You GO, MusicMakers!!!!
July 15, 2007
Front Page of the Fort Lauderdale North Broward Edition
Community News:
Parkland camp fosters young musicians
Parkland Summer
camp hit a high note again for Arielle Hoffman.
For the past few summers, she's been part of the MusicMakers! Summer
Camp, where even the most inexperienced musicians get their groove
on.
"Because of this camp, I love music," said Arielle, 12, of Coral
Springs. "I didn't before I started coming here."
Based at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the camp has been
creating musicians out of young campers since 1998. The camp, which
is split into two two-week sessions, is offered through the Coral
Springs Parks and Recreation Department.
It is for children ages 6-14 regardless of their musical experience
and was founded by director Nicole Greggs.
"I wanted to create a camp where students could be exposed to the
basics of elementary music education and then go back into their
public schools fired up about music enough to get those programs
going as well," said Greggs, a Coral Springs resident and a music
teacher at Plantation Park Elementary.
During the two weeks, students were introduced to the fundamentals
of keyboards, percussion, recorder, strings and singing. More
advanced students worked on ensemble pieces the camp staff composed
for them.
It was Ashley Wood's second summer at the camp. After learning how
to play and read music, the Coral Springs girl joined her school
band and now plays the saxophone.
"Everyone is so enthusiastic and excited," said Ashley, 12.
The enthusiasm is spurred on by Greggs, who wears a different crazy
hat each day to keep the campers laughing.
She said the sessions, with a minimum of four-hour instruction each
day, is equivalent to nearly two and a half years of music
instruction in the public school system. Students sing her praises
for her creative teaching style.
"They really want kids to have fun here," said Danny Newman, 12, who
is in his sixth year at the camp. "It's never the same thing."
"You get to do a lot of fun things," said Christa Duggan, 7, of Fort
Lauderdale, who likes playing violin and percussion instruments.
Eighty students registered for each session. Each two-week session
ended with a grand finale where campers got to show what they
learned.
Greggs relies on fellow music teachers to round out her
instructional staff, including Donice Rufus of Ramblewood Elementary
and Mark Henschel of Pompano Beach Elementary. Adelin Alexanian is
just completing music studies at Florida Atlantic University.
"Our camp is an advocacy tool for music education, and it's a place
where kids that never had the opportunity to experience the joy of
making music can come and get an in-depth dose," Greggs said.
For information, go to
www.musicmakerscamp.com.