out for apartments/houses for me, but it may need to wait until I get there. I’m not sure if this is too ambitious, but I would love to look for a place and have it ready to move into by August 1st. We’ll see! It’s tricky only having a couple weeks in my new home city before school in-service starts.

The final big piece of the “Ruth becomes an adult” puzzle for the week has been figuring out the teaching certification process. Unfortunately, not only does it get slightly boring taking these classes so late in the game, but it also makes things more complicated with my teaching contract. My Master’s degree will not be official until late August. And then, my official transcript needs to be sent to another department in order to grant my certification. This whole process could go until October...even though I start in August! Thankfully, Scott has guided me through another way of applying for my initial teaching certificate, and it will all work out. It’s just a few more pieces to move along (some of which are in the hands of others, so I get to be that annoying nagging person!). I am thankful for everyone, including Scott, Lorrie, Tyree, Bruce (my new boss), the ASD HR office (Anchorage School District), and my parents, for helping me through this process. It can be very daunting, but I have such a big support system!

I have now progressed to sitting in bed, with Lewie snuggled up next to me. He and I both seem to be confused by the time difference. I am with my parents until next Monday, but we will be driving to Cleveland on Saturday to look at houses (OH YEAH- if you didn’t hear, I can FINALLY spill the beans: my dad was named the President of Cleveland Institute of Music!!! Check out one of the numerous articles about this exciting news here), and will then drive to Baltimore to see my cousin graduate from high school on Monday. Then, I fly to LA, Seattle, then Juneau. I’ll be back in time for my last round of Symphony rehearsals, which begins on Tuesday. :)

I will never forget jumping out of the car to surprise my mom after my dad picked me up from the airport...or the lie he told her and the rest of my family: that my grandparents were having thyroid AND diabetic episodes that forced him to leave the party for three hours. Rebecca, my grandparents, and my aunt could not be more shocked. I LOVE SURPRISES! And I love summer. :) I look forward to returning to Juneau, where I mostly have a week off before my on-campus classes start. I am ecstatic that I get to return to such a beautiful place! What an adventure!

Now, time to try to do homework...hmm...maybe tomorrow. :)

Yay family! I got to see both sets of my grandparents, one of my aunts, my parents, my sister and her husband, and my sister's in-laws. :)
And, of course, my niece. :)

Leaping Onto the Rock

Bittersweet: “Pleasure united with pain”.

-The Merriam-Webster dictionary

I really don't remember taking this picture...it seems unreal! And yet, this is the view
from the park outside the orchestra room at Thunder Mountain.

Thank God for Alaska. If it weren’t for its mountains, its many waters, its trails and paths, I am not sure I would have gotten through the past two weeks. There was strong intentionality with skipping my blog post last week, and you will soon discover why.

About ten days ago, I took myself to the downtown library in Juneau, locked myself in a small room, and sat with an old typewriter under the florescent lights. I opened up my computer and quickly discovered its data was so full that it wouldn’t allow me to use the application I needed in just seven minutes. So I frantically downloaded the Skype app on my phone and proceeded to have an interview- an interview that, seemingly, has changed my life.

I was interviewing for a full-time teaching job where I would get to work with sixth graders at a handful of schools. I would get to teach beginning string orchestra classes- an idea that both excited me and also made me feel extremely nervous. Before I knew it, I had answered all the interview questions and was then asking my three interviewers some questions of my own. As they described what my daily schedule would be, I envisioned myself, driving from school to school throughout the day, setting up my class, teaching it, and tearing it down- all in 45 minutes. And it excited me. A warm feeling of familiarity crept up in me as I reflected on my own experiences, running into the schools where I taught cello in Chicago and setting up for rehearsals with JAMM here.

I felt pretty good about the interview, especially since it had been my second one of the year, and I felt less nervous this time around. I strolled up and down the docks alongside the Channel for a little bit afterward, recounting the entire experience to my twin. And then I settled into the time of waiting, expecting to not hear back for at least a week or two. Two days later, I received the call...from Anchorage: “Ruth, we want you”. And I was given three-four days to think about it.

The view of Auke Bay from Lindsay's house! I walked all the way out to the rocks right in the water.

So, last weekend I was in a pretty weird place. I was full of anxiety about this decision. Do I stay, or do I go? Do I continue to invest in the professional and personal relationships I have here, invest in Juneau for longer term, or do I make my home elsewhere? It was not an easy decision. Hence, my thankfulness for God’s quiet, calming creation. I took many moments this past week to think in nature. I went on my first Alaskan camping trip last weekend (and I’d say, first “real” camping experience ever), and I couldn’t help but peel away and sit on the rocks, looking out at the ocean for a while as I prayed. I struggled with trying to listen to God’s voice because all I could hear were my own thoughts. My fears, excitements, and sadness. Later in the week, I took myself down to the docks outside my house and watched the sunset, trying to put pencil to paper and verbally process what I was thinking and feeling. After discussions with several loved ones and a lot of those times spent thinking and praying alone, I knew that I needed to step out in faith and take this opportunity.

It’s funny the different stages a person goes through when making a decision such as this. It’s a familiar feeling to me, since I made this choice just over a year ago when I came here. But this time, everything was on a whole new level. My initial reaction was complete shock and excitement. “I got a job?! Straight out of school? Oh wait...I’m still in school! How is this happening?!”. That feeling of joy remained for a solid day. And then my day “two of four” began, and the angst set in. “Wait- I have to make a decision...by early this week?!”. And once I made my choice and accepted the offer, some more emotions set in. Excitement over starting my first, official teaching job. Slight terror of being a new teacher. And sadness over breaking the news to people I deeply care about (including my students), and having to say goodbye to this place.

As I approach my last week of student teaching, I still have more people to tell and many moments to soak in. All of it will be laced with a sweet sadness that can only be described as something bittersweet. There is such great pleasure in this big life decision: a stable salary, a bigger city, an exciting professional opportunity. But the pain is just as much part of the process. I have begun to look at everything here in a different way, with a different glimpse of the eye. The vision of the one moving on becomes more intentional and purposeful. Man, will I miss this place.

I wonder as I take this big, adult step of taking a job somewhere and moving to a different city, how many others around me have done this very thing. I was sitting in Sunday School this morning, surrounded by people who were mostly three times my age, wondering- did they ever feel the turmoil coating this stage of life? I can’t think of any other way to describe it; the twenties seem to be a big time of change for many. The unknown is both exhilarating and exhausting.

The Shrine of St. Therese. :) This is exactly
where I was standing when I received the exciting
news I was offered the job!

Now that you’ve heard all about my deepest musings throughout this huge decision I made, you’re probably wondering what, exactly, it entails. I’ll share as many details as I can right now and know you will share in my hopeful excitement as we wait to learn more! I will be a sixth grade beginning string orchestra teacher at six (possibly seven) different schools in the Anchorage School District (ASD). Some days, I may go to four schools. I already looked into the schools I will be at, and they are all within 10 miles from one another in midtown Anchorage. Once everything is confirmed, I can share more about the schools! Two of the people who were in my interview have the same position I do, but at different schools in the District. This may be shocking to you, but Anchorage has 15 (maybe now 16?!) people doing this exact job, all over the city. There is a system for itinerant teachers- an organized system- and a base office for them. A built-in community. And I learned that there is great support for the arts in the schools in Anchorage, and many of the itinerant teachers feel strong support from the other teachers and administrators in the schools they go to. I will be a “music-teacher-on-the-go”, if you will, bringing my classroom with me, and possibly even student instruments. It will be a substantial amount of travel, but this position actually greatly piqued my interest because of the itinerant aspect. I think there will be some strong positives to this position, including teaching just orchestra (and not being asked to do anything else), avoiding politics that we all know happens within most schools, and being able to experience many different schools in the District! Also, in case you’re wondering, I will receive travel compensation. I am very excited to get to know all my kids, and I can tell I will also have a strong support system around me. I have already been emailing with a fellow itinerant teacher who has answered all of my questions and welcomed me well. It will be a good place for me to dive into teaching full-time.

That is as much as I currently know. I have begun to look at apartments and cars, both things I will greatly need as soon as I move up in late July/early August. My first day is August 17th, which gives me six days of being a year older (maybe it’ll make me wiser, too?!).

And thus continues my amazing Alaskan adventure. This place has captured my heart; I wouldn’t dare leave it next year! And while it is important to recognize the pain of letting go of Juneau (at least for now), it is equally necessary to celebrate the great pleasure I have had to get to know this wonderful town and its loving people. Juneau is where so much of it began, and I will forever treasure that.

“Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me.” -"Oceans" by Hillsong

By Faith

"Faith is choosing to keep our eyes open to the reality that we are held in every way possible by the Giver and Provider of all things."

-Another "Ruth musing" from earlier in the week

Keep this image of me and Saturn, Sophia's cat for the year,
in your mind as you read this post. :)

First of all, to anyone reading my second of two blog posts this week, kudos to you! Because it has not been long since I last wrote, this post will highlight more of the internal happenings in my life.

First of all, I think it’s safe to say that we tend to find ourselves in places we would never expect- physically, emotionally, spiritually- you name it. And while I am just entering the trailhead of this life stage, I am finding that the post-college 20’s decade is full of so many surprises. I know I’ve said it with excitement and pride many times, but I would have never expected to live in Alaska. I never imagined myself teaching or conducting an orchestra. Honestly, I never thought I could stand up in front of a large group of people and be heard. Not because of any psychological blocks or fears, per se, but more because I am used to being one of the quieter souls who connects with people one-on-one and lets others take the spotlight. And here I am, making my high schoolers laugh and encouraging them to find meaning in their lives as I stand up in front of them and gab excitedly.

My future has been on my mind a lot lately. What will become of my career? How will I use my passions? Will I someday soon be married, starting my own family, as I watch so many around me embark on that thrilling and tiring journey? Will I travel more, or will I hunker down and focus on establishing a home? There are so many unknowns. And sometimes, that drives me up a wall. I mean, I’m Type A, an ambitious college graduate, and a dreamer with high expectations. What a threatening combination! I am like many of the other millennials around me (why do I hate that word?! Maybe because it’s not always said with the loveliest of tones…)- we crave adventure. We lay down under the stars and imagine a “huge” future that often includes some version of backpacking around the world, getting tattoos that truly embody our “free spirits”, and we will eventually be recognized for something big- whether it is for starting a successful nonprofit or making it into a major orchestra. Or maybe it’s just having more than 100 Facebook likes on the hipster photo we got of ourselves looking pensively away from the camera and into whatever beautiful landforms we found ourselves surrounded by that day.

Sometimes, I get swept up in these grand feelings of wanting something more. I want to do more, be more, live more. And here I am. I’m in Alaska, surrounded by mountains, standing up in front of large groups of people and getting public recognition, getting Facebook likes- the whole deal. And yet, it doesn’t feel like enough. How is that?

Sophia and I hiked up Perseverance Trail and into the Granite Basin this afternoon, and we talked of many things for those several hours. As we talked with such love and care of our families who are so far away and then switched over to talking about more menial things, we eventually found ourselves counting the hours we work each week. Even with the amount we two workaholics put in, it doesn’t feel like enough. Even when the music sounds beautiful and the kids are smiling, grabbing your legs for hugs. Sometimes, it just doesn’t feel like enough for me.

But I’ve carried on, focusing on doing what I can to be a good teacher and be the most positive, loving person I can be, reminding myself that every interaction I have with someone means something. And then it hit me yesterday through an honest conversation with my dear twin. I have been dancing around the reality of life for a while. I think what really happened is I got distracted and dazed. And eventually, it all became a blur. You see, I believe that my main purpose in life is to live closely to God in order to become more like Him and his Son. And so many parts of my life radiated this belief by the time I graduated from college. I was heavily involved in ministry, leading a small group for my fellow musicians and artists. I helped lead worship. Daily Bible reading was pretty much a thing. It felt as if the lens was clear. I could see how my experiences and gifts could be used for the purpose I knew I was created to do.

But things, as they do, made my glasses dusty and my contacts blurred (I’m just trying to give you the full picture of me, which varies daily from crazy hair + glasses, to crazy hair + contacts). I started to focus more on my career, my relationships, and my financial stability. Are these things worthy causes to invest a great amount of my time in? Of course! But they became my end goal, my main purpose in living, which left me feeling a little lost. And as I ponder where I go next, this truth has become ever clearer to me. I just can’t do it; I can’t live for my job like I’ve been trying to do. I can’t live for trying to find the ideal partner. And I can’t live for this bursting-out-of-my-chest feeling of “wanting more”. The only time I ever feel peace in those momentary flashes is when I step outside of the present and look way beyond with an eternal perspective. The only way I have ever found solace from wanting more is when I focus on Jesus Christ. It’s just the truth. I could have everything I currently want and still be unsatisfied. How do I know that? Because I truly have so many wonderful gifts in my life, and I see them multiply more and more this year. I live in one of the most heavenly places. I mean, I spend my quiet times with Jesus singing hymns on the ocean dock across the street from me. My backyard overlooks an island full of mountains. And I saw two porcupines hanging out in trees today. Come on. I am also surrounded by incredible people here. I really don’t know what I would do without the other three girls in the program. They’ve gotten me through some very hard times, and we have a unique bond. And my family and friends are always just a phone call away, not to mention the wonderful parental figures I have here. I work with students who deeply care about one another and me. They respect adults, and they care about the music they are learning. I can join my high schoolers in funny conversations about their siblings when they were all little, and then go comfort my elementary schoolers who are nervous about moving into middle school (it almost feels too familiar because that’s exactly how I felt about graduating from college!). I have kids and teachers and colleagues who love me and continuously ask if I’ll be here next year. Others simply demand I stay in the most funny and affectionate way, and I can’t tell you how loved that makes me feel. I feel like a valuable member of society here, which is something I didn’t expect to feel at 22. And then there are the countless ways in which I have grown this year. Just the fact that I can make it up to the Mt. Roberts clearing without stopping is a victory for me! But I have made tough decisions and have established healthy boundaries for myself. I’ve learned to love being by myself, which is a miraculous twin win.

A classic "Ruth picture": I made faces at the kids throughout the whole cello ensemble concert to help alleviate their nerves and get them to enjoy the moment! Did it work? Who knows, but I sure had fun!!

I went to a church last night that has a small but captivating group of congregants and a passionate pastor. His sermon was on the first 13 verses of Hebrews 12, and his main point was, if you aren’t going through something hard right now, then you will soon. And when you do, you can choose to let it be a time marked with incredible grief, despair, anger, and difficulty, or it can be a time of incredible closeness to God. And actually, that time will probably still be filled with all those hardships, but it will be framed in a completely different way. These are all points I had heard before, but I needed to hear that yesterday. As I struggle with fear, heartache, confusion, and any other feelings we all encounter, I can choose to soak in those fleeting feelings. Or I can let God strengthen my weak knees. I can get up and keep running (or maybe just walking for me!). It’s very easy for me to say, “Well I don’t have time for it right now”, or come up with plenty of other excuses. But when I remember that God only wants what is the absolute best for us, it reminds me that I should want the same thing for myself. I don’t need to keep skating along or waiting for my time to come. The time is now.

So this post is more like a stream of consciousness, heart-to-heart with myself type-post. But what I am hoping and praying is, as I have been so honest with you all after being super honest with myself (which I think is the scariest part), these thoughts and realizations will encourage you. I could not tell you how many questions I have for God. So many question marks. I am staring at the rest of my life and cannot solidly picture anything. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been faced with darkness from the past, present, or future this year and have felt God calling me to the light once again. I also invite you to come to Him with your own set of fears, prejudices, distrust, and sadness, and hand it over. That is how you and I live more.

I’ll pray for you, if you pray for me! Just kidding. I’d pray for all of you, no matter what. Because I love you, just as He does.

Praise God for the mountains; without them, I would forever be in the valleys.

But wait...THERE'S MORE!!

“Finish what you start, even when it’s tough- that’s grit. Climb that mountain- you might fall, but just stick with it!”

-Excerpt from the Growth Mindset rap we teachers wrote at the Juneau Basic Arts Institute last summer, when I first started my journey. :)

First of all, if you have ever seen any infomercial, my post title should be read with that exact tone of voice. ;) Shout-out to Steve Balderston, who does a pretty killer impression of a telemarketer with this phrase!!!

All our cute JAMM cellists at UAS Egan Library on Saturday!

So, I am sorry that my post is super late this week! Some pretty big things happened in the last 10 or so days, so I have lots to write about!

Let’s just break it down by the various events.

First, my teacher work sample is finished!! I turned in this final assignment before the deadline so I could focus on my school lesson plans and the cello ensemble concert. It felt great to compile all my findings from my unit plan in one place and share what I have learned through this five-week journey. My students continue to present their final projects, which are slideshows with pictures, a jazz song, and a script read over it. Although it was a lot of work to teach the kids how to use the technology required for the project, it was so worth it. Their classroom teacher (who is incredibly kind and helpful- I could not have done this unit so smoothly without her!) even commented that the final project was so engaging and motivating for her class; she gave students time in class to work on it, and they really got into finding fun photos to capture their stories about music.

That was Wednesday. Now, Friday was a busy day: Sophia and I were subbing for Lorrie, and we were tasked with removing all 50+ chairs and 25+ stands from the music room, making sure each was labeled for the cello ensemble concert at UAS. Thankfully, Meghan, my standpartner in the Symphony and cello teacher colleague at GV who also arranged this entire epic concert, put in a work order with the district for them to move the chairs and stands to the UAS library where the concert was. So all we needed to do was have them ready to go! Maintenance came and picked them up, and we made sure all the cellists also packed up their instruments before the end of the day. In addition to that, the quartet had a sneaky surprise cooking on Friday: we wanted to do something special to thank one of our fabulous kindergarten teachers who actually helped start JAMM at Glacier Valley and has been a faithful, integral volunteer with JAMM ever since. She is retiring at the end of this year, so we and the students put together a homemade gift to thank her for everything and wish her well. But we also wanted to thank Lorrie for all the incredible work she has done, and our fifth graders who were the first class of JAMM students and are now moving on to middle school wanted to take part in her gift in a big way. So we wrote a short song to a familiar tune, “Beautiful Skies” from the Mark O’Connor music methods books for Lorrie and gave her a homemade gift as well. Check out our song for her here. The kids meant every word, and it was very special. :)

Then, the cello ensemble concert! Meghan and I arrived at UAS at 9:30am to set up all 50 chairs and their stands for the second grade through adult-aged cellists performing. Then, came the Juneau Symphony cello choir rehearsal at 11. We rehearsed until 1, when students started arriving! Everything was back-to-back, and of course, when the concert began, time just seemed to fly by. The Juneau Symphony cello choir tackled a big goal of putting together 9 pieces, performed by 9 cellists together. The music ranged from tangos, to hymns, to “classical classics”, if you will. The performance could not have gone smoother, especially since the dress rehearsal was pretty rough and stress-filled (isn’t that always the case?!)! Check out one of our pieces, Oblivion, here.

The Scholarship for Strings concert featured over 50 cellists from our community. It was so special!

Then, all our JAMM cellists from Glacier Valley, Auke Bay, and Riverbend elementary schools joined us, in addition to some of our middle and high school cellists from the district. Together, we performed five pieces. Here’s one. :) It was glorious to have over 50 cellists from ages seven to over sixty playing music together. And it was a great fundraiser for the MAT scholarship fund for our next group of teaching artists coming in. I haven’t heard the total amount raised yet, but every chair was filled, and people were standing in the back. So, that’s a good sign!!

Many appreciative thank you’s were said, and I walked home with delicious chocolates and multiple bouquets of beautiful flowers. People in Juneau sure know how to be appreciative of one another, and I felt so grateful for that and for everyone’s hard work to make that event possible. :)

That night, I actually chaperoned Prom for Thunder Mountain!! It was held at a nice hotel downtown called the Baranof, and it was a blast. I mostly did it to get to know the other teachers and students at TM who I never see, since Sophia and I are tucked back in the orchestra/choir/band hallway and leave the building halfway through the day. The other teachers were awesome and hilarious, and the kids were so mature and respectful of one another and the chaperones. It was a fun night!

We did it!! I, Sophia, and Heidi are pictured here. Lindsay began the program late
and can choose to walk in the graduation next year. :)

And then, graduation!!! I got up on Sunday, went to church pretty exhausted after staying out late, and headed over the the UAS recreation center for graduation. The ceremony was so uniquely Alaskan: there were decorations all over the walls with form line design and the UAS logo, and we processed in to Alaska Native dancers and drummers performing. It was amazing! Multiple speeches were made, and I was pretty cold by the time they asked the graduates to stand up and wait to walk onto the stage. I was standing next to Sophia and Heidi and a few other MAT colleagues whom I had actually never met in person but had heard in class every Thursday. How crazy! The nerves and excitement were built up for us all as we walked up the ramp to the stage. And then, the cameraman handed his camera to the guy next to me (who I knew from class) and told us we could take some group selfies as we walked up. We not only did that, but the MAT graduate holding the camera proceeded to take selfies as his name was called, he was hooded with his Master’s hood, and he walked across the stage. It was hilarious! It was truly a special moment to stand up on that stage and hear my name called, attached with a “Master of Arts in Teaching” at the end. I was beaming as I bent down to have my hood put on me, and I continued to smile as I shook the hands of all the men standing on the stage (why were there only men, I do not know! Especially since ⅔ of UAS graduates are female, apparently!). I walked off and returned to my seat, full of pride. The ceremony ended, and I joined Eric and Teri, Lorrie, and the other girls for hugs, flowers, and a photoshoot! It was still very exciting and shocking what had just happened. As the photos continued, it began to hit me, though, that my family is usually all here with me for these big events. And while they were all diligently watching online and taking every screenshot of me they could, it didn’t feel the same. I reminded myself of all the times they have been there for me and felt very grateful for those who are with me in Alaska, cheering me on. Eric and Teri took me out to dinner, and the celebrations continued throughout the evening.

Sunday was full of many emotions: excitement, pride, nostalgia, and joy. But Monday...that was a whole other ball park of emotions! The exhaustion of staying up late working on my teacher work sample, rehearsing for the cello ensemble concert, chaperoning Prom, and spending time with friends, definitely took a toll, and I was a complete ghost by Monday. I also began to wonder if choosing to walk in graduation was the best thing for me, mentally and emotionally. To celebrate a close of a chapter and still continue writing that very chapter the following day just felt wrong. By Monday night, I was feeling like I really needed a break. Thankfully, I had supporters around me who understood, and the load was slightly lifted the next day, which helped my transition back into my 13-hour Tuesday’s go smoother. Sophia and I got together after we taught our private lessons and watched the sun set over Auke Bay, eating ice cream and giggling loudly about who know’s what (we were both deliriously tired), and we finished off the night with a movie.

And the final big event of the week was the final JAMM informance over the year, which was yesterday! It was a special, tear-filled time of celebrating all our students, JoAnn (our kindergarten teacher), and Lorrie. Showing our surprise video for Lorrie worked out great, and I was so relieved to have that secret out of the bag! In addition to the homemade gift for JoAnn, our chamber group had been working on the Star Wars theme song, which we performed for her in the dark with “light saber bows” (which were actually glow sticks taped to bows- it looked awesome!). So we concluded the informance with the Star Wars surprise, and it was epic. Pictures and videos will be posted on Facebook as soon as they become available!

As the week wraps up, I have gotten many congratulations from people. Tyree announced to the orchestra on Monday that we graduated with our Master’s degrees and revealed to our students all that Sophia and I have been doing this year: conducting the orchestras, teaching other classes at TM, teaching music at GV and with JAMM, and taking online classes to earn our Masters. They seemed pretty surprised! I think our students don’t always realize all that teachers do, but I also think we don’t always realize everything they do! The librarian with whom I team-teach for my unit plan announced the same thing to my fourth graders, and they were so happy for me. I told them the best gift they could give me was a picture of me with all of them, so that’s exactly what we did. It’s my new lock screen photo, and it makes me happy. :) A couple of my private students gave me gifts to congratulate me as well, thanking me for my work with them. These tiny things make me realize that I am definitely happy I walked for graduation and that I am very loved here. It means a lot to me. The best gift of all that I received this week, though, came from one of my unit plan fourth graders. He is one of the sweetest, most helpful students at Glacier Valley, and he also came to the cello ensemble concert this weekend. He came up to me nervously at the end of class this week, and said, “Miss Ruth...I wanted to let you know that I want to play the cello next year...because...I saw you play it this weekend, and you play it so well”. It just made my heart soar to hear that all the years in the practice room, all the nerve-wracking performances in studio class and the lessons I worked so hard to prepare for, inspired a young student to learn the instrument I play. Yay!!!

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been asked constantly what my plans are for next year. This weekend brought it to a whole new level- I was asked at least three times a day this weekend. It can be overwhelming, for sure. I have a few potential prospects in Juneau and elsewhere, and I am waiting to see what opens up and where I am accepted. I don’t want to officially announce anything through writing until I know, but those close to me are free to reach out! This next step will be a big one, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever feel ready for it. But I would definitely love to continue this Alaskan adventure, if I can help it!

Stay tuned for another post this weekend or later on in the week! I am now at blog post #38, which is hard to believe. :) Thank you to those who are still hanging in there, especially with longer posts like these. :)

Watching the sun set over Auke Bay! The sun doesn't set until 9pm in Juneau these days, and it is getting brighter, faster and faster. I don't know how I'll sleep with such beauty all around me this summer!