As we conclude our annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week, we give thanks for the gift of Catholic education and the unique formation experience that it provides for our children. I’d like to take this opportunity for this year’s Christ the Teacher Award winner, Erica Fox, to share her thoughts with you. My heartfelt thanks goes out to Erica and all of the faculty and staff who work so tirelessly to make our school a tremendous place for our kids to learn and grow.
It is such an incredible honor and privilege to be chosen as the recipient of the Christ the Teacher Award for the 2024-2025 school year!
Both Catholic Education and Music have played such an integral part of my life. My entire family, starting in 1945 when my father attended Holy Cross Grade School, through to when my daughter, Cecilia who graduated from Christ the King School in 2019, have received a K-12 Catholic Education.
In addition to my Catholic education, my own musical education began at the early age of five, when I first saw the movie “The Sound of Music”. I instantly fell in love with music, especially playing the piano and singing, and as the years progressed, knew I wanted to pursue a career in music education. So in 1996, only three weeks after graduating from college, when I learned of the Music teacher position opening up, here at Christ the King, I instantly knew that I just received my calling.
As a Music teacher my main objective is to foster a love of music in the children I teach. As a Catholic educator, my role is to seek to nourish, in the students I teach, a more profound connection to God, through music. I often remind my students, at the start of each Music class when we are singing liturgical hymns, of the Saint Augustine quote that “one who sings, prays twice”. Through the art of singing, prayer and exaltation to God is elevated to a deeper form of expression by holistically and emotionally engaging not only the mind, but the body and soul, as well.
Through music composition and listening to a wide repertoire of music, students, continue to further cultivate a closer relationship with God. Music, at its basic form is the organization of sound into patterns. Through the combinations of melodies, harmonies, rhythm and form students create and listen to music that develops their sense of God’s own creation and beautiful, harmonious sounds, that surround us all. I believe Pope John Paul II best put into words as to the critical role music plays in Catholic education by stating:
“We must have music. It is good for our souls. It reminds us of the beauty of God’s world. And through music, through making music or listening to it, we can thank God. Music is one of the best ways to pray.” – Pope John Paul II
Thank you so much for this wonderful honor of being chosen as the Christ the Teacher Award recipient!
Erica Fox
Christ the King Pre-K through 8th grade Music Teacher
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