Letter From A Current Parent

One Parent Wrote to the Grosse Pointe News Editor, on August 15, 2007:

Thank you to the Grosse Pointe News for presenting a more balanced picture of the incident involving Grosse Pointe South choir director Ellen Bowen, "What to do about 'Ellen,'" Aug. 2 Grosse Pointe News.

It is nice to finally hear some of the facts regarding the incident. It was good to read in your column that the young woman in this case bears responsibility for the situation as well. That she does.

As far as Ellen Bowen, I just want the community to know, that what Ellen does at South, is a job that few teachers or music instructors could do. She involves as many students at South in the choir as several athletic teams put together. The number of students that want to participate in the choir, and the many parents that enthusiastically support her programs are a testament to that.

As a parent of two teenagers in the choirs, I have no reservations about my children working with Ms. Bowen. In fact, she has inspired my teenagers to want to learn more and to love all kinds of music. Every activity she is involved with, has been highly organized, and I have never feared for the safety of my children.

As a former vocal performance/vocal music education major, I know that what Ellen does at South is unique. Ellen gets the kids excited about the singing and dancing side of vocal music, and along the way introduces them to some of the finest classical literature.

My children have had the opportunity to sing major works with chamber orchestra and beautiful choral literature.

Attending the Solo and Ensemble festivals is an eye opener. When many of the schools can barely get 12 students in an advanced choir, and only one or two boys on tenor and bass, Ellen has large groups of mixed choirs and young men.

Listening to my son sing with the "Men of Pointe Singers" at one of the solo and ensemble competitions, these young men were easily as good as the internationally known Wayne State University Men's Glee Club from my college days at Wayne State University.

Ellen had 60-plus singers attending solo and ensemble as soloists — a number unheard of at any high school. The majority of those soloists — I am proud to say, my daughter included — received first division ratings.

Both of my teenagers study voice with excellent voice teachers, brought in by Ellen Bowen.

People need to realize that Ellen has made choir a "cool" and coveted place to be at South. When you sit and watch the musical, and the two male leads are from the football team and one of our champion swimmers, you realize that she has accomplished what few can do.

Both of my children participate in athletics as well, and were able to because Ellen accommodated their schedule.

I feel blessed to have her at South, my children love choir and spend a great deal of time in an environment where they are demanded many things, but have grown tremendously as musicians and as people in the process. They are surrounded by some of the brightest and nicest teenagers that I have ever met, providing them with a wonderful peer group.

I have been privileged to meet some of the most lovely parents in our community through the choir boosters at South. Never have I seen more people work harder to help a program succeed.

I do not for one moment think that all of these students and parents would stay involved if Ellen Bowen weren't worth it.

As a person with many years of experience with vocal music, as a singer, choreographer and soloist myself, let me briefly explain what Ellen is able to do. She is able to give our South students a university and even professional level experience in music, even though she has to teach students that are all over the map in abilities.

When our elementary students only have music 45 minutes every four days, it isn't enough to prepare them. We live in a time, where fewer and fewer families are familiar with good classical music, and less and less children are really exposed to good music.

Many people go into music education only to leave the profession because of the few good jobs that are out there, and of the districts that hire them, there is no budget or support for the arts.

Music teachers are demanded to do things and put up with situations that most academic teachers would never stand for. Imagine that she is a hockey coach.

Imagine that she has to train a team of hockey players to compete at an elite level.

Imagine that when the season starts, 25 percent of her players have played competitive travel hockey. Another 25 percent have played some house games for fun, so at least they are familiar with the sport. Twenty-five percent of the players only know how to skate, but have never played hockey.

And finally, 25 percent of the players are just learning how to stay upright on their skates, never mind holding a stick in their hand.

Then imagine that she has to keep the advanced players interested, develop the marginal players and meanwhile teach the basics to all the rest. Then she has to get them all to work together, to treat each other as teammates, without the advanced players treating the bench warmers badly.

And she has to do this with a fraction of the budget of most other hockey teams, and has to involve the parents to raise all the money for uniforms and ice time, because hockey doesn't get the same priority in the budget as many other activities.

At the same time, not one player sits on the bench, every single one gets playing time, though not all will be able to play on varsity (Pointe Singers). And this coach manages to develop all these players into award winning players, and has many that go on to play hockey in college and the NHL.

That coach is Ellen Bowen. That is what she does. That is why she has to stay. We need her here. Our kids want her here.

I am only one parent of many at South that will be devastated, along with my teenagers if she isn't with us at South this fall.

Lisa Papas
City of Grosse Pointe
August 15, 2007

Letter From a Current Student, Class of '08

In a letter dated July 17, 2007, one of Ellen Bowen’s current students wrote:

Ellen has been an extraordinary influence on me not only as a musician, but a person. Ellen Bowen is the person who showed interest in my talent and gave me every possible means by which to develop it. From playing in pit orchestras, allowing me to play famous pipe organs on our European tour in 2006, and even allowing me to conduct the GPS graduation ceremony this year. It is because of Ellen and her support that I plan on majoring in music. She is the one who suggested that I start taking organ lessons, and I now love it and plan to major in it. Ellen also believes that I could someday conduct major orchestras and does everything she can to help me, most recently appointing me as a student director of the freshmen women. She brings out talents in certain people, me included, that I never thought were possible. She gave me a leading role in South's production of Beauty and the Beast and I never imagined that I would be able to play my part as well as I did. As a person, Ellen has showed me that if you really desiresomething, you never give up. Her rehearsals teach time management skills, and I find it very hard to get started and focus on my homework on nights when I don't have choir. She is not only the best music teacher I've ever had, but the best teacher that I'veever had, and a most importantly a terrific person.

Letter from a Former Student, Class of '93

In a letter dated July 2, 2007, one of Ellen's former students wrote:

When I entered my freshman year at Grosse Pointe South I was singing in a rock-band and experimenting with any substance I could get my hands on. Ellen recruited me to sing in the choir, and by my sophomore year I landed the lead in the spring musical.
Ellen demanded a work-ethic I didn’t know existed. She held me accountable for my actions, but held no punches, or grudges.

Ellen was instrumental in my gaining acceptance to the University of Michigan, where, during my freshman year, Ellen phoned me, and requested I drive back from Ann Arbor to meet with her, which I did. It was during this visit I received the harshest reprimand I have received to this day. Ellen told me she heard I had been partying too much when I should have been studying. She was right. I stopped.

Years later, Ellen wrote a letter of recommendation which helped me gain acceptance to graduate school at New York University. She never stopped keeping tabs on me.
This, above all else, is what sets Ellen Bowen apart from other teachers: she cares.

Ellen’s methods are brilliant, if sometimes unorthodox, and her results are amazing. For proof of this, I suggest you take a stroll through the choir-room at Grosse Pointe South: awards cover the walls.

For further proof, please consult the trophy cases lining the hallways. There are many, many more packed away in boxes in closets and storerooms around the school. If you look deep enough, you might find my name on a few of them…one of thousands of names etched on dusty awards from local, national, and international competitions.
But these names are only links to real people who, over the years, have been affected by Ellen’s love for, and devotion to her students.

I suggest you follow these links, and speak to Ellen’s former students. These are Ellen’s real awards. In speaking to these students, you will no doubt hear many of the same adjectives repeated again, and again: tough, passionate, driven, and caring.

Ellen Bowen is not only one of the finest teachers available, but she is also a wonderful, caring individual. Her passion for music and education, combined with her genuine affection for her students make her an invaluable asset to Michigan’s department of education, and future students.

I cannot say enough about Ellen Bowen; her contribution to my life has been immeasurable.

Letter From A Former Student - Class of '99

In a letter dated June 7, 2007, a Grosse Pointe South Class of ‘99 student wrote:

I met Ellen Bowen in 1994 when I was a student at Brownell Middle School. She was volunteering that fall to help direct the all-school musical. Having never sung in a choir before my 8th grade year, I was shy, reserved, and scared of most things. But my experience with her and that production was so incredible for me, and so different than anything I had ever experienced before, that I was inspired to continue with her high school program the following year.

I identify most with Ellen’s choir program when I recall high school. Her program and her philosophies represent the foundation of what my life has become after my graduation in 1999. It was Ellen that pushed me to break out of my shy, reserved, scared personality to become a leader, a smart, hard worker, and an accomplished musician. She encouraged me to participate in workshops, camps, and challenging choirs, all of which were positive and lasting. It was her encouragement and my four-year experience in her program that led me to major in music at the University of Michigan, and ultimately why I currently work as a professional musician. Moreover, Ellen encouraged at least eight of my close friends, all of whom graduated from Grosse Pointe South in 1998 or 1999 alone, to major in the arts; they all currently work professionally in this field.

For the past two years, Ellen has been a wonderful mentor to me as a music educator. She has given me opportunities to teach privately and direct ensembles within her choirs. Her feedback has been more helpful to me than the university from which I am currently receiving my teaching certificate. I have built successful relationships with students, parents, and fellow musicians, and she is constantly encouraging me to learn from her program and other programs in Michigan. As an educator, it is obvious to me (or anyone for that matter) that the students adore what they do, love what she does for them, and do not feel threatened in any way whatsoever. On the contrary, the students feel neglected when she is not present to teach them. They have the desire to be pushed by her as I did, whether they want to pursue music after high school or not, through the hard work and discipline that she teaches; they choose to succeed. She is admirable, and the students would be at a great disadvantage without her.

Friends of Ellen Bowen Goes Live!!!!!!

Check out the Friends of Ellen Bowen Website http://www.ellenbowen.com and show your support!

Letter from a Parent.

In a letter dated June 6, 2007, one Grosse Pointe parent wrote:

Our son attended The Grosse Pointe Academy, kindergarten thru 8^th grade. At a very early age, he showed great prowess in music.

During these early years, as we contemplated where he might benefit most from high school, only one name kept re-occurring; that of Ellen Bowen. We repeatedly kept hearing the name Ellen Bowen, the fabulous music teacher at South. I prayed that she would not retire before our son got to South. Yes, Ellen Bowen was, and is, most definitely, the primary reason for our having chosen Grosse Pointe South High School.

Since he arrived three years ago, as a Freshman, we have, not once, regretted that decision. Ellen Bowen has, without a doubt, had the most positive influence on our son. She shares our son’s passion for music, and was quick to see his innate abilities. She mentors him, and supports his dream to, one day be a conductor. She takes a personal interest in her students and wants them all to succeed. She constantly challenges them, and under her tutelage, we are watching our son evolve, into a multi-talented, capable and self confident senior. There is no doubt, she is demanding of her students. What successes in life come easily?

She teaches values, like giving back, and does that by hosting a free concert at Christmas for Senior Citizens in our community. She stresses academics and insists that choir students carry a high grade point average. She offers a community service with her unbelievable shows and musicals of Broadway quality! South choir alumnae come to Ellen Bowen’s shows years after year. Parents of choir alumnae contribute to the Booster organization, long after their children have graduated. The Choir Boosters raise great sums of money to fund the program because they endorse Ellen Bowen. Families are selling their homes and moving out of the North district to be able to get their children into Ellen Bowen’s program or they are requesting special permission to come to South, while living in the North district, merely to allow their children the opportunity to be in Ellen Bowen’s program.

When we go to competitions, I feel sorrow for the children from other schools, who have as much potential as our kids, but not a teacher as capable as Ellen Bowen. They must settle for so much less…they settle for mediocrity. The students of Ellen Bowen shine in the public arena. We are proud to be under the direction of Ellen Bowen.

I believe that all teachers in the system could learn from Ellen Bowen. Why has no other teacher left such a profound mark on either of our children? Our sons have never felt such passion from a teacher. I often wonder, why the math teacher, or the science teacher, or the English teacher, not impact my children to follow their path in life?

Please allow Ellen Bowen to continue her work with the Choir. I trust her completely.

Coming Soon!

Coming soon www.ellenbowen.com! The website for Ellen Bowen supporters will be ready. Check here often to for updates.

OB