Emily Hendricks, Hillbrook’s Technology Support Specialist and Digital Music Teacher has been named an Apple Distinguished Educator: “Apple is pleased to welcome Emily Hendricks to the Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE) Class of 2019. In 1994, Apple created the ADE Program to recognize K-12 and higher education pioneers who are using Apple technology to transform teaching and learning in powerful ways. Celebrating 25 years, the program has grown into a worldwide community of over 2,800 visionary and innovative leaders in education, helping other educators rethink what’s possible with iPad and Mac.”
Learn more about how Emily shares her passion for using technology as a powerful educational tool with our students.
Emily has been at Hillbrook for five years and what she loves most about our students is their willingness to venture beyond their comfort zone. “They embrace opportunities to ask deeper questions and really dig into their passions, whether in or out of school,” she says. “The students at Hillbrook care for each other as a community and, whether or not they know it, are the reason that Hillbrook is truly a place for creative growth.”
What matters most to Emily, when it comes to being an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE), is that she is able to show the greater teaching community the power of combining innovative technology with creative projects in the classroom. “It’s really cool that I will be able to connect with the ADE network of educators and share ideas to help make our education system even more impactful for students.”
At Hillbrook, Emily loves her 6th grade digital music electives and enjoys beginning class with a “Sound Reflection.” She explains: “We listen to an instrumental track or soundscape and they write stories and draw illustrations based on the mood and imagery experienced through the music. Some pretty amazing reflections have surfaced through this short exercise.” She also loves watching her students create Foley sound effects to bring animations and original movies to life has also been really fun. Emily has also been working with first-grade students as part of an integrated social studies unit, called “Main Street Music,” where they create (using GarageBand) instrumental music, textures and recorded sound effects that help emulate the “mood” of buildings on their main street.
Thank you, Emily, and congratulations!