Congratulations to this month’s Embrace, Empower & Inspire Award winners, Laura Caito, Kindergarten Teacher at Hoffman Trails and Erin Broadhurst, Orchestra Teacher at Hilliard Bradley High School. Here are a few things that students and staff have to say about these two great staff members.
“Can we talk about how AMAZING Mrs. Caito is as an educator, mentor, role model, culture-changer and bonus mom to my son and all of her kiddos at Hoffman Trails Elementary?!?! It truly does “take a village” and we are so thankful to have her as a member of our family as are so many other Hoffman Trails families have been throughout the years. Kindergarten is the first step in every child’s educational adventure and Mrs. Caito does an incredible job in preparing her students for their future in the Hilliard City School District. Our evenings are filled with so many wonderful stories from Zeke about what he learned during the day and how he is so excited about school thanks to Mrs. Caito’s Kindergarten Crew. Thank you Mrs. Caito…you are truly a blessing!”
“Erin Broadhurst is single-handedly the most influential mentor figures that steered me on my path to be a successful collegiate musician. I studied with Mrs. Broadhurst the majority of 6th-12th grade, having her as an orchestra director as well as taking private lessons with her for a period of time between teachers. In the large span of time I studied with her, I cannot quantify the amount she did for me. Early in my secondary school music career I had expressed a strong interest in music theory, and furthermore music composition. Mrs. Broadhurst went above and beyond finding ways to facilitate my special interests that went beyond the class curriculum, even allowing me to debut one of my first pieces during 8th grade. Once my skills in composition exceeded a level she could thoroughly assist in my studies, she pointed me in the direction of further resources to help expand my skills as a composer. Throughout the course of my secondary school music career, she suggested to me and helped me prepare for various extracurricular music opportunities, including but not limited to: Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra, OMEA Region Orchestra, OMEA Solo & Ensemble, BW Community Arts School Summer Intensive camp – all opportunities I would have never known about had she not suggested them to me. During the summer prior to my senior year, she helped me in establishing a list of schools to apply and audition to, and furthermore helped in selection of appropriate repertoire for all of my auditions. Possibly the most invaluable opportunity Mrs. Broadhurst offered me was the opportunity to serve as a Student Teacher across the majority of her ensembles, giving me experience teaching in the music classroom to a degree that most musicians do not get to experience until they are towards the end of their collegiate music education studies. This experience has significantly informed my impression of what it means to be a music educator, before I even received any collegiate level education on the field of music education. Without the unquantifiable amount of support I received during my time studying with her, I never would have become the musician I am today, nor’ would I have ever been able to pursue degrees in both Music Education and Music Composition, seeing as current school curriculum puts minimal emphasis on composition. The value Mrs. Broadhurst has in each individual student is truly admirable, and I can only aspire to achieve such a degree of passion and dedication to the field of music education.”
These two go above and beyond the expectations of the Hilliard Way and truly make a difference to our district. If you know a staff member that goes above and beyond their way to make a difference, you can nominate them for next month’s award at Embrace, Empower & Inspire Nomination Form
