Senior Morgan Payne says she’s pretty clear as to her career direction, channeling her long-time love of music toward her higher education goals.
She will be attending Nazareth College next fall, where she plans to study music therapy. One day she hopes to work with kids with autism.
Morgan said her interest in music intensified when she began piano lessons 11 years ago. She participates in chorus and performed in the school musical in 10th and 11th grades and in this year’s Annie Get Your Gun. In 9th grade she was in the pit band for that year’s musical.
This school year she did an ESCO internship with Ms. Gaudin, helping to teach the kindergarten and second grade music classes.
Morgan plays alto saxaphone in the senior band and piano in the stage band.
She applied and was selected for the Broadway Theatre League’s Youth Embassador Program at the Stanley Theater.
In the program, two students from a number of area schools in the region are selected to see all of the shows at the Stanley and write reviews. The program helps to get the shows known, especially to student peer groups.
Morgan is one of 36 students from 24 schools in the program this year. She participated last year, too. “It’s very fun,” she said.
Ms. Gaudin has been a favorite teacher of hers. “She’s definitely taught me a lot about music and what I need to know to get into college.”
She also really likes soccer, having played since kindergarten. “I’m sad it’s my last year.”
She will miss being in Old Forge and her family that live here, including her grandparents and aunt and uncle. “I can already see it’s going to be a big change; anywhere I go will be bigger than this town. I definitely loved growing up here,” she said.
“Sometimes the smallness is not the best thing. But I like how you can be close with a lot of people, and it gives you the chance to get to know them really well,” Payne added.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting new experiences in college and going forward with my life. But I’m definitely going to miss it here.”