(Rashaan Davis/CHSAANow.com)

Over the past few weeks, marching bands from across the state have returned. Whether they are on the football field or in the school parking lot, bands are back.

Today, I had the opportunity to spend some time with the band at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch. The band is directed by Mr. Dan Delaup, an energetic director who is excited to get back to work. Today is the final day of their two-week camp and Dan was kind enough to talk with me as the band was warming up.

Dan and I talked about the good and the bad of the pandemic. He said that his band is down about 20 students and that he can see where it might take a few years for his program to recover. He pointed out that this is not an isolated issue, as he knows that his feeder middle school, Mountain Ridge, will also be down. This is a problem that many directors will face, with the expected turnaround to take a couple of years. I laughed, however, as Dan talked about the only complaints he’s been hearing from the kids have been about the heat.

As we steered the conversation away from some of the negative aspects of the pandemic, Dan talked about how excited the kids are to be back together and that being together over the past couple of weeks has almost made the kids forget what it felt like to be away from each other.

I was excited to spend some time talking with MVHS senior and snare drummer, Ryan Day. This young leader represents the very best of Mountain Vista High School. He shared with me how awesome it feels to be back and that performing in front of his peers with as a member of the band was a big part of his first two years at Mountain Vista. I asked Ryan to share words of encouragement for incoming band members.

“Stick with it,” he said. “It’s hard, especially during camp. It’s all worth it, especially when you get to the performances. There is nothing like performing for people.”

Well said.

The band will end their camp today with a celebration at Main Event Entertainment, a chance for the kids to play games and continue connecting outside of the rigors of camp.

Mountain Vista will be joining other programs for their first competition on Sept. 25 at the Friendship Cup hosted by Fountain-Fort Carson.

If you would like for CHSAA to share the story of your activities program, send me an email (rdavis@chsaa.org) or call the CHSAA office.

Over 100 student leadership advisers and students took part in today’s virtual conference.

The conference, which helps student leaders to prepare for the upcoming school year, was a great opportunity to gather advisers, students, our state representatives, and some high school administrators to talk about growing campus culture, building student/staff recognition events, and promoting new activities.

Students began the day by listening to opening remarks by CHSAA associate commissioner Tom Robinson, who talked about what it means to be a leader, recognizing role models and creating a great environment for all.

James Layman, Director of the Association of Washington Student Leaders, was the keynote speaker. Layman talked to the group about multiple areas of growth, opening his presentation by telling student leaders, “Y’all are awesome!”

Layman also encouraged the audience members to “think about what they want their school to feel like” as they create their events and activities. There were moments of comedy as Layman told students not to compare this year to a tortilla chip; a reference to a personal story he shared. One of the key questions he asked attendees to think about was “what if we treated the past 16 months as the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had?”

Following the keynote, students and advisers participated in a workshop in a series of breakout sessions. Topics included everything from school spirit (post-COVID), effective leadership, amplifying student voice, to promotive a positive and inclusive school climate.

Outgoing student leadership committee chair and newly hired CHSAA activities director Rashaan Davis thanked the attendees for all of their hard work over the past few months and reminded them that it would be important to reach out to the incoming freshmen and current sophomores to help them grow back the climate of the building. Davis also thanked the Student Leadership Committee and incoming chairperson, Alice Stoneback (Manitou Springs High School), for continuing to make student leadership a priority.

Looking ahead, there will be more information coming out about student leadership events, including Fall Summits, Advisory University, and next summer’s conference.

(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)

COLORADO SPRINGS — Signing day at Coronado didn’t look too out of the ordinary. Maybe with one small exception. There were a lot of kids at the table.

Not that too many kids is unordinary. But Coronado’s ceremony bordered on unique for one very reason. The Cougars were tired of not celebrating the kids going to college for something other than athletics. So for this year – and probably from here on out – the Cougars gathered everyone. Their athletes and their activities driven kids and celebrated them all as they committed to collegiate programs to continue doing the very things they love to do.

“Why not,” Coronado athletic director Jimmy Porter said. “It’s a push from our school. We’re know for our performing arts programs. When we can celebrate kids we want to celebrate kids. It’s cool to bring more people here as well. The more the merrier.”

It’s certainly a change of pace from the everyday signing ceremony.

In the same ceremony where football coach Monte Gutowski and basketball coach David Thomas got to brag about the achievements of their athletes who will be furthering their careers in college, theater director Erin Ambroz got to boast about the achievement of her drama students and the great things they plan on doing after high school.

It was a day where drama, visual arts, choir and music stood on the same stage as football, basketball and girls volleyball. It was certainly something all the kids will remember.

“It’s enjoyable and it feels good to be up there and to be honored,” Jackson Schaeffer said.

Shaeffer is heading to Tulane where he will be a member of the band next fall. His path to college wasn’t based on his ability to score a touchdown or knock down a 3-pointer. He’s going there because of his passion for jazz.

“We had an exceptional music program,” he added. “I think that’s been shown with all the people that are up here. For all of us, it feels good to be up here with all the other activities who have also worked hard and earned a spot up here.”

It’s a pivotal moment for Coronado students and for activities-driven students in Colorado.

It’s a subtle gesture from the school that all students should be celebrated for what they’re accomplishing through the year and for what they will beyond their time at Coronado. This is a simple ceremony that will make the school come closer together.

“This is what helps create community,” Thomas said. “It’s not just athletics that are getting promoted, it’s all of our programs that are getting students sent off to do amazing things. Kids are going off to play football and basketball, but they’re also going to Tulane and DePaul and schools like that. It’s special. We’re creating a community where we want to support each other not just in the classroom, but outside of it.”

In late April, Rashaan Davis was selected as the next assistant commissioner at the Colorado High School Activities Association. He will oversee activities and perform a number of other duties.

To get to know him better, CHSAA Director of Digital Media, Brad Cochi, sat down with Davis to ask a few questions about his excitement for the new role, his background, his vision for the future and more.

Cochi: First of all, congratulations on the new position. Could you please tell us how excited you are to get started and what drew you to becoming the next CHSAA Assistant Commissioner?

Davis: Thank you very much. I am very excited! This is an opportunity that I have been looking forward to for a long time. CHSAA has a great history of creating learning opportunities for students through athletics and activities, and I am excited to now be a part of the team that helps to make that happen. I have been lucky enough to play a small role in each of the CHSAA activities I will oversee. Whether I was advising student leaders, serving as a judge at a speech & debate tournament, or volunteering at a music event, I have had the opportunity to “get behind the curtain” and see exactly how these events are put together.

I love that I am now in a position to work with a network of adults (teachers, coaches, and administrators) who wake up every day looking forward to positively impacting students through their participation in activities. It has been very rewarding to impact students in my own school, but to now be able to impact students across the state? This is beyond words.

In your new role, you will oversee activities, the Hall of Fame, awards/trophies and esports, and will have a wide variety of other duties. What are your thoughts on taking over this grassroots position and how do you see this position growing in the future?

That is a great question. Prior to this even being a position, I had thought about what it would look like to have someone solely in charge of CHSAA-sponsored activities. Those thoughts were always grounded in what CHSAA could do – growing current programs to be as recognized as many of the athletic offerings, the creation of new activities for students who are looking for ways to connect on their campus, and working with other state associations to share best-practices and implementation procedures. Now that this is a reality, I can’t wait to do those things and so many more.

I am also looking forward to the days when we will be adding new activities to what CHSAA already offers. Future activities might include: Robotics, Knowledge Bowl, and middle school leadership conferences, and One-Act Plays. All of my assignments are important, and I look forward to coming in and giving each of them the attention they deserve. The future is bright for activities at CHSAA.

You have a broad background in education. Could you please give us some insight into your background and the experiences that have led you to this point in your life?

In order to answer this question, we have to go back a few years. I grew up in Colorado Springs and attended Sierra High School. Growing up in a military community, that seemed like the logical choice upon graduation, so I joined the Army. My time in the military helped shape me into the school leader I have become. Working with a team, completing the mission, and properly making your bunk each day were skills that have translated well. In college, I was voted student body president at a time when the university was looking to change the school mascot, playing a major role in that process helped me to understand what equity and voice really meant.

Over the years, I have been able to work with students to create programs that help schools in our state to provide the best in extracurricular events for their students. I have built curriculum, managed large budgets for major events and worked with other schools to promote programs. Throughout the years, I’ve continued to share the message of educational equity, voice, and belonging. The end of this school year marks my 25th year in education and in all of those years- having served as a Social Studies teacher, Student Leadership adviser, and Campus Administrator- I have come to know that listening is one of the most important things I can do. And yes, I still make my bed every morning.

What are you looking forward to most about your new job?

As I stated earlier, I am looking forward to bringing new and different activities to CHSAA while building capacity in our existing activities. I am excited to work with school leaders, coaches, advisors from around the state, and the CHSAA advisory committees that work with each activity. I am also looking forward to working with the entire CHSAA office staff. Rhonda has assembled a team that I look forward to learning from and growing with. Fostering relationships, building capacity, listening to the ideas of others, and continuing to produce successful events is what I am really looking forward to.

What advice do you have for the upcoming generation on the importance of education and activities?

Education is the basis for all that we do, and activities can play an important role in helping students frame their view of the world. If we can continue creating opportunities for students to showcase their talent, with the help of caring adults and supportive peers, within the school environment, it can only help them develop skills that the world will ask them to have.

The 2021 Student Leadership Summer Conference will be held virtually on Wednesday, July 14. The agenda will be posted soon.

The cost is $20 per student. Advisors may attend free of charge. Schools will receive $20 credit per student that attends the summer conference for the 2021 CHSAA Fall Conference (date TBD).

Register for the conference below. This form may only be used by student leadership advisors.

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Please note that there are two forms. The first form is information regarding your school.

This second form gathers information about your student attendees. In order to add more than one student, please click “Submit another response.”

The Student Leadership committee has selected fifteen students from a competitive list of over eighty applicants to serve as the 2021-22 CHSAA State Reps. The final selections, which include a diverse group of students from every corner of Colorado, each offer unique backgrounds and perspectives that stood out among their peers.

“I was impressed with the resumes of each applicant,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Justin Saylor, who oversees student leadership. “Each student had proven leadership qualities, which made narrowing the list down extremely difficult. I commend the committee for their hard work and look forward to working with this group of State Reps over the course of next school year.”

The State Reps will have a daunting task ahead as they continue to navigate the obstacles put forth by the COVID-19 pandemic that shifted all 2020-2021 CHSAA Student Leadership events to virtual platforms and will continue into the 2021 Summer Conference.

Led by State Rep Advisor Trey Downey (Central HS – Grand Junction), the group will go to work right away, planning for all Student Leadership programming for the upcoming school year.

State Reps will have myriad responsibilities, some of which include sitting on various CHSAA committees, assisting in the coordination of Student Leadership Summer and Fall Conferences, and being a voice for the CHSAA student body as a whole.

The final list includes two returning State Reps and thirteen new members, comprising ten seniors, three juniors, and two sophomores.

Joslyn Bowman, Rangeview HS

Kelly Clingan, Thompson Valley HS

Bryce Davis, Central (Grand Junction) HS

Micah Frazho, Palisade HS

Jaymi Gile, Alamosa HS

Keeley Haynes, Mountain Range HS

Mohamed Ibrahim, Wiggins HS

John Keleman, Arvada West HS

Landry Longmore, Riverdale Ridge HS

Samir Mongar, Denver South HS

Melia Palaroan, Sierra HS

Charlie Riggs, Resurrection Christian School

Camden Sharkey, Liberty HS

Caroline Thompson, Lake City Community School

Resurrection Christian’s Isaac Fry has been named the Section 6 recipient of the NFHS Heart of the Arts Award.

The National High School Heart of the Arts Award is now in its seventh year and was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.

Here’s more info about Fry:

Isaac Fry has assembled quite the performing arts resume throughout his career at Resurrection Christian School.

He has been the symphonic band percussion section leader all four years; drumline captain for three years; an all-state honoree for concert band, symphonic band and philharmonic orchestra; and a performer in six different honor bands and orchestras.

He has also composed seven original musical works for school ensembles. In speech and debate, Fry was a national qualifier for the international extemporaneous speaking category and an Academic All-American.

He received the Heartwork Service Award in 2019 for helping restart the RCS drumline, and has volunteered 250 hours playing liturgical music at three community churches.

Astonishingly, he has accomplished many of these feats while also making time to assist his mother during the rapid decline of her eyesight.

Registration is now open for the CHSAA Student Leadership Virtual Spring Conference on March 1, 3 and 5.

We ask that Advisors or Athletic/Activities Directors register their students and CHSAA will invoice schools directly. The cost is $20 per student and all registration fees that were paid for the Summer Conference in July 2020, will be credited toward the Spring Conference registration (each Summer Conference registration will reduce your Spring Conference cost by $20 – does not have to be the same student that attends both events).

Advisors may attend free of charge. The registration link is available here.

Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, an in-person event was not a possibility. Traditionally the event was held on the campus of a Member School during the fall. The Conference was planned for five regional locations in 2020-2021, but will move to a virtual format to limit possible spread of the Coronavirus.

“We were excited to bring a new regional format to our Membership in 2020-2021,” said Justin Saylor, the CHSAA assistant commissioner in charge of Student Leadership. “A lot of time and hard work went into converting the event to a regional model with an enhanced curriculum. While it is unfortunate we will have to wait another year to make this happen, the additional time to plan and share ideas will only make for a better event in 2021-2022.”

The virtual conference agenda is still being hashed out but will include a mix of workshops, presentations, speakers and awards over the course of three days. Each date will run approximately 90 minutes in length from 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on March 1, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on March 3 and 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. on March 5.

“It has been heartbreaking for students and advisors to see both Advisor U and now the Spring Conference adjusted due to Covid-19,” said Rashaan Davis, the chair of the Student Leadership advisory committee. “While our in-person attendance may have been cancelled, I am confident that our virtual event will be just as inspiring and educational. Now, more than ever, leadership is needed in our schools.”

Agenda and Conference details to follow. Questions should be directed to Justin Saylor (jsaylor@chsaa.org).

Our goal is to provide an educationally based opportunity for all music students and directors across the state. Directors are encouraged to use these ratings as an evaluation tool for their administration, and students will be motivated to work towards improvement during these untraditional times.

This list will be updated as questions are asked. Please reach out to Bethany or Sandra at CHSAA with specific questions or comments. We look forward to having you and your students participate!

1. All ages are welcome (elementary through high school). Sign-ups must be made through the school’s music director, and not individual students/parents/private teachers.
2. In order to be eligible, students must be an active member of their local school’s music program (as determined by the school).
3. Memorization is recommended, but not required for any events.
4. Due to COVID-19 difficulties, canned accompanist is allowed, if necessary.
5. At the time of performance (audition is the word that HeartOut uses) (March 1-5), students will be required to announce the title and composer of the piece(s) they will be playing. They will then be required to hold up their music in front of their faces for three (3) seconds to verify they are performing from non-photocopied sheet music.
6. At the time of registration, directors will be required to verify that they are obeying all copyright laws.
7. A director may conduct their ensemble, if necessary.
8. Solos and ensembles (up to 16 students) allowed. Events are Vocal, High Brass (trumpet/French horn), Low Brass (trombone, baritone, tuba), High String (violin, viola), Low String (cello, bass), Piano, Percussion, Flute, Saxophone, Woodwind (clarinet, oboe, bassoon), Mixed Ensembles, Guitar, and Ukulele.
9. There is no required music list. Music must be festival appropriate.
10. At the time of registration you do not need to select the music or indicate what you will be playing! Just sign up to reserve your spot. You don’t have to select music until January.
11. Solos and ensembles with 10 people or less will be $10/entry. Ensembles with 11-16 students will be $15/entry.
12. After the deadline, there will be no refunds of money.
13. Students will have a week (Monday, March 1 to Friday, March 5) to upload their performance(s). Performances can be up to 10 minutes.
14. If schools or districts don’t feel comfortable with students uploading the performance/audition themselves, directors can submit the performance on the student or ensembles behalf!
15. All uploads will be made using the free HeartOut app from the GooglePlay or App Store. When students are ready to record their final performance, they will have 3 opportunities. They will then be able to upload their best performance to be judged.
16. Judges will provide ratings and comments within the app during the weekend of March 6-7 2021, and feedback should be ready for the students on Monday, March 8.
17. Ratings will be based upon 5 categories, worth 10 points each.
18. Students and schools will be able to order medals through CMEA based upon the ratings they receive during our festival. All award orders can be placed by going to the CMEA web site at cmeaonline.org, clicking on the General Information Tab and Clicking on the Order CMEA Awards Tab. All transactions can be completed on-line, including credit card payment. Do you have questions regarding CMEA awards? You can direct those questions to CMEA Awards Manager- Ken Anderson at awardscmeaonline@gmail.com
19. HeartOut’s Privacy Policy is excellent and has been reviewed by the CHSAA Legal Team to ensure compliance and safety. It may be found HERE.
20. Judges will be used from across the state, and even country. A CHSAA adjudicator training will occur in December to review expectations, new rating sheets, and ensure that all students will have a positive experience at our festivals.

In conjunction with the celebration of the National High School Activities Month, the Colorado High School Activities Association is excited to announce that we are creating a statewide virtual solo and ensemble festival this year.

The CHSAA recognizes that nothing is the same during these challenging times, but we want to support and offer encouragement to our directors across the state. This virtual festival is easy, simple to use, available for all schools — elementary, middle school, and high school! Even those in a virtual or hybrid model, and this would be a great evaluation tool for both the student(s) and the director.

“We are really excited to be able to offer this music opportunity for everyone in the state,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Bethany Brookens. “We strongly encourage everyone to sign up as soon as possible to ensure they get a spot.”

We will be using HeartOut as our digital platform of choice. This is a free app that students, directors and judges will be using. This is an asynchronous opportunity to participate. Students and directors will have an entire week (Monday-Friday) in March to upload their best performance, and then the judges will login soon after the deadline to provide a quality overall rating and give comprehensive written feedback on the recorded performance.

The second virtual CHSAA Solo & Ensemble Festival will be March 1-5, 2021. If you would like to take part, and these dates absolutely don’t work, please let us know and we will be happy to schedule more opportunities. Registration is now open: CHSAA Solo & Ensemble Registration Form.

This festival is available to all students in elementary, middle school, and high school. Solos and ensembles (up to 16 students) are allowed. The events are Vocal, High Brass (trumpet/French horn), Low Brass (trombone, baritone, tuba), High String (violin, viola), Low String (cello, bass), Piano, Percussion, Flute, Saxophone, Woodwind (clarinet, oboe, bassoon), Mixed Ensembles, Guitar, and Ukulele.

Entry costs for solos and small ensembles (less than 10 students) are $10/each, and ensembles 11-16 students are $15/each.

Worried about memorization? Not required. Is your school still virtual, or in a hybrid model?  No problem — students can easily upload their performances on their own, or you can help them their day at school. Is there a required music list? Nope, music just must be festival appropriate. More questions? Please visit our FAQ page HERE.

CHSAA contacts for this festival are Bethany Brookens and Sandra Williamson. We look forward to hearing from you!