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GST BOCES congratulates

K i m H e n r y

Kim, High School Band Director and Jason Johnson, Assistant Band Director
with classical Indian instruments owned by Sandip Burman

Kimberly Henry is the High School Band Director for grades (9-12) at Southside HS. She teaches band – 2 school bands of 50 kids each (Wind Ensemble and Concert Band), Marching Band, Jazz Band and a Competitive Drumline. She received a Bachelor and Masters degree from SUNY Fredonia and is starting her 11^th year in Elmira Central School District as a band teacher (7^th year at SHS). She instructed and performed with a top competitive Drum Corps out of Rochester for two years (Rochester Crusaders) and performed on the David Letterman show, at Disney World, in the Bahamas, and won State Finals with her HS Marching Band (Jamestown, NY).

In the future, she would like to continue to find ways to develop a powerhouse, well-rounded band program at Southside High School that is “cool” to be in and provides an amazing place for students to be performers, be creative, learn teamwork and discipline, and continue to push themselves to achieve more than they thought they could.

Her AWARDS/HONORS/DISTINCTIONS include winning a Golden Apple Award in 2002. She reinstated the SHS Marching Band in 2005 and her class won a NYSSMA Level 6 Gold with Distinction Award for the SHS Wind Ensemble 2007. The Southside High School Marching Band was invited to perform at the Gator Bowl 2009.

As a teacher, in addition to loving music and working with teenagers, she likes that everyday is a combination of many different occupations – teacher, performer, comedian, therapist, etc. It keeps the job fresh and exciting.

Kim became interested in the arts when her parents took piano lessons and then, when she was four initiated lessons for Kim and her siblings. Whoever practiced piano after dinner didn’t have to help with the dishes, so they would all fight to practice first. Kim started French horn in elementary school and continued all the way through high school. When it was time to go to college and pick a career; music education was the natural choice.

According to Kim, Art Education is important because

If we spend all our time in school teaching kids how to read and write, but don’t teach them to be involved in the arts – what will they read and write about? (Paraphrased from Mr. Holland’s Opus) The arts are a foundational part of who we are as humans; and the school and community need to nurture the artistic, communal, creative part of children in order to produce well-rounded, happy, productive adults!