Former Saint finds way to give back

Alumnae Amelia Tesdahl continues passion for music as JV Show Choir Director

Former+Saint+finds+way+to+give+back

After graduation, sometimes it’s easy to lose track of people, but there are a number of SFHS graduates who have gone into the world and continue to give back. Amelia Tesdahl is one of those alumni.

Tesdahl  graduated from Saint Francis High School in 2014. She was in SFHS Today, was the queen in Madrigals,  and she also was in show choir and an active member of the choir program. Like many with a passion for music, she proceeded to go to the University of Minnesota to become a music educator.

In college she had to take a four year program, and she is graduating in May.

“I started off taking all music classes for the first four semesters which included voice lessons, music theory, music history, choir, piano lessons, and conducting lessons,” she said. “Then in my junior and senior years I’ve taken voice lessons but incorporated professional education courses and educational psychology courses which basically teach you how to be a teacher.”

In those classes she has learned theories about how students learn, as well as practical techniques for conducting rehearsals and leading my her classroom.

To further her career, she tries to supplement her education at the U by working with the show choirs at Saint Francis over the past four years for practical experience.

“You know, I can sit through a lecture on campus about how to lead warm ups for your group or how to do a sectional rehearsal or even how to lead/plan an overnight field trip but most of those skills as a teacher don’t quite click until you’re at the piano and in a classroom actually doing it,” she said.

Tesdahl is truly happy she chose the path she did. 

“I had a great fantastic experience in high school because of the many great teachers and advisers that led the programs I was a part of, ” she said.  “I believe that educators who share their passion with their students have a unique ability to find and build that same passion in the students that they work with. Had I not worked with Mo and Warren on musicals and broadcasting and choir, I don’t think I would have found such passion for those same things within myself.”

She hopes to graduate this May and find a position teaching high school or middle school choir.

“Also, I just think highschoolers cool,” she said. “They’re funny and clever and they want to be successful and they have thoughts and opinions about the world…and all of that is just very cool to get to work with every day.”     

 

*Update – 10/1/18 – Tesdahl landed a job at Faribault Middle School and is now teaching Choir and  General Music Education classes.