We are so excited to have your singer join the Galveston County Summer Children’s Choir! Below is a little information about how the week will work.

FAQ

What activities will be provided this week?

During the week, singers will engage in large and small group rehearsals,sectionals, vocal technique and theory sessions, and time with othersingers over breaks and lunch! Singing together is more successful when it’s fun and relaxing!

Ages 6-18 is a large age range, how will students be divided?

Depending on registration, we would like to have two choirs: an elementary and a secondary ensemble. Either way, singers will be divided by age range so their instruction will be age appropriate. We are bringing in a variety of teachers so your singer will have a high-quality (and fun) experience!

How will singers be supervised?

Students will be supervised at all times. Each ensemble will have a choir host, which will assist in any personal needs your singer may have during rehearsal. Students will be engaged with other singers and adult volunteers during the entire time they are under our care.

When do we drop-off and pick up?

Students can be signed in between 8:40 and 8:55am. On the first day, it will take a little longer to get registered, but after the first day, simply come in and sign your child into rehearsal. Rehearsal will start promptly at 9:00am. At the end of the day, students can be signed out and picked up between 3:50 and 4:10pm. Guardians will need to come into the rehearsal space to sign in and sign out your student each day.

This year’s director of the Galveston County Summer Children’s Choir is Kelsey Helton. Kelsey is the elementary music specialist at Jake E. Silbernagel Elementary in Dickinson ISD, and the choir director and art teacher at Fanfare! Lutheran Music Academy. 2024-2025 will mark her 11th year teaching. She is originally from Kansas and is a proud alum of Kansas State University.

At K-State, she played clarinet in various ensembles including the “Pride of Wildcatland” Marching Band, Wind Ensemble and Clarinet Choir. She was president of Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, NAfME Collegiate for K-State and the President of NAfME Collegiate for the State of Kansas.

After teaching two years of junior high choir and theater in Lansing, Kansas, Kelsey moved to Galveston county to become a Texan. She taught several years as the K-5 Music Specialist at Travis Elementary in Goose Creek CISD, then moved closer to home in Dickinson ISD.

In Dickinson ISD, Kelsey was named the 2023-24 Campus Teacher of the Year. She also leads the campus auxiliary team, the elementary music team, serves on PBIS and Guiding Coalition committees, directs the Silbernagel Sound Elementary Choir and coaches UIL Music Memory. She holds trainings and certifications in Kodaly Level 1, World Music Drumming, Feierabend First Steps in Music, Mariachi Education, World Music Pedagogy from Smithsonian Folkways and Kindermusik.

Locally, Kelsey was on the Galveston Daily News’ 40 Under 40 list for 2023, featured in the P.E.O Record, and is a volunteer with Texas Parks and Wildlife Project WILD and Angler Education programs.

Kelsey is also an avid speaker at music education conventions across the country. She has presented in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and nationally online with Music ConstructED.

She is a member of NAfME, TMEA, TCDA, and P.E.O.

Fanfare! Lutheran Music Academy in Galveston is hosting the first ever Galveston County Summer Children’s Choir, open to any student in Galveston County, age 6-18 during the week of July 15-19, 2024. We are currently seeking sponsors for the following items to keep our starting choir costs low so as many singers that want to join can sing with us, regardless of the cost!

Interested in a sponsorship? Contact Kelsey Helton at kelsey.helton21@gmail.com or June Collins-Pulliam at director@fanfarelma.com

Current sponsor needs:

• Official Choir Shirts (to be worn at the finale concert)
• Lunches and Snacks for Singers and Camp Staff
• Print Music Sponsors
• Promotional Materials (brochures, flyers and more)
• General Monetary Donations for operating costs

Interested in volunteering?

Contact Kelsey Helton at kelsey.helton21@gmail.com

We are currently seeking volunteers to help make our choir a safe and successful event! No experience is required; we will provide any needed training!

• Choir Hosts (help take care of students during rehearsal)
• Meal and Snack Volunteers (help feed the hungry singers) Medical Volunteer (“School Nurse”)
• Registration Volunteers
• Logistics Coordinators and “Equipment Relocation Engineers”
• General Supervision and Assistance
• Sectional Leaders (must have music education experience)
• Piano Accompanists (must have piano accompanying experience)