Mrs. Swopes: A Busy Woman

Interview by Mia Greene; Events report by Chelsea Guernsey and James Ellington

You teach multiple classes here at Indian Creek, what could you teach and never get bored of?

Choir. It changes every year. Music changes all the time, I’m always teaching new things every year.

You are very passionate about Culinary Arts and Musical Theatre. When did you realize what you wanted to do?

Well I went to school here and said that I wanted to come back and teach choir one day, but life happened. I went to culinary school and music school. I eventually found my way back here. I love it here, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else now.

What is something you think everyone should learn?

Music, because it teaches everything. I teach forgein language, math, and compassion. I show people another way to interact with the world through music. I don’t care if it’s choir or band, everyone should learn about music, because it teaches hundreds of other things

How do you think this year’s production will go?

I don’t know what’s different this year, whether it’s how hard they have worked or the fact that I’ve had them all through highschool, but they are astounding to me. The sound I’m getting now is what I would usually get in February. So I’m really excited to see what I get in February.

What advice do you think our new teachers should hear?

Be patient with yourself, pick one to three things that you really want to get right, get it right this year. Add three more this next year. You’ll make mistakes, I’ve made plenty. You are enough and you're doing great.

On Thursday, September 30, in the Middle School Auditorium, the ICHS choir will be performing. After a long year of cancelling and rescheduling extra curriculars, due to covid, things are seeming to go back to normal. The choir concert’s theme, The Sound of Silence, represents being allowed to sing again after the pandemic canceled so much and features pieces such as “I’d Walk Through Life,” “Sound of Silence,” “Bring a Song,” “The Lonely Sea,” and “We Won't Stop Dreaming.” Come and watch September 30th at the ICMS auditorium! The Choir will also host a COLOR WALK fundraiser on Saturday, October 2nd, at 8:00 a.m.