Fifth graders create a unique tune

By Jason Gabak

Editor

When Heather Buffs students took a trip to Orenda Springs, they brought back a set of words, life skill words, they can use to help inform their decisions and reflect on their character.

Words like caring, curiosity and courage were just a few from the list.

These words have found their way not only into the students’ lives, but also into a song Buff’s student are crafting with Dusty and Michelle Pas’cal.

“I’ve known Dusty and Michelle for a long time,” Buff said. “I thought it would be fun for the kids to write a song about these life skill words as part of the character education here at State Street. Dusty thought it was a fun idea and he said naturally we could do it.”

Accompanied by his guitar, Dusty finger picked out the chords while Michelle wrote the lyrics the students has started to craft on the board.

“They already wrote two verses and chorus,” Buff said.

When work resumed on Thursday, Dusty lead the students through what they had already, giving them some insights on words and phrasing.

He asked students how many went home humming the tune on Wednesday.

When all the students’ hands shot up in the air, he said they were on the right track.

“That is going to stick in your head,” Dusty said. “That is what we call bubblegum right there. It just sticks right in your brain.”

After a quick run through, Michelle began adapting words, cutting longer words into phrases that while maybe not necessarily grammatically correct work better in terms of melody and cadence.

Words like for sure were whittled down into “fosho,” for example.

“I know it’s not right,” Dusty said. “But it is better to sing.”

As they worked their way through the song, Dusty and class tried different configurations with boys singing one verse and girls another, trading off lines between the class members, just to hear how the song could sound.

As the work went along the students decided they wanted more life skill words worked into the song.

Dusty threw out ideas and encouraged students to give their input.

On the spot they created an intro and bridges where life skill words were used to fill in the space before and between verses.

The students’ enthusiasm was palpable as they sprang up, sharing their ideas about what would work and where words might best fit thematically with what they created.

Buff said she was impressed with what they created.

“It is fun to see how they get into it,” Buff said.

Once the song is completed, Buff said she plans to work with the students to record the song and get it out for others to hear.

“We are planning to make a video,” Buff said. “They are all very excited and doing a great job.”