Trouble in River City?
Perhaps….but things in Pickerington are doubly JOYFUL as WeJoySing “grads” Robbie and Katie Vansant leave Pickerington Central High, where they have participated in choir, marching & concert band, and most recently, The Music Man.
Robbie played the lead as Professor Harold Hill, and Katie was Irish-accented Mrs. Paroo (Marian the Librarian’s mother). What’s it like onstage with your twin?
“It’s been a positive thing,” says Katie. “We’ve [grown] closer as brother and sister being involved in so many musical activities together.”
Robbie agrees: “It’s fun working with my sister…”
At first, Katie was definitely more “into” musical theatre than he was. The only reason he auditioned for his first high school musical was because his mom made him! Kathy Vansant admits to being a “mean mom.” “I told him that if he hated the experience, he never had to audition again.”
Robbie now says he trusts his mom’s judgment. “Everything my mom has pushed me into…I’m thankful for. The only reason I didn’t want to audition my freshman year was because I thought it wasn’t ‘cool’.” He concedes that playing fast-paced, double-talking Hill was a very cool experience.
Though Hill is a con-man, he speaks this truth: “A Boys’ Band” is exactly what some kids need to keep them out of trouble. Robbie says that was the case with him. “Playing an instrument requires self-discipline and helps you to apply that to other things in life.” He testifies that his academic performance improved when he got serious about playing his French horn and that developing sight-reading skills helped him to become a quick-thinker.
The Power of the Arts
Kathy calls Robbie “The poster child for what the arts can do for a child.” She adds, “My kids have not been in trouble. They don’t smoke or drink…they’re with other great kids, and with almost everything they do, there’s a teacher involved.
Both Katie and Robbie are comfortable as performers, which Kathy says is a natural outgrowth of growing up in a musical environment. “The foundation of their whole musical experience was WeJoySing. The program laid the groundwork for what we built on top of it.”
Katie feels that WeJoySing helped make her a creative individual, and though she won’t be majoring in music, she looks to use that creativity in her Middle Childhood Education studies at Miami University. She knows that music will always have a significant role in her life. “Music helps express who I am and what I’m feeling…”
Looking to the Future
Robbie and Katie feel that next year will be very different for them as they pursue separate callings. Robbie has been accepted into the highly selective Marine Corps Band, and he leaves for boot camp in July. He predicts: “It will be hard to be away from my family. I know once boot camp’s over, I’m not going to regret it. It will be good to make new friends…”
A Note from Mrs. Jo-
Who else but a WeJoySing child could have such a positive perspective on boot camp? “Your friends are my friends!” WeJoySing wishes Robbie and Katie all of God’s best as they build new foundations to impact their world.
"Sing"cerely,
Mrs. Jo
