Ms. Jennifer Pham, who teaches Band, is one of the teachers in their first year at Vestal High School. She played flute and percussion in high school and continues to play all band instruments today, including some orchestra ones as well. She likes all kinds of music, including classical and jazz, and one of her favorite artists is Jacob Collier, who she says does an “excellent combination of pop, jazz, and funk.”
Her interest in music was prompted by the amazing music teachers she’d had throughout her own life, who “not only helped how [she] felt at school but how [she] felt about herself as well and about things [she] wanted to do.” She wanted to make the same difference in her students as they had, which ultimately led her to choose a profession in music.
She describes the students of Vestal to be “diverse” – not just in their population but in activities as well. No one is restricted to one specific activity and everyone has the opportunity to explore their full potential. There isn’t necessarily a single stereotype each student adheres to, as one might find in a high school movie or such. “They’re not put in one box and they get to do a bunch of stuff,” she remarks.
Alongside the chance to bond with all her students, Ms. Pham is most looking forward to the Music Department’s trip to Cleveland, Ohio, at the end of the year. She’s enthusiastic about the orchestra concert and the Guardians’ baseball game the entire Department will go to. She says it will be good for all of them, as “the students will have really bonded by then.” She mentions how it’ll be an exciting experience for the seniors especially, what with the end of their high school lives and all.
To conclude, the advice she offers to her students (and all students in general) is extremely sound. “Pursue things that add to your life, whether that be a sport, a friendship, or a class. Pursue things that have value, but don’t be afraid to put in hard work because with great value comes a lot of responsibility. Don’t be afraid to let go of things that don’t hold value to you,” she says. Every student in high school can recognize the truth in her statement. There are a myriad of activities we might not have a passion for, but we continue them anyway. Sometimes, we keep doing them because of peer or parental pressure, not because of passion. Ms. Pham’s greatest advice to students is to live their lives to their fullest and have no regrets about something they did or something they didn’t want to do.