Delynne West, a dedicated music specialist with 32 years of experience at Bryant Schools, has been instrumental in instilling a love for music in children throughout her career. She initially started her journey at Bryant Middle/Bryant Elementary, serving multiple schools including Springhill, Collegeville, and Salem. However, for the past 29 years, she has considered Springhill Elementary her home.
Throughout her tenure, Delynne has actively participated in music workshops and conferences, learning to connect with every student's unique learning style to better foster a genuine love for music. She firmly believes that students are more likely to pursue music if they genuinely enjoy it, so she focused on incorporating various activities to help students find joy in making music.
Looking ahead, Delynne hopes that her students will carry the passion for music they've cultivated into adulthood. Whether it's singing lullabies to their own children, attending concerts, or exploring different genres, she wants them to find joy and expression through music.
Reflecting on her time at Springhill, Delynne expresses gratitude towards the supportive administrators and the PTO for investing in enriching music education initiatives. Collaborative efforts resulted in memorable live performances, engaging songwriting workshops, and the acquisition of Orff instruments and a World Music Drumming set, all of which greatly enhanced the music program for students.
Additionally, Delynne acknowledges the invaluable support from her fellow elementary music specialists and the specialists in her building. She is also thankful for the secondary school ensembles which will further enrich the musical journey of her students beyond their time at Springhill.
Mrs. West will now focus her passion on mentoring and guiding future music educators as an adjunct instructor at Ouachita Baptist University. She and her husband John plan to travel, taking in concerts on her bucket list. They will both enjoy supporting their daughters in their respective programs—one a theater lighting design specialist and the other a music educator— and performances. Delynne also plans to attend concerts and plays at the district’s secondary schools to see her former students shine. No doubt they will smile when they see their former teacher in the audience.