North Windy Ridge Intermediate
Creative Connections
Students at North Windy Ridge balance academics with incredibly enriching classes such as Spanish and
Band. These opportunities help create important connections for students. Whether through a second
language or the universal language — music — these are important experiences for our students.
“I had to learn to read music notes
and build up my breath to play the
music correctly. At first, I didn’t know
how to read music, but this year, I
have learned.”
-Macee Benfield,
sixth grade, plays trumpet
“Students get more than they expect. They
are learning a new language. Music is it’s own
language. Plus, they are learning other languages
within that – Latin, Italian, German, and French.
This helps with their other classes. They are
learning self-discipline and learning to practice
on their own, which leads them to gain some good
life skills. Plus, they build camaraderie.”
-Shawn Benfield, Band Instructor
“We live in a different world than I grew up
in. Students have access to information and
opportunities on a global level. It’s more than
speaking English, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese.
You have to learn to work with all different kinds
people. It’s about learning to respect and embrace
differences. We may be different from each other,
but we each have something to share with others.”
-Marisel Vicente, Spanish Teacher
“I think it’s fun to try something
new, because I’ve never played an
instrument before. It was really
new for me.”
-Katie Johnson,
sixth grade, plays trumpet
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