NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Two teachers from Newport News are in the spotlight this week as we continue to honor educators who’ve excelled during the pandemic by their Virtual Victories.
When Arcelia Simmons, of Heritage High School, and Jennifer Jarratt, of Menchville High School, could not meet with their students to practice in person, together, these two found a way to produce virtual choral concerts.
“My students and myself, we decided that this would not be the year that the music stopped,” Simmons said.
Shifting to a virtual platform this year has been a challenge, especially with chorus, but Simmons found a way.
“Ms. Simmons does a great job for chorus — which is a difficult concept to translate to a virtual world,” said Dr. Earling Hunter, principal at Heritage High School.
Simmons says she has been doing this since 1986, and there’s one thing she loves most.
“What I love about it is that the growth that you hear in a child — from September to June — it still astounds me.”
About 11 miles away over at Menchville High School, Jarratt faced the same challenges, but that didn’t stop her and her students from making music.
“It’s been really wonderful to see how quickly society can pull together and make good things happen in a really crazy and historic time,” Jarratt said.
“Ms. Jarratt builds relationships with students,” said Bobby Surry, principal at Menchville. “Many go in there thinking they can’t do this — but, she brings out the best in them.”