RICHTON PARK, ILL.–(ENEWSPF)–September 26, 2014—Sauk Elementary Show Choir Director, Dianna Harrigan, has been named WGN-TV’s “Teacher of the Month.”
“September’s honoree is a show-stopper, but this music and choir teacher puts her students in the spotlight—and they’re bursting with self confidence,” said WGN-TV broadcaster Muriel Clair in the intro to her story that aired on the 9 P.M. News and on the Superstation’s Mid-Day News beamed across the U.S. and on the Web.
A music teacher at Matteson District 162’s Sauk Elementary School, Richton Park, Illinois, Harrigan also earned a $ 1,000 prize from Saint Xavier University, co-sponsor of the Teacher of the Month program.
“We’re very grateful to WGN-TV and to Saint Xavier University for honoring Mrs. Dianna Harrigan whose energy and enthusiasm for the importance music plays in the lives of our students that permeates the entire Matteson District 162 family,” said Dr. Blondean Davis, Superintendent.
“When I see the children coming into the classroom, I know sometimes they have burdens, they’re coming in just to release the stress of the day. And I know that they have so much untapped potential, and it’s my job to pull that out of them,” said Harrigan.
Deontae Farrow, a 5th grade Sauk School student who nominated his music teacher for the honor said, “She lets her light shine by teaching us song and dance movements.”
Born hearing impaired, Deontae had multiple surgeries to correct the problem, but he still felt left out.
In Muriel Clair’s WGN-TV story, Harrigan explained: “When Deontae came in last year he was such a shy, timid fourth grader, and he was very timid with his movement. But as he got into music class, and stayed after school for choir and we started singing and dancing, motivating the children every day, now those fears aren’t there anymore.”
“Mrs. Harrigan,” Clair reported, “takes basic music scale to another level.”
“We have our little hand signs, we might add a drum beat … so we’re making do-re-me-fah-so-la-ti do something for the new age child,” Harrigan said.
The Sauk Elementary Show Choir appears regularly at venues throughout the south and southwestern suburbs as well as downtown Chicago where they have performed in the Chicago Cultural Center.
Harrigan believes that just as time spent in the classroom is important so are public appearances.
“Performing makes students feel good about themselves. It’s something positive. They start off from scratch and at the end when we perform and they see the audience stand up and cheer, their self-esteem is built up and their light is shining,” Harrigan explained during the television interview.
Diana Harrigan earned a bachelor of arts in music with emphasis on vocal performance from the University of Illinois at Chicago where she graduated summa cum laude and has a master’s degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music.
A diversified musician who sings, plays the piano and keyboard, grew up with music all around her. She began music studies at the age of four and made her first public appearance a year later. She sang with the “The Little Angels of the Lord” and continued to perform at Bloom Township High school where she earned several first place ratings in vocal performance in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) solo and ensemble competitions.
In May 2000, Harrigan performed with the University of Illinois at Chicago University Choir and the Northwestern University Singers for the premiere of David Fanshaw’s, “African Sanctus,” at Carnegie Hall, New York City.
She also was a soloist at the annual Black Expo at McCormick Place, Chicago.
From 2003 to 2006, she served as Director and Minister of Music at Hazel Crest Assembly Church.
She and her husband, Ron Harrigan, who is the band director at the O.W. Huth School, Matteson, are the parents of a son, Nathaniel.
