T HE G REEN W AVE G AZETTE
P AGE 4
Unsung Hero: Jill McKeon
Music is her passion - especially playing clarinet
Tyler Moulton
Staff Writer
“If you have a
passion for
something,
….just go for it;
you will find
success if you
do something
you enjoy.”
Jill McKeon
For the Winter 2016 Green Wave
Gazette Unsung Hero, we chose one
of Abington High School’s most
talented music students. Senior Jill
McKeon has had the distinct honor
of competing in the South Eastern
District Music Festival’s senior division since her sophomore year, after
competing in the junior division
(where she was principal clarinet
player). Jill has also competed in the
South Eastern Massachusetts School
Band Master Associations
(SEMSBA). Jill is obviously a fine
clarinet player. Let’s get to know
her a little bit better.
How did you get interested in
music competitions?
I’ve always listened to music, and so
has my family. So, it’s always been a
big part of my life. I started playing
clarinet in the fourth grade, and my
interest in competition started then.
When my teacher in seventh grade
told me about (South Eastern District Music) festival, my interest
grew even more.
What music do you enjoy listening to? What do you like to
play?
I like listening to all kinds of music.
I’ve been trying to be more openminded so that I can expand my
knowledge. I like going to a lot of
concerts and really enjoy live performances of any kind. But as far as
playing goes, I mostly perform classical music. I really like it because
it’s a lot different from most of the
things I listen to. It also helps me
understand the music I listen to
because I’m able to see all the complexities of classical music, which
helps me understand simpler pieces.
So, why the clarinet?
In fourth grade everyone had to
choose an instrument and it was kind
of tough; I had to choose between
the clarinet and the flute. I remembered seeing bands perform and I
remembered the sound of the clarinet, and I always liked it. It’s strong,
but it has a lot of different ranges
and is very versatile.
Can you tell us a little bit about
your experience in the music
competitions and festivals?
From seventh grade through high
school, I competed in the South
Eastern District Music Festivals
competition. Being the principal
clarinet player was a really great
experience because I had solos and a
really good part. Having a prominent role in the band got me really
interested in expanding my participation in this competition. The
senior division is more advanced,
and I have been participating since
sophomore year. I’ve also been
involved in other festivals such as
SEMSBA throughout high school.
What other subjects do you
take an interest in studying?
I really like history and English; I’m
definitely not a math or science
person. I enjoy reading in my free
time as it’s actually very similar to
music for me. It’s another way that
people express themselves. I especially try to read the classics as they
help me understand historical time
periods and the way people thought.
It also helps me understand music
and what various pieces are expressing contextually.
As a senior what are your current plans or hopes for college?
I’d like to continue playing clarinet
and learning more instruments. I
want to incorporate music into my
career and my life. I plan on studying music business and creating a
career that will allow me to become
a part of the music industry in a
practical way. I do also want to take
advantage of musical opportunities
in college, such as performing in
competitions or joining ensembles.
Looking retrospectively, do
you have any advice for underclassmen?
If you have an interest in music, just
practice as much as possible. Also, if
you have a passion for something,
definitely just go for it and focus on
it; you will find success if you do
Nursing School According to Mikayla Rooney (continued from p. 1)
“Nursing is
hard. …when
my non-nursing
friends are
going out …, I
have to stay in
and study.”
Mikayla Rooney
difficult, and require almost all
of my time. When my nonnursing friends are going out and
having fun, I have to stay in and
study for all of my exams.”
Nursing is a very popular occupation in the U.S.. According to
the U.S. Nursing Workforce,
there are over 3.1 million registered nurses in the U.S., and 2.8
million of them are currently
employed. Being a nurse is the
most popular occupation in the
medical field, and the average
nursing salary is approximately
$66,000 per year.
Serving as a nurse is no easy
task. Mikayla says that common
duties include “caring for patients and being able to respond
to their needs, administering
medications and helping to save
people’s lives.” She says her
favorite part of school is
“clinical, when I care for patients
in a hospital setting under the
direction of a registered nurse.”
“Becoming a nurse has always
been my dream, and I am currently halfway through my sophomore year, which is considered
the hardest year of the nursing
program. I am enrolled with a
great group of friends and an
amazing staff of teachers. I can’t
wait to see what the next two
years bring, and I can’t wait to
graduate.”