“I am a 1-on-1 Paraprofessional for a student at the BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. I basically work as a teachers aide but on more of a 1-on-1 basis.”

“I continue to make music. My sister and I (she is also a UMC alum) just performed a song for the Quarentunes series on the Collective’s YouTube channel.”

Click here to check it out!

 “The Collective has taught me how to work in a team towards something much larger than myself. No matter what we choose to do in life, we’ll always be a significant part of a greater entity. As a Collective student, it’s music. As a caregiver and Paraprofessional, it’s the well-being of the individuals placed into my care. The Collective has taught me to make decisions that benefit the greater common good, rather than just myself. The Collective has also helped me build on some of my strengths, such as patience and dependability. Patience to undergo the process of an awesome performance coming together. And dependability to be a reliable contributor to the process.“ 

 “The Collective has taught me how to work in a team towards something much larger than myself. No matter what we choose to do in life, we’ll always be a significant part of a greater entity. As a Collective student, it’s music. As a caregiver and Paraprofessional, it’s the well-being of the individuals placed into my care. The Collective has taught me to make decisions that benefit the greater common good, rather than just myself. The Collective has also helped me build on some of my strengths, such as patience and dependability. Patience to undergo the process of an awesome performance coming together. And dependability to be a reliable contributor to the process.“ 

“The most valuable lesson I learned through the Collective is how to truly be committed to something. Commitment is an extremely important factor in success. As a Collective student, I had a community of peers counting on me to be on time to shows and rehearsals, learn the songs that were assigned to me, and put everything I had towards making the overall performance as good as it could possibly get. When everyone did this, the result was epic.“

“Music is my drug. Music is my favorite outlet for stress, anger, and anxiety. Working in the past as a caregiver and currently as a Paraprofessional, having a safe outlet is crucial. If I find myself going through a rough time or facing something I don’t understand, I listen to music. I give my troubles to music. I receive clarity in return.“

“I like to attend local live events, especially when I know the musicians playing in these events. I also enjoy going to craft shows. I would much rather buy a beautifully handcrafted item from a local artist than buy the same item online or from a chain store.“