Why I Love Sewing Costumes

Yesterday and today I spent a large chunk of my day sewing costumes for La Serna High School's musical Ragtime. While I was cutting fabric and sewing a bit, I was thinking about why I keep doing this year after year (it's only been two years since graduation).

I've come to the conclusion that it's not because I need volunteer hours, or I feel obligated because my brother's in the show, but mostly because I like feeling a part of something that is important. Giving students the opportunity to be a part of a show can be life-changing; it's a way for students to interact with each other, gain the success and satisfaction of creating and making something from scratch, and students get the opportunity to work with adults who care about them who are willing to talk to them and help them improve in their performance skills as well as their own growth in character.

There are a lot of events and groups who are doing important things in the world, so what makes this different is that I believe in this cause too. In fact, this is what I want to do with my life. I would love to gain the skills to properly guide and direct students in music. I believe that music has the ability to effect and touch people in a special way unlike any other. It incorporates beautiful melodies and harmonies, poetic lyrics, and emotion created by the performer. The purpose of music ultimately is to affect. As a teacher, this not only includes affecting the audience, but providing one's students with opportunities, as I believe Mr. and Mrs. Carter and many other adults part of La Serna's Fine Arts Department are trying to do.

I am excited to be able to be a part of this magic at La Serna. I'm not trying to relive the past, because everyone needs to grow up at some point. Also, I'm not saying that I'm grown up, because I'm far from that classification and we are all constantly learning. But by graduating and stepping away from the bubble, I can appreciate all that these adults have done for me and begin to see how it has effected me. This is a time in my life where I can begin to see the developing character in myself, the reasons why the believers in this program continue to work so hard year after year. Now, not only do I wish as a student to continue to learn and grow from the adults who believe in this cause, but I also am beginning to have the power to create an environment for other students to experience what I have.

This is why I love sewing costumes.