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“We have the power to change... We used to be a nation that was #1 in all categories of innovation. We are now #10. But remember those powerful 10 two letter words... “if it is to be, it is up to me.”
So nothing in the world changes unless we do... and we are a product of that change. We have the power to create change.”
- Senator Cory Booker
HISTORY
The Southern Heights Elementary Project started with a seed inventory of three dusty piano keyboards in a portable building a few years ago. This project has grown into a full blown rock band class, ballet folkloric class, piano class, ballroom class, photography/film class and theater class. This massive project has set the bar high for special programming in the district. This 21st Century Fine Arts Project has lead the way for more programming around the district which includes the Principal List (a multimedia class) and Drum Circle Class at Jefferson Elementary and Ukulele Class at Broadmoor Elementary. It takes creativity, respect, humility and grit to build special programs around Principal Hunt’s vision for adults to start asking students “What will you be famous for?”
MISSION
Performing Arts are a mandate in New Mexico in K-8th Grade. Performing Arts Instruction is supported by a K-5th Grade funded mandate called the Fine Arts Education Act of New Mexico. Learning through the arts is also an integral part of the overall educational experience of an elementary student in the public schools in Hobbs, New Mexico.
Recently, the Wallace Foundation published a report called “Something to Say” about best practices in arts programming. According to the report, the number one factor that determines a successful art program is the professional teachers who teach the classes. The qualified teacher determines the level of excellence their students can achieve. Broadmoor, Jefferson and Southern Heights Elementary are good examples of following this best practice for executing quality arts programs. Our professional teachers partner with the Hobbs Municipal Schools to fulfill these important state mandates with excellence.
There is something to be said for people who walk about eight paces ahead of everyone else - the innovators. Who do not take no for an answer, they just find a better way. They don’t rely on the small library of knowledge we already know, but are driven towards the larger part of the world that is yet to be discovered. They learn to do larger things by collaborating across classrooms, school buildings, even across districts in the state.
This project involves professional musicians like Arnold Cardon who performs guitar professionally but shares his talents with the students at Southern Heights and Heizer Middle School. We have recruited Emily Hayward who took on the Ukulele Project for the district at Broadmoor Elementary. Her husband, Dan Hayward, who is a talented Math Teacher at Houston Middle School, is helping us provide sign language for the Ukulele performance. Amanda Heister, a musician who shares her talents with her students every week created the drum circle at Jefferson Elementary. Marisol Forrister has helped innovate media arts programming with the Principal’s List at Jefferson Elementary. We involved dance teachers like Catherine Brijalba and Shannon Wright who share their love of folkloric dance and ballroom dance respectively with their students. We have also partnered with some talented teachers at Southern Heights including Andrea Brzezinski Zielsdorf, Makayla McCormick and Eric Stevenson who teach the SPUR TV class and Catherine Brijalba and Diane Salinas who teach the Spur Thespian Class.
This collaboration of schools represents the innovative leadership flagship of the district fine arts program that has seen regional and national recognition for its programming with excellence. This team of professionals combined with a group of talented students are always ready to try something new. They have helped our elementary fine arts program develop a template for bridging programs to the middle school and for afterschool programming. This template now includes four main components:
Healthy Snacks
Academic Support
Physical Activity
Enrichment in the Arts and Sciences
We are also developing four clear lanes for programming: Middle School Bridge Programs, General Art and Music Classes offered during the school day, Community Partnerships in the Performing Arts and After School Programs. All of those areas are developing new layers of leadership in the district arts program. This is why it is time to take the special programs to the next level from innovative beta projects and scale them into a program structure that will serve the district well in years to come.
Thank you for supporting the arts and your students.
Tyson Ledgerwood
Elementary Fine Arts Coordinator
Hobbs Municipal Schools
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