Kadance’s Artistic Odyssey — ICS Senior Arts Student Highlight

Kadance’s Artistic Odyssey — ICS Senior Arts Student Highlight

Senior Kadance Eagle has been attending Intermountain Christian School since her freshman year of high school. She has been interested in art for most of her life, going back to elementary school. Kadance enjoys using various mediums, but her favorites are acrylic painting and digital art. While creating using these mediums, she finds that mistakes are easier to fix. 

Pictured: Kadance and Mrs. Lee

Kadance has taken every art class available to her since she started attending ICS. While in Mrs. Lee’s art room, Kadance has been challenged to do projects she wouldn’t consider on her own. The assignments have pushed her out of her comfort zone. She and a classmate worked together to create a cardboard animal head mount. She never would’ve taken on that challenge outside of Mrs. Lee’s prompting. Once completed, she took pride in her cardboard sheep!

Painting titled: Icy Ridges

Kadance’s favorite year of art was her junior year. All of the projects were her choice, and she was able to be creative and unrestrained. Her favorite project was the completion of her dragon sculpture, which used multiple mediums, including clay, fabric, and paint. The other project she was most proud of was a digital piece with a setting in Southern Utah and the inclusion of griffins. It was an effort to get the piece printed out and stretched onto canvas, but the final outcome was very satisfying!

Painting titles: Borzoi

The art department at ICS exists to encourage students wherever they are in their capacity and skill to express their God-given creativity. Kadance has goals of working in animation and hopes to attend the University of Utah, majoring in general arts and minoring in film studies with an emphasis in animation. Kadance credits Mrs. Lee with encouraging her through ups and downs in her pursuit of art. 

Many students who have gone through Mrs. Lee’s art program came out not only with more skill and understanding, but an appreciation of who God made them to be and how to give Him glory through art. The ICS community looks forward to seeing what’s next for Kadance!

5 Stories of the Power of One Campus with 14 Grades!

5 Stories of the Power of One Campus with 14 Grades!

By Denise Buckley, ICS director of curriculum and instruction

There is a secret among our hallways. We come in, drop off our kids, and know it is a happy place. But when we look deeper we notice one of ICS’s super powers – the powerful integration of students at different grade levels learning together.

Ask a middle school student and I bet they can tell you who their reading buddy was in first grade (pictured). Or ask your child what class they worked with in January to learn their Pep Rally cheer – or about what grade they are pairing with for the National Honor Society special competition. 

ICS upper school dance team teaches PreK students dance technique.

Across grade levels, our students are often brought together and these relationships have an impact. This semester that impact is going even further as our youngest and oldest learners are joining together to do some authentic work.

A component of Teaching for Transformation is something called Formational Learning Experiences, or FLEx.  The essence of a FLEx is creating opportunities for students to do real work that meets the real needs of real people. Several of our teachers have combined grades to do a FLEx, allowing students to meet real needs together:

Binary Games in Computer Science:  Mr. Hildebrand teaches computer science in our middle school and high school. He challenged his AP Computer Science Principles class to design and code games and teaching tools that helped his younger students learn a new topic. Students teaching students!

Seventh graders read with their kindergarten reading buddies.

Dancing into Community:  Mrs. Lee teaches art and dance to students in nearly every grade at ICS. This winter, she asked her upper school dance team to teach preschool students (pictured). Her dancers worked with the prekindergarten class, getting to know them and developing community. They then led a movement class for prekindergarten. It was such a success the dancers plan to do it again this spring!

First Grade Poets:  Mr. Wittstock’s 8th graders have been writing poems and compiling a special poetry book. The first graders wanted to try their hand at poetry, too, and their 8th grade friends were happy to help! The first graders got top-notch learning and mentorship from the 8th grade and loved being able to connect with the big kids. Mrs. Banta’s and Mrs. Guy’s first graders will present their special poems to the residents at Rocky Mountain Care Center in March, hoping to both encourage and entertain.

Julius Caesar for Middle School:  Mrs. Smith’s English class just finished reading Julius Caesar. Now they will be reworking the play into modern form and sharing it with middle school students. The play will focus on the importance and impact of friendships - some helpful lessons for middle school students to hear and discuss!

Juniors play games with first graders at the ICS Junior Carnival.

Wisdom for Middle School Life: Mrs. Harmon’s 6th graders will be working with percentages and using them to model and graph data. Her students will track their screen time, analyze the data, and make predictions about how their screen time affects their success in middle school. They will then present their findings to our 5th graders, giving them some sage advice on how to be successful in middle school next year!

Want to learn more about our REALLY amazing FLEx work?  

These are some ways ICS students did REAL work to meet the REAL needs of REAL people!

(And these are only a few – each teacher is doing at least one FLEx with their students! Ask your child’s teacher about their FLEx!)

Read more here!

Mrs. Biel and Mr. Hobbs are working together to learn about what our local Pregnancy Resource Center provides the community. Mrs. Biel will bring a speaker into her health class while Mr. Hobbs will discuss the history of the pro-life movement in the United States. Then, during their trip to Moab, the 8th graders will serve at a PRC.

Mrs. Florell’s Anatomy & Physiology class studied the crisis of the shrinking Great Salt Lake and specifically the potential health effects on our community. They presented their research to the 5th grade class in December, and at a public forum to approximately 60 at the Holladay Library in January. You may also have seen their public service announcement on our social media sites.

As part of the Junior Achievement curriculum, Ms. Frazee’s fifth graders chose a business to help. They decided to partner with teh United Way, who is in need of bilingual books to share with the community. Ms. Frazee’s class will be doing a book drive this spring to help meet this need.

Miss Potter’s class learned that they are One of a Kind through a special writing and art project. After completing their essays and art project, these brave 3rd graders will present their work to high school students – who also need to learn that God sees them as one of a kind! This will be followed up with the annual 3rd Grade Wax Museum, where students learn about other one of kind people from history and share what they learn with the community by “becoming” that historic person in our living wax museum.

Ms. Reed asked each of her science students to research and present a long-term Curiosity Project. Assigned in August, her middle schoolers were asked to choose an intriguing science topic that was not part of our curriculum. Students then had a full semester to learn about the topic, create a slide presentation, and teach the topic to their classmates. Much hard work and critical learning went into these projects: research, presentation, time management, and teaching skills to name a few! And our middle school science students learned about so many new topics!

Theater Students Perform at Utah Shakespeare Festival

ICS Students Perform at Utah Shakespeare Festival

By Becky Schumacher, high school english faculty and lead teacher

The high school theater conservatory class

This past September, our high school theater conservatory class attended the Utah Shakespeare Festival to compete in the Shakespeare Competition in Cedar City, UT. The festival itself is widely known in Utah as well as the United States as one of the premier festivals celebrating not only the works of the bard, but also the world of drama. The competition provides high school students the opportunity to observe peer and professional performances and be evaluated and adjudicated by professionals in the fields of drama and dance.

Our students started their Shakespeare journey as soon as school commenced this year. Each student auditioned with a Shakespeare monologue. Theater Director Tess Tally, along with her daughter, Heather Geertgens, then selected and assigned students to various roles and competitive events. Heather brought her experience as a former Shakespeare festival competitor to act as our resident expert and coach. Her knowledge was incredibly valuable as our students went into the competition as rookies, facing 3,000 other students.

Students prepare to perform at the festival.

Students rehearsed during conservatory class as well as after school to prepare for events in the theater ensemble event, duo, trio as well as two dance events, the duet and ensemble. Three of our students competed in the monologue competition as well. The festival began on Thursday, September 29. Theater mom and trip coordinator extraordinaire, Kim Heiple, arranged and organized all travel accommodations. She brought together a network of theater parents who willingly gave of their time and energy to support our students in their creative endeavors. Upon arriving at the festival, our students watched the Southern Utah University players’ performance of Macbeth. Friday morning saw students out at the crack of dawn for the competitions–dance, theater ensemble, duos, trios, and monologues–all scattered around campus and at various times. Students had to navigate costumes and props, while hurrying from performance to performance. And our ICS performers were ready. They acted and danced, never cracking under the pressure. They spoke well, moved well, responded to feedback, made changes, showed incredible poise and ability, and celebrated each other’s gifts and talents in a Christ-like manner. They were truly a light, taking any chance they had to speak and offer encouragement to competitors from other schools and showing up at each other’s competitions as an audience of support. The competitions spanned both Friday and Saturday, and on Friday night our group was able to catch the Festival performance of Clue. As the competition ended on Saturday afternoon October 1, we headed home–happy with our performance, grateful for the new experience, and maybe more than a little exhausted.

Natalie Russell (12th) and Will Schumacher (11th) perform their skit in front of their peers at ICS before heading to the festival.

But what an amazing experience for our theater students! And in our rookie season we put up some impressive stats, placing 6th overall. The competition itself was indeed valuable.The preparation and execution of performances in a venue that was not the ICS Blackbox Theater as well as receiving and responding to adjudication from trained professionals was something that our students were so blessed to be a part of–and also…it was so so fun! We are looking forward to heading back next year with a little more experience under our belts.

October 2022 Employee Spotlight

October 2022 Employee Spotlight

Congratulations, Mrs. Lee, ICS art and dance faculty

How long have you been at ICS and what do you do?

This is my 13th year at ICS. It has been quite the journey. I first came to ICS in 2010 to teach elementary art. Through the years I have had the privilege of teaching PreK enrichment and PreK as a Lead Teacher alongside art and dance. I am currently the teacher for all art and dance classes. 

What brought you to ICS?

Our oldest son was starting middle school, and we were searching for a good school for him to attend. God led us to ICS!  My sister told me about an open elementary art position and I applied. Our oldest, Hunter, and I started school at ICS on the same day — student and teacher — in 2010. Tanner joined us the year after. Both of our sons attended and graduated from ICS. I am thankful for the opportunity God has given me to share Christ through the arts at ICS. When I was little, I dreamed of being an art or dance teacher. ICS has provided that opportunity! 

What is one thing that has happened at school recently that you'd like to share?

This month the Upper School dance team hiked to Lake Solitude for our Fall Dance Retreat, “You Matter.” It was refreshing being up in the mountains and studying God’s word together. As we hiked we made stops along the way and talked about our identity in Christ. It was a great time of team building and community! 

What is your Deep Hope for your students and/or our school this year?

My Deep Hope for my students is that they know that they are loved and that God created them for a relationship with Him. My prayer is that through exploring, discovering, and sharing the arts, they would either deepen their relationship with the Lord or come to know Him as Lord and Savior. We were created for relationships — relationships with each other and ultimately a relationship with God. Here’s my Deep Hope (posted in my classroom): “My Deep Hope is that students will Explore art and the world around them, Discover art and the artist within them and Share art through finished works as worship.”

Music Tour 2022

By Shanna Hafemann, ICS music faculty

Before August 2022, the last time I was in a school, I was a student. A nervous wreck, I entered ICS on my first day, a teacher. I handed out the syllabus to my first class and shakingly asked if there were any questions. Several hands shot up, and the question was asked, as if no other questions mattered, “Is there going to be a Tour this year?” All other hands went down.

ICS Music Tour is a long standing, dearly cherished, highly anticipated tradition at ICS. I remember answering that student with an emphatic “yes!” all the while having no idea what “Music Tour” actually meant. So I started my research. I spent a handful of class periods discussing with students their most memorable moments and their favorite traditions. I attended several meetings trying to understand the financial and schedule constraints. I looked up prior year’s plans and yet I still struggled to find a way to clearly define what ICS’s annual Music Tour actually was. So, with the little bit of knowledge I had acquired, a phenomenal co-planner, Amy Florell, and the tiniest bit of hope, we created something, having no idea if it would live up to the expectations of this beloved tradition.

This year, Tour was designed with two priorities in mind: service and connection. The first two days of Tour were spent serving our local community. Sunday we performed for the Rescue Mission and Valley Behavioral Health, where we were able to hold an intimate, sensory-friendly concert for those who might struggle to attend a larger event. On Monday, we hosted a music therapy program where our own pre-kindergarteners and a group of individuals with various disabilities were invited to attend (pictured above). As we researched and planned the event, we discovered that there was much we did not know or understand about people living with disabilities and their families. The biggest insight we gained is that their community is grossly undeserved. Many people misunderstand or are unsure of how to interact around people with disabilities and many facilities and families lack the resources and knowledge to adequately accommodate them. As we held our event, I looked around and observed my students connecting, including, and empowering other human beings using something they loved, music. As one of my students so eloquently summarized the experience, “On Tours in the past, we would always have to leave the people we made connections with and wait a year to show love to them again. That was so painful. We don’t have to do that anymore, because the people we connected with this week are right here in our own hometown.” This community is one that I hope to continue to serve through Music Tour and other ICS music events. 

The second two days were used to explore how we could use music to connect with each other, with ourselves, and with God. We played several games that pushed us out of our comfort zone, including a musical TikTok challenge. Needless to say, I have some incriminating evidence for how hilarious these students can be. We took time to worship together and allowed a couple of local pastors to speak into our lives. But even with all these special moments, there is still one I have yet to let you in on. I challenged the kids to get vulnerable, to get honest, and to get creative in a songwriting session. Imagine with me. You are in a large cabin with big glass windows and vaulted ceilings. The snow is falling outside and a tea kettle is heating on the stove. In one corner, a girl is humming and pauses to write out a lyric. A young man is strumming the guitar on a couch, while a piano is being learned in another corner. Someone else is editing loops on their laptop, while others retreat to a secluded place to write or sing out their thoughts. The last evening, several students were brave enough to perform their work. During many of the songs, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. In just a few phrases and with a whole lot of vulnerability, we were able to glorify our God, empathize with our peers, and understand one another on a deeper level.

So, I survived my first Music Tour. How fortunate I am to lead this amazing group of students. After all this, I still can’t describe to you what it means to experience an ICS Music Tour. However, I can define why ICS’s Music Tour is so unique. Music is the tool we use, the commonality we each hold, both with our peers and our audiences. Tour is the journey God takes us on as we take the time to serve His beloved, lean into those around us, and learn what next steps He calls us to faithfully walk with Him.

CAST AND CREW

Picture this: You are in the ICS Black Box Theatre. You are likely eating a snack from the concession stand and immensely enjoying the performance right your eyes. But what you don’t see is what’s going on backstage (behind-the-scenes), where unseen members of the show work quietly to create a seamless masterpiece on the stage.

One of the most rewarding parts about working backstage during production is helping and watching the actors and actresses thrive. From the constant set changes, quick costume changes, or the last-minute safety pins to hold a costume together before an actor runs on stage, I’ve learned the little details matter. Helping everything get in place may be stressful, but getting to help the actors put on the show is amazing. 

I remember feeling particularly content in my behind-the-scenes role during Seussical The Musical Jr. which took place fall of 2018. By the time the show was over, I knew almost every line in the whole show. This tends to happen when you’re backstage! My favorite song was always Solla Sollew because the other crew members and myself would silently dance backstage. So the next time you’re enjoying the show with snacks in hand, be reminded of those of us holding down the proverbial fort behind the curtain and quietly dancing.

Written by Lucy Cole, ICS Sophomore

A CALMING INFLUENCE

An art piece by ICS Senior, Myra Castleton, has been selected for the 48th Annual Utah All-State High School Art Show. Castleton says, “I have loved to draw since I could hold a pencil. I remember running out of paper as a little girl and erasing my mom’s college notes on a paper to draw on.” Castleton has always been most comfortable sketching with pencil and Mrs. Lee, ICs Art Teacher, who Castleton calls, “a calming influence,” has always encouraged her to do something challenging with her art. Naturally, Castleton sketches with pencil, but in striving to take Mrs. Lee’s advice and challenge herself, she created a piece with pen and ink; this pen and ink piece was selected for the All-State Art Show. The influence of Mrs. Lee is vast, as Castleton described her as someone who “goes out of her way to get material that is needed and encourages us to better ourselves.” She goes on to explain further the influence of Mrs. Lee not only on her art, but on her spiritual life. “During every evaluation, I am asked to look at my art from a different perspective as Mrs. Lee always asks, ‘How does this give glory to God?’” Congratulations to Castlton on being selected for the All-State Art Show. We echo her words describing Mrs. Lee as we are blessed and honored to have an educator like her who makes a difference in everything she does at ICS.

Written by Rachel Larson, Marketing Director

WHAT WE DO HERE IS IMPORTANT

My friend and colleague, Andrew Hobbs, when asked why he dresses so nicely for school responded, “because what we do here is important.” That response perfectly encompasses my reflections on the week of the production of Sound of Music.

I have had the great honor to become a theater mom. I am still learning from the veteran theater moms what this role looks like, but it is something that I have embraced more and more with each performance. At the very least, a theater mom must ensure that her child is present for rehearsals and stays motivated to push through the intense schedule. As I have witnessed, however, ICS theater moms go above and beyond this not-so-minimum effort. For this performance and others before it, Jennifer Little organized every detail around production. Her tireless efforts to ensure that every need was filled inspired this team of volunteer parents (Angie McGuire, Tamara Hawks, Danielle Scott, Mark Russell, Romana Brown, Rex Pickett and so many more) to use our abilities to help with costuming, hair and make up, set painting, and keeping students fed. Ultimately, though, the driving force behind our mom (and dad) efforts lies in the passion that we see in our children. This passion has been planted by Tess Tally.

Mrs. Tally is teaching our students more than how to act and sing. She is teaching them how to be professional. I was able to be backstage during two of the six performances. While I have recognized qualities of professionalism in my students before, never have I been able to see those qualities in action quite as I did on those occasions. As the two and a half-hour show was being performed on stage, the backstage area was alive with a methodical busyness. Crew members made ready props and set pieces to move on and off stage in the dark and re-taped microphones that had loosened off cast members’ cheeks. High school and middle school cast members helped their elementary school castmates with quick changes. Habit-clad girls worked hard to make sure Taylor Little (Maria) was in and out to make her cues and to hold back the curtains for Kylee Salazaar’s (Mother Abbess) wheelchair as she made her entrances and exits. What impressed me most was the hushed focus on each student’s face. I could perceive no nervousness, just the determination to do their absolute best. And as the final measures of “Finale Ultimo” rang out, cast and crew as well as their gifted director, harmonized beautifully--some on stage, some backstage. All were singing, showing their passion and perseverance through song.

Before taking the stage, all participants in a show directed by Tess repeat these words, “A professional does his best when he doesn’t want to. A professional does his best when he doesn’t have to. A professional does his best all the time because he can.” It is no wonder, then, that our students demonstrate the professionalism that is well beyond their years. This lesson is so valuable. We want our students to do everything wholeheartedly, for God’s glory. We want them to take joy in hard work done well. Tess Tally is modeling this through the stage, our teachers are teaching this in the classroom, and our coaches expect this on the courts and fields. Because we believe what we do at Intermountain Christian School is important. 

Written by Becky Schumacher, HS English Teacher

ICS CAPTIVATES PRESTIGIOUS COMPOSER

In December of 2007, I took a group of high school band students to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO. There was a relatively new event for select high school musicians called Best of the West. One of the special components of Best of the West is that CMU commissions a composer each year to write a piece of music for the university’s Wind Symphony to perform. This composer is in residence during the event and works with the high school musicians as they perform one of his pieces for the Best of the West finale concert. It is truly a highlight for our students each year.

This past December during the Best of the West, I was having a conversation with Benjamin Taylor, the commissioned composer for the year. As we talked about various things that directors and composers talk about, Benjamin became more and more intrigued with ICS and the band program here. He then said, “Nathan, can we talk about maybe working together on something soon?!” The following week we spent a little over an hour on the phone talking further about the ICS band program and how it has been able to offer unique opportunities to our students. We went on to talk about the possibility of a direct commission for ICS. After speaking with various supporters of the ICS Music Department, the funds were lined up and we were able to commission a piece to be written for the ICS Symphonic Band. To the average person, a commissioned band piece doesn’t sound like a very big deal. On the contrary, it is a huge deal! When I mentioned to Leon Chodos (Utah Symphony bassoonist), Graeme Mutchler (Utah Symphony bass trombonist), and Josh Reimann (Eastmont Middle School Instrumental Director) that we were commissioning a work for the band they each reacted with great excitement. Leon stated, “Most music students never experience being part of a commissioned work throughout their schooling and even through the university level!” This year, the ICS band students in 5th through 12th grades get to be part of a once in a lifetime experience! One very special aspect of this commission is how Dr. Taylor is going to work through this with our students.

Often, when a band work is commissioned, the composer is paid and then writes the piece of music and sends it to the group to be performed. Not so with this piece! Dr. Taylor is going to do a couple of Skype sessions with our band students during class time this fall to introduce them to the process and give them an idea of how he goes about composing a piece of music. Throughout the fall he will keep us up to date with the progress of the piece. Then, in January, we will have a final Skype session where he will present us with the finished product. Our students will be able to have input on portions of the piece as well as naming the work. We will begin rehearsing the music in January in preparation for our Spring Instrumental Concert on April 30, where we will perform the world premiere of the work. Dr. Taylor will be coming to ICS to work with students on final touches and then be presented for the premiere concert. To learn more about Dr. Benjamin Taylor, visit his website at benjamintaylormusic.com.

By Nathan Hope, ICS Music Director

I AM INSPIRED (even though I may not be musically gifted)

I am what we at ICS call a “lifer.” I went to ICS from PreK until 12th grade. There is probably not an inch of that building that I haven’t seen, nor a classroom that doesn’t hold at least a few of my fondest memories. But as I look back on my time, specifically my time in high school, there is one experience that always stands out, and that is Music Tour.

I am not musically gifted. I try to sing on key, but it just doesn’t happen as I want it to. I really struggle to read music, all the notes seem to blur together. Because of this, I had not planned to try out for vocal ensemble or handbells, thinking that I would most likely not get in. However, I babysat Mr. Hope’s kids right before starting my freshmen year and he encouraged me to give bells a try. Him, being the music teacher, I thought I should probably take his advice and, after trying out, I got into the bell choir! I worked hard to play the best that I could, but I don’t think anyone would say that I stood out by any means. As winter turned to a surprisingly sunny spring, we finished preparing our music set and packed up our bus to go on Music Tour.

On tour, our handbell choir and vocal ensemble load up a chartered bus for a week, head to the four-corners area of New Mexico and Arizona, and play music at schools and churches on the Native American Reservations. While we weren’t on the bus or preforming, we would play with the children, tell stories with the adults, and aid with small service projects. It was tiring, dusty, and a bit cramped a lot of the time, but I can honestly say that my times on tour are some of my most formational memories. Tour taught me just how much I had been given in life as I experienced poverty first hand. Tour taught me that service can take many shapes— listening, washing dishes, playing tag, praying. What matters is that your actions point others to Christ. Tour taught me that God can use anything, even my weak music skills, to reveal His heart to me and to others.

My experiences on music tour were the guiding factor in choosing to now be a double major in International Studies and Christian Ministries. I want to work in cross-cultural ministry because I have seen it in action and love watching God bring his kids together as they pursue Him. I would not be where I am, much less who I am, without my time on the Reservations on Music tour, or, for that matter, without that one August day when Mr. Hope spoke encouragement and prophecy into my life.

Cana Buckley, ICS ALUM C/O 2017