Caring choir teacher instills confidence in students

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — February’s Golden Apple Award winner helps college students shine on and off the stage in Pike Township. Now, her choir and musical theater college students are singing her praises.

Mrs. Amy Kamwendo makes all of her college students the celebrities at Guion Creek Center College by supporting them with love. By way of singing, she sparks confidence and shapes college students for years to come back.

Kamwendo is the February winner of the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award. WISH-TV is Indiana’s schooling station, and each month, Information 8 honors excellent academics with the Golden Apple Award. 

Inside Guion Creek Center College, you’ll seemingly hear the musical magic and the trainer that makes the track inside her college students come alive.

“She made me notice that I can act and I can sing. And never really feel ashamed or embarrassed. And he or she simply makes me really feel actually liked and I’m actually grateful for her,” Jasmine Martinez, a seventh-grade pupil, stated.

Martinez is speaking about Kamwendo and her capability to get college students to shine in choir, in musical theater, and most of all, in life.

“She positively pours her happiness and brightness onto different college students,” Rhian Brooks, an eighth-grade pupil, stated. “To know that there’s somebody that does take care of us and that does need us to be who we actually are. And I believe everybody appreciates that as an entire.”

“She is simply shiny, energetic, and comfortable all the time,” one other eighth grader, Cannon Johnson, stated. “She simply makes the expertise actually comfortable for everybody and I like that.” 

“She has simply this stunning persona,” Martinez added. “When you’re having a extremely unhealthy day and also you go into her class, you’ll instantly begin to really feel higher as a result of that’s simply how wonderful she is. It’s like she has slightly superpower.”

Love is her superpower. Music is her magic. And staying optimistic is essential to her success.

“She is type of a bubble of positivity,” Guion Creek Center College Principal Trachell Taylor stated.

In accordance with Taylor, Kamwendo can spark confidence in anybody.

“Placing them ready the place they will see themselves shine – routinely boosts their confidence and makes them need to take part within the arts,” Taylor stated. 

Kamwendo even has workers sing and dance alongside college students. She pulls off large productions starting from “Annie” to “Aladdin.”

“She places on this elaborate theater efficiency that’s simply wonderful for center faculty college students,” Taylor stated.

Kamwendo is popping “Excessive College Musical” right into a center faculty actuality.

“It’s an occasion. They promote tickets and it’s arrange within the auditorium like a musical theater. There are tables and the stage and props and set and costumes and lighting. I imply it’s not your typical center faculty efficiency,” Kelly Looper, faculty librarian, stated.

Kamwendo’s coworkers can’t cease singing her praises.

“She is an unbelievable human with the persistence of a saint, as a result of it takes a lot vitality to do choir and theater, and do that each one day lengthy, and she or he simply does it with a smile,” Crystal Riley, considered one of Kamwendo’s fellow academics, stated. 

Kamwendo teaches by instance and doesn’t miss a beat.

“She will be able to carry the quantity when she must. If a mic dies – she is able to belt it out,” Riley stated.

“She is type of that ball of fireplace — however all the things is comfortable,” Looper added.

Happiness is how she units the stage at college and units college students up for achievement. Some have even sung at Indiana Pacers video games or carried out in neighborhood theater.

“She modifies the children’ lives. She fights for these youngsters. She loves these youngsters. She needs the very best for them now and the very best for them sooner or later,” Looper stated.

So, she deserves the very best too. Taylor nominated Kamwendo for the WISH-TV Golden Apple award and was thrilled when she received. 

“I assumed it was simply completely wonderful and I do know she might be going to cry, however I’m excited to see her get acknowledged and celebrated as a result of she is really deserving of it,” Taylor stated. 

Information 8’s Hanna Mordoh went to place her within the limelight on Kamwendo and stunned her throughout class. 

The Golden Apple Award comes with a trophy, a $500 faculty provide buying spree at Academics’ Treasures, and a particular video that includes college students and workers.

“I’m shocked,” Kamwendo stated. “Simply all the faces of household and buddies, wow! Thanks.”

Kamwendo says she was impressed to be a trainer by her personal music trainer.

When our crew instructed Kamwendo that her college students stated she offers them confidence, she stated, “As a trainer, that’s your dream. You need to give youngsters confidence and that’s simply actually shifting. Thanks.”

After the video that includes college students and workers, Kamwendo was in tears and will hardly communicate. She was in a position to say: “I’m simply so blown away.”

When requested what retains her so motivated, Kamwendo replied, “I believe we have now the very best youngsters right here. We’re so blessed at Guion and Pike. I believe our children are phenomenal. They’re like household to me.”

She added, “By no means underestimate what a baby can do. I believe they rise to the extent of expectation we have now for them, and while you count on nice issues, they’re going to be nice.”

On this class, it’s not the tune or tempo that actually counts. The hook’s on this trainer, the voice she offers her college students — a sound that’s merely pitch-perfect.

Kamwendo and her college students are at the moment engaged on “Shrek the Musical Jr.” It should debut in April.

To look at different Golden Apple Award recipients, click on this hyperlink.

To appoint a deserving trainer for subsequent month’s Golden Apple Award, submit an in depth nomination right here.