“Now the language has taken its own life and my hope is that these students will continue to learn, not only Spanish but many languages as they have learned that this is one more way to connect to others in God’s great world.”
FIND A NEED, MEET A NEED
We looked around - find a need, meet a need ringing in our ears. We had been given $10 as a group and told we had two hours to meet someone, get to know them, and see if there was a need we could meet with the money. With all of those people and so many potential overwhelming needs, who did God have for us and how could $10 be any help?"
JA CITY
“Practically speaking, seeds are being planted in terms of financial Literacy (i.e. balancing a checkbook), awareness of the economy and community interdependency, work readiness skills and basics of business management. I’m more than a little bit jealous that I didn’t get to have this experience as a 5th grader!”
OUR CHAMPIONSHIP
CAST AND CREW
“From the constant set changes, quick costume changes, or the last-minute safety pins to hold a costume together before an actor runs on stage, I’ve learned the little details matter.”
A CALMING INFLUENCE
“An art piece by ICS Senior, Myra Castleton, has been selected for the 48th Annual Utah All-State High School Art Show.”
Steadfastness in the Midst of a Most Unusual Marathon
Knowing that the COVID-19 crisis will eventually end, working backward from that point into all of the details, decisions, and attitudes of our lives today helps us determine a realistic, maintainable stride for daily life.
1st grade science: He is still in charge
“Teaching Science class through Distance Learning is definitely a challenge, especially when we are studying plant growth!”
Elementary School Highlight: JA City
“ICS students fulfilled all the roles to operate a Chick-Fil-A, First Security Bank, Merit Medical, and KSL News station, and declared the experience “the best school day ever!’”
GIVING UPDATE 2020
Our educators, administrators, staff, and volunteers invest day in and day out to lift up, encourage, push, and reach for each individual student who becomes an ICS Lion.
I AM CONFIDENT: SPEECH AND DEBATE
“He kept writing, practicing, and competing. By the end of his sophomore year, that stutter had disappeared and, in his senior year, he was a respected and confident contributor in classes. This young man morphed from a quiet and shy freshman with a stuttering problem to a confident young man currently attending college.”
I AM STRONG: KENADIE JACKSON AND MSLT
“She came to me in early October to ask if MSLT could start a middle school Worship Night at ICS once a month. To be honest, I was a little reluctant about this at first because that would mean two events per month (instead of one).”
THE PRACTICE OF SABBATH
What does it look like to practice Sabbath today? While I encourage every reader to consider incorporating a full 24-hour period of Sabbath into his or her weekly rhythm, I honor the freedom Christ gives to interpret the discipline differently. As you ponder how to orient your life around three-fold communion, here are some ideas that have inspired me.
COURAGE TO RUN THE (STATE) RACE
International Student Program: Homestay Family
God is bringing more and more international students to study in the United States every year and you have an incredible opportunity to impact a students' life.
WHAT WE DO HERE IS IMPORTANT
We want our students to do everything wholeheartedly, for God’s glory. We want them to take joy in hard work done well. Tess Tally is modeling this through the stage, our teachers are teaching this in the classroom, and our coaches expect this on the courts and fields.
SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM REGION CHAMPS FOR 3RD YEAR IN A ROW!
The success of the Speech and Debate program is not necessarily about the high intelligence of the students (although that doesn’t hurt), but it is the way each student is valued as an individual.
I AM COURAGEOUS: WORLD RACE GAP YEAR
ELEMENTARY ENRICHMENT: FOR THE LOVE OF LEGO
ICS did so much for me socially, academically and spiritually, but it also developed in me a love for math and science.
ICS CAPTIVATES PRESTIGIOUS COMPOSER
In December of 2007, I took a group of high school band students to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO. There was a relatively new event for select high school musicians called Best of the West. One of the special components of Best of the West is that CMU commissions a composer each year to write a piece of music for the university’s Wind Symphony to perform. This composer is in residence during the event and works with the high school musicians as they perform one of his pieces for the Best of the West finale concert. It is truly a highlight for our students each year.
This past December during the Best of the West, I was having a conversation with Benjamin Taylor, the commissioned composer for the year. As we talked about various things that directors and composers talk about, Benjamin became more and more intrigued with ICS and the band program here. He then said, “Nathan, can we talk about maybe working together on something soon?!” The following week we spent a little over an hour on the phone talking further about the ICS band program and how it has been able to offer unique opportunities to our students. We went on to talk about the possibility of a direct commission for ICS. After speaking with various supporters of the ICS Music Department, the funds were lined up and we were able to commission a piece to be written for the ICS Symphonic Band. To the average person, a commissioned band piece doesn’t sound like a very big deal. On the contrary, it is a huge deal! When I mentioned to Leon Chodos (Utah Symphony bassoonist), Graeme Mutchler (Utah Symphony bass trombonist), and Josh Reimann (Eastmont Middle School Instrumental Director) that we were commissioning a work for the band they each reacted with great excitement. Leon stated, “Most music students never experience being part of a commissioned work throughout their schooling and even through the university level!” This year, the ICS band students in 5th through 12th grades get to be part of a once in a lifetime experience! One very special aspect of this commission is how Dr. Taylor is going to work through this with our students.
Often, when a band work is commissioned, the composer is paid and then writes the piece of music and sends it to the group to be performed. Not so with this piece! Dr. Taylor is going to do a couple of Skype sessions with our band students during class time this fall to introduce them to the process and give them an idea of how he goes about composing a piece of music. Throughout the fall he will keep us up to date with the progress of the piece. Then, in January, we will have a final Skype session where he will present us with the finished product. Our students will be able to have input on portions of the piece as well as naming the work. We will begin rehearsing the music in January in preparation for our Spring Instrumental Concert on April 30, where we will perform the world premiere of the work. Dr. Taylor will be coming to ICS to work with students on final touches and then be presented for the premiere concert. To learn more about Dr. Benjamin Taylor, visit his website at benjamintaylormusic.com.
By Nathan Hope, ICS Music Director