After three years of teaching orchestra students, assistant orchestra director Madison Waggerman decided to leave the program in search of new opportunities and jobs.
“I am going to try to pursue a career outside of education,” Waggerman said. “I am not really sure where the journey is going to take me, but I believe it will be a necessary change for my life.”
Having Waggerman as her assistant orchestra director for two years, head orchestra director Julie Blackstock says that her fun and joyous mood enlightened the orchestra every day.
“Mrs. Waggerman has contributed additional laughter and love to the orchestra,” Blackstock said. “She contributed so much through her love and compassion for all her students and for trying to make the orchestra a better place for everyone who is involved.”
This decision has not come easy for her, as she finds it difficult to leave her students so easily.
“Not being able to see everybody grow into their potential and seeing everyone accomplish and achieve their dreams is the saddest part about leaving,” Waggerman said.
Having Waggerman as their teacher since middle school, freshman Jyosthna Setti says that her fun and upbeat personality brought laughter to the class.
“She taught me and the rest of the orchestra students so much about music in exciting ways with her upbeat personality,” Setti said. “She always made sure everyone was included in her engaging conversations.”
Waggerman’s decision has also impacted her students, including junior Riya Rathod who had Waggerman for two years, who says that she will miss her enthusiasm and acknowledgment she had to each and every student the most.
“Every orchestra class, she would make every single one of us feel acknowledged, which is something that I would truly miss the most,” Rathod said. “From our smallest accomplishments to our biggest ones, she would always make the effort to know her students beyond the classroom, while also appreciating each one of us.”
The decision wasn’t easy according to Waggerman as there’s one part of the job she will miss the most.
“Not being able to see everybody grow into their potential and seeing everyone accomplish and achieve their dreams is the saddest part about leaving,” Waggerman said.
