By Maddy Cooper
More than 200 students, at least 10 concerts a year, and just one director.
With the choral department at Delta High School continuing to grow, it is clear that the Delaware Community School Corporation should hire a second choir teacher to assist Ms. Elana Camp.
To start, the overall enrollment of the high school choirs has grown in the past few years, with the Concert Choir expanding from around 20 students in the 2021-2022 school year to now more than 40. This is also seen throughout the middle school choirs, where Camp also teaches. Not only does teaching at two schools put more on Camp’s plate, but the differences in all of the grade levels makes it hard, as well.
Camp will go from conducting three experienced choirs in high school to teaching music basics to sixth-graders all in one day. With an increase in student numbers and knowledge throughout both schools, there comes a strain on the director.
On average, classes at DHS are around 20 students to one classroom instructor. Choir has an average of 35 students to one director. The only other classes that have these numbers of enrollment are the band classes, and those classes have two teachers in each.
There has also been an increase in the number of events and concerts that the high school choirs attend. Because of the talent and professionalism of the choirs, they are being invited to more and more.
Many students also participate in extracurricular choir-related competitions and trips throughout the year, such as the Indiana All State Honor Choir and the Indiana State School Music Association competition. Within the past four years, dozens of students have traveled to cities such as Orlando, Fla., and Nashville, Tenn., to perform.
These competitions and trips are voluntary, yet take months and months of preparation with Camp and dedication from students. Camp works hours beyond the school day to ensure that all six classes she teaches will run well and that concerts go as planned.
There have also been newly added concerts. The Concert Choir now attends the Ball State MasterWorks Chorale Valentine’s concert and the Ball State Choral Invitational. These new concerts are ones that DHS is specifically invited to year after year. They do add more work for the students and Camp, but they also get more people to see how talented the DHS choirs are.
With many students becoming more involved outside of school choir, and Camp having more and more on her plate, a second teacher has become necessary. It is common, and expected, for other programs and teams to have multiple coaches. In addition to band with two teachers, the art department also has two teachers for their classes. The DHS football team has five coaches and boys basketball and girls volleyball both have four coaches. The rest of the sports teams have at least two coaches. All of these competitive and successful teams have multiple coaches, but the ever-growing and continuously successful choral department still only has one director.
Lastly, music education in schools is important for a well-rounded education. Research done by the University of Southern California states that “music education contributes to improved creativity and confidence, better mental health and emotional stability, and student performance.”
USC found that learning music, both vocally and instrumentally, increased positive development in students. By hiring a second teacher, the choral classes at DHS will allow students to be able to learn and accomplish more throughout class periods.
Some may say that there is a clear solution,other than adding another director: just do less. It seems that simple. If you are struggling with the involvement of all choirs in and outside of school, doing less would help that stress, right? While this may seem like an easy solution, expanding and investing in the choral department can reflect well on Delta as a whole. DHS has become better and better at sports all around, and a successful music and choral program will allow Delta High School to become more well-rounded in more aspects of education.
Overall, Camp has become somewhat of a “victim” of her own success. The increase in enrollment numbers and opportunities for students outside of school has shown how successful of a teacher she is. Since Camp has proven to be an incredible and effective teacher, a second director would overall benefit the program. Students within the DHS choral program agree.
“It would take a lot of pressure off of Ms. Camp so that she wouldn’t have to worry all the time about getting things done,” senior Concert Choir member Ryen Hargis says.
Throughout the years, as the choir program has grown, the need for a second director has grown as well. If you agree and support hiring another teacher, write a letter, email or speak to a school board member stating your support. You can also email me at cooper2025505@delcomschools.org. Your support can help the DHS choral program continue to grow and succeed.
NOTE: This column represents the personal opinion of senior Maddy Cooper. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of the Eagle’s Eye newspaper or Delta High School.
