Teacher Spotlight: Gina Myers
Posted on 09/29/2020
Advanced Mixed Choir in the auditorium(SPS) -- As you walk down the main hallway of Sapulpa High School during 2nd hour, you hear the melodic sounds of Advanced Mixed Choir.

From the color of the piano tone to the harmony of students singing, the music practically invites you into choir room 414.

But there’s a problem. The room is empty.

This particular class has nearly 30 students enrolled in it, and despite Gina Myers’ efforts to socially distance the chairs in her room, she had to move the students next door to create more capacity.

“It’s bigger than we could be spaced out in our choir room,” said Mrs. Myers of the class size. “So, that’s why we chose to go to the auditorium.”

It’s a precaution she took to help minimize the possible spread of viruses through respiratory particles in droplets emitted during singing. The students also keep their face coverings on as they sing. It’s not ideal and it’s been challenging, she said, but it’s worth it to keep the class moving along.

“Even though there are days when we’re all frustrated with the masks and the limits that we feel and not being able to hear each other, we all agree that being able to do something and to get some level of that experience that we’re used to is better than not being able to do anything at all.”



Mrs. Myers reflected back to the spring during Distance Learning and how difficult it was to work with students over video conferencing as her motivation to make sure she’s doing what she can to keep everyone healthy and in the building.

“I don’t want my class to be the one that causes us to not be here anymore,” she said. “We’ve all heard stories about choir and coronavirus, I don’t wanna be that choir.”

What she does want is to be the choir that is at full strength for the state competition in the fall and the choir competition in the spring. As the calendar inches closer to those dates, she said the students haven’t really been affected by the changes.

“As far as progressing toward our fall concert, we’re about the same place we normally would be. I think it’s gone pretty good.”

And that really is a good thing. Her students chose this class. They want to be a part of something bigger than just themselves. So if making compromises keeps the group together, it’s what they’ll do to see it through.

“Just singing together with a group of people, like you get used to that as being part of your daily life and it, this is kind of corny, but it brings a lot of joy to your life,” she said.

Joy is the best way to describe the feeling you get when you hear the students sing, regardless of the location or the masks or the distancing. They’re singing. That’s what matters.

“I’m thankful that we’re here and glad for the way that it’s going.”