Episode Details

Welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. After nearly six months of silence, there is once again music filtering out into the halls of Mountain Ridge High School. That music is coming from the masked singers, otherwise known as the Mountain Ridge Madrigals. I had the pleasure of visiting music, teacher Kelly DeHaan's classroom, where the Madrigals were rehearsing. All of them wearing masks and eager to share their passion about music and being Sentinel strong so they can stay in school.

Madrigals practicing The Star-Spangled Banner

Kelly DeHaan:
Nice. Put your music to your side if you're off, if you're done.

Kelly DeHaan sings welcome to Dr. Godfrey

Superintendent Godfrey:
I feel pressure to sing, "Yes, I am!"  It's very intimidating being with this group. I would love to have your talents and abilities, or at least your instructor. Is this Madrigals?

Kelly DeHaan:
This is our Madrigal choir, the most elite choir of the school.

Superintendent Godfrey:
The Madrigal choir. Wow! Did you have to try out for this choir?

Kelly DeHaan:
Yes.

Superintendent Godfrey:
And so, was that a virtual tryout in the spring?

Kelly DeHaan:
No. We had actual auditions just before COVID happened. Right. With this class, we got done.

Superintendent Godfrey:
So, the tryouts were in March?

Kelly DeHaan:
Yes.

Superintendent Godfrey:
Wow. Very early. So, your path was forged very early in your junior year. That's fantastic. So, do you work on stuff over the summer or do you just kick right in when the school starts?

Kelly DeHaan:
Usually we do summer activities, but this year I didn't feel safe doing so. And so, we had our first time singing together on Monday.

Superintendent Godfrey:
How did it feel? Anybody raise your hand? Tell me how it felt.

Student:
We missed this class so much.  I missed singing with other people, not something I couldn't do virtually, but now That we are all together as a group, I feel like you can find the Sentinel spirit of joy right here.

Superintendent Godfrey:
That seems to sum up how you feel.  Being together as one thing, singing together as another, I would think.

Kelly DeHaan:
Yes.

Superintendent Godfrey:
We're going to step outside and interview a few students from Mr. DeHaan's Madrigal class. That's what I call it. What was it? Is its High Madrigals or Turbo Madrigals? Elite Madrigals! The Super Madrigals are here with me? And tell me your names.

Students:
I'm Alex, I'm Chelsea, I'm Savannah,

Superintendent Godfrey:
How does it feel to be back in class, particularly this class?

Student:
It is a wonderful, I think I missed singing. It's something you can't really replicate online, something I really missed, along with just being with all my classmates.

Student:
Particularly to this class, I find it very relieving to be back in the classroom with the energy that Kelly DeHaan brings to it. And knowing that we worked hard for the place that we're at, especially as second years, and it feels really glad to have that gratification back into our lives and just feeling fulfilled.

Student:
Yeah. I feel complete and whole again. I felt so empty without having a way to express myself through song. And comin