THE MAiN EVENT

Meet the NHS Show Choir Band

Eventhough Alden Ruth’s journey on the trombone began with playing jazz, his instrument has become of more use than with just jazz styles. Ruth is a participant in several ensembles in the school’s music department, and one of those is show choir band. Playing in a choir backup band requires a different skill set than a concert band, something senior trumpet player Anthony Beeman noticed immediately.

“Show choir music is not a classic piece like a concert band, and we’re not the focus when we play. The people come to see the show choir and not us, so we have to be careful to not overpower them,” Beeman said. “The competitions are super-fun. It’s early mornings and late nights, but you get to hang out with everybody during it, so that makes it more enjoyable.”

Along with performing, many members of the show choir band get to fully experience the competitive atmosphere, including the lengthy schedule required of the participants. The competitions can be time consuming, but according to junior Daniel Carrington, the long days are not a negative.

“We wake up sometimes as early as 3 a.m. and usually don’t get back home until around 1 a.m., so they’re usually around 22-hour-long days for us,” Carrington said, “which is honestly really cool, because I get to spend it with some of my closest friends.”

These musicians’ hard work has regularly been recognized. The show choir band, better known as the Main Event, has picked up “Best Band” awards at many of the competitions they have performed at over the past few years.

“Winning ‘Best Band’ is definitely a cool feeling. Our music department has two varsity show choirs, and they’re both very prestigious, award-winning programs that have great mentors behind them who help lead us,” Carrington said.

But these musicians try not to stay complacent, as they know they can always get better. They’ve picked up awards and trophies, but they know they won’t always win and will still need to continue to improve.

“It makes the times we don’t win more awakening, letting us know that we’re not [going to] win every time, and we actually have to try and get better,” Beeman said. “At one of our most recent competitions we didn’t get ‘Best Band’ and some of the bands we saw were very good, and that was an eye-opener for us.”

A BELOVED EDUCATOR iS LEAViNG NHS, BUT SHE’S NOT DONE TEACHiNG

Caitlin Hall//hallc7544@gmail.com

Lance Engelman//lanceengelman@gmail.com

With her retirement quickly approaching as the school year draws to a close, Michelle Tharp-Taylor may be saying “goodbye” to NHS this year., But the long-time French instructor, known as “Madame Tharp-Taylor” to her students, is not finished teaching.

After working at NHS for more than two decades, TharpTayor’s students will be sad to see her go, although the teacher has big plans for the future. A few years ago, Tharp-Taylor developed an interest in weight lifting and personal training, a hobby that originated with her grandchildren.

“Before I started strength training, I picked up a sandbox for my granddaughter, and it hurt my shoulder. I couldn’t do it, and it was so heavy. I needed to get stronger, so I started doing weights and lifting,” Tharp-Taylor said.

After six months, Tharp-Taylor found encouragement in the progress she had made.

“After six months my granddaughter asked me, ‘Grandma, can you bring the sandbox out?’” Tharp-Taylor said. “I brought it out, set it up, and the sandbox wasn’t nearly as heavy as it used to be.”

Her new workout routine been beneficial for her when it comes to doing what she enjoys with her grandkids, she says. But she also appreciates what it’s done for her overall health.

“Working out just makes you feel so good,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Weight training not only pushed Tharp-Taylor physically, it led her to a new role as a personal trainer. Since starting, Tharp-Taylor has worked hard and continued to learn more so she could pursue a new goal.

“I just wanted to see if I could pass the test [to be a certified personal trainer]. It would be good for my brain, plus I could learn more information,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Tharp-Taylor says she utilizes the teaching and social skills she learned as a high school educator to help her also be the best personal trainer she can be.

“I could take what I love with teaching and getting to interact with people and transfer that into the health industry,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Tharp-Taylor has been a French teacher at Noblesville for the past 22 years. Sophomore Olivia Willard is in her second year of studying with Tharp-Taylor and can still recall a lesson on what might have been a boring topic in someone else’s classroom.

“I vividly remember the day that we began learning about what words meant ‘behind,’ ‘forward,’ ‘next to,’ and she pulled out this duck that looked like the Mona Lisa and moved it all over the classroom, asking if Mona was on top of or behind something,” Willard said.

According to Tharp-Taylor, her love for teaching has been a part of her life since she was very young. Educating others is her passion, and she has never given up on it since for as long as she can remember.

“I always wanted to be a teacher. When I was young, I would line my dolls up and pretend to be their teacher,” TharpTaylor said.

Tharp-Taylor believes that her previous experiences as a preschool teacher has helped her keep her high school classes engaging and exciting. For some teachers, ensuring every student is engaged during class can be challenging to ensure that every student is engaged during class. However, her students believe that Tharp-Taylor’s teaching style successfully captures the attention of students and even inspires some to further pursue learning French.

“She gives us activities and challenges that motivate us to know the most French,” sophomore Abigail Wigger said. “I’ve spent time at home just messing around and having fun on Duolingo because she’s given me such a love for the language.”

Tharp-Taylor’s new interest in physical training even shows up in her classroom. Her students say she utilizes more interactive lessons within her class instead of a typical lecture style.

“Every class she is always moving around and getting the entire class to interact,” Wigger said. “She gives us activities and challenges that motivate us.”

Tharp-Taylor’s excitement as a teacher shows in her classes everyday. She expresses how much joy she found while teaching, an energy that stems from when she took French in high school.

“I’ve always liked education and learning, I’ve always wanted to teach. There is nothing else I’d rather do,” Tharp-Taylor said.

Wigger describes Tharp-Taylor as a teacher who tries everyday to make sure her students are in a safe and welcoming classroom. Walking into her classroom, students might hear the teacher talking about how age is just a number or that everyone is equal.

“Madame is very sensitive and always respectful of everyone, no matter who they are. She doesn’t pick favorites and treats everyone the same. She has made French class a safe place to learn, laugh, and grow,” Wigger said. “She creates a fun environment that students want to be in.”

Tharp-Taylor now wants to take what she has learned, as a teacher and as a personal trainer, which she believes she should use in helping others who want a similar experience. She wants to encourage people from all backgrounds, no matter their size or their age.

“I’m envisioning older ladies, maybe older couples, [involved with] strength training and keeping others strong for as long as possible,” Tharp-Taylor said.

With her new understanding of physical conditioning, TharpTaylor now wants to help others more than ever. After she retires, Tharp-Taylor wishes to assist others that are in need of feeling more confident, so they can get in shape and feel better than before.

“I also want to start volunteering in a women’s shelter,” TharpTaylor said, “and teach a strength training class.”

Memories of Tharp-Taylor’s unique teaching style will remain with her students. As the teacher heads into a new chapter of her life, her students hope she has a great retirement.

“I’m so upset she is retiring because she is such a great teacher and has made the class so fun,” sophomore Abigail Wigger said.

With her love of teaching, Tharp-Taylor aims to help others realize that there is not one shape that represents what a healthy body should look like.

“I want to break the stereotype that a personal trainer has to have a perfect body or be super young,” Tharp-Taylor said. “Because I believe in health at any size, any age.”