Lilly Streich always knew she wanted to pursue music. She basically grew up in her father’s drum store, The Drum Pad, and remembers clinics at the store that featured some of the greatest drummers in the area. “I began taking my first music classes at Kindermusik before I could walk,” she exclaims.
The value of music is embedded in her, and Streich is dedicated to making music accessible to all students at Galena Unit School District. An example of this commitment is when she helped to create adaptive music classes for special education students. “With lower elementary students, we worked on basic steady beat, taking turns playing instruments, moving our bodies to the music, instrument exploration and vocal exploration,” she explains. “With middle school students, we worked on rhythm reading by playing African drums and bucket drums, boomwhackers to learn note names, and one-hand piano songs. These students were able to play Christmas carols at the holiday assembly at the end of the semester, and it was such a joy to see them perform in front of their peers!”
The general music curriculum for grades 5-7 that she developed focuses on fun. “We only have 12 weeks with each homeroom, so I prioritized 1) learning an instrument that students could continue to play outside of the classroom, 2) showing students how music relates to other content areas, and 3) exposing students to new music genres,” Streich says.
Another program she started is the choir mentorship program to make the transition from middle school choir to high school smooth and less intimating. “High school students meet with their middle schooler about once a month, and then we would have larger group gatherings,” Streich explains. “The hope was that when middle school students engage with high school students, they are meeting their future peers and can feel confident in their transition to high school.”
Streich also seeks new opportunities for her students, such as singing in festivals around the Midwest, taking them to music camps, and offering private lessons. Her efforts have paid off! Enrollment in her music ensembles have tripled and her choirs have experienced rapid growth in the last two years. “When students say that music and choir are the best part of their day, I know that music education is where I am meant to be,” she says with a smile.
