Music education major shares musical passions with youth through APEX micro fellowship
Anna Puster ’25, a music education major at The College of Wooster, dedicated her summer to assisting youth with vocal performance as an assistant music director for the Wayne County Performing Arts Council in Wooster, Ohio through an APEX Micro Fellowship. In addition to working with young students, Puster assisted with and led rehearsals. Such opportunities enabled her to directly apply skills and knowledge acquired through her music education studies toward her goal of becoming a music educator. The organization, headquartered in Wooster, coordinates numerous performing arts activities in the Wayne County community, including theatrical productions for both youth and adults. Throughout her experience, Puster worked closely with Margaret Leatherman, one of the directors of the organization’s summer youth production, enabling her to learn from an experienced figure in the field. Puster’s experience opened her eyes to the importance of engaging with youth in the context of performing arts and music.
“My Apex Micro Fellowship gave me the opportunity to put my coursework into practice and get experience working with kids.”
—Anna Puster ’25
Q: What interests you most about the work you did?
Puster: I loved working with a group of kids across a wide age range. It’s really cool to see friendships form between people that might not have met each other in any other place.
Q: What were some of the things you did each day?
Puster: Every day I would listen to the kids sing and give them feedback and encouragement.
Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position?
Puster: My supervisor was Margaret Leatherman. She has so much experience in this field and has been so kind in letting me help her out with shows. I enjoy hearing about her expertise obtained from working with young people in her private lessons.
Q: What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career?
Puster: Each year I work with WaCPAC I learn more about working with kids and adults alike. I also learn how to balance the needs of the kids with the expectations that I and the other adults have for them.
Q: How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you?
Puster: It taught me that I should continue to find opportunities like this to connect with kids in the community through music.
Posted in Experiential Learning on August 10, 2024.
