New teacher Kelsey Jobst started her full-time teaching career at Twin Falls Middle School this year. Taking over from Matt Wenman who is on a continuing education leave of absence, she will conduct three band classes, three choir classes, and world music enrichment classes, seeing about 300 students daily.

Jobst grew up in Aberdeen, where she took private piano lessons and participated in the school band. She received a bachelor of music degree in music education, with a minor in musical theatre education, from Central Washington University in December, and spent six months as a substitute teacher in the area. She plays piano, French horn and has studied voice.

She came to the district this fall, and says, “I couldn’t have asked for a better-supported music program.”

By way of introduction to the community, Jobst answered the following questions about herself:

What made you want to teach music?

I love what I do, and I can’t imagine doing this job if I were not so enamored with the positive outcomes and rewarding learning processes. Many of the best experiences I had growing up were because of my involvement in music and performing arts. The encouragement I received from inspirational teachers and supportive peers helped me realize that this was what I wanted to do with my life.

What’s on your schedule for students this year?

The students will give three concerts at Twin Falls Middle School, and perform at festivals for the Eastshore Region, which includes the Snoqualmie Valley, Issaquah and Mercer Island School Districts. They will also travel to the Seattle, Leavenworth, Ellensburg, Eugene, and Corvallis to perform in festivals and contests. All of these trips benefit students by giving them opportunities to perform for different audiences in different venues, and to be adjudicated by top music educators and performers around the Northwest.

Is there one thing you want all of your diverse group of students to learn by the end of the year?

The most important thing that students can take away from my music classes in middle school is that they have a place to belong. Whether they love playing their instrument for the sheer joy of making music, or they are only there for their friends, I am happy they are there and want every student to feel accepted. I also want them to take away an appreciation for the music they will encounter the rest of their lives. Most will not play their instruments after high school, but I hope that they will always support their local music programs and love and appreciate what they hear on the radio, or at concerts.