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On March 29, OHIO鈥檚 Marching 110 visited the Child Development Center for a music education session. The band performed iconic songs, like 鈥淪tand Up and Cheer鈥� and the 鈥淎vengers鈥� theme song before splitting off and interacting with the children. The kids got to see marching band instruments up close, and even take some of them for a spin. 

鈥淚 think music is very important to kids鈥� development,鈥� Elena Carrick, a first year Early Childhood Education major who works at the CDC twice a week and plays the trumpet in the 110, said. 鈥淧ersonally, I鈥檝e found that it鈥檚 a great way to share and express emotions鈥 find that some words are hard to say out loud, especially at a young age.鈥� 

According to Carrick, some kids at the center are particularly fascinated in marching band and were extremely excited to meet their marching heroes. 

鈥淲e had some (kids) that said they wanted to be in marching band one day, and were showing us how they march, which was adorable鈥 think the kids had a lot of fun with it,鈥� she said. 

Chelsea Murden, one of the CDC鈥檚 lead teachers and the organizer of the event, also noticed some children with an interest in music. 

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great that we can also show those kids some more tailored experiences that we know they鈥檙e going to enjoy,鈥� Murden said. 

Carrick found it moving to watch the kids who are typically less talkative find a connection with the music. Murden said Carrick鈥檚 mutual involvement in both the center and the band was especially helpful for those kids. 

The annual 110 visit to the CDC was put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Murden was eager to put the event back into motion. 

鈥淪omething that鈥檚 really great about being connected with the University is that you have all these different areas that you can connect to鈥e鈥檙e able to have musical instruments be used and things the children may not see on a regular basis,鈥� Murden added. 

In addition to exposing children to music at a young age, Carrick believes the 110 has another important lesson to impart. 

鈥淭he 110 is amazing at creating connections between new people and forming strong bonds,鈥� Carrick said. 鈥淓veryone is working together toward the same goal through hard work and dedication, and that is an amazing lesson to demonstrate for young kids as well.鈥� 

Both Carrick and Murden believe that not only did the children have a great time with the event, but the members of the 110 enjoyed it as well. 

鈥淭hey did really well with the kids and seemed to really enjoy showing them how the instruments work,鈥� Murden said. 

Not only was the experience a fun one, but Carrick believes it was also a rewarding one for the band members. 

鈥淎ll of these small interactions that these kids are going to be talking about for so long because I let them see my instrument, it鈥檚 really like watering a seed鈥o I think it was a really positive experience all around,鈥� Carrick added.

Murden believes events like these are important to continue fostering connections between the CDC and the surrounding area. 

鈥淲e really value community within our school鈥nd being connected to the Athens community through different events鈥o I think keeping these connections to the other parts of the university makes it feel like a broader community space,鈥� Murden said.