A West Point Junior High teacher has transformed her classroom into an immersive Star Wars experience to inspire her students. According to an October 13 report, Hayward decorated the room with themes including Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Ewoks, the Millennium Falcon, and a TIE fighter.
The musical program, titled Use the Voice, serves as a creative twist on the phrase Use the Force. Through this theme, students work on reading music, singing harmonies, blending, and vocal control. Hayward stated that her goal is to inspire students to do something beyond themselves and to realize they can utilize math, science, engineering, and creativity.
Students reported that Hayward's choir class is a place where they can learn, laugh, and feel seen. Hayward has taught for 26 years and has spent 24 years at West Point Junior High as a choir and theater teacher. She also performs with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
By combining music and creativity with Star Wars themes, Hayward aims to encourage students to think beyond a single subject and discover how to use their own voices in powerful ways.
