To the Editor:

As a senior at Berne-Knox-Westerlo, I have been involved in the music department since around second grade, participating in both chorus and band. This year, as a senior, I was involved in the school musical, Senior Band, Senior Chorus, Jazz Band, and more. I took advantage of all of the opportunities that were available to me within the music department.

Band, which I have been a part of for around eight years, creates a sense of camaraderie among students within the class, as people bond over a shared love of music and the desire to create it. Learning to play an instrument may seem incredibly simple on the surface, but it offers many challenges and opportunities, including the chance to perform at the New York State School Music Association, All County, and more. 

These opportunities have allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. NYSSMA specifically was a massive challenge that allowed me to grow as a person and increased my dedication to music and, in general, schoolwork.

The BKW musical, which takes place earlier in the school year, is a massive collaboration between the students and the music teachers, and it gives kids the ability to learn new jobs and take on new responsibilities. This year and last year, I was responsible for the play’s sound, and this year marked the first year where I ran the entire soundboard during the musical.

As a result of this opportunity, I was able to take on an internship under one of BKW’s music teachers and find a new interest that I plan to pursue later in life. Currently, I hope to minor in some sort of theater tech design in college, something that will be made significantly easier due to this internship and my work on the musical.  

The musical also allowed me to meet many kids that I did not have the ability to meet beforehand, and some have become very close friends of mine as well. Akin to that of band and other similar classes in the music department, the musical brings people together, both students as well as community members.  

I am not directly impacted by any of the proposed budget cuts, as I am a senior and this is my last year at BKW; however, I aim to highlight what will be lost if the budget does not pass and how the opportunities discussed above aided me during my college search and will continue to aid me later on in my career.  

The contingency budget entirely cuts the musical, something that would be devastating to many people in the department, both students and teachers alike. It’s hard to truly comprehend how much time and effort goes into the preparation of such an event because most people only see the final show, and that lasts around three hours.

But prior to those three hours, students have spent hours upon hours at school rehearsing lines and entrances, practicing dance numbers and more, all for the love of music. Preparation also includes building and painting sets, folding play programs, and more, which, again, is all done out of a dedication to music and the musical as a whole.

Similarly, NYSSMA also involves a massive time commitment for many. I have done it for the past two years and, prior to the actual date of my solo, spent 40 minutes or more a day practicing my instrument and solo in order to get a good score at the solo festival.

Music takes dedication and responsibility, as well as a true love for the subject matter, and the students I met at BKW demonstrate those things. These programs also aid students in getting into college and open the door for college scholarships.

Without the music department and the musical, I would have never found my love of tech crew or love for music in general and would not be able to have the chances that I will now have. As a graduating senior I owe a lot to the music department and can say with certainty that cutting it down due to a budget not passing would negatively impact the BKW school as a whole, especially the students and community.

Kathryn Joslin

Salutatorian

BKW Class of 2024