YouTube Clean-Up – written by Lea Wehnau
This week, we are highlighting the work of Lea Wehnau and Mae Prasch. Together, they took on a project request from Kelly Rocchi, the choral director at Nazareth Area High School.
Lea, Mae, and their project mentor, Dr. Craig Denison, met via Zoom with Kelly to discuss the details of her project request. Kelly had been uploading “The Mrs. Rocchi Show” to her YouTube account, but she also wanted to be able to upload projects from her students. In addition, she had many old, personal videos she did not want public anymore. She also hoped to be able to “schedule” her uploads, in hopes that people would get excited for when her videos release.
Lea and Mae hopped onto the project right away, making a new banner, making her personal videos “unlisted”, and organizing her public videos into playlists. When her account was finally organized, Mrs. Rocchi actually held a virtual concert week, showcasing her various ensembles.
Lea Wehnau is a senior music education major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who officially graduated earlier this month. Lea was balancing an online student teaching placement, multiple projects for MSL, and fulfilling some final requirements for graduating. Mae Prasch is a sophomore music education major attending West Chester University, studying percussion. Mae was handling online courses, projects with MSL, and continuing her position as WCU’s NAfME-C Vice President.
It’s safe to say both ladies were plenty busy during their final weeks of the Spring semester. Working with Mrs. Rocchi was a rewarding experience; she repeatedly expressed her thankfulness and with MSL’s help, she was able to upload some awesome videos!
Online Church Help – written by Lexi Bryant & Nicole Faiola
Music Service Learning is reaching many music teachers, but we don’t only assist teachers! Lexi Bryant, a recent graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, took on a request by a local church. They requested help with transitioning into services online. The church leaders decided that each week they would put their weekly hymn onto a PowerPoint so that the people at home would be able to read the words and participate in the singing of the hymn. Lexi began making PowerPoints for each hymn requested and lyric sheets to follow along with for the pastor and his wife. A few weeks in, they decided that even when services meet again in-person, they wanted their hymns on PowerPoint. By doing so, they do not have to worry about cleaning hymnals and having different people touch them each week.
Currently, the church scans each song from the hymnal into an email for Lexi and she inputs the hymnal text into the PowerPoints. The first section of the hymnal is almost complete. Lexi will work on this project until all of the hymns are complete and they feel comfortable forgoing their hymnals.
Lexi says her “favorite part of this assignment is that [she is] able to use [her] faith and my involvement with the church to help another church family across the state! Every time [she receives] an email from the requester she signs it ‘Keep Safe, Keep Healthy, and Keep the Faith.’ It really inspires [Lexi] and pushes [her] to keep going through this crazy time even when [her morale] gets low!”
Now that Lexi has graduated with a music education degree on Saxophone and a minor in dance, she is actively seeking employment as a music teacher in Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Lexi also hopes to teach tap at a dance studio.
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