Ivie is the Tenor Section Leader for the percussion section of the FHS marching band. He said he regularly watches Drum Bugle Corp videos on YouTube, where they use their GoPro cameras to record their performances. He said those videos gave him the idea to use his own GoPro.
“I wanted to wear my GoPro when we played Lubbock-Cooper because we were marching on the Tech field, and I wanted to capture that awesome experience,” Ivie said.
After the performance, he shared the video to YouTube. From there, he said his mom shared it on her Facebook and after several additional pages sharing, a music teacher in Little Rock, Arkansas reached out to Ivie’s mom asking if she could use the video in her music classes.
Lori Dulaney is a kindergarten through fifth grade music teacher in the Sheridan School District outside of Little Rock. She said, like Frenship, she is having to teach music to in-person and Virtual Learning students in creative ways. This year, due to COVID, the state of Arkansas is restricting music teachers from singing in the classroom and sharing classroom instruments.
“It is a necessity to have creative music lessons presented on slides for both the students at school and those learning virtually,” Dulaney said. “I am navigating through the alphabet for musical instruments. The week before I was teaching ‘D’ for drums, I saw on a friend’s Facebook feed, a drum line video. She contacted Mrs. Ivie and asked if she would share more. Mrs. Ivie shared with me the GoPro video Noah took while marching in the show.”
Ivie said he was honored to share his video with Dulaney’s classes. He said that it was such a unique way for others to learn from the FHS marching band’s show.
“She [Dulaney] said she wanted to focus on counting,” Ivie said. “Her class had been talking about why counting in music is so important. In the video she could hear me counting and thought it would show them visually why she was teaching them counting and why it was important. She asked permission to use the video every year!”
Dulaney said that her students were amazed by Ivie and the video, and that her room was silent each time when she showed the video as the students watched in awe.
“Throughout the performance, my students smiled,” Dulaney said. “I was able to emphasize to my students that in band each section must be uniform in their musicianship, and that each individual student has a unique position on the field, and must know where to start, where to move, and where to stop.”
Dulaney commented on the leadership she witnessed from Ivie.
“I do not know Noah, but his initiative to record that important moment is impressive,” Dulaney said. “In the video, Noah says, ‘Alright boys, let’s do it!’ - I recognized immediately that Noah is a leader.”
Dulaney added that it was very apparent to her, and her classes, that Ivie was enjoying himself on the field, and that he, and the entire FHS marching band, were working hard to serve those around them.
“The hours they are engaged in practice is obvious, and as a music educator, I recognize the importance of the marching band to the community,” Dulaney said. “Although these fine students are receiving credit for what they do, the hours they spend outside of the school day to be a part of a winning band is, in my opinion, a community service.”
Dulaney explained that because of Ivie and the band’s performance, she was able and will continue to be able to help her students learn in unique ways.
“This was one of the most effective lessons I have ever taught because it showed my pre-beginning band students what it looks like to be moving and making music,” Dulaney said. “Engaging my students in the next steps in their music lives is my most important job, and I feel like Noah and the Frenship Marching Band helped me to encourage my students to consider being in the band program at our school in a few years.”