Students Provide Comfort to Patients Through Music

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Fine Arts students across Mansfield ISD are helping hospital patients recover by simply doing what they love.

A new music therapy program named Recovery Notes allows the young musicians to perform for patients at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center.

“The original intent was that these patients needed to have a reason to kind of get up and out of their beds,” said Dr. Chuck Roe, assistant fine arts director. “But even for patients who are confined to the bed, they get a little enjoyment than just watching the T.V.”

Medical center officials said music can be a good resource to manage pain and anxiety, ultimately playing a significant part in a patient’s recovery.

The students are assigned to the cardiac telemetry floor.

Students in musical theatre, choir and band participate in Recovery Notes on Monday evenings. The program is in its infancy, but it has already proven to be a benefit.

“The patients really love it and so do the students,” said Brittany Ross, a fine arts teacher at MISD. “We’ve even gotten some really great reactions from the nurses. It really does bring this feeling of joy throughout the entire hallway.”

Dr. Roe said the students start out not knowing what to expect; but after they perform, he said they are excited to sign up for another session.

“I’d like to believe that maybe their days got better because of this, and I would love to do anything that I can to make their days better,” said senior Jisella Ayala from Legacy High School.

Students who participate in Recovery Notes have an opportunity to win a $500 scholarship to the college of their choice. Dr. Roe said the program will continue in the summer months.

MISD Program Fosters Appreciation for the Arts

Not everyone has the means to see world-renowned performances of music, dance, and theatre and art. That’s why the Mansfield ISD Fine Arts Department brings those special acts into the district, and it’s absolutely free for students.

The Center Arts Program began as a fourth-grade tradition. Each year, the students would dress up and take a field trip to see a symphony perform. The response was so great that Fine Arts administrators knew they had to expand it.

“Students loved the acts we brought in, so now different professional performances are available to second-graders through eighth-graders,” said Dr. Chuck Roe, assistant fine arts director. “We have all kinds of organizations come in like the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, The Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Symphony Arlington, Texas Ballet Theatre, and so much more.”

Students visit the MISD Center to watch professional classical acts.

The Center Arts Program has since added more components for the benefit of students and the community. Local artists are featured in various gallery residencies throughout the year, and area high schools are invited to take part in project-based competitions.

The latest addition to the program has been securing Grammy-nominated artists to perform at the MISD Center for the Performing Arts. MISD students are the opening act.

“It exposes students of all ages to many genres of music,” said Jeanne Cassidy, sales and marketing coordinator for the MISD Center for the Performing Arts. “My hope is that this program will continue to grow and these kids will be able to create memories that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

The next big act coming to the MISD Center for the Performing Arts is Amos Lee. He performs Saturday, Dec. 2. Tickets are on sale now.