From humble beginnings in 1985 as a Muskingum College community music education course, to its present influence serving over 1300 families each nine weeks, WeJoySing continues to bring the very best in music-and-movement-based learning programs to families in Ohio and beyond.
This month’s “Music Notes” invites you to ‘come follow the dance’ of WeJoySing across the USA, as we meet WeJoySing instructors who have helped ‘enlarge our territory’ over the years.
Beyond Columbus- North Canton
In the fall of 2000, ‘the dance’ began when WeJoySing hired me (Mrs. Donna) to teach for its first satellite program in the North Canton area. Now in our eighth year, we’ve welcomed Mrs. Julie McFeaters to our staff. Together, we have brought the JOY of WeJoySing to hundreds of Stark County area families.
Beyond Ohio – Nebraska & Colorado
‘The dance’ spread to Nebraska when Mrs. Stephanie Benischek identified a need for WeJoySing during her Master studies in the Kodály approach to music education at Nebraska Wesleyan University. In 2005, she successfully expanded WeJoySing “out of State,” taking “Heart Strings” to Grand Island and Lincoln, Nebraska.
Families in Denver, Colorado joined ‘the dance’ of WeJoySing in the summer of 2007 when Tanya LeJeune and Becca Dellinger became a part of the WeJoySing Instructor Family. Both women had been graduate students of Jo Kirk, WeJoySing Founder, at Colorado State University. Tanya and Becca are also public school music teachers.
After becoming mothers, both women experienced frustration with the quality of early childhood music instruction available in their area. Becca recounts that after a “free trial class” in a local program, she left, cell phone in hand and called Tanya. “I could do this so much better!” In Becca’s words, “That’s exactly what we decided we would do…do it better.”
Tanya adds, “I knew I had to give my son Jude (2 years old) the best music instruction: WeJoySing. My family was not able to move to Ohio, so we decided to bring WeJoySing to Colorado.” These mommies are sure that once Colorado families start hearing about and experiencing WeJoySing, they too will fall in love with the JOY that WeJoySing brings!
A Note From Mrs. Jo
“The Dance” Continues Beyond My Wildest Dreams
Daily we hear testimony of how SINGING makes parenting and life more joyful. And there’s no singing like WeJoySing-ing!
The next step in ‘the dance’ will take us to Norwalk, Connecticut, where we’ll encounter families being impacted by WeJoySing in the classes offered at the Talent Education Suzuki School.
Also, you’ll meet Ohio’s own Julie Paige. Learn more about what she’s doing to help her own community of Marysville, Ohio, discover the benefits of music for children, especially in the first few years of life. (Can’t wait for next month’s Music Notes? Check out Mrs. Julie Paige’s bio and our Marysville location info on the web.
