15 years and counting

Band Teacher Micheal Emerson is spending his 15th year with Holt High School

In the fall of 2005 band director, Micheal Emerson came to Holt High School. Emerson initially was going to be a physical therapist, but after his band director changed his senior year Emerson knew he wanted to be a band director and teach at a high school. Emerson first taught up north at Gaylord High School for 3 years before coming to Holt. Now after many years, he is celebrating his 15th year of teaching at Holt.

“I wanted a great big high school job and [Holt] came open. I went for it and got it, that was my goal. That is what brought me down here and back home,” said Emerson.

Originally from Lansing, Emerson was happy to come back even though it was a bit tough starting at Holt because he took over for a beloved teacher. Emerson has now become a beloved teacher who teaches multiple band classes during the day, ranging for new students to students who have been playing for years.

Emerson said, “[each class is ] very unique I like them each for different reasons I love working with the wind ensemble because they are musically advanced and they are really good, but when you work with mostly freshmen you see the improvement and it is really fun after 1 week in seeing the improvement.”

Not only has Emerson helped his students improve, but he has improved too.

“I have improved just by practicing teaching. It is just like anything else the longer you do it the better you get at it,” said Emerson.

Emerson has loved every year he has been teaching, but this year he is just excited because he is celebrating his 15th year and because he has a great group of students.

Emerson said, “ It will be hard when I leave in a hundred years, [Holt] is a great place to be.”